Pidcock and Frei win the UCI XCO World Championship titles in Val di Sole

For one day, Val di Sole seemed closer to heaven. Up there, where the mountains embrace the valley and the air smells of dust and forest, the alien landed. Tom Pidcock chose the biggest stage of all, the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole, Trentino, to remind everyone why his name is synonymous with phenomena. Starting from the fifth row, the two-time Olympic cross-country champion rode through the dust of the riders ahead, leaving them behind one by one, until only the rainbow jersey lay before him. Mathieu van der Poel tried to catch him, and the crowd cheered him on. But as the race entered its decisive phase, the Dutchman was far from the front. He wanted that one world title that still eluded him. He'll have to come back for it: today, he finished 30th. With more than four minutes' lead and two laps to go, Pidcock, as only the very best do, shifted into high gear. One acceleration after another, and the lead grew until it was finally decided: fellow countryman Charlie Aldridge was the last to raise the white flag. The UCI World Championship title is his. And Val di Sole, too.

While the Briton won the race everyone had been waiting for, Daolasa celebrated a day that will go down in Italian mountain biking history. Martina Berta secured a magnificent silver medal in the elite women's race, finishing behind Switzerland's Sina Frei, and in the women's U23 race, Valentina Corvi fulfilled her dream of winning the rainbow triathlon. From morning till afternoon, it was an unforgettable Sunday, capping off a week with around 30,000 spectators – a sea of ​​flags and colors, united by one language: mountain biking.

PIDCOCK – THE WINNER, PUNCHARD – THE SURPRISE

He has won eight of the last ten cross-country races he has entered, in addition to his two Olympic gold medals in Tokyo and Paris. When Tom Pidcock decides to switch back to wide tires, the competition usually has little chance. The championships in Trentino were no exception, despite a bumpy start from the fifth row, just like Mathieu van der Poel. Unlike the Dutchman, the Briton immediately went for the lead – using the legs he saves for the big races. The 27-year-old from Leeds had a tough time against riders who consistently perform well throughout the year. At the front of the race, the French set the pace and made it difficult for Pidcock to catch up. He only appeared in the leading group around the halfway point. A few mistakes delayed the change of leadership, but the first attack came in the sixth lap.

Aldridge, Boichis, Vidaurre, and the surprise of the day, Punchard, initially held their own. Then the effects of lactic acid took their toll, and the outcome became clear. Pidcock's rivals fell back one by one, with Aldridge last on the penultimate lap. The Briton crossed the finish line alone, 17 seconds ahead of his compatriot. Bronze went to Canadian Cole Punchard, 31 seconds behind, who had also started from the middle of the pack. Chilean Martin Vidaurre finished fourth, 59 seconds back; a flat tire at the start of the final lap cost him the bronze medal that had seemed so close. Fifth place went to Frenchman Adrien Boichis, the UCI Cross-Country Short Track World Champion, who faded in the second half of the race after a strong start. For Tom Pidcock, this is his second world championship title in elite cross-country, in addition to the rainbow jerseys he has already won in cyclocross, e-mountain biking, and as a junior on the road. Trentino has been kind to him this year: last April he won the Arco stage of the Tour of the Alps.

“Besides the Tour de France, these UCI World Championships were my main goal for the season. It was a difficult time, overshadowed by the death of Finlay Tarling. This victory is dedicated to his brother Joshua,” said Tom Pidcock. “Getting back into the leading group was complicated: I crashed in training on Friday and had back pain. I couldn’t make any extreme changes of pace, so I tried to ride at my own pace and conserve my energy to make the difference at the end.”

“I also send a hug to Tadej Pogačar, who watched us from the hospital today. I hope he recovers quickly. I’m happy to have shown that I’m stronger than Mathieu van der Poel on the mountain bike. I think he’s stronger than me on the road, but one day I want to win the UCI World Championship title there too.” Mathieu van der Poel’s World Championships ended with a disappointing 30th place, 4 minutes and 40 seconds behind the winner. The Dutchman never really found his rhythm, hampered by a slow start and a less-than-ideal feeling on the mountain bike, despite the promising signs at the UCI World Series in Les Gets. “I just wasn’t good enough. I don’t know exactly what went wrong. It was more or less the same as last year: a good feeling in Les Gets, but bad at the World Championships.”

FREI WINS FIRST ELITE TITLE, BERTA SPRINTS TO SILVER

Four days after winning gold in the cross-country team relay, Martina Berta also secured an individual medal. With strength, patience, and her remarkable ability to stay in contention at the front even at high speeds, she showcased her talent. Skiing intelligently in Daolasa, she chose the right moment to attack and the right moment to hold back, securing silver in the sprint on the final straight. Gold was already out of reach for Switzerland with Sina Frei. The 28-year-old from La Salle, a village of 2,000 inhabitants in the Aosta Valley, secured silver with a time of 1:07 minutes. The Aosta Valley now boasts two athletes that others can only dream of: Berta and alpine skier Federica Brignone. Bronze went to another Swiss skier, Nicole Koller.

Berta war von der ersten Runde an hellwach und schloss zu Beginn des Rennens zu den beiden Schnellsten auf. In der zweiten Runde erhöhte Frei am Anstieg das Tempo: Rissveds fiel zurück, während Berta mit einer starken Reaktion konterte und wieder zu den Führenden aufschloss. Die Schwedin, die amtierende UCI-Weltmeisterin, fiel allmählich zurück und verlor den Anschluss an Koller und den Niederländer Puck Pieterse, bevor ein Reifenschaden ihre Medaillenhoffnungen endgültig zunichtemachte. In der dritten Runde musste auch Berta Frei ziehen lassen, als die Schweizerin das Tempo erhöhte und sich dem Gold näherte. Von da an kämpfte Berta um Silber, während Koller von hinten aufholte und sie in der fünften Runde einholte.

The last two laps were Sina Frei's triumphant run. She secured her first elite cross-country world title and her second world championship medal in Val di Sole, having already won gold in the cross-country short track event here in 2021. Berta still had enough energy reserves for the decisive sprint and prevailed against Nicole Koller. Behind them, Puck Pieterse finished fourth with a time of 1 minute and 25 seconds, and New Zealander Samara Maxwell came in fifth with 1 minute and 48 seconds. Jenny Rissveds finished only seventh with a time of 2 minutes and 29 seconds.

“More than just a goal for my season, I think this was a real dream come true, especially after two years where I struggled, particularly in the middle of the season. I believe that only I can influence myself and my performance. That's why I just focused on myself and my own rhythm, without thinking too much about others. I still can't believe what happened, but I can't wait to wear this jersey at the next UCI World Cup rounds,” said Sina Frei.

“It’s incredible, this medal was the big goal for the season,” said Martina Berta. “I managed to get into top form, and I’m very happy with the result. The affection and enthusiasm of the Val di Sole crowd was unbelievable. After the second and fourth climbs, everything sounded muted for at least a minute. Thank you so much to everyone who came here to support us: it’s important because it means we’re also conveying genuine emotion to the public.”