As the defending champion, Puck Pieterse is back to compete at Nove Mesto in the 2024 UCI XCO World Cup. Despite missing the first two UCI World Cups in Brazil to focus on road racing, she is expected to be a strong contender once again.
Currently, USA’s Haley Batten leads the 2024 UCI XCO World Cup rankings, with Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds in second place. USA’s Savillia Blunk has also consistently appeared on the podium with second and third-place finishes, placing her in third in the UCI rankings.
New entries at the first European tour stop in Nove Mesto include World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of France, who finished second at the event in 2023, and Austria’s Mona Mitterwallner, who missed the first two World Cups due to illness. These additions are expected to shake up the competition and create new battles among the women riders.
In addition to these top contenders, several other riders are also expected to make their mark at Nove Mesto. These include Italy’s Giorgia Nexton-Giovannoni, Canada’s Lea Lanthorne-Cervantes, and Germany’s Anne Tauber. With so many talented riders competing for victory, it promises to be an exciting and unpredictable event for fans of cross country mountain biking.
