Double golds for Czechia in CX80 WMTBOC Mass Start

Home nation Czechia won both senior golds at Friday’s Mass Start at CX80 World MTBO Championships, as Martina Tichovska and Vojtech Ludvik was fastest in the last individual race of the championships.

The women were first out in the forest at Jabkenice – a flat and fast terrain terrain with a dense network of roads and tracks creating lots of route choice challenges for the Mass Start fields.

And Tichovska, who won a bronze medal in Wednesday’s Middle race, seemed to like the terrain and took the lead early on.

On the last loop Emily Benham Kvåle (GBR) and Nikoline Splittorff (DEN) was just behind Tichovska, who ended up defeating the Briton in a fierce sprint for the gold. Splittorff was third, 20 seconds behind.

Marika Hara, Kaarina Nurminen (both FIN) and Gabriele Andrasiuniene (LIT) were more than a minute behind on the subsequent positions.

The men’s class appeared to be headed for a sprint decision as well, but Vojtech Ludvik (CZE) was too fast for Andre Haga (FIN) on the last controls and won his second gold – and fourth medal – at the championships on home ground.

Simon Hellmüller (SUI) took the bronze 40 seconds behind Ludvik, but with a clear margin to Samuel Pokala (FIN) in fourth position.

Jakub Skoda (CZE) and Silas Hotz (SUI) was fifth and sixth respectively.

Junior golds for Sweden and France
Sweden’s Tilda Palm has been fourth, third and second in the past days but managed to win Women’s 20 today.

Behind her Sofie Stranska (CZE) secured yet another medal for Czechia in second position while Silja Ylihietanen (FIN) got the bronze.

Armel Berthaud (FRA) won his first individual JWTMBOC gold 40 seconds ahead of Eemil Koskinen (FIN) and with Flurin Schnyder (SUI) in third.

TV, GPS-tracking and results from today at IOF LIVE

Tomorrow the relays end the championships in Czechia. M20 starts at 10.00 CEST (UTC+2) as the first class.

Find the free TV-stream and GPS-tracking and results at IOF LIVE.

Photos: Pavel Štáfek and WMTBOC 2023