Six weeks on from the action in Pal Arinsal, Andorra, the world’s best cross-country riders returned to action at the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France). The iconic French venue would mark a fast and furious return to racing, and with only three rounds remaining until the end of the season, every point and place could make a difference to the destination of the overall titles.
In the Women Elite race, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) strengthened her grip on the overall standings by returning to the top step of the podium. The Swiss rider claimed her third XCC victory of the season and first since securing the European title in July. Overall rival Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) finished second, while Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) continued her impressive consistency with a third podium appearance of the year following her victory in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
The Men Elite race delivered a memorable result for the home crowd as Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) timed his effort to perfection. The Frenchman surged past compatriot Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) on the final climb before sprinting to his third UCI XCC World Cup win of the season. Martin completed a French one-two in front of the packed Les Gets spectators, while race animator David List (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) capped an aggressive performance with a maiden UCI XCC World Cup podium in third.
Earlier in the day, the U23 categories took centre stage in wet and slippery conditions. Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) reinforced her position at the top of the Women U23 overall standings with another victory, while Herby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) emerged victorious in the Men U23 race.
FREI RULES IN LES GETS
After a rain-soaked morning, conditions began to improve just in time for the Women Elite race, although the Les Gets, Haute-Savoie course remained far from dry. Damp grass, slippery corners and constantly evolving grip levels meant line choice would prove decisive, particularly through the track’s technical off-camber sections.
The race exploded into life almost immediately when a crash on the opening gravel climb disrupted much of the field. At the front, however, Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) wasted no time stamping her authority on proceedings. Enjoying the strongest season of her career, the Italian champion was chasing a maiden UCI XCC World Cup victory to add to the the breakthrough XCO win she secured on home soil in La Thuile-Valle d’Aosta.
Berta’s early spell at the front was short-lived as Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) quickly took control of the race. The Swiss rider, racing in the European champion’s jersey, looked composed and calculated from the outset, repeatedly using the technical rock garden descent to test her rivals and identify where she could make the difference.
While Frei dictated the pace, much of the attention shifted to Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing). Making her first race appearance since taking an extended break following her 2025 UCI XCO World Cup overall triumph, the New Zealander steadily carved her way through the field. Starting from the back rows of the grid, she remarkably joined the lead group by lap three, immediately showing she had lost none of her race sharpness.
As the race settled, a familiar pattern emerged. Frei continued to apply pressure at the front, while those around her fought desperately to stay attached. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) and Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) proved particularly resilient, matching each acceleration and ensuring the Swiss rider could not break clear.
With two laps remaining, eight riders still contested the lead, although Maxwell’s impressive comeback was cut short by an untimely puncture. Moments later, another increase in pace split the race apart, reducing the contenders to four: Frei, Rissveds, Blunk and Berta.
The decisive move came on the final lap. Berta was the first to lose contact on the long gravel climb, and shortly afterwards Frei delivered the acceleration that finally cracked her remaining challengers. What began as a gap of a few bike lengths quickly grew as neither Rissveds nor Blunk could respond. By the final passage through the rock garden, Frei had the clear advantage she had been working towards all race.
Crossing the finish line with arms raised, the Specialized Factory Racing rider secured her third UCI XCC World Cup victory of the season and the fifth of her career. The result also strengthens her grip on the overall standings, extending her advantage over Rissveds to 80 points with just two rounds remaining. Blunk’s third-place finish, meanwhile, moves the American up to third overall in the series standings.
Speaking after the race, Frei said: “I think the special bike and the jersey were shining today. I felt really good and it was so much fun to race here in Les Gets. The atmosphere was incredible and I really enjoyed every moment of it.”
“The plan was to stay near the front without necessarily leading all the time. In the end it probably looked a little different, but I felt strong and when I saw an opportunity, I decided to go for it. Thankfully it worked out.”
“I just tried to pedal as hard as I could. The bike felt amazing today. The Specialized S-Works Epic 9 was incredibly stiff through the grassy sections and that made a huge difference when it came to putting the power down and accelerating.”
VAN DER POEL'S CHARGE FALLS SHORT AS BOICHIS TAKES THE WIN
All eyes were on Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) ahead of the Men Elite race as the Dutch superstar lined up for his first UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup appearance since 2021. The most successful rider in XCC history, with 10 career victories, faced a formidable challenge from the outset after drawing 41st position on the grid.
His presence shaped the race from the very first lap. Aware of the threat lurking behind them, the riders at the front immediately drove up the pace, determined to build a gap large enough to prevent Van der Poel from storming through the field and adding an 11th short track victory to his remarkable tally.
The early initiative came from Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), who kept the pressure high at the head of the race. Yet it quickly became clear that even their efforts might not be enough to contain Van der Poel. The Dutchman sliced through the pack with ease, gaining more than a dozen positions on the opening climb alone and moving up to 24th by the end of the first lap.
At the front, the French riders continued to set the tone. Azzaro, Boichis and Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) briefly turned the race into a French one-two-three midway through the second lap, while newly crowned European champion Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) remained firmly in contention.
The race took another twist on lap three when David List (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) launched an aggressive move to the front. Capitalising on a brief hesitation among the favourites, the German opened a gap and began dictating the pace, refusing to relinquish the lead despite mounting pressure from behind.
By the halfway point, Van der Poel had completed his charge into the lead group, transforming the race exactly as many had anticipated. However, while the Dutchman looked powerful on the climbs, he appeared slightly less comfortable through the course’s technical descent, where List continued to force the issue at the front.
A key moment came on lap six when Van der Poel narrowly avoided disaster in the final rock garden, producing a spectacular save to stay upright. From then on, the Alpecin-Premier Tech rider appeared more measured in his approach, seemingly prioritising a strong result and valuable track time ahead of Sunday’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup rather than gambling everything for victory.
Up front, the battle for the win was reaching boiling point. Azzaro, Boichis and Martin traded attacks on the gravel climb, their accelerations finally proving too much for List’s prolonged solo effort. Although eventually reeled in after four laps at the front, the German refused to crack completely and remained attached to the leading group.
The decisive selection came on the penultimate lap. Azzaro slipped out of contention after putting a foot down in one of the race’s technical grass corners, while the relentless pace also ended Aldridge’s challenge.
That left Martin, Boichis and List to battle for victory on the final lap. Martin held the advantage over the first climb, but Boichis had perfectly timed his effort. Drawing on the power that has made him one of the season’s standout performers, the Frenchman launched a sustained acceleration on the final ascent and surged past his compatriot. Martin had no response.
Boichis powered clear to claim his third UCI XCC World Cup victory of the season, delighting the home crowd and extending his overall series lead to 170 points. Behind him, Martin completed a memorable French one-two, while List’s resilient ride earned him a maiden UCI XCC World Cup podium in third. Van der Poel, meanwhile, completed an eye-catching comeback from the back of the grid to finish 10th.
Speaking after the race, Boichis said: “It's nice to see so many French fans. It definitely gives you extra energy. It was really hard. We haven’t raced short track for a long time and it’s impossible to replicate that intensity in training. From the front you don't always know what's happening behind, but to move through the field the way Mathieu [van der Poel] did from the back shows just how strong he is. We all know what he can do. “I hope he’ll be at the front on Sunday and that I’ll get the chance to race against him again. Let’s see.”
CORVI CONTINUES HER REIGN AS PEDERSEN ENDS SCHEHL'S STREAK
Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Herby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) mastered the challenging conditions in Les Gets, both producing decisive late-race attacks to secure U23 UCI XCC World Cup victories on a wet and slippery Friday morning.
In the Women U23 race, overall series leader Valentina Corvi once again showcased the composure and race craft that have made her the benchmark of the category in 2026. The Italian found herself in a select leading trio alongside Monique Halter (Thömus maxon) and Anina Hutter from lap four, and the group quickly distanced the rest of the field, turning the race into a battle for podium positions.
With victory hanging in the balance until the closing stages, Corvi delivered the decisive move on the final lap. The Italian powered clear on the climb and never looked back, claiming her third consecutive UCI XCC World Cup victory and further strengthening her grip on the overall standings. The win extends her series lead to 202 points over nearest rival Lisa Kristina Jorde, while Halter narrowly edged Hutter in a sprint for second place.
Speaking after the race, Corvi said: “Today was really important for me. I was super happy to race again. I felt good throughout the race and attacked on the climb of the final lap. Then I just tried to hold the gap all the way to the finish.”
“They were really strong and kept trying to attack in the switchbacks. I just focused on staying calm and staying with them.”
If Corvi’s victory reinforced the established order in the Women U23 category, the Men U23 race delivered one of the surprises of the day. Entering Les Gets, Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) looked almost unbeatable, having won the previous five UCI XCC World Cup rounds dating back to Nové Město na Moravě (Czechia). But Herby Gustav Pedersen had no intention of allowing the winning streak to continue.
The Dane set the tone from the outset and remained firmly among the leaders throughout a fast and tactical race. By the penultimate lap, only Schehl, Benjamin Krüger and Alix Andre-Gallis (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) could match his pace as the fight for victory intensified.
When the decisive attacks finally came, Pedersen had the strongest response. Launching his move at just the right moment, he opened a gap that none of his rivals could close and powered to a breakthrough UCI XCC World Cup victory. He crossed the line three seconds clear of Schehl, ending the German’s remarkable run of dominance, while Krüger held off Andre-Gallis to secure the final podium position.
Speaking after the race, Pedersen said: “That was pretty sick. I went all in with five weeks at altitude and I guess it paid off, so I’m really happy. I was riding on Paul’s wheel and felt good, so I thought, ‘Why not try now?’ I managed to get past him and then gave everything I had through the final corners.”
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues tomorrow (22 August) with a full day of UCI Downhill World Cup racing in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. After laying down the marker in qualifying, Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) heads into the Women Elite finals as the rider to beat, while home favourite Max Alran (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) will look to build on a breakthrough first Elite qualifying victory in front of the French crowd. Read the full qualifying report here.
Racing gets underway at 11:30 CEST with the Women Junior final. Find out when and where to watch here.
