In the elite men’s cross country race at the UCI World Cup in Nové Město na Moravě, French rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of Ineos Grenadiers emerged victorious. She rode to a dominant solo victory in her World Champion stripes, finishing ahead of US rider Haley Batten from Specialized Factory Racing and Alessandra Keller from Thomus Maxon in third. Ferrand-Prévot completed the 26.45km loop in 1:24:44, finishing a full minute and two seconds ahead of Batten after making her initial attack on the main climb of the start loop.
Behind her, a battle ensued between Saturday’s short track winner Keller and young talent Puck Pieterse. However, Pieterse slipped on a rear wheel and had to dismount on the final lap, putting her out of contention as she finished in fourth place. Ferrand-Prévot executed her race excellently, only having a brief dismount on the third lap that did not impact her significant leading margin.
After the race, Ferrand-Prévot commented that she wanted to ride at her own speed and push from the start to maintain her pace. Despite her impressive performance, she did not feel particularly confident in her form during the race. She mentioned that the course, with its steep climb and opportunities to push and recover, suited her strength. Ferrand-Prévot’s victory on this course marked her third win, cementing her as a clear favorite ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games this summer.
