Sina Frei completed a golden double at the UEC Mountain Bike European Championships in Monteceneri on Sunday, adding the elite women's cross-country Olympic title to the short track crown she had claimed three days earlier.
The 29-year-old from Zurich dominated the seven-lap, roughly 26-kilometre course, crossing the line in 1:26:17 to finish 1 minute 26 seconds clear of compatriot Alessandra Keller. Reigning world champion Jenny Rissveds of Sweden took bronze, more than two minutes back, after a puncture in the second lap wrecked her hopes of defending the title she won a year ago.
The podium was an exact copy of Thursday's short track race, with Frei, Keller and Rissveds filling the same three places, and it gave the hosts their sixth gold of the championships — five Swiss riders finished inside the top seven.
Rissveds had been the early aggressor, setting a furious pace from the start and opening a gap alongside Ronja Blöchlinger. The decisive moment arrived on lap two, when the Swede suffered a flat rear tyre and was forced to stop in the technical zone. Frei moved to the front, and although Rissveds and Keller regrouped at the start of lap three, the balance did not last. In the fourth lap Frei accelerated again, splitting the race for good. Keller followed her clear of Rissveds, who faded badly after the energy spent in the opening exchanges.
From there Frei rode alone, stretching her advantage over the final two laps to seal a first European title in the Olympic discipline to go with the XCC gold from Thursday and her Tokyo 2020 Olympic silver. Nicole Koller placed fourth for Switzerland, ahead of Britain's Evie Richards, with Blöchlinger sixth.
Several big names were missing, with Martina Berta, Jolanda Neff and Puck Pieterse focused on other season objectives, but the hosts' dominance was emphatic nonetheless. Frei now turns her attention to the World Cup round in Les Gets and the World Championships in Val di Sole at the end of August, where she will chase a first elite world title.
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