Mountain weather played its part in the third and final round of the 2025 UCI Trials World Cup in Cordon, Haute-Savoie, France, making a tough course even tougher with sticky mud and slippery conditions. In the shadow of Mont Blanc, spectators witnessed a dramatic day in the fight for the overall titles.
Women: Barón’s day and overall title
The Spanish quartet of Laia Esquis, Andrea Pérez, Vera Barón and Alba Riera were challenged by Czechia’s Eliška Hříbková and France’s Nina Vabre, with double points available and the battle for the overall title still in the balance.
Difficult conditions made for low scoring, and the first section saw best scores of just 20 for Riera and Pérez. Esquis and Hříbková hit 30 on section 2 before European Champion Barón scored 50 – the only 50 of the women’s final – to assume the lead.
Riera was first to tame the third gate on section 3, scoring 40 and showing why she was crowned UCI World Champion in 2024. However, 21-year-old Barón followed suit, maintaining her lead into the penultimate section.
A 30 on section 4, meant Riera would need a high scoring final to take the day’s victory but it was not to be. Barón won with 170 points from Riera on 120. The other four riders finished within 10 points, with Esquis edging the home rider Vabre for a full Spanish podium.
Following her victory in Round 1, Barón took her fifth overall UCI Trials World Cup title with 760 points from Riera (680) and Vabre (530).
“I was a bit nervous at the beginning and I was mentally out of competition,” said Vera Barón. “But I had my mum and my dad and they helped me to get into this race, so this wouldn't be possible without them.”
Men 26in: Rolls rolls into overall title
In the Men 26in final, three Spanish riders, Toni Guillén, Daniel Barón and Julen Sáenz, faced three Britons: Oliver Weightman, Jack Carthy and Charlie Rolls.
After the first two rounds (in Valbirse, Switzerland, in July and Krynica, Poland, in August), Carthy started the day on 400 points, and Rolls on 285, but with double points available for the final round, everything was in play.
On the first section Rolls, the highest qualifier, pivoted clean over a water section to score 50 points – the only 50 of the 26in finals. It set him up with a lead for everyone else to chase. The new European Champion remained the highest or joint-highest scorer on each of the first three sections, with 20-year-old Weightman his closest challenger.
Despite being outscored by Weightman and Sáenz on the final section, victory still belonged to Rolls, his 160-point total 20 more than his younger compatriot.
On a day of low scoring, Carthy’s haul was uncharacteristically disappointing, culminating in multiple but unsuccessful attempts at a side-hop on the final sector. He missed out on a podium position, equal on 120 points with Sáenz but failing to score 40 on any section.
The remarkable results meant that Rolls overhauled Carthy for his first overall UCI Trials World Cup title (685 points) to Carthy’s 650, and Weightman overtaking Sáenz for third.
“I didn’t expect to win… the riders are so good that anything can happen, especially in conditions like today,” said Charlie Rolls. “To come out with a win is unbelievable.”
Men 20in: Montalvo’s perfect run
Alejandro Montalvo started the 20in final as the highest qualifier, and 80 points ahead in the overall standings. Behind him was Robin Berchiatti, the French meat in the Spanish sandwich, with Eloi Palau and Borja Conejos both just 55 points behind him. Also in the final were Austria’s Thomas Pechhacker and home rider Guillaume Camus, newly-crowned Junior European Champion.
In drying conditions, Berchiatti took the early lead, scoring 50 on the first section, bettering the 40s of Montalvo and Conejos, and matching the best of the 26in finalists. All six finalists scored just 10 points on the second section. Was another upset coming?
Then on section 3, 2024 UCI World Champion Montalvo hit back with the day’s only 60-pointer, outpunching the 50s of Palau and Berchiatti to forge a slender lead. It was a lead he would keep to the end, finishing on 170 points while the Frenchman closed on 150. With Conejos registering zero on the low-scoring final section, 10 was enough to give Palau third place.
Having won every round – in rainbow bands – Montalvo confirmed the overall with 800 points to Berchiatti’s 640. Palau leapfrogged to third overall.
“I am very happy, I rode really well,” said Alejandro Montalvo. “To be honest, everyone can win but you never know.”