The 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole (Italy) got off to a flying start with nine titles of UCI World Champion decided in the first two days. E-mountain bike cross-country (E-XC) and the cross-country team relay (XCR) opened proceedings on Wednesday 26 August, followed by the Junior cross-country Olympic (XCO), and the Elite and Under 23 cross-country short track racing (XCC) on Thursday.
Women Elite XCC: Stigger sprints to gold
Austria’s Laura Stigger delivered a memorable performance in the Women Elite XCC race to take the rainbow jersey in a photo finish ahead of Evie Richards (GBR), who had won the title in 2024.
Last year’s runner-up, Jenny Rissveds (SWE) led into the final lap, but it was Richards who took to the front through the final corner. The 29-year-old dug deep and seemed set for gold but, incredibly, 26-year-old Stigger had timed her sprint to perfection, taking Richards at the line.
Switzerland’s Sina Frei rounded out the podium, with Rissveds in fourth. Defending UCI World Champion Alessandra Keller tangled with teammate Ronja Blöchlinger and was forced into a chase but couldn’t recover sufficiently to challenge for the medals.
“[Jenny] Rissveds set a furious pace, but in the end I came out of the last corner well and won,” a delighted Stigger said. “Val di Sole is a special place for me. This is a dream coming true.”
Val di Sole is a special place indeed, with Stigger winning the UCI Short Track here in 2023. The result gives Stigger momentum heading into Sunday’s XCO, where Rissveds is defending her UCI world title.
Men Elite XCC: Boichis lives up to expectations
In the Men Elite XCC race, Adrien Boichis (FRA) won the rainbow jersey after another close sprint. Charlie Aldridge (GBR) finished second and France’s Luca Martin took bronze.
A significant pack led into the final lap with Aldridge particularly aggressive, repeatedly moving to the front. The 25-year-old from Scotland has been in fine form this season, winning both the XCO and XCC titles at the UEC European Championships, and headed the pack through the final corner.
Aldridge squeezed out every ounce of energy, but 23-year-old Boichis, who also rides on the road for UCI World Team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and was the pre-race favourite, delivered a devastating sprint to capture gold.
It continues an extraordinary week for the young Frenchman, who beat Dutch road and cyclo-cross start Mathieu van der Poel at the UCI XCO World Cup round in Les Gets (France) only the previous week.
“The last seven days have been extraordinary,” Boichis said. “What is happening is really incredible.”
His victory also sets up an intriguing XCO race on Sunday, where he’ll face a packed field of talent including Van der Poel, Tom Pidcock (GBR), defending UCI World Champion Alan Hatherly and Aldridge.
Under 23 XCC: sibling success
It was a family affair in the Under 23 XCC races, as the Halter family took centre stage. Twice. Switzerland’s Monique Halter became Women Under 23 XCC UCI World Champion, after leading into the final lap in a fiercely contested race which saw the top 16 riders separated by just 10 seconds. It came down to a four-way sprint, from which Halter edged Great Britain’s Bethany-Ann Jackson to the title. American Makena Kellerman won bronze.
Then Monique’s brother, Nicolas, became the Men Under 23 XCC UCI World Champion after outsprinting Germany’s Paul Schehl, who took silver, while Rens Teunissen van Manen (NED) finished third.
Junior XCO: wins for Grossman and Wright
Earlier on Thursday, Switzerland had enjoyed success with Anja Grossmann winning the Women Junior XCO UCI world title, taking control on the second of four laps. She finished 48 seconds ahead of Barbora Bukovská (CZE), with France’s Agathe Vauchamp third. Grossmann collected the rainbow jersey after an already impressive season featuring UEC European and Swiss national titles.
Australia’s Connor Wright stormed to the Men Junior XCO world crown, making his move on the second of five laps and building an unassailable lead. Austria’s Michael Hettegger finished more than a minute behind in second, with Switzerland’s Marwan Barhoumi third.
XCR: home nation celebrates
On the first day of competition, Italy ended a 13-year wait for UCI Mountain Bike World Championships glory in the cross-country team relay thanks to Juri Zanotti, Paolo Costa, Martina Berta, Valentina Corvi, Giorgia Pellizotti and Fabio Bassignana.
They combined to deliver a memorable victory in front of a packed home crowd at Daolasa di Commezzadura thanks to a time of 1:08:06. Switzerland took silver, 51 seconds back, with the USA claiming bronze another 40 seconds back.Italy led from the start and, despite a brief move to the front by Austria, the home team quickly restored order. The race was effectively decided on the fifth lap when Corvi unleashed the ride of the day to carve out a decisive gap over the chasing nations.
“Starting our home UCI World Championships like this is a dream,” Zanotti said after the race. “Today we were perfect, and I want to take my hat off to the women because they are the ones who made the difference.”
E-XC: Spielmann and Gilloux celebrate
Earlier, Austria’s Anna Spielmann defended her E-XC UCI world title, winning in 48:26. Switzerland’s Kathrin Stirnemann finished second, 11 seconds behind, while Spielmann’s Austrian teammate Tamara Wiedmann took bronze.
France’s Jérôme Gilloux claimed the Men Elite crownahead ofSwitzerland’s Joris Ryf and France’s Stéphane Tempier.
A further eight rainbow jerseys are on offer over the weekend (29-30 August) in the Elite and Junior downhill, and the Elite and Under 23 XCO.