Aussies battle on at CX World Championships in Czechia

It was a tough weekend for the members of the ARA Australian Cycling Team competing at the 2024 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Tàbor, Czech Republic.

Nine athletes donned the Aussie kit ready to tackle the mud and technical features that made up the Tàbor course.

Australians Max Hobson and Finn Kane were among the 58 riders on the start line of the Under 23 men’s race on the opening day of the Championships.

And it would be a real bun fight at the back of the pack for the boys from down under.

“The Under 23 world champs was carnage from start to finish, but that is the way I like it.

“Being on that course was one of the greatest moments of my life,” Hobson said.

In the elite women the Dutch team swept the podium while Bright’s Fiona Morris would record a 32nd place finish.

“It was a tough race with some of the most challenging conditions I’ve ever encountered.

“I gave it my best and proud to pull on the green and gold to represent Australia,” Morris said.

The final day of racing featured the junior men with four Australians lining up, Sam Northey, Finlay McRobbie, Campbell McConnell and Liam Cuthbertson.

Northey and McRobbie would finish on the lead lap.

“The race was really had from the start, a lot of mud and running. Really big crowds cheering for us, it was so cool,” Northey said.

“It was a crazy day out on the bike today at Tabor, the course was one of the most challenging I’ve ever witnessed but super happy to finish 4/4 laps,” McRobbie
said.

Sophie Sutton also would take on the world on the final day in the Under 23 Women.

"That race was next level.

"So tough and nothing like I have ever experienced before and proud to have given it the best I could on the day.

"The crowds were absolutely insane, what an amazing weekend in Tabor on (and a lot off - running) our bikes," she said.

he mass crowds witnessed another masterclass from eventual elite men’s winner Mathieu Van der Poel who claimed his sixth CX rainbow jersey.

While Bright’s Garry Millburn equaled his result the last time he raced at the venue in 2015.

“Overall, a pretty good race for me. I had a good start, ran into a little bit of trouble in Lap 2 with a mechanical flat tyre so started chasing from there,” Millburn said.

Full results

Photo Credit: Felix Fellusch