As the 2015 Elite Women's World Cyclocross Championship is practically open for the taking by a large number of racers, the folks here at Cyclocross Magazine won't be making any hard-and-fast predictions, but we will be highlighting ten favorites as well as some outside contenders. With the weather now verging on the likelihood of snow the day before the Elite Races, the fast course of Tabor will also provide a few areas that will likely cause some spills, especially if the notorious Czech ice comes into play.
Also, don't miss our Elite Men's Preview of Tabor.
The Favorites: Katerina Nash
Katerina Nash, shown here with her signature hand-slapping at Namur, will be the hometown favorite in Tabor. © Bart Hazen/Cyclocross Magazine
Although she lives in California, Nash will be a hometown hero as a Czech citizen wearing the national colors (they’re still red, white and blue). Nash could be going into the weekend as the favorite. Third place is the worst she’s done all season, and she’s only stepped on that bottom rung of the podium once. She won plenty of solid races, including the World Cup stage at Namur, which is one of the most technical races of the season.
But therein lies the problem: Tabor is not an extensively technical course, and might not present enough downhill opportunities for Nash to take advantage. Still, with her record, you can guarantee she will at least dictate a major part of this race come Sunday.
She nearly made the podium in Worlds at Louisville, but a mechanical forced her to endure a skateboard finish in the final stretch, causing her to lose out on that third spot. Last year she skipped Worlds in Hoogerheide to prepare for the long mountain bike season ahead.
