The Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup returns to Europe, meets the public of great occasions and reunites with one of its most beloved champions. Tom Pidcock dominated the second stage of the most important international circuit on the planet which took place today in Albstadt, Germany.
The Tokyo 2020 gold medalist had not raced off-road since the Olympic Games, but he immediately found the right feeling: halfway through the race he opens the gas and leaves all the others in place, including the world champion Nino Schurter which can do nothing against the wattages of the British. The Englishman of Ineos Grenadiers attacked during the third of the six laps scheduled, on the hardest uphill stretch, and no one was able to keep up with him.
The world champion Nino Schurter, winner of the opening stage in Brazil and increasingly leader of the general classification, crossed the finish line 2nd, 20 ″ after the surge of Pidcock, ahead of the Romanian Vlad Dascalu, who despite the breaking of the saddle, thanks to a pit stop from Formula 1, his downhill skills and a great leg, confirms himself among the best of the season. Mathias Fluckiger closes out of the top 10, after a 2021 year that had seen him dominating.
Bad day for the Italian riders, including Luca Braidot and Gerard Kerschbaumer, far from the top positions. The best of ours was Daniele Braidot, 24th. Victor Koretzky closes 30th: we hope not to lose the French talent who has shown that he has lost a bit of polish with a purely road preparation. Sam Gaze not received, after the fantastic day in the Short Track.
On Friday, May 13th it will be time to pin the number on the back for the short track of Nove Mesto Na Morave, in the Czech Republic, where on Sunday 15th the third challenge of the year valid for the Cross Country Cup will take place. The appointment, as per tradition, is on Red Bull TV with the following times: XCC from 17.50; XCO women from 11, XCO men from 15.
ORDER OF ARRIVAL
| 1. |  | PIDCOCK Thomas (INEOS) | 1:18:42 |
| 2. |  | SCHURTER Nino (SCOTT-SRAM MTB RACING TEAM) | 1:19:02 +20 |
| 3. |  | DASCALU Vlad (TREK FACTORY RACING XC) | 1:19:03 +21 |
| 4. |  | CAROD Titouan (BMC MTB RACING) | 1:19:18 +36 |
| 5. |  | VALERO SERRANO David (BH TEMPLO CAFES UCC) | 1:19:36 +54 |
| 6. | | SARROU Jordan (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) | 1:19:41 +59 |
| 7. |  | HATHERLY Alan (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) | 1:19:43 + 1: 01 |
| 8. | | COLUMBUS Philip (BMC MTB RACING) | 1:19:47 + 1: 05 |
| 9. |  | AVANCINI Henrique (CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING) | 1:20:20 + 1: 38 |
| 10. |  | ULLOA AREVALO Jose Gerardo (MASSI BEAUMES DE VENISE) | 1:20:39 + 1: 57 |
