Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) delivered the ride of his young career, pulling away from Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) on the final descent to secure an emotional home victory at the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France). In the Women’s Elite race, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) once again showcased her climbing prowess, breaking clear of Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) to win another thrilling chapter in the pair’s season-long rivalry.
The final European round of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series brought the world’s best cross-country riders to the iconic venue of Les Gets. With only three rounds remaining, every point carried added significance in the battle for the overall standings. On a demanding course featuring two gruelling climbs per lap and rough, technical descents, margins remained razor-thin throughout the day’s racing.
In the Women’s Elite race, it was not until the final steep ascent that Frei finally managed to shake off overall rival Rissveds, while Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) remained within striking distance in third place.
Frei’s victory completed a remarkable weekend double, matched shortly afterwards by Boichis, with both riders having also claimed victory in Friday’s UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup races.
The 23-year-old Frenchman took control on the final lap before opening a decisive gap over Van der Poel on the fast run to the finish, becoming just the fifth French rider to win a UCI World Cup round on home soil.
Earlier in the day, Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) produced yet another dominant display to secure the Women’s Under-23 UCI XCO World Cup overall title, while Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) emerged victorious after a fiercely contested Men’s Under-23 race.
Frei and Boichis also spearheaded a dominant day for Specialized Factory Racing, helping the team claim victory in the team classification. With two rounds remaining, the squad leads the overall standings by 701 points.
BOICHIS DENIES VAN DER POEL IN THRILLING LES GETS BATTLE
Adrien Boichis claimed his third Men’s Elite UCI XCO World Cup victory of the season with another emphatic display of strength and composure. Backed by a passionate home crowd in Les Gets, the Frenchman launched a decisive attack on the final lap to break apart a five-rider lead group and secure a memorable victory on home soil.
Les Gets also welcomed the return of Mathieu van der Poel to UCI XCO World Cup competition. Starting from the second row, the Dutch superstar quickly worked his way to the front on the opening climb and immediately established himself as a contender. It was a different story for French National Champion Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), who was forced to withdraw after struggling with illness earlier in the week.
At the front, Boichis set a relentless tempo from the outset and, by the halfway point, five riders had separated themselves from the rest of the field. Alongside the Specialized Factory Racing rider were Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing), Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Racing), Van der Poel and Martín Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing).
Chasing his first UCI XCO World Cup victory in seven years, Van der Poel took control on the penultimate lap as the leading quintet prepared for a thrilling finale. The riders crossed the line to begin the final lap under the ringing of the bell by French cycling prodigy Paul Seixas, setting the stage for one of the most captivating battles of the season.
Boichis made the first decisive move, launching a blistering attack on the opening steep climb of the final lap. Van der Poel and Vidaurre Kossmann managed to respond, while overall series leader Martin and Avondetto were unable to match the pace and slipped out of contention.
The Frenchman's relentless pressure eventually proved too much for Vidaurre Kossmann, reducing the fight for victory to a head-to-head duel with Van der Poel. Boichis continued to force the pace on every climb, repeatedly testing the Dutchman’s resolve before making the decisive difference on the descents. Navigating the technical sections with remarkable precision, he burst clear through the final rock garden before powering to an emotional and hard-fought victory.
Behind the leading pair, Vidaurre Kossmann secured third place, finishing 32 seconds adrift of his team-mate. Luca Martin crossed the line in fourth, although his lead in the overall standings was cut to just 15 points over Boichis with two rounds remaining.
Following his victory, Boichis said: “It’s by far the most beautiful win of my career. With how hard the race was and how hard the battle was, it’s something that I will remember forever. I grew up being a massive fan of Mathieu [van der Poel] and I still am. To think that I was able to fight with him, and all the others, today is something that I’ll remember forever. I don’t go into races with a plan, I just see how my legs are feeling. I’m just so happy. From tomorrow I’ll start from zero again and focus on preparing for the [UCI] World Championships as best as possible, but today I just want to enjoy this moment.”
FREI KEEPS OVERALL TITLE FIGHT ALIVE
Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) proved strongest when it mattered most, producing a decisive late-race attack to ride clear of her rivals and claim victory in Les Gets. The newly crowned European XCO Champion once again came out on top in her season-long duel with overall series leader Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing).
The race began in familiar fashion, with Frei and Rissveds locked shoulder-to-shoulder on the opening climb as another chapter of their rivalry unfolded. Just as she had done on her way to victory at the same venue last season, Rissveds opened a 12-second advantage before the first descent. However, Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) quickly sensed the danger and bridged across to the reigning UCI XCO World Champion during the opening lap.
Frei and Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) measured their efforts perfectly and soon joined the leaders, forming a select front group of four riders. As the pace intensified, Berta began to lose contact under the constant pressure applied by Frei at the front, opening the door for Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) to move into podium contention.
Keller repeatedly found herself under pressure on the punishing climbs but used her renowned technical skills to claw her way back on every descent. As a result, four riders started the final lap together with victory still very much up for grabs.
Frei seized control in the closing stages, setting a ferocious tempo on the opening climb of the final lap that finally distanced both Keller and Blunk. The Swiss rider then delivered the decisive blow on the final steep ascent through the woods, opening a small but crucial gap over Rissveds.
The Swedish star threw everything she had at the chase, but Frei held firm to cross the line just two seconds ahead of her rival, with Blunk completing the podium in third. The victory marked Frei’s second UCI XCO World Cup triumph of the season after also completing a weekend double in MONA Yongpyong, South Korea.
Elsewhere, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) made a welcome return to XCO competition after time away from racing following her 2025 UCI XCO World Cup overall title. The New Zealander produced an impressive comeback ride, charging through the field from 15th position on the opening lap to finish sixth.
After seven rounds of racing, Rissveds retains a 282-point advantage over Frei in the overall standings heading into the final stages of the season.
Following her victory, Frei said: “It honestly feels a little bit unreal. I’m a little bit lost for words. It was a very tactical and fast race, so it wasn’t easy. I managed to stay calm and had the final kick in the end. I’m very happy. I was trying to only focus on myself, but I was also a bit nervous as it was so close to the finish and I really had to stay calm. In the end you can only do what you can and you can’t influence the others. The strongest and smartest rider will always win, and that’s the case in every race.”
CORVI CLINCHES OVERALL U23 CROWN AS PEDERSEN COMPLETES PERFECT DOUBLE
Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) sealed the Women’s Under-23 UCI XCO World Cup overall title in style, securing her sixth victory of the season with another commanding performance. The 21-year-old Italian, who had already triumphed in Friday’s XCC race, led from gun to tape on the demanding Les Gets course, although Swiss privateer Anina Hutter ensured she had to earn every second of her winning margin.
Hutter, who also finished runner-up in Nové Město na Moravě (Czechia) earlier this season, remained firmly in contention throughout the race and had reduced Corvi’s advantage to just eight seconds after three laps. But the Italian still had plenty left in reserve and steadily increased her lead over the closing stages, eventually crossing the line 35 seconds clear of her closest challenger. Hutter once again secured second place, while Katrina Embacher (KTM Factory MTB Team) produced a strong finish to complete the podium in third.
With two rounds still to race, Corvi now holds an unassailable 474-point lead in the overall standings and becomes the 2026 Women’s Under-23 UCI XCO World Cup winner. Following her victory, she said: “It’s really good. It was important to test my shape before the big goal next week. The condition and the feeling were really good. I still have a few days to recover and then I’ll be fully focused on the World Championships at home in Italy, which makes it even more special. There will be a little pressure, which is normal, but racing at home, surrounded by friends, gives me extra motivation to give a little bit more. The World Championships is always a different kind of race, but the Swiss riders and everyone who was at the front today will be very competitive.”
In the Men’s Under-23 race, Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) completed a perfect weekend by adding the XCO victory to his XCC triumph from Friday. Despite the course’s physical climbs and technical descents, four riders remained locked together at the front for much of the race, with Pedersen joined by Benjamin Krüger, overall leader Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) and Alix André-Gallis (Decathlon Ford Racing Team).
Pedersen came under pressure during the final lap but used his technical skills to repeatedly claw his way back into contention before launching a decisive late attack. He crossed the line just two seconds ahead of Krüger, while Schehl finished 17 seconds further back in third.
Schehl’s podium result was particularly impressive given that he injured his arm in a training crash the previous day. The German still managed to collect valuable points and heads into the final two rounds with a commanding 161-point lead in the overall standings.
The day, however, belonged to Pedersen. Reflecting on his victory, he said: “It was super hard. There were four of us at the front all race and there was almost nothing between us. It was full gas from the start, really tactical racing, and I often felt like I was on the back foot. I tried to save as much energy as possible because I knew the final lap would be the moment to go all-in.”
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series now heads to North America for the final three rounds of the season. UCI Cross-country World Cup racing returns at Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) on 19-20 September, before the UCI Downhill World Cup makes its debut at Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia (Canada), on 25-27 September. The season will then culminate at Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York where endurance and gravity specialists will reunite for a final showdown from 2-4 October.
