Frei and Azzaro Kick Off the XCC Season in Style in MONA YongPyong

Venerdì 1 maggio 2026

The opening round of the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup made the format’s Asian debut in MONA YongPyong (South Korea), and the new venue delivered fast and frenetic racing from the off.
In the women’s event, it was a case of a rider returning to the top spot with Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) taking her first win in the format since 2024’s season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), while in the men’s, Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) finally opened his XCC account after a string of second places.
While the talk before the season opener was of Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) and reigning UCI XCC World Cup overall winner Evie Richards (Trek - Unbroken XC) resuming their battle from last year, the Swede never really threatened the front of the race, with Richards the most likely to rival Frei for victory – the Brit ultimately settling for second, with Martina Berta (Origine Race Division) in third.
In the men’s Elite, Azzaro appeared to be one of the strongest riders as the race approached its second half, and used his matches wisely – letting the likes of Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Race Team) and Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) do all of the hard work before launching the race-winning move on the final lap. Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) and Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) were the other podium finishers, with both also riding a tactically strong race.
Before the Elites, it was the turn of the U23s on MONA YongPyong’s lactic acid-inducing course, and it witnessed debut wins in both the men’s and women’s races – Spanish national champion Thibaut Francois Baudry (Canyon XC Racing) edging it in the men’s, and Makena Kellerman soloing to the line with a seven-second advantage in the women’s.

STIGGER SETS UP FREI FOR SHORT TRACK WIN MADE BY TEAMWORK
Specialized Factory Racing used their numerical advantage at the front of the race a number of times during the men’s 2025 UCI XCC World Cup series, and the women’s team showed that they can use the same tactics at the 2026 season opener.
It was Haley Batten (Specialized Factory Racing) who looked strong from the start – the American duking it out with Evie Richards and Martina Berta for the early lead on the first lap – while Jenny Rissveds appeared to be settling in for the long haul towards the front of the lead group.
As the initial fast pace settled down, Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) and Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) came to the fore, but it would be a short-lived surge from the Swiss Tokyo 2021 Olympic champion.
By lap four of 10, Sina Frei joined the party at the front and Specialized had all three riders in the front group of 10, showing the squad’s strength and potential for team tactics to come into play.
The following lap, Batten’s crash on the wide, rough line of the course’s technical descent brought an end to her race – the American initially soldiering on before retiring to focus on Sunday’s finals – and reduced Specialized’s numbers to two. Meanwhile last year’s main protagonists Richards and Rissveds appeared to be winding up for a showdown once more.
Frei had other ideas though. On lap six, the Swiss star launched an attack over the top of the course’s false flat to lead into the singletrack descent, but with Rissveds and Richards hot on her tail, it was a move that didn’t stick – although could have just been a sighter for a later lap.
By lap eight, there was still a group of 13 at the front and it could have been anyone's race, but on the following loop, it was Stigger who lit the touch paper. The Austrian surged on the course’s tough, rocky climb, and it was Richards who set about chasing her down. The pace appeared to be too much for Rissveds though, who couldn’t follow the attack.
Crossing the line to take the final lap bell, it was still Stigger in the lead with Richards on her tail, while Rissveds and Frei almost had a coming together with the chasing pack strung out. Tackling the climb for the last time, Richards had finally managed to catch Stigger, but as Frei launched another attack over the top, the Brit wasn’t able to respond.
Frei flew down the descent and had a big enough lead to hold of Richards to the line, while Berta came home third. Rissveds meanwhile minimised her losses to finish fifth.

Speaking at the end of the race, Sina Frei said: “Laura [Stigger] did a great job. We had some good teamwork and then during the last uphill we punched again, and I just went all in. It’s amazing. I had such a great bike. The Epic 9 is so stiff on the uphill so I could pedal full gas through. In the end it’s incredible to win here.
“In the downhill, it was important to stay in the front because it had a lot of dust out there and it was a fun course and great atmosphere. There’s no better way to start the season than this.
“It gives me a lot of confidence heading into Sunday. The whole brand and team have been fully behind me, giving everything, and I know they’re watching, so this feels like a shared success, which makes it even more special.”

AZZARO TIMES ATTACK TO PERFECTION TO CLINCH DEBUT SHORT TRACK WIN
After a brilliant women’s Elite race, the men’s contest started just as frantically as riders vied for position on the opening lap.

Martín Vidaurre Kossman (Specialized Factory Racing) and Finn Treudler (CUBE Factory Racing) were the strongest off the line, while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) made up an early pack of four after the first descent.
While the pace remained high for lap two, things had settled down by lap three and as the race approached its halfway point, the lead group was like a washing machine with any number of riders taking the lead before being swallowed up and cycled back into the pack. One ridercon spicuously absent though was Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) – the reigning UCI XCC World Cup overall winner back in 21^st after five laps.
By the following lap, the American was in the mix – showing how choppy it was at the front – while Simone Avondetto and Joshua Dubau (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) also found themselves towards the front of the pack.
Filippo Colombo however had other ideas, and the Swiss rider soon took the race by the scruff of the neck. Leading into the descent, he hunkered down over his handlebars on the start/finish straight to lay down the power and the sudden injection of pace created a gap. Martin, Aldridge, Azzaro and David List (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) were the only riders who could follow, but by the climb of lap seven, the group was back together again.
No one else seemed to want to take the race on, so it wasn’t a surprise to see Colombo attempt the same tactic at the start of lap 10. Azzaro and Treudlar were the riders to go with this time, with Martin retiring with a flat tyre and Aldridge off the pace. Blevins meanwhile was down in 26^th – the American eventually finishing down in 28^th.
On the penultimate lap, it was Colombo who went again, Azzaro the only rider who could go with, and the pair worked together to form a breakaway, while Treudler led an uncooperative chasing pack featuring Avondetto and Lillo.
Despite the numerous surges though, the elastic wasn’t broken, and a group of nine were still in contention at the start of the final lap. It was Lillo who blinked first – the Swiss rider attacking on the climb. Colombo had no answer for his compatriot, but Azzaro and Avondetto still had something in the tank, and the pair flew past Lillo as the climb reached its summit.
It was Azzaro who led into the technical singletrack section, and the Frenchman would make the positional advantage count, taming the twisting trail before powering home. Avondetto would finish second – the Italian’s highest XCC placing, while Lillo held on for third.

Speaking after the race, Mathis Azzaro said: “It was an aggressive race. Everyone was touching the handlebars and wanted to go in the best position that they could. I was patient. I waited for my time. I stayed calm the whole race and I knew I had a good chance to do my kick at the very top of the climb. I made it. I did the downhill all out. And yeah, finally my first World Cup [win] in the short track.
“The luck can be on your side. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s not. I’m happy to start the season like this. I worked a lot in the winter. My hope is that it’s like this for the whole season.”

KELLERMAN AND FRANCOIS BAUDRY CLAIM DEBUT WINS IN U23
Makena Kellerman recorded her debut win in the U23 UCI XCC World Cup, soloing to the line after a last lap attack that second-place Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) couldn’t handle.
Kellerman had been part of the lead group from the start and broke clear with Corvi on the penultimate lap to lead the chasing pack by four seconds. The Italian couldn’t contain the
American when she launched her attack, and finished second, while Elina Benoit (Lexware Mountainbike Team) came home third.
Speaking after the race, Makena Kellerman said: “It feels really incredible. It’s honestly what I dreamed of this year going into my last year. I’m on a whole new program and whole new team, and I was so excited to make those people proud and also just show what I can do and my passion that I’ve been blessed with.
The course is pretty tactical. Straight away you’re into a kick into a last punch over the climb, and then you go flat into a descent that’s singled out so you have to be really smart with positioning and making sure you’re staying in the group but have enough to kick in the last laps.”

The men’s U23 race was a much tighter affair with a group of seven still in contention as the contest entered its final lap.
It was Thibaut Francois Baudry and Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) who managed to break clear, with the Spaniard having too much for the up-and-coming Danish rider. Paul Schel (Lexware Mountain Bike Team) was the best of the rest, securing two podium spots for his team in the U23 class.
Speaking at the end of the race, Thibaut Francois Baudry said: “I’m so happy. The emotions here at the finish line with the whole team and everyone who has been working with me in the off-season is so amazing. I’m super proud of myself, and super happy, and now already looking forward to Sunday.
I’m a rider who’s quite light, so I didn’t think the short track would be my thing. Last year it was a bit hard. But I could do it here so I’m super happy. I’m now even more looking forward to Sunday because there is a lot of climbing and that’s what I like, so we will see.”

Ultimo aggiornamento: 01/05/2026 21:24:03