Pidcock against the new generation of XCO: favorites for the Nove Mesto World Cup 2026

Tom Pidcock, Mathieu van der Poel, Puck Pieterse, Jenny Rissveds, and Sina Frei are just a few of the names that will headline this weekend's 2026 Nové Město XCO/XCC World Cup. The major Czech event will likely bring together the most powerful and open field in current mountain biking, with highly anticipated returns, significant absences, and a list of favorites so extensive that it is almost impossible to pinpoint a single clear candidate for victory.

Favorites to Win the 2026 Nové Město XCO World Cup

The 2026 XCO World Cup arrives this weekend in Nové Město, and it does so with an increasingly evident sensation within modern mountain biking. Predicting who will win is no longer as straightforward as it was a few years ago. The level has compressed so much that practically any rider in the Top 20 can end up fighting for the podium or even taking the victory.

As Charlie Aldridge explained just a few days ago, five or six seasons ago, it was relatively easy to identify four or five names capable of fighting for victory. Now the scenario is completely different, and every weekend a new candidate emerges capable of breaking all predictions. Korea was the best example of this with the emergence of young Swiss Finn Treudler, one of the major revelations of the season's start.

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The arrival of more explosive circuits, the physical growth of the riders, and the enormous technical leap of the bikes have completely changed the World Cup. Today, the margin between winning and finishing tenth is minimal, and Nové Město perfectly represents this new reality.

The Czech circuit usually generates very aggressive races from the first lap, with extremely high rhythms and very little margin to recover positions. Moreover, the atmosphere created by thousands of fans makes this event a special race where pressure also plays an important role.

Pidcock and Van der Poel VS the New Generation of XCO

The men's race will be heavily marked by several important absences. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), last year's winner in Nové Město, will be absent after suffering a collarbone fracture in Korea. Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) will also be missing, as he continues to recover from his arm injury, as will the reigning world champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team), who is currently focused on the Giro d'Italia with Jayco AlUla.

But all eyes will be on Tom Pidcock (Pinarello Factory Racing) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

Pidcock is the clear favorite despite having not competed in XCO for months. Nové Město is probably his most special circuit within the World Cup. He has won all the XCO races he has contested here, including his victories in the under-23 category, and he has never lost on the Czech track when he has started in the Olympic event. Although it initially seemed he would only compete on Sunday in XCO, the provisional lists for the Short Track also include his name.

Update: Mathieu van der Poel will not be competing this weekend at the World Cup in Nové Město na Moravě after all. Although the official UCI Mountain Bike World Series accounts had announced his participation and even compared him to Tom Pidcock in their promotional posts, the Alpecin-Deceuninck team later confirmed that the Dutch rider had decided not to travel to the Czech Republic. As the team explained, there was a real possibility that he would race and he was provisionally registered, but the final decision was negative.

From there, the list of candidates skyrockets. Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) arrives as the World Cup leader after winning in Korea and confirmed there that he is going through the best moment of his career. Cannondale will once again present one of the most powerful lineups in the championship with Luca Martin and Charlie Aldridge, two riders capable of winning any race if they manage to select the front group.

SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team also arrives with a fearsome formation led by Filippo Colombo and Fabio Püntener, while Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) will try to definitively confirm his explosion after surprising the entire paddock in Korea.

But the big message remains the same. Current XCO is so competitive that practically any regular rider in the Top 20 can end up on the podium.

Puck Pieterse Returns and the Level is Huge

The women's race also does not have a clear favorite and arrives marked by two very important returns. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) will return to the World Cup this weekend.

For Pieterse, it will be her first XCO race of the season and her return to mountain biking since Lenzerheide 2025. Nevertheless, the Dutchwoman remains automatically one of the major favorites. Last year she won the Short Track here and was clearly leading the XCO until she suffered a flat tire when it seemed she had the race under control.

Keller, the current XCC world champion, returns after a different season start focused on stage races, including her victory in the Cape Epic alongside Candice Lill (e-FORT x ChemChamp).

Alongside them appears another long list of candidates. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), the reigning XCO world champion, already made it clear in Korea that her form is sufficient to dominate any race. Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) will also arrive as the World Cup leader after winning both the XCC and XCO in YongPyong.

We will also have to closely follow Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC), last year's winner in Nové Město, as well as Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing), Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division), and Madigan Munro (Liv Factory Racing), all of whom are regulars in the fight for the podium.

Elite Race Schedule in Nové Město

The elite events of the World Cup will take place this weekend with the following schedules in Spain:

Saturday, May 23

• XCC Women Elite – 11:20
• XCC Men Elite – 12:10

Sunday, May 24

• XCO Women Elite – 12:00
• XCO Men Elite – 15:00

You can find all the information about complete schedules, broadcasts, and how to follow the race for free and live.