The under 23 races at the European Cross Country championships on Thursday were the perfect dress rehearsal for tomorrow's elite races taking place in Haifa, Israel. The weather was hot and slightly humid, but that did not stop the young Europeans from showing everyone their talent.
The under 23 women raced in the cooler morning temperatures, but it wasn't too early for a heated battle between riders. Paula Gorycka (Poland) led the pack on the opening lap, and would eventually finish in sixth place.
Local favourite Noga Korem (Israel) had a bit of a slow start, then worked herself into a top 15 spot, much to the delight of the crowds there to support her.
Meanwhile, in the front of the race, Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland) was in a good position, with almost half a minute ahead of Alexandra Engen (Sweden). However, after a slow start, Engen set a blistering third lap pace, where she all but made up the deficit.
Stirnemann's batteries ran out near the end of the final lap, yet she hung on to finish a respectful second place behind Engen, who clocked a sub-22 minute final lap on her way to the win.
Slovenia's Tanja Zakelj put in consistent lap times to secure the final spot on the podium.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandra Engen (Sweden) | 1:27:45 |
| 2 | Kathrin Stirnemann (Switzerland) | 0:00:34 |
| 3 | Tanja Zakelj (Slovenia) | 0:02:01 |
| 4 | Annie Last (Great Britain) | 0:02:36 |
| 5 | Barbara Benko (Hungary) | 0:03:01 |
| 6 | Paula Gorycka (Poland) | 0:04:18 |
| 7 | Anne Terpstra (Netherlands) | 0:04:31 |
| 8 | Lily Matthews (Great Britain) | 0:06:50 |
| 9 | Katarzyna Solus-Miskowicz (Poland) | 0:07:33 |
| 10 | Judith Pollinger (Italy) | 0:08:01 |
| 11 | Vera Andreeva (Russia) | 0:08:13 |
| 12 | Ekaterina Anoshina (Russia) | 0:08:28 |
| 13 | Mona Eberweiser (Germany) | 0:08:37 |
| 14 | Vivienne Meyer (Switzerland) | 0:08:52 |
| 15 | Noga Korem (Israel) | 0:09:27 |
| 16 | Serena Calvetti (Italy) | 0:11:03 |
| 17 | Joana Barbosa (Portugal) | 0:14:35 |
| -1lap | Viktoria Sultanova (Ukraine) | Row 17 - Cell 2 |
| -1lap | Nadezhda Orlova (Russia) | Row 18 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Kseniya Kirillova (Russia) | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
-
Exclusive: UCI to fight SRAM legal battle with funds from SRAM-sponsored teams, as SafeR budget used for gear limit case
Teams association outvoted as governing body ring-fences €300,000 from safety group for appeal against Belgian Competition Authority ruling -
Grab a free $50 Amazon Gift Card and watch Strade Bianche and all the best UCI WorldTour racing on the move with this VPN deal
If you're a cycling fan travelling this year, the only way to avoid geo-restrictions is by using a VPN – NordVPN is the best around, recommended by our TechRadar colleagues, and right now, they have huge discounts of up to 74% -
Best cycling watches 2026: Track your fitness on and off the bike
The best cycling watches go beyond your life on a bike, giving insight no matter where you are -
'2028 Olympic Games, an exciting long-term goal' – Pauline Ferrand-Prévot extends contract with Visma-Lease a Bike with aims to improve even further
Tour de France Femmes Champion will remain with Dutch powerhouse team for a fourth season
