Tom Pidcock wins the XCO World Cup in Crans Montana 2024 with authority

In a new and very demanding circuit, both physically and technically, Tom Pidcock has achieved a sensational victory that confirms he is currently the best XCO cyclist in the world.

Tom Pidcock wins the XCO World Cup in Crans Montana 2024 and confirms why he is the World Champion

All eyes were on the British Tom Pidcock after the spectacular Short Track he won after being last in the first lap, but the XCO could change things a lot.

After a chaotic start due to the chain break of the Czech Ondrej Cink, all the favorites remained in the lead group and only the entry into the forest began to create differences.

The first surprise was seeing the German Julien Schelb take the lead and move to the front of the race with a first attack that no one expected. It was enough to open a small gap that forced Pidcock to react and step up early on.

Pidcock managed to take the lead, but a fall without consequences made him have to regain a couple of positions, which he achieved at the beginning of lap 2.

And it was precisely in lap 2 where the race seemed to consolidate up front with Pidcock leading and opening a small gap of 7", Mathias Fluckiger arrived very consistently from behind to take second place while Schurter and Schelb were in third and fourth place at 13 and 19".

Mathias Fluckiger increased the pace to try to catch up with Pidcock in lap 3, but the British rider was not willing to give in and did the same to increase his lead to over half a minute with Fluckiger.

Nino Schurter suffered a spectacular fall in which he even went off the track, but he quickly got up and seemingly without consequences got back on the bike having only lost one position. But that wasn't the end of it, and in the same lap we saw him fall again, this time in the Rockgarden.

Mud has never been his strong suit and it seems that Schurter was suffering from it again.

Although the speed was very high, the mud was making things very difficult for everyone and in lap 4 Pidcock suffered another fall in an easy section. He quickly got up and his generous lead over Fluckiger allowed him to take the incident calmly.

Still, lap 5 started with Tom Pidcock very firm in the lead with a 40" lead over Fluckiger while the German Schelb was in third place under threat from the determined return of Schurter.

The race was very demanding and with 2 laps to go, the front positions were consolidated. Only Schurter, Schelb, and Braidot were fighting for third place.

The last lap bell rang with the same positions in the lead of the race, but that last lap was decisive for positions from 3rd to 5th.

Tom Pidcock continued in the lead like clockwork and the lead was already immense. Over 1 minute with Mathias Fluckiger. Everything seemed decided.

And it was. Tom Pidcock crossed the finish line first to win the XCO World Cup in Crans Montana. The second XCO World Cup he wins in 2024. So far the cyclist with the most victories this year.

Mathias Fluckiger came in second with some ease while the third place was decided with an intense attack that started very early by Nino Schurter and ended with the Italian Luca Braidot taking the position from the Swiss.

Top 5 XCO World Cup Crans Montana 2024

1. Tom Pidcock 1:26:28
2. Mathias Fluckiger +1:10'
3. Luca Braidot +2:05'
4. Nino Schurter +2:08'
5. Julien Shelb +2:23'