Sina Frei thrilled the home fans in Switzerland in the elite women’s short track race, and Charlie Aldridge won gold for Great Britain in the men’s battle on Thursday at the UEC Mountain Bike European Championships at Monte Tamaro.
It was a warm day in southern Switzerland, at an altitude of 1,962 metres above sea level in the Lugano Prealps. Riders either used cooling vests or poured bottles of water on their heads before the elite races.
Defending champion Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) was at the front for most of the 10 laps with the Swiss trio of Frei, Alessandra Keller and Nicole Koller for company. By the bell lap, it was Rissveds who tried to accelerate away, only Keller and Frei matching her move.
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Frei blasted around the final right-hand corner with separation from the other two riders and celebrated her third short track victory of the season. In a cloud of dust behind, compatriot Keller carried the World Champion’s jersey to second place, four seconds back, while Rissveds settled for third place. Evie Richards (Great Britain) took fourth and Sofie Pedersen (Denmark) fifth.
The 2026 season has provided several firsts for Frei, who debuted on the top step of the podium at a World Cup XCO contest in May, and now took a first XCC European title. She leads the elite women’s World Cup standings in XCC, just 30 points ahead of Rissveds.
Aldridge also had a train of Swiss riders with him on the early laps, defending champion Luca Schätti as well as Dario Lillo, and Spain’s Jofre Cullell Estape also pushing the pace with Danish duo Tobias Lillelund and Sebastian Fini Juul. Big gaps never really played out on the 11 laps for the elite men.
The Briton moved to the front position on the downhill corner to the finish. He distanced Juri Zanotti (Italy) at the line for the victory, while Lillo edged Lillelund for bronze. Schätti finished on the Dane’s back wheel for fifth.
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“Of course, we came into the race aiming to defend the European title with the Swiss Cycling Team. We raced our hearts out as a team and gave everything we had,” said Schätti after the finish on home soil.
Sunday is the final day of racing for the Olympic Cross-country races. Frei and Rissveds will have a rematch on the longer course, with the Swedish rider looking to defend the European title.
Last year’s men’s winner Tom Pidcock will not be on the start line, which leaves an immediate opening for silver medalist Aldridge to keep the gold with Great Britain.
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