UCI MTB World Championships: Switzerland’s Alessandra Keller wins first elite title while Isabella Holmgren repeats as women’s U23 XCC winner for Canada

Isabella Holmgren (Canada) successfully defended her world title in the women’s U23 cross-country short track at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.

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Carla Hahn (Germany) earned the silver medal, 20 seconds back. Tyler Jacobs (South Africa) surged away from a line of 20 riders to take the bronze, 26 seconds off the best time.

The women’s XCC contests were held in Zermatt on a challenging 1.3km course at the foot of the Matterhorn in southern Switzerland, the first for four XCC competitions on Tuesday. Short track races for the U23 riders covered seven laps while the elite women completed nine laps, with 70 metres of elevation gain on each circuit.

Last year as the elite women’s XCC World Cup leader and favourite to win the gold medal in Andorra, Keller crashed on the opening lap and did not finish. The opening lap this year was led by Laura Stigger (Austria), who then went backwards the rest of the day, finishing 17th.

Defending world champion Evie Richards (Great Britain) was the favourite this year as the top-ranked rider in the World Cup XCC standings and she moved into the lead on the third lap. However, a crash on the penultimate lap dropped her from the top three to no finish in sight, and she posted a DNF.

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The final lap duel came down to Keller and Rissveds, with the 29-year-old Swiss rider accelerating on the final climb for her signature victory.

“It’s unbelievable. The crowd. The atmosphere. The emotions. I’m coming off an injury-plagued winter and winning gold at the World Championships on home soil,” Keller said in a press release from her trade team Thömus Maxon.

“I’ve always wanted this XCC title. It’s amazing that everything has come together here. I will wear the rainbow stripes with great pride.”

Isabella Holmgren (Canada) rides solo for victory in the U23 race (Image credit: Shutterstock)

In the U23 contest, Isabella Holmgren rode solo for the victory, but unlike a year ago in Andorra, this time she battled from seventh position on the second lap to work her way to the front.

Katharina Sadnik (Austria) set the early pace on the first lap with Switzerland’s Anina Hutter taking over the lead on the second lap. Then Isabella Holmgren went to work on the third circuit and cleared the field for the final five laps.

Canada had three riders in the top 10, with Ella MacPhee sixth and Ava Holmgren ninth.