UCI Trials World Championships: Reichenbach and Carthy do it the hard way!

Five individual titles awarded in Glasgow.

Three days after the team event, the individual trials UCI World Champions were crowned in Glasgow on the penultimate day of the UCI Cycling World Championships taking place in the city and across Scotland.

Saturday’s trials finals brought great riding and drama, not least with two big favourites – German Nina Reichenbach in the Women and Great Britain’s Jack Carthy in the Men Elite 26 in - keeping everyone in suspense before rallying to take victories.

Women Elite: Reichenbach again!

With a rainy start to the Women’s final, there was an extra challenge to an already tough course. After two sections, there was a three-way tie, with two Spanish athletes Alba Riera and Vera Barón, and Nina Reichenbach (GER) on 80 points. On section 3’s concrete slabs, Riera and Reichenbach both scored 30, while Barón scored 40. As the sun came out, the 2021 UCI World Champion Barón had 120 points, 10 ahead of her closest rivals.

On the logs of section 4, Riera posted the first 60. Reichenbach needed a clear round to stay with her, but dabbed on the final log, scoring 50. Barón could have taken advantage, but a mistake saw her also score 50. Barón and 15-year-old Riera, the only one to have a clear section, went into the final section on 170. Reichenbach trailed, on 160.

Onto the final section, with the opportunity to win, Riera made a mistake on the 2nd obstacle, scoring just 10 points. The German defending UCI World Champion put the pressure on with a 50-point round. Barón dabbed on the 2nd obstacle and tumbled on the fourth, giving Reichenbach her sixth Women Elite UCI World title!

“I am so, so happy!” said Nina Reichenbach. “The final started good. In between there was some bad luck. But I’m happy that I could keep my head up and keep collecting the points!”

  1. Nina Reichenbach (GER) 210

  2. Vera Barón (ESP) 190

  3. Alba Riera (ESP) 180

Men Elite 26 in: Carthy on countback

On the first section, featuring boulders, 39-year-old Vincent Hermance (FRA) and Martí Vayreda (ESP) both scored 40 points, while Oliver Widmann (GER) posted 30. However three riders only managed 10 points: Spaniards Julen Saenz and Daniel Baron, and the big favourite, six-time Elite UCI World Champion Jack Carthy (GBR), winner of both UCI World Cup rounds in 2023. It set the stage for an intriguing challenge…

Vayreda, Widmann and Saenz scored 40 on the section 2 sleepers and barrels. As the rain that Carthy requested returned, Baron bailed on 30 but the wet conditions awoke the slumbering British giant who scored 60, leaping to 2nd.

After Widmann’s impressive 50 on the concrete in section 3, Vayreda, Saenz and Hermance stumbled on 20, and Baron’s 10 put him bottom. Carthy scored a safe 40. After 3 of 5 sections the German led with 120 points from the Briton on 110 and Vayreda, also 110.

A 50 each for Carthy and the consistent Widmann on the section 4 logs meant the German started the final round with a 10-point advantage. His 40 points on the giant cotton reels put the pressure on 27-year-old Carthy as the rain returned. But the home favourite came through with a 50, and the win on countback, earning Yorkshire’s 2nd gold of the day after Tom Pidcock’s dominance in the mountain bike cross-country Olympic race in Glentress.

“I’ve won 10 UCI World titles from kids all the way up - 11 now - and I’ve never celebrated anything, but I’m celebrating now… and I’m going to enjoy it,” said Jack Carthy.

  1. Jack Carthy (GBR) 210

  2. Oliver Widmann (GER) 210

  3. Martí Vayreda (ESP) 180

Men Elite 20in: Montalvo’s rainbow in the rain

After 2022 UCI World Champion Eloi Palau scored 40, 2021 UCI World Champion Borja Conejos scored the first 60-pointer on the first section, and UCI World ranked no 1 Alejandro Montalvo followed suit. The performances from the three Spanish athletes put the pressure on home rider Charlie Rolls. He was immediately penalised, scoring just 10 points on the first section, lying joint bottom.

It began to rain as the six finalists tackled the second section. All three Spaniards scored 50 points - with Conejos and Montalvo tied on 110 - while Rolls posted 40. However, the British rider recaptured his semi-finals form in section 3 to post 50 and remain in contention.

After section 4, Palau was adrift of his compatriots, knowing that his year in the rainbow jersey was over. As Conejos got 50, Montalvo scored 60, going 10 clear on 220 before the final section. With 50, Rolls leapfrogged Palau into 3rd.

In the pouring rain, Montalvo did enough to beat Conejos on countback for a Spanish 1-2. Rolls delivered Great Britain’s first ever Men 20 in UCI Worlds medal.

“I can’t believe it, I worked so hard,” said Alejando Montalvo. “I’m very happy to take the win!”

  1. Alejando Montalvo (ESP) 250

  2. Borja Conejos (ESP) 250

  3. Charlie Rolls (GBR) 190

https://twitter.com/UCI_Trials/status/1690417451182227456

Men Junior 20 in: Weightman’s home win!

Great Britain’s Oliver Weightman put the early pressure on with an inspired 60-point run. Finland’s Niilo Stenvall made a mistake in the first section, scoring just 20, then put in two 60s. France’s Robin Berchiatti pushed the Briton hard, but it was gold for the host nation.

  1. Oliver Weightman (GBR) 220

  2. Robin Berchiatti (FRA) 210

  3. Niilo Stenvall (FIN) 200

Men Junior 26 in: Cegarra clear

The Junior Men 26in final went with the form book as Spanish athlete Daniel Cegarra scored two 50-point rounds. Frenchman Luka Pasturel posted two 40-point laps which gave him the edge for the silver medal over Nicolas Ostheimer (AUT) who drew a blank in the first round and very nearly fought back.

  1. Daniel Cegarra (ESP) 180

  2. Luka Pasturel (FRA) 130

  3. Nicolas Ostheimer (AUT) 130

Results