2026 UCI Snow Bike World Championships: Baumann, Thévenard and Tupin celebrate gold

UCI world titles for Switzerland and France

The third edition of the UCI Snow Bike World Championships, held in Châtel, Haute-Savoie, France, saw Lisa Baumann (SUI) retain both the Super G and the Dual Slalom titles. Pierre Thévenard (FRA) defended his Super-G title, and in the dual slalom it was another win for Vincent Tupin, amongst a strong show from the French host nation.

Women's Super-G: Baumann does it again

The first woman down the Super-G track, defending UCI World Champion Lisa Baumann, hit a maximum speed of 63.05 km/h (39.2 mph) on the way to a blistering finish time of 1:58.27. The Swiss is the first woman to go under 2 minutes, and the first rider (female or male) to retain a snow bike Super-G world crown.

The 24-year-old Swiss was pushed hard by two French riders. Morgane Such, who claimed the rainbow jersey in 2024, hit a high speed of 62.14 km/h on her way to what would become third place with 2:08.87. Vicky Clavel was the only other woman to break 60 km/h, with her 2:05.58 time earning the silver medal, equaling her feat from last year.

“Yes, it was complicated at the top. There was fresh snow last night too, but they prepared the track well. On the lower part, it was really hard. But it went well,” said Lisa Baumann. “Sun, beautiful snow, not too cold, not too hard… It's a pleasure to be here in Châtel.”

Men's Super-G: French clean sweep

The Men’s Super-G saw 40 riders representing 14 nations, from across Europe and as far afield as the USA, and South Africa.

And it was the Super-G 2025 UCI World Champion, France’s Vincent Tupin, who set the time to beat: 1:43.36, with a highest speed of 74.83 km/h.

Super-G winner from 2024, Pierre Thévenard (FRA), edged a second off Tupin’s time, taking the hot seat with 1:42.33 and 80.40 km/h (50mph). Even with a mistake in the final section that saw him crash at the last jump, the Frenchman slid over the finish line for a time that would regain his title with speed and determination.

Cédric Gracia put together a strong 1:46.36 run, to provisionally match his bronze medal position of 2025, before being unseated by Dylan Levesque who upset the seedings with a brilliant 1:45.46 to complete a French clean sweep.

“I'm really happy with how I rode. It was clean. I made a little mistake where I started to slide from behind, but otherwise I'm pretty happy,” said Pierre Thévenard. “The track was clean too. It was cool.”

Women's dual slalom: Baumann’s three-in-a-row

Straight into the quarter finals, defending UCI World Champion in the dual slalom and fastest qualifier, Lisa Baumann (SUI), comfortably beat USA’s Abigail Hogie. Of the three other fastest qualifiers, Chloé Crès Clément (FRA) was beaten by Austria’s Elke Rabeder by 0.01-sec in both heats. while Morgane Such (2024 silver medalist) and Vicky Clavel (silver medalist in the morning’s Super-G) beat their French compatriots Elise Porta and Mathilde Bernard.

In the small final for the bronze medal, Such beat Rabeder to take her third dual slalom medal in as many years, and her second medal of the day.

In the final for gold, Clavel fought hard against Baumann in the first heat but ended with a 0.5-second deficit, and despite a brave run in the second heat, it was too much to make up. Baumann secured an astonishing third successive victory in the dual slalom, and a double gold in 2026 to replicate her 2025 success.

“It was not easy at the start. In the final I felt I had a bit more,” said Lisa Baumann. “It was a tough battle, Vicky was really strong as well, so I am happy. It was a good event, it was a good night, there were a lot of people watching.”

Men's dual slalom: Two for Tupin

In the eight finals, defending UCI World Champion in dual slalom, Léo Grisel (FRA), went out to Belgium’s Kelian Vanreusel. Of the four fastest qualifiers, France’s Pierre Thévenard went out to Ireland’s Henry Kerr by just 0.01-seconds, and Dylan Levesque (FRA) beat Hungary’s Gergő Palla. Vincent Tupin (2024 silver medalist, and 2025 bronze medalist) and Cédric Gracia beat their fellow Frenchmen, Léo Godin and Théo Mathieu respectively.

In the quarter finals, Kerr overcooked a gate and Vanreusel was happy to capitalise, while two DNFs for Ian Guionnet (FRA) gave Gracia safe passage. Levesque pushed past Germany’s Julian Steiner before Tupin dispatched Britain’s Jack Piercy.

The favourites Gracia and Tupin progressed through two close semi-finals. Levesque won the bronze final to secure a French clean sweep.

In the final for gold, Tupin missed a gate to DNF in the first heat, giving Gracia the advantage for the second and final heat, but Tupin was too strong and took the win by 0.19-seconds to claim the rainbow jersey.

“Yeah I’m so happy, it’s crazy,” said Vincent Tupin. “I was very impressed with Cédric Gracia too, everybody knows how strong he is. I’m very happy with this rainbow jersey.”