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Martedì 20 ottobre 2026
UCI XCC World Cup Season Review - Frei and Martin Prevail After Thrilling Title Fights
The 2026 UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup titles were decided by season-long battles, with neither champion able to establish a comfortable grip on the overall until the closing rounds.
Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) went toe-to-toe with Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) throughout the campaign, while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) faced sustained challenges from fellow Frenchmen Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division). Momentum shifted repeatedly, leaving both title fights finely poised as the season approached its conclusion.
The struggles of defending champions Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek – Unbroken XC), who missed rounds through injury and were unable to maintain their usual form, created an opportunity for new names to rise. But Frei and Martin still had to fight every step of the way before emerging as first-time UCI XCC World Cup overall winners.
MARTIN TURNS CONSISTENCY INTO MAIDEN XCC OVERALL TITLE
Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) ended 2025 in flying form, winning the final UCI XCC World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Québec, Canada) to finish runner-up in the overall standings. The Frenchman carried that momentum into 2026, producing the consistent campaign needed to go one better and claim his first UCI XCC World Cup overall title.
His season did not begin as planned. A mid-race flat tyre forced Martin to record a DNF at the opening XCC race in MONA YongPyong (South Korea), before a sixth-place finish in Nové Město na Moravě (Czechia) offered the first signs that his challenge was gathering pace.
Martin found his rhythm in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria), recovering from a crash on a descent to charge back through the field and secure third place. He followed that result with second in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), finishing behind compatriot Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) as Boichis celebrated his first UCI XCC World Cup victory. The same result followed in La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy), where Martin was once again runner-up to his fellow Frenchman.
A fourth-place finish at the high-altitude round in Pal Arinsal – Andorra left Martin narrowly outside the podium and allowed Boichis to take control of the overall standings heading into the six-week summer break, with Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) sitting second.
When racing resumed in Les Gets – Haute-Savoie (France), Martin returned in strong form but once again had to settle for second behind Boichis, who strengthened his grip on the overall lead. With only two rounds remaining, Martin’s chances of taking the title appeared to be fading.
However, Boichis’ decision not to contest the final North American leg blew the battle wide open. Martin immediately capitalised, taking another second place in Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) to move into the overall lead and set up a final-round showdown with Azzaro.
Martin arrived at the Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA) with a 96-point advantage, meaning Azzaro needed to win while Martin finished outside the podium places to overturn the deficit. The suspense ended before racing began when Azzaro withdrew from the weekend, but Martin still closed out his campaign with fourth place, securing his first UCI XCC World Cup overall title and completing his rise from 2025 runner-up to 2026 champion.
It capped a landmark season for the Frenchman, who also secured the UCI XCO World Cup overall title to complete an impressive double.
With both titles secured, Martin will begin a new chapter in 2027, joining Decathlon Ford Racing Team and racing aboard VAN RYSEL’s debut mountain bike, the RCR-XC, with the cycling brand serving as the team’s official bike and apparel supplier.
FREI EDGES RISSVEDS AFTER SEASON-LONG FIGHT FOR THE TITLE
Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) ended the 2024 season in impressive form with two XCC victories but endured a difficult 2025 campaign without recording a single podium finish. She returned in 2026 with a point to prove and made the perfect start, winning the opening round in MONA YongPyong to claim her first victory in the format since the 2024 season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada).
After finishing fifth in Nové Město na Moravě, Frei quickly returned to winning ways in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland, taking her second victory from the opening three rounds and strengthening her early grip on the overall standings.
However, finishes of sixth in Lenzerheide, second in La Thuile and eighth in Pal Arinsal saw her advantage begin to narrow. Frei’s closest challenger, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing), won the latter two rounds to cut the gap at the top of the standings to just 30 points and set up a compelling title fight heading into the six-week summer break.
Frei regained the momentum when racing resumed in Les Gets, taking her third victory of the season as Rissveds had to settle for second. The Swiss rider then finished third in Soldier Hollow, while Rissveds could only manage fifth, giving Frei a valuable advantage ahead of the final round.
At the Lake Placid Olympic Sites, Rissveds once again crossed the line in second, but Frei remained close behind in third. That result was enough for the Swiss rider to prevail in their season-long battle and secure the UCI XCC World Cup overall title by just 60 points.
CORVI AND SCHEHL CROWNED U23 WINNERS
In the U23 field, two riders dominated proceedings with an impressive string of UCI World Cup wins between them.
In the women’s Under 23 category, Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) opened her season with podium finishes in South Korea and Czechia. After missing the podium in Austria, the Italian hit an outstanding run of form, claiming runner-up in Lenzerheide followed by three consecutive XCC victories from La Thuile to Les Gets.That commanding mid-season streak gave Corvi enough of a cushion to finish outside the podium places at the final two rounds and still secure the overall title by more than 100 points.
In the men’s Under 23 category, Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) was almost unstoppable from the outset, making his final U23 season one to remember before his move to the Elite ranks in 2027.
After opening his campaign with third place in South Korea, the German produced an incredible run of five back-to-back XCC victories from Nové Město na Moravě to Pal Arinsal. A runner-up finish in Les Gets and two results outside the podium places in North America did little to threaten his commanding advantage, as Schehl secured the overall title by more than 200 points ahead of Thibaut François Baudry (Canyon XC Racing).
The 2026 UCI XCC World Cup ultimately proved a test of consistency, resilience and speed, with the battle for points playing out across a demanding season. With four overall winners crowned across the Elite and U23 categories, the campaign once again demonstrated the depth of talent and fiercely competitive nature of short track racing, one of the most explosive showcases of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
Ultimo aggiornamento:
20/10/2026 10:37