A symphony of cheers, cowbells, and the crisp clicks of shifting gears resonates through the ancient forests surrounding Nové Mesto na Morave. The race weekend is done, but the adrenaline still pumpes in our veins!

There's a certain magic in the air when the World Cup circus comes to town. For one week each year, this quiet corner of the Czech Republic erupts in a kaleidoscope of cycling passion, a celebration unlike any other on the calendar. Naturally, the Allebike Factory Team was right in the thick of it, ready to throw down against the world's best.

Thursday, 22/5: The course reveals its teeth. Nové Mesto's infamous blend of roots and rocks lives up to the hype, presenting a brutally technical challenge that demands absolute precision. The wet conditions only amplify the danger, turning the track into a treacherous landscape where grip is a precious commodity.

Saturday morning: sunshine and Short Track! The XCC – Cross-Country Short Circuit – is pure mountain biking mayhem in hyperdrive: a condensed, explosive, and utterly exhilarating spectacle. Only the top 40 qualify, and Allebike Factory Team's Edvin Elofsson earned his spot on the U23 men's start line.

The technical zone reported a chaotic start, with Edvin swallowed by the pack. But XCC rewards relentless grit. With razor-thin margins and a blistering pace, positions change in the blink of an eye. Edvin calmly began carving his way through the field, lap after lap.

With three laps remaining, the pressure was on. Edvin had clawed his way into the top 12, within striking distance of the leaders. The pace intensified, and as the bell rang for the final lap, he was part of a select group of five, battling for the win! He crossed the line in a hard-fought fifth place – chapeau!

 

"A tough and partly chaotic race, but an incredibly good feeling and a race that gives me a taste for more," Edvin himself summed up afterwards, while looking ahead to tomorrow's XCO.

 

In addition to Edvin's performance on Saturday, we also found Tove Dandenell from Allebike Factory Team in the women's U23 class. Dandenell fought well, but it was a somewhat dissatisfied Tove who crossed the finish line in 38th place. Sights set on tomorrow!

Sunday and it was time for XCO – Cross-country Olympic. The ultimate challenge in mountain biking, where riders are pushed to the limit in a battle against both the course and the clock. Physical endurance, technical skill, and smart tactics are the key to success in this demanding discipline.

For Allebike Factory Team, this meant that the trio of Edvin Elofsson, Markus Karlsson, and Anton Unger were ready on the starting line in men U23, but with very different conditions. Edvin had the honor of starting from the first row thanks to his super strong performance in the XCC, while Markus and Anton, who today were dressed in the national team's blue and yellow colors, had tougher starting positions further back in the starting field.

The XCO start was, as usual, a frenetic affair, but Anton and Markus managed to navigate the initial jostling relatively unscathed. It quickly became apparent that Anton was on strong form, making impressive progress through the field. As the race settled, he demonstrated his speed and skill, ultimately finishing in a noteworthy 34th place – a very solid result from a back-row start! Markus, too, battled hard from his challenging starting position, steadily gaining ground to finish a respectable 69th out of over 100 riders.

Edvin, fresh off his strong XCC performance, once again showed his potential among the world's elite. He remained competitive at the front for the first two laps, but then the previous day's efforts began to take their toll. Despite losing some ground in the later stages, he persevered to finish a hard-fought 31st – a result he wasn't entirely satisfied with, but a clear indication of his capabilities.

While Tove faced a challenging weekend and fell short of her personal goals, she displayed remarkable resilience and perspective. Despite the disappointment, she emphasized the incredible opportunity to compete at the World Cup level and expressed gratitude for the experience. As she put it, "I had higher hopes for the weekend and feel disappointed with my races, but it's an amazing experience to be at the World Cup with the best girls in the world and I'm grateful that I get to be there!"

Despite different results, all four riders showed fighting spirit and valuable experience from a tough World Cup weekend. Now we look forward to the next challenge - See you soon Leogang!

Photo: Radek Kasik