Top 10 for Aussies in opening World Cup in Nove Mesto

Rebecca Henderson (Primaflor Mondraker Genuins) and Zoe Cuthbert secured top 10 results in the UCI cross-country World Cup season opener in the Czech Republic.

Both bounced back from crashes in the XCC race on Friday to record solid results on the technical Novè Mêsto na Moravé course.

In the elite women Henderson, who won at the venue last year would start on the third row but pushed her way to be up with the lead group early in the seven lap contest.

The competition would be blown wide open mid-race before a final lap attack by Dutch rider Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) would give her the win at her first-ever elite World Cup.

Henderson dug deep to hold on to eighth place.

Sam Fox (Team Bridgelane) would line up for his very first elite World Cup race in a stacked mens field.

The Australian champion would finish on the lead lap in 67th place behind eventual winner Englishman Tom Pidcock.

Saturday featured the Under 23 category and an early break would see the field spilt.

Cuthbert would be part of a chasing pack that included close rival New Zealand's Sammy Maxwell.

The duo would work together in the final stages but were unable to reign in the leaders.

The Canberra rider would secure a 10th place finish and valuable points.

A tougher ask faced Joel Dodds the sole Australian in the Under 23 men's race.

The Queenslander would finish in 99th place.

A massive field in the junior men with 141 riders from 32 nations on the start line.

Jack Ward would put in an impressive ride be the best placed Aussie in 29th with Harry Doye (7), Levi Dougherty (72), while 82 riders lined up in the junior women with Ruby Dobson crossing in 71st.

Full results from racing can be found here.