FULL RACE | Men’s U23 XCO World Cup Crans Montana | UCI Mountain Bike World Series

The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Watch the U23 riders battling it out once again in what promises to be another unmissable race.

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The UCI Mountain Bike World Series unites mountain bike’s major formats under a single brand for the first time. The new UCI Mountain Bike World Series includes the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup for Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC), Cross-country Marathon (XCM), Downhill (DHI), Enduro (EDR) and E-enduro (E-EDR).

Comprehensive coverage from the races captures the excitement through exclusive interviews, analysis, reactions and event highlights. In-between events and through the off-season there are regular features covering technical and rider-based topics. All embedded with the latest mountain bike action from the world’s best riders.

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getting ready to go and they are under the red lights and we’ll wait for them to go [Music] green and they’re racing here in Cross Country Olympic in cro Montana for the first time this weekend and the Riders they will have a start look to spread out the field a little bit it’s the same as the cross country race from this morning this afternoon B when the elite Riders were on yeah oh Alex Malik Carney there in the green jersey on the pink specialized nearly Lo the front end around the first Leander and this is why you want to have a fast stting cross country to clear yourself out of this traffic huge field here this afterno in but it’s Riley OS who is going for attack being the better Former Defense up this climb yeah I don’t see that many body Fest or rain jackets uh I’ve got mine on I’m in a commentary it’s only 11° it’s raining it’s cold out time it’s really wet and really cold out there as I say this is the first time first race in the cross country Olympic category where we will get to see this fearsome new course theyve built here in Crome Montana yeah completely new course build here on a steep slope actually steep Mountain so also this course has oh there’s a Smash Up behind and the start L is Big Bash here right handmer bars close to each other these fighting for their positions lot lots of spray as well in the middle of that pack getting picked up on the glasses yeah probably they will put off their glasses very quickly and it’s now Bjorn Riley who’s out front really Bart as well a rider that talented safest place to be out front let won his short track uh last week second yesterday but such a talent Rider and definitely a course but suits him here you can see the Riders there struggling fighting for positions and it’s slippery in every corner everywhere Pon commanding an align green kit good start of him you can hear dis break squealing as they in these rainy conditions battle to try and and you can see it’s so difficult to stay on their bike F out in these off camer Corners to find their balance yeah there’ been lots of little modifications made to these race bikes in the build up to this one with the change of the Weller different break pads going to maybe a metal pad making a bit more noise did you have to ride these metal break pads I love a metal bre pardon me look at thisy fast in this corner man made it safely with the good out and there the first rash and that’s why we’re going to see more here on this place of the course first the Riders out quickly yesterday here in the short track and another crash over there and it’s Carnage D the Red Bull R action also crash and more rers coming down into the net the trees crashes on both L yeah the Riders have to feel first how it feels on the bike how slippery it is and see it’s Carnage out there bark you were saying some of the Riders going for the metal studs on the bottom of the shoes yeah yeah especially for these running Parts even without these STS yeah it’s so difficult to get up leading here in race five full laps so they shortened the course with one lap I thought it was one start Loop plus six they said so now it’s one does r if you told him he could be out there see on the he will know how does how does he like these conditions your Rider he’s quite strong in Cy cross the conditions more of these Riders are good in uh cyle cross and yeah that’s actually how it is right now yeah 11° r you have to get off your bike quite often good M tires to good tire pressure that’s key for today see Paul shell there from Lex where going with a full tinted sunglasses lens it’s a bold move yeah and you have to find your position in the in this race as well I mean it’s uh also a battle in the first start Loop to find your position watch that here we see that again absolute Carnage Luca martan just getting away with it no more and then suddenly if if some of them start to break make a mistake get down yeah the others have to break and it’s impossible to stop your bike here it’s so easy to have somebody else’s crash as well to just right into a rider who’s gone down in front of you and it’s just happen in a split second on a route on a slippery part we’ve talked about than M we’ve talked about this before B there’s nothing much more miserable than a handlebar grip covered in mud it’s absolutely change it immediately your gloves exactly your grips yeah you just get arm pumped there and your muscles start to tense up cuz your hands moving around on the grip and you’re holding it so much harder but these little off camber flats and climbs going to be crucial in the next day and a half or so of racing rile a good start of him and BJ Riley that’s what we expected and V the long guy from the Netherlands he’s a big unit yeah he is Long Legs he’s a big horse all right big Leever R and this is the first long uphill climb it’s getting more steep with some Roots very difficult to ride this is where you really see it B isn’t it this is where you see when Riders are the allr package whenever it’s today it’s difficult conditions it’s wet it’s cold tricky course and these are the guys that are still out in front yeah yeah I mean they they they sh their strengths and also Riley aamos very interesting rider for many teams at the moment so a lot of things going on already for next here in the te in between the teams a lot of checkbooks a lot of checkbooks fluttering here in Switzerland at the minute these Riders on your screen now really stars of the future stars of the present Ry am awesome bjor Riley certainly but also qualified for Olympic Games for USA it’s actually nice to see that you what an opportunity for Riley Amos because he’s going there with no pressure it’s a reduced field for E Riders he can mix it with the very best Christopher blv his teammate the USA and we know lap times these under 23 Riders are right in the see these roots over there huge slippery every corner yeah this is kind of exactly what we thought would happen this course had started to just solidify and come together this today and now in this torrential downpour it’s taking an absolute bat r as Luka Martin yeah Luka Mar he’s one of the most talented skilled Riders of this group and if you see him get loose you know it’s tough going out there F the European Champion more problems for him over here and now it is bjor Riley moving into the front lus ahead of Riley imos almost at the highest point of this course from here on many off Campo sections in the forest also very muddy sections with roots I think I think if you following this week’s buildup at at home on social media you can be forgiven for thinking that it’s all about the technical descents here but some of the climbs are super super tough as well it’s not only these features what they have built which are very technical to write but it’s also many parts of the course because it’s it’s it’s on a very steep slope actually this where the course it’s designed luk martan then in fourth place the Canadian Rider Co pchart the P Cycle TR trudler and Lelo there is Lelo going through your shot n in the Swiss national champs Jersey so Lilo in ninth place currently 33 seconds back already for 38 seconds covering the top 10 in fact so the pace at the front is high matis G the French Champion KTM team they’ve got to be on full mud tires part haven’t they for they are they are on full mud tires they know as well they have been riding on this course and they know how quickly it change if the rain comes down and there’s a bit of a pile up yeah and actually for these Riders there was only one day of training and that was last Thursday of course they had their short track race yesterday so yeah they had to save their en as well yeah good ties holding it wi and let it slide second place for him BJ Riley now on third so changing positions that’s because of little mistakes rles making constantly this section so stap and difficult to get up actually Riley a was also quite tall guy he is with hand turn from one I think he’s a little bit taller than Riley Amos is and then the little be Riley in third place now coming to the Timberwood section y this section handcrafted a beautiful section only sea line is open what I see right now so they close A and B it’s way too dangerous in the red i’ imagine as well over the course of a race that all the mud that would be carried onto that wood section as well more tomorrow drier conditions for the elite categories are you sure I’m not sure about the mountains you’re never sure I thought today was the end of it I thought today it was brightening up and night that’s what it said yesterday and now the r both sliding on this off camera part of the course W both ax both Axel Letting Go at once Ry OS doing really well the only crazy skills they have yeah the only positive here bar is if it keeps raining and the bikes might stay a bit cleaner the tires might clear a bit more it is of course when the when the sun comes out it’s getting very sticky immediately it dries very quickly but uh yeah maybe the Riders they might be lucky that it’s raining constantly now and that it’s yeah very thin mud almost liquid yeah they’ve um they’ve pulled the eot as well the bike that normally uh laps in front of these Riders just because it’s it’s just too dangerous have a a full size M there on course trudler going for the trials turn African Rider on Fifth Place Co CH the Canadian Rider he’s used to ride in these conditions in Canada slippery Roots Lio the Swiss Champion it looks like sort of a hybrid sort of jacket sort of Jersey he’s got on Lelo as well maybe yeah body fast it keeps him a bit warm but I mean it’s it’s cold outside so the rivalers they have to stay aware of that there is your leader then Ry Amos 5 Seconds to the good heard of Tunis V man then it’s Bjorn Riley in third place LC Maran in fourth 22 seconds back now for martan though so Amos not hanging around and you can see how much water is coming down more River here on this part finding the hardest part of this track for battle Waring buy weak in the pets as well but for all the mechanics and team staff keeping baits clean and people yeah but also today we had the the short track Elite Riders and then yeah we uh I as the team manager our mechanics they stay now next to the course of for these Riders under 23 we have two in the team but uh tomorrow the ride the bikes has to be prepared so after this race they still have to do four bikes to clean them to make them in the perfect condition it’s quite a bit of work today yeah that’s a lot that’s a lot of Heat going through one coffee machine in the branch inste so luckily we have bright lights for evening works when the Sun goes down it’s dark there’s L Maran with the gold shades on hoping for a better sunshine but hope might be enough today luk martan is leading punar on the P ahead of mu Lilo technical rider he is as well P out call punch out a young guy just there’s Talent up and down this under 23 man’s field Los there’s so many big big names in making yeah very International strong field as well the USA the Netherlands Canada Switzerland France Spain South Africa all day long you got this all day long all day long you got this the the news being reported ear was by the team staff got it and now B Riley second place and trans one on third there comes Luka Martin the green kit the number four on his bike on the or nice Cadence he has small gear then we have Maxim LOM here with the number 17 he one of the things I’ve always find B in my own this the big rock section oh musi that’s that that’s uh with the number 17 on his bike from France and then here we go this is the the most technical section of the course oh yeah if bjor Riley is opting for a bay line here the a line it’s a bit faster but a bit steeper as well it’s a river Gap and after that the landing is still okay but then it goes very steep down almost difficult very difficult to break all lines on the waterfall section are open so yeah yeah p and Riley just not wanting to Ru the dice this early on the aine but in these conditions it’s difficult to slow down your bike also even with metal brake pads yeah I was just going to say like in my limited experience of cold wet Road rides it’s very easy to forget to drink yes it is definitely you’re already you’re already cold in your yeah you’re already cold and you don’t like to drink but most of the time yeah changing glasses clever very clever that’s what I did as a rider as well we love to see that don’t we we talk this before we an eyewear changing Zone doesn’t exist anymore but it’s it’s very clever Riley Amos and then you have Clear Vision again that’s it it feels like dry clothing and you know what I’m going to say this it just prompted me to remember Cedric Gracia has yet to deliver me those riding glasses with the tear offs he told me he was going to send that’s what to do in motorcross too yeah it’s that makes sense to me but cool pun chart cool pun rer on the pivot have SMY and this is looks so easy for him this set of conditions part can be so specific to where a ride or trains in livs can’t it if you’re used to this sort of level of uncomfort it is yeah that’s how it is if you’re never used in these if you never used to ride in these conditions yet it’s so difficult but if you live in areas where it’s red and slippery where you have this kind of forest you’re used to it if you’ve got a well-used power washer you’re not scared of this stuff but look at this big chunky Rock section Riley Amos doing really well whales in a straight line that’s the B line with a easier entrance than the aine has the a line has a big drop coming into that uh Rock Garden yeah and it’s kind of uphill that’s what’s awkward about it isn’t it you got to Peddle sort of off it it’s a blind Gap where you jump into yeah I am glad that my days of cross country course previews are over and this is no longer my job Josh Carson can do that all day long almost feels like aural ca or CA some of the sections at least we have been here for the endural World Cup in the past and the stages here are some of the best riding in Crown Montana you do are if you’re in the area or have the option to to come here and ride your bike I wholeheartedly recommend it Riley Amos then after lap one leads Away by 7 Seconds H mana and Riley D Riley on the second second and third place luk Mar on his own closing that Gap try to close that Gap Co a little bit further down on four F place and you can get cold on this asphalt can’t you whenever the water’s being flicked up around you and the body temperature can just drop a bit yeah it is luckily it’s not that windy and a lot of uphill in the forest so hopefully the rers they can stay warm cuz if you get wet it’s quite difficult to stay warm difficult to get warm again also your hands getting cold more difficult to to handle your bike your skills I think I’d probably have five jackets on and I take one off per lap that would be that would be my tactic yeah but then breeding becomes a problem actually I when you wearing a rain jacket it feels like that you don’t get any Oxygen to to you and man he’s doing a good job on third place now and see how muddy it is it’s even off gamber R trying to find good grip you see them edging further and further out towards the course marking TI just trying to find any kind of dry earth look at Mar Co P chart oh slight Bobble and and an on CP yeah the these things will happen constantly everywhere on the course Riley OS though if he’s had any problems whatsoever so far we haven’t seen them small look back over his shoulder where’s yon Riley there he is second place look at him just heading out to the right just to get on any kind of dry [Music] dirt yeah you have to find your grip constantly OS often running up this little punch then these are the climes that we talked about being really really difficult to get up cleanly in a Winer yeah you have to be constantly be prepared to get off your bike jump on it again and that in itself part what we just saw is a skill the cyclocross remount keeping the bike moving jumping on yeah and cycl cross many times to take these bikes on their their shoulder running with it mountain bikes are not made for that food suspension bikes still these Riders using especially for these Rock Gardens there was a lot of talk earlier in the week we were getting chattered by people using hard tailes cuz it’ be lighter to carry and stuff but I just think there’s too much Rock there’s too much and also most of these wers they don’t ride hardil bikes anymore so they’re not used to it you have to get used to it as well it’s you have to be constantly riding on the bike as well to have the right feeling there’s Fen truder Cube Factory racing star cool PCH out in front of him the European champ in the white jersey with the blue armbands Luka Mar with the number four on his bike try to find their grip I love watching Luka martan ride a r Spike he just he gives it everything doesn’t he every inch of the track he fights I still remember when he was leading in uh B Sol last year and then certainly frown the r flat on the same time was shame to see that it was a shame but you no sympathy because you said he should have had the awareness to know that he had a big lead I I thought it was a learning process for him but yeah still done he didn’t been a it’s so tough because he had that chance and then all of a sudden Riley Amos has emerged as this all conquering figure in under 23 man’s cross country so hard to beat and all of a sudden winning one is even harder than it was it look so easy winning World Cups but it is absolutely notos finding those look at the size of the ruts out there now really really deep yeah they are they give them a little bit of burm and protection oh Sliding Away through there there as a look out the window off the commentary Booth The Umbrellas are still up in front of us so it’s still [Music] raining a little food out for ranston San here carry on the speed as much as possible but it goes up very quickly from there on it’s difficult to stay on the bike yeah he’s and make it on your bike touch with be Riley slightly now tun for man yeah a little mistake C con ly a little bit of time look at his skills really really good bike handling there from Riley OS almost like a scare carving through the snow you need to have the and feel the confidence as well on your bike riding like he does these deep hair pins these Corners I thought these might be the off and run actually like they might be off the bike on those at the start of this race but doing well to get up them small gear for an STS for man at the bottom of that climb Riley Amos coming to that Timberwood section sea Line open only so how things stand then is OS from Riley Tunis V Manon Martin punar trudler Lelo Moyer gr lomber and LOM are your top 10 but right Amos as we’re kind of getting used to seeing this year pretty faultless so far he won the short track yesterday as well you can actually you can see it you can see it in Riley OS when he’s he’s walking around the races now that the the beliefs there he knows it yeah like he knows how good he is all of he has the confidence he’s in a good shape in the short track yesterday he wasn’t right at the front from the start but there was no Panic there was no alarm R his way there right when it on the last I think it was fa CL clever how he was within his course especially that of camber last descent but which brings the Riders back to the Finish Line yeah you have to feel first how slippery it is he did it quite precisely in the first few laps not taking any risks you see all the spare wheels and tires already mounted up ready to go in the Tech Zone there’s Bor and Riley so our clocks are and 15 seconds behind his good OS Place flat tire something wrong Tunis man is in there grabs a bottle we don’t see what’s going on this is bit disappointment after an incredible start to the race for B third place now on Fifth Place two Riders it’s taking a while whatever it is he’s back out again now looks like a new back wheel in there or is it yep could be turn Manon difficult to see shuffled back in the pack then so that has brought him out into think six Place six or seven you will see now with the next split so L now in third place sixth place yeah on the screens so far bit disappointment for the big Dutchman but yeah I mean also with all the M you don’t see everything what’s under it Ryden really really well though so let’s see if he can get himself back to the front of this one no problems so far for this man Riley OS a change of eyear all he’s pretty much had to do so far apart from R’s bike looking strong here on this climb brings him to the Rock Garden beautiful feature what they have built but not that easy to write no definitely definitely not one of the most physically intimidating sections in the UCI World Cup and St from now on sixth place after his uh pit stop in the Tech Zone one minute back as we follow Ros the leader the winner of all four under 23 Cross Country Olympic rounds so far this season going for his fifth on the bounds today oh yeah try to find every in on this course for some grip and Ollie back in sale and I talked about this at dinner last night that in itself is such a difficult skill that ability to stay going forward when when the back wheel spins up yeah moving your bike even when you’re not pedaling it’s just a subtle movement of the hips isn’t it just to keep going such a great touch in a bike Riley OS little bit time here to recover relax there he is and the man who was in thir who dropped back to six night what does he have left STS of a man is he able to make it to the podium place is now big big test now for the Dutchman so so far it’s Riley Amos Bjorn Riley Luca martan Cole punar V trudler in fifth place Dar Liu seventh Co lomber eighth place as you say bar so easy to pick up a puncture today just for a lack of traction out there and you can just hit an edge that you’ve not seen or yeah and also that rock garden is quite tricky for pin flat lot of big edges in there as I say Wheels aren’t always pointing in the ideal Direction when tractions this limited y Riley second place he is not holding back in these turns here’s your R leader are we going to see another ey where change yeah raises the hand no it doesn’t go for it that’s the for as the feed Tech Zone where they can take on a bottle and food if needed or a gel smart from uh y Riley to clean his drivetrain a little bit with some water every little helps on a day like today so let’s have a watch of one of the best bike handlers in the business a met here we see different lines R for man is a is taking the a line you can see it here on the right B Riley beine it might be that he hit something over there it’s like Mordor in there at the minute isn’t it you can see just all the big Dart rocks just smashing into the rims look at the speed of Riley OS cor sliding over it and not holding back at all full commitment it is from the overall points leader OS currently leads by 14 seconds then on lap two out of five it looks like it’s dry right now outside no umbrellas what I see when I look out of the window big storms all week long here in Switzerland and taking his gel yeah it’s necessary these days if you don’t take the drinks where the energy is in it we got a bit of a appri this morning things dried out the track was pretty pretty much perfect for the short track races earlier on today and then about an hour before this race got underway the heavens open and it got very very wet very very quickly again so the track has taken an absolute hiding you see here as well Riley Amos is cleaning his drivet train a little bit B some water 13 seconds only for BJ Riley who second he’s closing the Gap little bit Yeah does look like he’s closing back in on the bike in front of Ry IM yeah if we compare lap times there’s not that much in between these two just a few seconds TR future racing have already clocked a win ahead of the factory team in the under 23 short track the other night course so they might fancy a crack at doing it again this evening but and if you’re chasing down a rider like Riley Amos who is riding so well at the minute it’s a big big ass now on third [Music] place technically very strong Rider I’ve seen him in training here on this course amazing waiting for that chasing group withler steady the ship a we bit here he was looking a bit he looking a bit sort of trapid of the condition in the first lap or so but he seems to just got things under control now settled into a rhym the European chap yeah don’t forget we are on a quite high elevation 1,500 M Rivers definitely will feel that those two rers going past man good speed here on this climb for [Music] f yeah one of the highest races of the Year here in cro Montana 1500 vertical me above sea level not much oxygen about but nowhere near B the heights we go to in Andor for the UCI World Championships later in the year 2,000 met but many riders they have the idea to do a help high altitude training camp before that couple of weeks the same elevation to be prepared for good race good result at the Ws there’s a lot of stairs in Andora as well they build they build like vertical don’t they there’s lots of different stairs up to like it’s a tiring place to cover a bite race but it’s a beautiful uh yeah natural cause actually what we have seen the last few years in Andora yeah stunning part of the world interesting interviewed MAA mner earlier in the week and she said for her you know elevation different for everyone but she said for her small mistake go pun cool pun shart off the bike she said for her it’s as much about what height she sleeps at that’s where she sort of balances everything from you know you can race higher but as long as you spend that night lower down it’s better for her but yeah you your recovery is much better a bit lower that’s how it is more oxygen and also many people don’t sleep so well on altitudes I don’t know why it is but I don’t I know what you mean yeah I have mad dreams really vivid dreams it takes a couple of days to get yeah used to to the elevation and for better sleeping yeah well Finn trudler he’ll sleep tonight fifth place at the minute going well the cube Factory racing Rider Dario lelo’s trying to latch on to the back of him there we have and you see how myy it is sticky M now was in third place for so long but suffered a mechanical third Rider in your shot there in the green jersey Riley Amos your race leader off and running yeah difficult conditions for these Riders not only for the body but also for the bike it’s still leading Riley Amos there’s bjor Riley on the highest point here of the course 10th place then for matis [Music] gay taking the a line oh there he is W that nearly took a bit of pain off off bar I don’t know how far off it was but not that much yeah both breaks covered as well oh French Champion matis qu on the KTM there he [Music] is yeah Frank rles in general they are very technically the bikes like Luca Martz as well the French champion [Music] 10 place he is right now 49 seconds back for third place luk Maran gives you a sense of how fast Riley Amos is going at the front of this one cool P shot also lost a little bit of time maybe of that mistake what we saw having a good ride though sh yeah good start and immedately is there it means so much for a good race a minute and 9 seconds and we have f l coming to that split time Dario Lilo also a few seconds off oh bike getting heavy now as well now it’s getting more difficult for the bikes it looks like the re stopped right there which means it doesn’t take long for this stuff to start to dry and then you get lots of pickup it fills the tires it fills the bike everything a back marker already coming into view now for Riley OS normally it isn’t possible these things 80% rules what counts whenever you’ve got a rider as fast as Riley Amos it doesn’t take him too long to start catching people L now eighth place back marker just doing the right thing pulling over there letting the leader through you can see that Big Timber garden section closed for this race due to concerns about the grip levels in there whenever things are that torrential but you can see both ends of the track bik flicking a about that’s the back marker waiting for Riley Riley B Riley yeah B Riley will be on the scene imminently yeah the Gap is getting bigger again to the second place there he is B Riley there he is you can see the ruts foring I think even that corner at the bottom it’s not easy to make it’s very slippy at the moment almost seconds with okay did you like conditions like this far yeah I really love it are difficult and I say to you would you would you have liked this yeah I would liked this I mean yeah also these running sections in between it’s maybe irritating for many riders but as a rider I really loved it there’s a there’s a Matas fluger sort of approach isn’t there of if this is tough for everyone then it’s good for me yeah you will see more of him hopefully he didn’t do the short track today the short track to focus on I don’t know why yeah I didn’t hear why but he will be saving um saving himself from I’m sure for the cross country Olympic tomorrow and if it rains again and it gets colder Matas sler could well be one of the favorites head in the L race there’s something to prove for him here in Switzerland yep got that Swiss Olympic spot ahead and see how carefuller is here trer definitely losing a lot of time yeah yeah he losing a lot of time especially against Riley Amos how fast he is over there yeah plenty of debit online about the swi cycling decision to take Matas fer to the Olympics ahead off the likes of filipo Columbo Marcel gini so fluger has a point to prove tomorrow and these conditions may just be the perfect place for him to do it in yeah home s was for many of the Swiss Riders massive support for any of the swi we saw that already in the short track today Swiss Riders team yeah Paul shell now 11 Place starting from the first row today Luke Whitman 12th CR Montana alow this is its first proper UCI World Cup cross country appearance it did host uh one of the first unofficial worlds back in I think 91 it was before that plenty of cycling history around these parts of the world 1984 turle France there was a stage finish Laur F won that the Omega European Masters in the golf taking place here every year as well so plenty of sport to be had in this corner of switzland lovely part of the World Part it’s beautiful over here it’s so beautiful that we came here the few first few days was sunny and nice weather even warm and it’s beautiful surrounding I got here and it’s rained every day you brought it with you yeah it must have done it’s bacon back in Scotland I think at the minutes Riley OS leads the way by 32 seconds from this man bjor Riley yeah but that’s what mountain biking is sometimes it’s it’s a mountain sport it is yeah it is LCA Mart third place you can just see if you look at the front of LCA maran’s bike just the amount of mud clinging to it now so it is getting sticky out there yeah but not too bad they are still still liquid enough not to load too much yeah I’d say by the end of this race it could be heading towards the very worst if the rain holds off the minute back for Luka [Music] Martin yep top three covered by one minute Riley OS really really doing the business out there at the moment there’s that b line again yeah it’s the middle line here of this rock garden taking it carefully and it’s so easy B to just as the laps increase as you get tireder yet to make mistakes the elevation starts taking effect yeah and also slippery tires of course with all the m and also more mud on these rocks which makes it also more slippery well Josh Carlson’s been on from the finish line and the rain stopped but the temperature apparently has dropped a lot down there so it’s getting cold now yeah 10° only they expected for this afternoon and when it’s raining it’s cold P Riley going for the Bay line on the waterfall section again so we’re yet to see the a line get taken on that’s a fearsome section as well it is but I haven’t seen any of these Riders doing it today if if you’re Riley’s not doing it you know it’s pretty full commitment yeah he has it actually all these Young Riders have it they’re don’t they’re doing hold back at all unbelievable skills out there modern cross country Racers and this next Generation coming through even higher again yeah he’s looking for his new glasses he’s angry as wellos heads out there off the feed Tex L on third place all full commitment in that corner over there big red yeah I think that was the a line actually so Myan checks that one off yeah well it’s true yeah line yeah n again B I know what I’m looking at see cleaning off the driet train so L martan checked off that big a line had to do an emergency press up on the way out of it but looking down at the bike I wonder this rear wheel looks a bit soft does it hard to tell know it’s that deep in the mud it’s hard to tell yeah sometimes it’s difficult to feel in conditions like this sometimes it’s also the soil of the ground in you what brings that feeling well he hasn’t got far to go to the Tech Zone anyway let’s see if he takes on any assistance doesn’t look like he’s stoping Mart has it I think cleaning his drive train a little bit with some water another bottle he’s taking his drinks that’s important Josh Carlson raised a good point earlier in the WhatsApp group part there is a rule isn’t there that stops mechanics from standing with a par H giving them a quick blast on the way through yeah but that’s not allowed actually the mechanics are not allowed to do yeah to do to clean their bikes when they riding the the Riders I’ve seen um bet fler previous years as Riley Amos crosses the line with two laps to go running almost like a tear off system on the down tube so you can just y with a tape that that really works if if it’s very sticky mud then you can take off all the mud constantly see ryos going for the windscreen wipers there oh look at it we are back in the Rock Garden back Mordor and look at this yeah there’s a lot of M now here that’s the a line for luuka Marte I want to see if that Ro Garden I want to see if we got any shots of martan in the waterfall section cuz that would be impressive white gloves maybe not the one for today it’s like a battlefield out there Riley second place extremely technical track here in Crown Montana chasing Hearts lost some seconds again this lap look Maran cracking on let see what the gap for third place is then so a minute and two seconds by our clock in the boo so 59 seconds actually on the big screen so he’s chipped away at it yeah constantly around the minute he’s gritting the teeth now that’s when you know he’s really trying L Mart spot for him two laps to go looking strong the feeling of dirt on the teeth what a sport yeah you can see Riley OS again hugging the outside there off the track just trying to find any kind of traction he can’t and this is off gam section it’s hard to see on screen but yeah difficult to right tell you what BART we’ve seen Riley Amos do a lot of very impressive rides already this season but this would definitely rank up amongst them wouldn’t it yeah it’s one of the hardest races so far this season hardest conditions see her how slippery it is Riley but he stayed on his bike yeah no gloves for him the track just swapping around underneath him a bit yeah 30 seconds in between the number one and two and two and three as [Music] well just see the bike starting to just get Co and the mud hanging around not clearing off the moisture disappearing from the track of away bit and you can start to see the white Roots come out now that’s when you know that you really are struggling with with traction they are really slippery when they are white yeah when they’re white and they get that outside layer of bark cleared off them that is not where grip lives luk martan then’s third pun’s behind him then it’s trudler trudler 14 4 back off the leader OS look at the bike crabbing it way up the climb now for re will is sliding Bjorn Riley plant a coob Bells l in the [Music] track yeah bigger gaps in between the Riders at the moment 144 already for fento Who’s fifth sixth place for for Dario L turn for seventh place right now so he stabilized things turn for man in position is Seventh Place 157 back now for the big Dutchman trer a different line just not working out for trudler that one he’s off and running I think it’s the same place where we saw Cole pchel making a mistake in the previous lap it’s so tough BART to keep that tension on the Chain keep the keep the grip moving forward and to do s rles together trudler and Lilo yeah trudler having a strong season that Cube Squad actually are as well with bomb as well some Young Riders but very successful so far this [Music] season R Amos drop a seat post down back up again track Factory pelli R look turn see how difficult it is even to walk these parts getting really beaten up now that section of track and in turn beating up Luka martan off the bike again running pushing B Riley what can he do what has he left look back over his shoulder never good sign but the conditions are hard trying to clean his hand you see no gloves for him yeah trying to clean the hands in the back of the Jersey think is actually the best in these conditions to to ride without gloves the gloves are just slippery this the battle for fifth still going still raging between trudler and lelu yeah I’m a big I’m a big n Glover coming the winter gloves on the climb to keep your hand warm and then get rid of them from The Descent put them back on again sometimes in a free sometimes in a freezer bag you have a freeway freezer bag in the back keeps it warm yeah I’m high te when I couldn’t ride without with gloves and now I I can’t ride without that’s ah these conditions yeah these are yeah extremely diff difficult I guess in these conditions gloves to start with because the idea is if you get mud on them you can just take the gloves off and then you clear hands yeah then you have even yeah without gloves you have more grip actually that’s yeah but with kind of protection for your hands as well if you have a crash or for more grip normally when it’s dry well this man gloved and doing pretty well Riley OS 40 seconds to the good night ahead of pjn Riley second place on your screen now that big root two track Riders one the factory s Squad won the satellite team it’s going well for them so far and up again try to find their Rhythm the grip that sea line in that uh Timberwood section is also becoming more difficult looks quite choppy now doesn’t it we sawler taking it very carefully but also here big RS everywhere yeah many off camber section as well this course has look so you can see top 10 covered by 2 minutes 33 Paul shell now 10th Place the Le [Music] Rider Luke Moyer the South African Rider also for cube Factory racing 11th Place yeah Europeans dominating the top 10 apart from the two Americans who lead out front OS and Riley let’s have a look at a re play night oh py Riley in that c line of that Timberwood what we already said it’s getting more difficult over there I don’t know what’s going on over there but some big ruts I think oh just having to straighten the stam out now as well it will cost him time and it’ll bring him back into the clutches of this man Luca martan two and three together so he lost about 30 seconds well that was the Gap in between these two before martan already had the T before he caught pjn Riley but now this is going to be a battle royale look at this Luca martan bombing around the outside of p and Riley on fire he is over these roots slippery bumpy looking really good for there martan you he found his rhythm yeah also this corner here when they aren doing that asold carry on so much M it’s really slippery oh yeah not straight the bar straighten as he shs into the TCH Zone you see his hands covered in M do have a tile as well mechanic cleaning his hands on the jacket of mean jacket getting it tight what a tow he get now to clean his hand maybe he better to take it with him he may have to buy that Mana beer later on still quite relaxed just just how he’s standing over there such a guy we might be about to see something special coming on we might be about to see something special on B Ry night to catch up but that Canadian guy third place yeah yeah g well his best result ever so far in the World Cup right BJ Ry has got his stem straightened and he’s off again and he’s going to be chasing down those riders in front of him so bjor Riley has slotted into fourth place now look at fin here as well on this part sliding everywhere St for Mana eight Place matis qu just overtook him 58 seconds behind now martan from Amos that stays actually more like the same constantly Bart we talk about it every week but I mean 58 seconds is a chunky lead but if you get a puncture at the other end of the track from The Tech Zone we saw Boran Riley he had a crash he bent his handle bar had to stop cost him a lot of time a lot of riders uh getting the tire inserts in for this race in the mod still our Riders did I’m not sure if it’s necessary because the speed is much slower in these condition but also you don’t see everything so well what’s under all this m and still that Ro Garden that’s uh quite critical and they’re riding lower pressure in these conditions so yeah and the insert protects actually against pinch flat yeah sort of foam pool noodle I guess is how you describe it yeah inside the tire look Maran throwing everything but the catching sink at this one to try and reel back Riley OS yeah he’s on second place be line again for the leader OS through this big chunky Rock section drop seos down and there is BJ Riley good pin chart with pun chart yeah yeah he overtook him already again so he’s up in the third now Riley 1 minute 24 back but just 25 seconds almost lost a minute with this crash luckily he didn’t hurt [Music] himself still looks very confident on his bike even after his crash bar Lio fifth place the first oh yeah the first swii Rider in this race yeah D fifth Lilo definitely seems to be getting back to the sort of form that we saw from him at the start of last year Lelo and M vizina coming into that giant Factory Squad as a technical coach really really helps uh really let’s just see them through the Section really helps Yen Sherman and Dario Lilo a lot on course [Music] both taking that b line Co CH is you can see the speed that Riley has managed to generate through that technical section technically he’s so good here’s the [Applause] overtake the very M call covering M these Riders the 250th UCI cross country World Cup as bjor Riley takes flight yeah different speed definitely in these desense so much confidence Bor Riley just so technically good yes next year Elite Rider let’s see what he can do I’m looking forward to seeing that and the big guns are we going to see OS come on come on let’s go let’s go right there versus Riley in the elite ranks as ah head in the tech feed Zone B Riley again cleaning off the transmission bottle for himself bottle for the bike yeah all rers actually coming in that Tech feed Stone every lap again and here we are at the front of the race finp overall points leader heads out under his final lap of what has been one of the toughest sets of conditions on one of the toughest tracks of the year so far Riley OS how much of a lead is he going to have at the start of this one minute leads more like that it was in the last split time Riley OS leads the fastest lap competition by 7.8 seconds ahead of P Riley in second place moving there it’s a telling sign how strong he is yeah in general around 13 minutes lap times they increasing a little bit and it comes down to the last bit of the [Music] race all you can see is the teeth really just and the the big sunglasses on covered in mud face covered in mud yeah difficult to say in the laps lap time is becoming uh of the condition is becoming worse or better even when I mean now it’s dry but lap times St increasing a little [Music] bit this is the actual Bell that matters there’s Bells the whole way around this track in Switzerland but that’s the one you need to listen to the one that say last lap time think most of the rids there are happy to hear this Bell Riley look at his face locked in now B looks like he’s having to take deep to follow him with his glasses on doesn’t matter that much for him what kind of conditions he has to ride in what kind of course which elevation strong everywhere off and running for the last time up this little punch of a climb so difficult as well when those shoes start to fill with mud bar to get click back in again and have to click back in and sometimes really difficult tiny little cross country pedal still trying to get clipped into that pedal but he’s back in now your race leader rile OS what a display this has been marwn find a second 57 second seconds back Bjorn Riley is just 12 seconds off the back of Luca martan so are we going to see there they are a battle royale for second place on the last lap matis Queen now on sixth place over toook Finn tler anded St is still on eight on this off camera section with a lot of M yeah absolutely Bing along there it’s looking good Amos from that man in the green Luka martam second place Bjorn Riley on your screen now he’s in third then it’s punar Lilo gay trudler Tunis and V Manon shell and gr lar your top 10 Co P out he can see be right in front of him the third place the last bot on the podium that’s the difference in between these two not that much not that much at all last La for these Riley still looking good look at Maran find another couple of seconds 5 or 55 now back to this man the leader yeah 10 seconds in between Luka Mar and BJ Riley so it’s even not that much especially not in these conditions no and it does look like it’s starting to get really sticky out there that front tire of Riley OS looking like it’s filling up it’s already dry for longer period again I wouldn’t say hours but no it’s kind of last hell hour it’s kind of Catch 22 isn’t it like your your tire fill of mud the thing that clears it is going fast but it’s very difficult to go fast when you’ve got no grip that’s how it is it’s kind of thanless look at this rear wheel here of young Riley his bike his body covering met everything that thing is going to be strip on and re he’s still making on his bike really nicely so great to see this and luk M is not that far in front of him of his bike pushing here come y Riley in between the trees third place for B it says 12 seconds on the clock but it looks like less than that to me yeah it’s on a running part slow low [Music] speed is it enough these 10 seconds 54 seconds the difference night between first and second but if you look to the last lap times it was R who was 14 seconds faster than Luka Mar so he might be able to close that Gap 13 seconds in between these two but of course they’re pushing hard this last lap they know as well second or third place means a lot difference in between these two lesson in high much a p is gulping in now giving everything he has what a ride from the Canadian Amos for the last time here on this climb coming into the Timberwood section let’s see how bad the sea Line is now for him we saw a crash of J Riley in the previous lap so rers have to be careful over there something is a little bit dangerous with a big r or something yep it can just start to all that sort of stuff and just start coming out of a track with all this mud getting peeled away by Rider after Rider have a look at this section whoa see how difficult it is to make it on your bike and you can see there he just released the breaking off to bring the wheels back into line great bite riding from right concentration is still there and then can here we can see the other two on the other side num two and three in race luk Maran looking really strong up that climb you know yeah Riley has to run probably made a little bit of a mistake but he’s coming closer to him that just goes to show you it’s not that much slower running when things get this Steep and this loose sometimes it even just it cost a little bit more energy more power to run but then look at Luka martan accelerating away mistake that’s why he had to run probably maybe drive train problem CH off is a yeah in these conditions it’s quickly Happ oh no bjor Riley back on his bike slow gear find his pedal can’t get back in the pedal now and just as he was starting to close back in on Luka Maran this man has had a tough day in the office today P Riley but all these riders celebrat with a crow for getting behind there in one piece they all have their story so much happened in this race he had a little word with that crowd when he came off there you know and I wonder if that was just a bit of Celebration with them Amos martan Riley then your top three second and third were close together but yeah really close together it look like Bor and Riley maybe a dropped the chin at the top of that CL or maybe at the border because he was running that whole section which wasn’t that slow actually and now again making mistakes yeah having the monster truck his way over those routs slightly p fourth place is he able to make it to the podium today and look how slippy it isy out of the sadle he’s not giving up fighting [Music] half whoa go P shot punch shot arriving into the attack on that’s where we have been talking about the Mur on the asphalt makes it so slippery come on let’s go also M on his tires of course just up come on especially when it m gets a bit more sticky the pain and the misery starting to set in now let’s watch that again front wheel slides away but luckily he saved his crash that’s all right he’s not let go of the bike that’s not a crash for me bar no no if you if you if you keep one part of your body in contact with a bike that’s not a crash no I mean it wasn’t planned either but R was so at the front no such dramas for the American oh what a raise again for for him man from Colorado getting it done today in the most difficult of conditions yeah wondering how much it will dry till tomorrow probably not that much it depends of course how much s we will see tomorrow morning it’s the hope that really hurts you though isn’t it you you hope it’s going to dry out but and as a mountain bike racer B you want it to do one of two things you want it dry or you want it fully wet don’t you it’s yeah I mean yeah it’s never perfect it’s never perfect it’s a sport of compromise it is look at this though yeah number two and three in the race in one shot in the last lap just wonder 45 seconds for Luka Mar second place and P Riley behind him yeah I just wonder it’s seven only I wonder if Luka martan has had an off somewhere that we haven’t seen on camera because BJ Riley all of a sudden despite having troubles with his own bike mechanically is right back with him again on the moment the Sun comes out again the be line Riley was for the last time here in the final lap and he will be happy to see the back of that one yeah the battle for the second and third place is still on that’s what pushed these Riders forward I tell you what part this is as impressive a ride as I’ve seen from Riley OS all year and he’s been faultless all year yeah very clever on his bike the skills every corner again Luka Mar second at the moment there is B Riley on thir nothing in between these two anymore nothing riy senses blood here you [Music] know we could be in for a grand stand finish both very skilled different lines a line and B line My Turn end the a line but oh just gets bobbled on the way L Rock action and that’s going to bring B Riley right back with him again on the very last lap overtaking him here Bor Riley straight past him and after this uh Gravel Road actually they jumping into that waterfall section but they’re right on the edge of adhesion absolutely every inch of the way bjor Riley’s going to need every o of his bite riding skill to stay ahead of LCA Mar here and if you know that LCA Mar is taking the a line into the a line on the last interesting to see first time we’ve seen it on camera LCA martan absolutely Nails it not a problem but look at the speed BJ Riley’s gone down the B line with I think the be line Looks even faster at the moment to me I think BJ riy can make most lines look faster he’s disappeared down second place foran what a ride for bjor Riley as impressive as Riley AOS has been out the front of this this man has had to fight for every ounce of his second place today still not there he’s not there yet there’s still plenty of M ahead of him they have to cross that Tech feed Zone not taking anything So the faster line normally it is for BJ Riley let’s see what look mates also he taking that Transit Lane faster to place [Applause] foro the first SMI Rider home s race fifth place Riley Amos he is almost there almost there for Riley OS one of the standout performances from a year full of standout performances Riley OS heads to the line it’s going to be a faultless five in a row for Riley OS in Cross Country Olympic in 2024 track Factory racing Ru Supreme in chome Montana what a ride from the American [Music] absolutely superb today Bart Ros yeah in these conditions almost no mistake I would say definitely he made some little mistakes but against his othero Riders it was almost nothing a very very different day and a very very different office for bjor Riley but my goodness he’s had to fight for this second place he knows no other way bjor Riley crosses the line to take second place in crom Montana a superb ride from the track future Rider show the skills absolutely not to be doubted of what Luca martan has done today as well battled all the way to third place these two of the field [Music] the great to see at the Finish Line as well call punchard Canadian on Fourth Place great ride from punchard as [Music] well what a result for him even if it’s not a Podium be cycle I don’t know bar I always I always love a rider who can who can really bman out in the M these conditions they always will remember Dario lelu heading back for fifth then first Miss first Swiss Rider the Swiss national champ fittingly CR Montana became s Champion here last [Music] year the French Champion mtis gu good ride from him as well anybody in that top 10 today yeah they did a good job all they’ve had to fight for it European Champion second swis Rider today coming in [Music] seventh seventh place tler was good today we have Mar L from France eighth place and there is the MC Ridley MTB racing team t vanar flat tire he has coming in with a flat tire another Rider he’s been in the wars today Ninth Place so far he’s had to fight hard for that one yeah and he had already had a mechanical early in the race but he had to stop it to Tech feed Zone B shell 10 Place well that’s a nervy last bit of a lap that with a soft rear tire be on his insert still riding what a race what a conditions yeah superb superb battling out there from everyone involved Luke vidman head and homean 11 for Miss on the top 10 Just J Marx Ryder 11 Place missed the to 10 close but no cigar behind him to BU L another track future racing rer big big Talent great fight Rider today TBO Fran bodre the Spaniard from Canyon Collective 13 ahead of Maxim LOM LOM drop back slightly and there’s a freeway now battle lukman L Luke moer is inol moer takes ahead of Ethan [Music] [Music] Rose everyone just relieved to get that done home safe that’s I think to yeah so much more races to come this season not the easiest conditions for these Riders yeah Riley Amos he W the race but I mean also for him the Olympics coming up have to be careful in conditions like these and he’s going to be a rider he’s going to be taken seriously at those Olympic Games in Paris he might be an outsider alexand hudima coming in from theen also going to the Olympics it’s Alex Malik carne Brazilian don’t get many races like this in Brazil well if it’s rain probably might be slippy not as cold as it not as go no definitely [Music] notos takes the win