The results are in from the first U23 XC World Cup of the year in Nove Mesto. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj kicks off his season with a win following a third place in the XCC on Thursday. Throughout the race, there was a closely fought battle with Swiss rider Dario Lillo although a pass on the fourth full lap would create an advantage too big for Dario as he stayed in 2nd through to the finish. Third place was another closely fought battle but after an attack on the final lap it was Tom Schellekens who bested the chasing riders and ended the day on the podium. After the race, Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj said in his post-race interview: “Just incredible, it’s still coming to my mind. Just flat-out racing all day. A good weekend for me, I’m just over the moon about this one.”
Finishing the day the U23 took to the track with Sofie Pedersen launching out of the start and never looking back as she looked strong from the first start loop. Throughout the race, Sofie Pedersen stayed at the front of the race and for a while she was joined by Swiss riders Ginia Caluori and Ronja Blöchlinger. Sadly a rear wheel mechanical took Thursday’s XCC winner, Ronja Blöchlinger, out of contention leaving just Ginia Caluori to challenge for the XCO win. But Ginia Caluori was not able to match Sofie Pedersen’s speed on the downhills and a gap began to grow which eventually became impossible to close. In her post-race broadcast interview, Sofie Pedersen said: “It was a super hard and exciting race I just try to go full gas from the start and it was just super good, super nice. I think I was strong on the downhills so I could get a little gap every time and then just go full gas on the uphills.”
Check out the full results and updates from the racing as it happened below.
Results:
U23 Men:
1st. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj: 1:08:27
2nd. Dario Lillo: +2
3rd. Tom Schellekens +41
4th. Oleksandr Hudyma: +45
5th. Matthew Wilson +55
U23 Women:
1st. Sofie Pedersen: 1:09:21
2nd. Ginia Caluori: +30
3rd. Emilly Johnston: +1:20
4th. Sara Cortinovis: +1:32
5th. Noëlle Buri: +1:50
8:00 am PDT: The U23 Women are Off
The U23 Women’s race is underway as Sofie Pedersen leads into the first of two shortened start loops before four full laps.
8:07 am PDT: Sofie Pedersen has Already Built a 6 Second Lead
Sofie Pedersen has attacked from the start as she is building a strong lead on the shorter start loop.
8:08 am PDT: Top Five After the First Start Loop
1st. Sofie Pedersen: 8:25
2nd. Ronja Blöchlinger: +7
3rd. Noëlle Buri: +14
4th. Noemie Garnier: +14
5th. Sara Cortinovis: +18
8:18 am PDT: Top Five After the Second Start Loop
1st. Sofie Pedersen: 17:34
2nd. Ginia Caluori: +8
3rd. Ronja Blöchlinger: +8
4th. Noemie Garnier: +17
5th. Noëlle Buri: +19
8:19 am PDT: The Chasing Group Catches Sofie Pedersen
After leading for the first two start loops Sofie Pedersen has been caught by Swiss riders Ginia Caluori and Ronja Blöchlinger. Ronja Blöchlinger has also taken the lead.
8:28 am PDT: The Lead Group Builds 29-Second Advantage
The three-rider group headed up by Ronja Blöchlinger now sits around 30 seconds up on the chasing riders.
8:31 am PDT: A Wheel Change for Ronja Blöchlinger
After the first full lap Ronja Blöchlinger has gone into the tech zone to get a new rear wheel. She has lost a lot of time.
8:32 am PDT: Top Five After the First Lap
1st. Ginia Caluori
2nd. Sofie Pedersen: +0
3rd. Emilly Johnston: +40
4th. Sina Van Thiel: +41
5th. Noemie Garnier: +41
8:44 am PDT: Top Five After the Second Lap
1st. Sofie Pedersen: 43:20
2nd. Ginia Caluori: +14
3rd. Emilly Johnston: +49
4th. Sara Cortinovis: +1:09
5th. Noemie Garnier: +1:10
8:49 am PDT: Sofie Pedersen Extends her Lead to Over 20 Seconds
Sofie Pedersen is continuing to keep the pace high as she now builds her advantage against 2nd-placed Ginia Caluori to 23 seconds.
8:57 am PDT: Top Five Going into the Final Lap
1st. Sofie Pedersen: 56:20
2nd. Ginia Caluori: +25
3rd. Emilly Johnston: +1:04
4th. Sara Cortinovis: +1:26
5th. Noemie Garnier: +1:38
9:10 am PDT: Sofie Pedersen Wins the Opening Race of the 2023 Season
Sofie Pedersen has secured victory in Nove Mesto after attacking hard from the first start loop.
What Happened in the XCC?:
Ronja Blöchlinger kept it calm in the early laps, always keeping the lead in sight. A very close finish saw Ronja just pull ahead at the line with the following four riders ending on the same second.
1st. Ronja Blöchlinger: 20:13
2nd. Noëlle Buri: 20:14
3rd. Sofie Pedersen: 20:14
4th. Ella Maclean-Howell: 20:14
5th. Kira Böhm: 20:14
You can view the full results here.
6:01 am PDT: The U23 Men are Off
The U23 are off the line with Riley Amos leading into the first of two shortened start loops before five full laps.
6:04 am PDT: Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj Leads the First Start Loop
As the riders make their way around the first of two short start loops it is Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj who leads. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj took 3rd in the XCC race on Thursday.
6:07 am PDT: Top Five After the First Start Loop
1st. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj
2nd. Dario Lillo
3rd. Riley Amos
4th. Tom Schellekens
5th. Matthew Wilson
6:10 am PDT: Tom Schellekens Leads the Fast Group of 6 at the Front
Tom Schellekens is now heading up the front six riders as they have built a seven-second advantage over the chasing group.
6:15 am PDT: Top Five After the Second Start Loop
1st. Dario Lillo: 14:50
2nd. Riley Amos: +0
3rd. Tom Schellekens +1
4th. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj +2
5th. Matthew Wilson +3
6:16 am PDT: Carter Woods Crashes on the First Turn
The loose first turn has taken another victim as Carter Woods slides out in the gravel. Carter looks to be back up on his bike, but he is now back in 12th.
6:20 am PDT: A Big Group is Forming at the Front
With Riley Amos leading the pack we now have nine riders bunched up at the front of the race. The big group has built a 20-second gap to the chasing group headed up by Andreas Emanuele Vittone.
6:26 am PDT: Top Five After the First Lap
1st. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj: 25:35
2nd. Riley Amos: +0
3rd. Dario Lillo: +0
4th. Matthew Wilson +2
5th. Tom Schellekens +2
6:30 am PDT: A Group of 3 is Splitting Off at the Front
Dario Lillo, Riley Amos and Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj are building a small lead against the other riders in the group of seven that sit between 20 and 10 seconds ahead of the chasing group.
6:36 am PDT: Top Five After the Second Lap
1st. Dario Lillo: 36:16
2nd. Riley Amos: +0
3rd. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj: +1
4th. Matthew Wilson +14
5th. Tom Schellekens +14
6:42 am PDT: Riley Amos has been Dropped off the Front
We are not sure what has happened yet but Riley Amos has dropped 57 seconds back in 8th.
6:44 am PDT: Riley Amos’ Tire is off the Rim
The broadcast has now shown that Riley Amos’ tire is hanging off the rim and he now has to run up the super steep climb. He is currently in 21st.
6:48 am PDT: Top Five After the Third Lap
1st. Dario Lillo: 46:58
2nd. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj: +2
3rd. Tom Schellekens +30
4th. Oleksandr Hudyma: +30
5th. Peter Joseph Blackmore: +34
6:51 am PDT: Dario Lillo is Building his Lead
The gap between Dario Lillo and Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj is now sitting at five seconds. The distance to third place has also extended to 34 seconds.
6:53 am PDT: Oliver Vedersø Sølvhø has Closed the Gap and Gone into the Lead
Oliver Vedersø Sølvhø seems to be riding away from Dario Lillo after already closing the five-second gap from the early part of the lap.
6:58 am PDT: Top Five Heading into the Final Lap
1st. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj: 57:33
2nd. Dario Lillo: +5
3rd. Tom Schellekens +50
4th. Oleksandr Hudyma: +50
5th. Matthew Wilson +54
7:04 am PDT: Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj Maintains his Lead
Dario Lillo really needs to start closing the gap as the final lap reaches its conclusion. The gap is only six seconds but a move will need to be made soon if things are going to change before the finish line.
7:09 am PDT: Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj Takes the Win in Nove Mesto
Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj wins the first U23 race of the year with Dario Lillo just two seconds back.
What Happened in the XCC?:
Adrien Boichis secured the first win for the U23 Male riders as he piloted his way through the pack to get himself in the perfect position for a last-minute sprint attack placing him two seconds up on Riley Amos and Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj.
1st. Adrien Boichis: 18:55
2nd. Riley Amos: 18:57
3rd. Oliver Vedersø Sølvhøj: 18:57
4th. Bjorn Riley: 18:58
5th. Dario Lillo: 18:58
You can view the full results here.
Full Results:
U23 Men
U23 Women
Overall Standings:
U23 Men
U23 Women
