Pidcock keeps perfect Nove Mesto record alive with dominant solo victory

The Olympic champion started as the clear favourite on a course that has become one of the defining stages of modern mountain biking. Nové Město has been a regular fixture on the World Cup calendar for well over a decade, with its steep climbs, technical descents and forest trails making it one of the most respected races in the discipline.

Pidcock did not wait long to take control. After a fast opening phase, he moved clear with French riders Luca Martin and Mathis Azzaro, before launching his decisive attack on the second lap. Once he accelerated on one of the climbing sections, neither Martin nor Azzaro could follow.

From there, the Pinarello-Q36.5rider settled into his own rhythm at the front. Martin continued to chase and briefly managed to limit the gap, even edging closer around the middle of the race, but Pidcock responded whenever the pressure increased. By the final laps, the Briton had reasserted his advantage and was on his way to another solo victory in front of a packed Czech crowd.

“I think that was the hardest one I’ve done,” Pidcock said afterwards via his team. “I didn’t make it easy for myself. I had a really good start and was probably a bit too keen in the opening laps.”

Pidcock admitted that Martin’s resistance forced him to keep pushing deep into the race.

“Luca was pushing me all the way,” he said. “He kept coming close and I had to kick again a few times.”

The win means Pidcock now has five victories from five elite starts in Nové Město, drawing level with the record of retired Swiss legend Nino Schurter at the venue. Luca Martin finished second, while Filippo Colombo rode to third.

For Pidcock, the result was another reminder of his rare ability to switch between disciplines without losing his sharpness. Despite racing selectively on the mountain bike, he again looked at home on one of the most demanding courses in the sport.

“My fitness is good, but when I haven't done many races, I need to be a bit more cautious than perhaps in another part of the season,” he said. “The level of the sport keeps getting higher and higher. It keeps me on my toes because I can't rest on my laurels.”

In the end, Pidcock’s plan was simple and brutally effective.

“I used my strength on the climbs to make the difference and just ride my own race,” he said.