LAKE PLACID — Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) and Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) secured the 2026 Mountain Bike World Cup (XCO) cross-country overall titles at Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York, on Saturday, with both riders needing only to finish the final round to lock up the series. Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) won the elite women's race in a two-up sprint over Martina Berta, while Charlie Aldridge won the elite men's race ahead of Filippo Colombo, as dry, sunny conditions replaced Friday's wet and muddy XCC races won by Berta and Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing).
Distanced early, Rissveds finished 11th, more than two minutes behind Frei, who threw her bike at the line to edge Berta with Maxwell finishing third. The front group split early on the technical rock garden, 12 riders reduced to seven by mid-race. Alongside Frei, Berta and Maxwell were Gwendalyn Gibson (Trek Unbroken), Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) and Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing), before only Frei, Berta and Maxwell remained on the final lap. Frei led into the uphill rock garden, Berta bobbled and forced Maxwell to stop, Frei opened a gap, but Berta closed it before the final straight. “I was considering to just start [the race] and and pull over and wait for them to lap me and to get pulled, but I thought at least I try, and I tried. I wouldn't say I gave up but I had to settle in like halfway through. It was way too fast for me today,” Rissveds said. “The level is incredibly high at the moment, and only compared to last year, it's much faster, and the racing is a lot tighter."
Frei held on for the sprint win and celebrated a season bookended by victories. “I was sprinting full gas, and I saw the wheel coming, and I was like, ‘no, faster, faster, more, more, more’, and then I just pushed the bike to the front, and I'm so happy that it worked,” Frei said. “I'm so so happy, starting the season and finishing the season with a win is incredible. The first one I won with the team jersey, second one with the European [jersey], and the third one with the World Champ jersey. It's incredible.” In the men's nine-lap race, Martin finished fifth, 20 seconds behind his teammate Aldridge, who outsprinted Colombo (Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team) for his first World Cup win since the final 2025 race at Mont-Sainte-Anne, with Vidaurre third.
The men's lead group of seven pulled clear at halfway after Colombo set a hard early pace. The split included Aldridge, Colombo, Vidaurre, Fabio Püntener (Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team), Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittora Factory Team), Cole Punchard (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Martin. Attacks flew on the final lap from Vidaurre and then Colombo before Aldridge launched early and held the lead into the finish straight. “It’s so cool, to be on the podium is quite special. Today, we finished so well, three guys on the top five. I can tell you it was pretty hard,” Martin said. “I finally won a sprint. I went too early, too late, this time was perfect, and I'm buzzing with that. Last race of the year, what a way to finish it off,” Aldridge said.
The Mt Van Hoevenberg course, inspired by its bobsled heritage, combined wide ski trails with twisting singletrack, punchy climbs, bermed corners, rocks, roots and a distinctive jump section. The result marked the final race for Cannondale Factory Racing, which is folding at the end of the year, with three riders in the top five. “It’s just a lovely way to finish the last race for Cannondale-Factory Racing, and it feels great to finish off at a high,” Aldridge said.