Bella has solidified herself as one of the most exciting young multi-discipline talents in cycling
Isabella Holmgren had a dream mountain biking season in 2024, but one of the few races she didn’t win was the U23 short track World Championship. She finally added the prize that eluded her Tuesday, winning the 2025 U23 XCC rainbow stripes with a flawless performance in Zermatt, Switzerland.
Holmgren won the title by 20 seconds over second-place Carla Hahn. To put that gap in perspective, that’s the same gap that separated Hahn from seventh-place Ella Maclean-Howell. Holmgren put on a clinic on the steep course, and secured her fourth world title.
“It was a really good day. I had so much fun,” Holmgren said after the race. “I clipped in right away and had a good start, so I got some confidence from that. And I noticed that when I was in the lead, I felt more comfortable taking my own line. It was just easier to be not caught up in traffic. And then I just basically hammered as hard as I could for a lot of laps and held it to the end.”
Isabella is no stranger to the rainbow stripes.
The celebration.
Holmgren is an accomplished young cyclist both on and off a mountain bike. She won the junior cyclocross World Championship in 2023, and followed it up with the junior XCO world title that same year, and a U23 XCO world title in 2024 that was part of a campaign featuring seven XC World Cup wins.
That’s impressive work, considering her primary vocation is road racing with the Lidl-Trek squad. She’s currently in the midst of her best season ever on the World Tour, most recently winning three stages and the general classification at the Tour de l’Avenir Femmes. In July, she also finished seventh on the general classification at the Giro d’Italia, one of the most prestigious stage races in the sport.
Holmgren isn’t done yet. She’ll also race for a second straight U23 XCO world championship on Sunday in Crans-Montana. Her twin sister, Ava, will also be on the starting line after taking ninth in Tuesday’s racing. Tune in to get a glimpse of the future.
Isabella across the line, no competition in sight.
Evie Richards’ podium bid foiled by puncture
Evie Richards was giving a spirited title defense in Tuesday elite women’s short track final before being undone by a final-lap puncture. She was in the front group with eventual winner Alessandra Keller and second-place Jenny Rissveds, but bad luck stymied her chance to battle for the win.
“My legs didn’t feel great today, but I was making up good time on certain sections, and I was in third with one lap to go when I punctured,” Richards said after the race. She remained in good spirits despite the setback. “I’m ready for the weekend.”
Isabella building her lead in Zermatt.
Richards, the 2024 elite short track World Champion, will get her shot at redemption this Saturday during the elite women’s XCO, which will also feature teammates Gwendalyn Gibson (22nd in XCC) and Madigan Munro (26th).
Riley Amos finished 27th in a tight elite men’s short track race on Tuesday. He and teammate Gunnar Holmgren (older brother of Isabella and Ava) will race this Sunday in the elite men’s XCO.