World cup is back!

It never happened so far to see the 1st UCI World Cup race in late November, but in this Covid-19 year everything is possible. All Cyclocross fans were looking for Tabor race. In the last few years, the Czech city already hosted European and World Championships.

Finally, the white jersey of the season has been assigned as below:

  • Zoe Backstedt (Junior women) – Challenge supported rider
  • Matej Stransky (Junior men) – Challenge supported rider
  • Blanka Kata Vas (U-23 women) – Challenge supported rider
  • Thomas Mein (U-23 men) – Challenge supported rider
  • Lucinda Brandt (Elite Women)
  • Michael Vanthourenhout ( Elite Men)

The 1st WC Junior women race ever took place yesterday. On the podium Zoe Backstedt, Marie Schreiber and Lucia Bramati, all of them riding Challenge tires. In the morning the temperature was quite low and the ground was a bit frosty:

“I think the GRIFO was the right choice for the course as it was still a little bit frosty on the ground so I had the perfect amount of grip and a fast rolling tire for the road and flat sections” – declared Zoe Backstedt at the end of race.

Same conditions during the Junior men race: Matej Stransky and Lorenzo Masciarelli had a big fight which ended in favour of the Czech rider, making happy all local supporters. Stransky rode GRIFO as well, 1.3 bar front - 1.5 bar.

When U-23 races took place, temperature increased a little bit and terrain conditions changed from frosty to muddy. Some athletes decided to switch from GRIFO to BABY LIMUS to get a little more grip in the straights and up-hill. UK team took a “doublè” in the men race with Thomas Mein still on GRIFO and Ben Turner back to race after an injury. The Hungarian Blanka Vas confirmed the amazing season, getting a 4th place in the Woman Elite, battling for the podium till the end with some more expert Dutch riders. In the end, she took the U-23 women jersey and Anna Kay completed the podium with a 3rd place