Sina Frei gave Switzerland a home victory to savour and Charlie Aldridge kept the gold with Great Britain as the short track cross-country (XCC) European titles were decided at the UEC Mountain Bike European Championships in Monte Tamaro on Thursday.
Frei produced a devastating late surge to win the elite women's race, her third short track victory of the season and the first European title of her career. The Swiss rider launched her decisive move around the final right-hand corner and held off the challenge of world champion Alessandra Keller, who took silver four seconds back, while defending champion Jenny Rissveds of Sweden settled for bronze.
Rissveds had dictated the early running, spending most of the 10 laps at the front alongside the Swiss trio of Frei, Keller and Nicole Koller. The Swede tried to accelerate away on the bell lap, but only Keller and Frei were able to match her, setting up a three-rider sprint for the line. Frei's burst off the last bend created a decisive gap as dust hung over the finish. Evie Richards of Great Britain finished fourth, with Denmark's Sofie Pedersen fifth.
The result strengthens Frei's position at the top of the elite women's World Cup XCC standings, where she holds a 30-point lead over Rissveds.
The men's race proved just as tense. Charlie Aldridge, last year's silver medallist, emerged from a crowded front group to take the title, distancing Italy's Juri Zanotti at the line. Dario Lillo edged Denmark's Tobias Lillelund for bronze, with defending champion Luca Schätti fifth.
Aldridge had plenty of company throughout the 11 laps, with Schätti, Lillo, Spain's Jofre Cullell Estape and the Danish duo of Lillelund and Sebastian Fini Juul all pushing the pace, but no rider was able to open a decisive gap. The Briton timed his move to perfection on the downhill corner approaching the finish.
“Of course, we came into the race aiming to defend the European title with the Swiss Cycling Team. We raced our hearts out as a team and gave everything we had,” said Schätti after the finish on home soil.
Racing concludes on Sunday with the Olympic cross-country events. Frei and Rissveds will renew their rivalry on the longer course, with the Swede bidding to defend her European crown, while last year's men's winner Tom Pidcock is not on the start list.
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