2024 UCI Trials World Cup: Spanish clean-sweep in Norway

Barón bosses it!

The 25th edition of the UCI Trials World Cup got off to a thrilling start with the first round ever to be held in Norway. The Spanish reigned in the mountain resort of Myrkdalen, with wins in all three categories: Vera Barón (Women), her brother Daniel (Men 26in) and Eloi Palau (Men 20in)

Women: Barón bosses it!

After tough semi-finals the six women in the final represented Spain (Vera Barón, Alba Riera, Laia Esquis), Germany (Nina Reichenbach) and France (Nina Vabre and Emma Louineau).

The drama was full on from the very start as UCI World Champion Nina Reichenbach hit a 40-point first section and the young Spaniard Alba Riera crashed out. It was her countrywoman Vera Barón who got the strongest start with 50 points.

By section 3 of 5 Riera was recovering strongly and hit the first of her two 60-point sections, the only rider in the women’s final to do so. The German Reichenbach took 40 points, with Barón scoring consistently strongly with 50.

By the final section, Barón’s point-scoring had left her with an unassailable advantage, and even Riera’s second 60-point section wasn’t enough to close the gap after her shaky start.

Barón finished the winning woman in the first round of the UCI 2024 Trials World Cup with a solid 240 points from Riera on 200. A disappointing 20-point final section from Reichenbach left the rainbow bands in third position with a total of 180 points.

Men 20in: Spanish 1-2-3

The Men’s 20in competition started strongly for Robin Berchiatti (FRA) and the two Spanish riders, Eloi Palau and Alejandro Montalvo, who all scored 50 points. Borja Conejos started with just 20 points and improved all the way through to the final, scoring 50, 50, 60, 60 to chase down a podium finish and threaten the top step. Austria’s Thomas Pechhacker also started with a 20 and improved but couldn’t match Conejos’ trajectory.

With one section remaining it was all to play for with Spanish riders filling the top 3 spots: 2022 UCI World Champion Palau on 220 points, 2023 UCI World Champion Montalvo with 200 and 2021 UCI World Champion Conejos, 180.

Even after falling at the last gate it was Eloi Palau who scored 50 points for a total of 270 to secure the first-round win in the Men 20in category. Conejos and Montalvo both finished with 240 points, but those two 60s for Conejos earned him second place.

Men 26in: Daniel makes it a Barón double

Daniel Barón and Marti Vayreda were the two Spanish riders facing Frenchman Nathan Charra and three Britons - Jack Carthy, Oliver Weightman and Charlie Rolls - in the Men’s 26in finals in Myrkdalen.

After 2023 UCI World Cup overall winner and reigning UCI World Champion Jack Carthy hit 40 points on the first section, his younger countryman Oliver Weightman scored 60. The British riders were clearly getting to grips with the Norwegian rocks, as Charlie Rolls also scored 60 points on two sections.

Less than six weeks after a crash that left him with broken ribs, Carthy wasn’t on the form he’d hoped for. But the Yorkshireman put in a 50-point section 5 to finish strongly, with a total of just 130 points and 4th place.

Daniel Barón looked to follow in his sister’s tracks, scoring 50s. That was matched by Weightman, but only scoring 20 on section 5 meant that the 19-year-old finished with a total of 220 points, and third place. Second place went to another Briton, 23-year-old Charlie Rolls, with 240 points.

Consistent scoring meant that the 22-year-old Spaniard turned out top man! Daniel Barón finished with 250 points and the gold medal position in the first round of the UCI 2024 Trials World Cup.

What’s next?

Three more rounds remain in to 2024 UCI Trials World Cup: Wadowice, Poland, 9-11 August, followed by two rounds in France, in Cordon in September, and Mouilleron-Lecaptif - Vendée in November.