'I'm not used to having to sprint for the win, so that was scary' - Risky move pays off for Bjorn Riley with his first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup win

USA's Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Race Team) claimed first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup victory on Friday, making a late pass of hot-handed French rider Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) in a two-up sprint to decide the elite men's cross-country short track race at Pal Arinsal.

On the elite women's side, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) pulled out a thrilling sprint victory from a lead group of five riders, with Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) and Ronja Blöchlinger (Live Factory Racing) finishing two-three and all on the same time.

Short track course at Pal Arinsal hosted the sixth stop for this year's global cross-country competitions, the trails above the town of La Massana in Andorra confirmed as the highest altitude for races on the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series.

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Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Riley was no stranger to high elevation. He had racked up 12 medals at US mountain bike nationals since beginning as a junior in 2018, including holding the stars-and-stripes jersey since 2024 in the XCC discipline. But he had never won on the international circuit, until Friday.

“Every race feels like the fulfilment of a dream. Winning is something you dream about your whole life, so actually doing it feels surreal. I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet. Maybe later tonight, when I’m trying to sleep, it’ll hit me and I’ll end up lying awake thinking about it. Right now, it just feels incredible," Riley said in a UCI press release.

"So many people had been telling me they wanted to see me win. It’s amazing that people believe in me like that. Race by race, I’ve felt myself improving. I’ve spent a lot of time on the road recently, and now that I’m back fighting at the front, my confidence is growing."

French riders had everyone's attention when the race started Friday, Boichis coming off back-to-back XCC wins and compatriot Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) leading the World Cup standings. Britain's Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) got the party started by leading the first three laps, with Azzaro and Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-road) behind him, and then Boichis tagging along.

Azzaro would crash before the mid-point of the race, and was forced to depart. Then USA's Christopher Blevins joined his Specialized teammate Boichis at the front on the next lap as they battled Aldridge and Martin. It wasn't until lap seven that Riley bridged to the front four.

As the final lap began, Boichis kicked on the climb and only Aldridge held his back wheel while Riley reacted to stay in third place. Then Aldridge skidded and collided with a tree as he tried a different line in the woods, taking him down, though he'd finish but in 30th place. Riley went all-out on with two corners to go, and the risk worked.

"We all know each other’s strengths, and heading into the final climb I knew Boichis has an explosive kick. I could tell he didn’t quite have it on the climb today, and that’s something I’d been thinking about over the last couple of days," the 24-year-old America recounted.

"Normally, I don’t take big risks on the final lap because I’m already happy with a podium but today felt different. I did get a bit nervous because when I looked back on the finishing straight, he was right there behind me. I’m not used to having to sprint for the win, so that was a little scary."

Boichis relented for second place, with Blevins in third. Boichis moved into first place in the season standings with his runner-up finish. He now holds with more than 100 points to his advantage over two other French riders, Azzaro in second and Martin in third.

Last lap decides elite women's race

The women's race had an even tighter finish. Switzerland's Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) came in the favourite as the XCC World Cup series leader. Only Rissveds could catch the Swiss star, but had 170 points between them in the standings. Rissveds had the momentum, coming off the XCC win at La Thuile a week ago.

Rissveds led the field on the opening lap with company from Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) as thunder roared and rain fell. Across the next handful of laps, Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) and Stigger took Neff's place at the front with the Swede.

Reigning UCI XCC world champion Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) then tagged along at the mid-point of the race. She made a surge on lap seven, which saw Berta and Frei fall off the pace.

Keller slipped out of her line on the penultimate lap, which allowed Stigger to move into second place, the pair chasing Rissveds. On the bell lap, Rissveds went clear with a long-range attack. The fight for podium spots ensued between Stigger, Blöchlinger, Keller and Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing).

Rissveds rode easily across the line in the European champion's jersey, as the chase played out just behind her, Stigger sprinting ahead of Blöchlinger on the line for second.

Frei would finish eighth in the race, and Rissveds edged closer to her XCC lead, now just a 30-point margin at the top of the standings after the Andorra race.

Racing continues on Sunday in Pal Arinsal with the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup rounds for U23 and elite riders.