2026 MTB World Championships in Val di Sole: Meet the new mountain bike world champions
Adrian Kaether
· 31.08.2026
Tom Pidcock dominated the men’s XCO race, whilst Sina Frei claimed the rainbow jersey in the women’s event – Vali Höll and Jackson Goldstone made downhill history. Around 30,000 spectators witnessed a World Championships that will long be remembered.
Men’s Elite Cross-Country: Pidcock rises to the top of the world rankings from fifth on the starting grid
When Tom Pidcock turns up, the dynamics of a race change. Like no other road cyclist, the British rider and double Olympic champion has built a reputation as a master of riding technique. And yet, on Sunday afternoon, the man from Leeds surprised everyone in his own unique way. Despite the worst possible omens – starting from the fifth row and suffering from back pain following a crash in training on Friday – he still dominated the prestigious cross-country race.
Pidcock started from the same row as his presumed main rival, Mathieu van der Poel, but whilst the Dutchman never really managed to get into the race, the Briton fought his way steadily towards the front. The French riders set a blistering pace in the first half of the race, making the chase a real ordeal. Pidcock made mistakes and lost time, but still worked his way into the leading group – and bided his time.
A last-minute decision: Cole Punchard springs a surprise
The first decisive attack came on the sixth lap. Charlie Aldridge, Adrien Boichis, Martin Vidaurre and the surprise performer of the day, Canada’s Cole Punchard, were initially able to keep up. But then the race took a new turn: Boichis lost momentum, and Vidaurre suffered a puncture on the final lap – a bronze medal that had seemed all but certain was suddenly out of reach. Aldridge was the last to lose touch with Pidcock, on the penultimate lap.
Tom Pidcock crossed the finish line alone, 17 seconds ahead of his compatriot Aldridge. The bronze went to the Canadian Cole Punchard, 31 seconds behind – another rider who had started from the middle of the pack. Vidaurre finished fourth, 59 seconds behind, with Boichi in fifth. David List secured a strong tenth place as the best-placed German. And van der Poel? The Dutchman, who is chasing the only rainbow jersey still missing from his collection, finished in 30th place, over four minutes and 40 seconds behind.
Pidcock dedicates World Championship title to Fin Tarling
“Apart from the Tour de France, these World Championships were my main goal for the season,” said Pidcock after the race, but he began his interview at the finish line on an emotional note. “It was difficult just to get here at all. I’d like to dedicate this victory "Dedicated to Fin Tarling, his brother Joshua and his family." The British cyclist had died following a tragic accident during the Tour of Portugal in August 2026. With a sidelong glance at his rival van der Poel, Pidcock also showed himself to be on the attack. “I’m pleased to have shown that I’m stronger on a mountain bike than Mathieu van der Poel.”
For Pidcock, this is his second Elite XCO world title – in addition to rainbow jerseys in cyclo-cross, e-mountain biking and road cycling (as a junior). He has recently won eight out of ten cross-country races, as well as two Olympic gold medals in Tokyo and Paris.
Women’s Elite Cross-Country: Sina Frei wins the world title, Berta sprints to silver
A maiden Elite World Championship title, secured in style and more deserved than ever: Switzerland’s Sina Frei proved too strong for all her rivals in the women’s race. Whilst a handful of riders in the peloton were still battling it out for the lead, Frei stepped it up a gear on the second lap.
Initially, Rio Olympic champion Jenny Rissveds – the dominant rider of this year’s World Cup season – tried to keep up with the pace, as did local favourite Martina Berta. However, Rissveds gradually lost ground and was eventually knocked out of the medal race by a puncture. Berta, on the other hand, demonstrated the class of a rider who has learnt to read a race: she held back when necessary and then accelerated when it mattered.
Martina Berta gathers her strength and wins silver
On the third lap, she too let Frei pull away. The Italian from La Salle in the Aosta Valley gathered her strength and fought a thrilling battle with the Swiss rider Nicole Koller for silver over the final two laps. In a sprint down the home straight – over a minute behind Frei – Berta came out on top.
Gold went to Sina Frei. Silver went to Martina Berta. Nicole Koller took bronze. Puck Pieterse from the Netherlands came fourth, and Samara Maxwell from New Zealand fifth. “More than just a goal for the season, this was a real dream come true, especially after two years in which I kept running into problems halfway through the season,” said Frei after the race. “I focused on myself without thinking too much about the others. I still can’t believe what’s happened.”
For Berta, who in July became the first Italian woman in 13 years to win an elite-level race at the UCI World Cup in La Thuile, it was the crowning glory of an exceptional season. “This medal was my main goal,” said the 28-year-old. “I’m very happy. The atmosphere here was incredible.”
Men’s Downhill Elite: Goldstone dances down the Black Snake
The Black Snake in Val di Sole knows its favourites. And Jackson Goldstone knows the Black Snake. When the Canadian rides through the Daolasa woods, the root-strewn section becomes a dance floor, and the steepest stretch of the World Cup circuit turns into a pump track. For the second year running, he is the Downhill World Champion; this is the fourth time he has made his mark on Val di Sole (including the 2021 Junior World Championship title).
However, New Zealand’s Lachlan Stevens-McNab ensured that this title was not won without a bit of drama. The competition’s dark horse delivered an exceptional performance in both the qualifying round and the final, leaving the entire field behind him – except for one. Goldstone’s finishing time: 3:28.785 minutes. Stevens-McNab’s finishing time: 3:29.480 minutes. Barely 0.7 seconds separated gold from silver.
Bronze and silver: a difference of just seven thousandths
The bronze went to Britain’s Jordan Williams, who clocked 3:29.487 minutes, just seven thousandths of a second behind Stevens-McNab – a mere fraction of a second decided the podium places. Behind him came a visibly somewhat surprised Asa Vermette (USA, 4th), who had probably expected an even better placing after a top run. And Andi Kolb (Austria, 5th) ahead of Luca Shaw (USA, 6th). Henri Kiefer was the highest-placed German in eighth place, whilst France failed to win a medal despite a strong season.
"Winning the world title twice in a row is a dream. I felt I could do it, and I just tried to stick to my lines and not make any mistakes," said Goldstone.
Women’s Downhill Elite: Höll makes history
In the women’s event, Vali Höll has now claimed her fifth title. The 24-year-old Austrian from Saalbach is thus making sporting history and drawing level with downhill legend Rachel Atherton. Only France’s Anne-Caroline Chausson has won more World Championship titles in the past.
On the Black Snake, she extended her lead particularly in the middle section of the course and clocked a time of 4:01.558 minutes. Silver went to Switzerland’s Lisa Baumann in 4:03.286 minutes, with bronze going to Britain’s Harriet Harnden in 4:03.604 minutes. Just 0.3 seconds separated the silver and bronze medallists. Nina Hoffmann from Germany secured fourth place.
Seagrave and Cabirou are not on form; Nicole is ill
For Tahnee Seagrave and Marine Cabirou, both regular winners on the Black Snake in the World Cup, the day did not go to plan. Both fell well short of their potential – Seagrave finished seventh and Cabirou ninth. Myriam Nicole, who had most recently beaten Höll in a World Championship race (also in Val di Sole, 2021), was unable to compete due to illness.
"I didn’t think it was possible to win five World Championship titles in a row. It’s just incredible," said Höll. "It’s taken a lot out of me physically and mentally all week. But it worked out. Now I’m looking forward to a holiday."
An overview of the other world champions
In addition to the major elite competitions, the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships Val di Sole 2026 awarded rainbow jerseys in a number of other categories. In the U23 cross-country The Italian Valentina Corvi won convincingly, finishing 43 seconds ahead of the Swiss Anina Hutter; the bronze medal went to Monique Halter (Switzerland).
Adrian Kaether
Editor