Soldier Hollow’s debut weekend in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, presented by SCOTT Sports, gets off to a spectacular start. Martina Berta secures a historic victory in the UCI Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) World Cup in the women’s elite race with a bold solo attack, before Sam Gaze claims his first UCI World Cup win in nearly 900 days in the rain.

Martina Berta combined courage and raw power to break away from the pack and secure the first UCI XCC World Cup victory of her elite career. A star-studded chase group was unable to respond. Early on, a leading group forms consisting of Jolanda Neff, Gwendalyn Gibson, and Haley Batten. Less than 20 miles from her hometown, Batten is determined to make a name for herself in front of her home crowd. When the pace slows, Gibson’s teammate Evie Richards has to close the gap to the leaders. She then repeatedly takes the lead to keep the pace up and prevent further attacks. The result is a thrilling stalemate midway through the race, until Berta breaks it open on the penultimate lap. She launches her attack at the start of the long descent and quickly builds a ten-second lead by the time she crosses the finish line to the sound of the bell.

The lead shrinks on the final climb as the first signs of fatigue set in. But a brief moment of hesitation among the chasers proves decisive. This gives Berta some breathing room; she mobilizes her last reserves of strength and holds the lead all the way to the finish. Behind her, Alessandra Keller attacks from the chasing group and manages to build a small but decisive lead. The Swiss rider holds her ground and secures second place, while Sina Frei wins the sprint for third place.

Gaze times his move perfectly and returns to victory after a long hiatus

A frantic men’s elite race remains completely open right down to the final meters despite a series of attacks. Sam Gaze ends his 889-day wait for a victory and storms to triumph in a dramatic sprint through the rain at Soldier Hollow.

With the pre-race overall leader, Adrien Boichis, missing the final two races of the season, Luca Martin knows this is his big chance to strengthen his position in the fight for the overall title. The Frenchman quickly takes the initiative, attacking on the fourth lap alongside Charlie Aldridge and forming a small leading group that also includes Mathis Azzaro.

Azzaro, Martin’s closest remaining rival in the overall standings, reacts immediately and follows the French champion’s every move, as the two engage in a duel throughout the race. Although the breakaway group is eventually reeled in, the aggression doesn’t let up. A number of riders try their luck, including Jordan Sarrou, whose solo attack briefly threatens to replicate the successful move with which Martina Berta had won the women’s race earlier that day.

Sarrou is eventually caught by Aldridge, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. The Brit leads the pack into the final stretch after several contenders, including Cole Punchard and Martín Vidaurre, crash on the last lap. The deteriorating weather conditions turn the race into a battle for survival. Gaze paces himself perfectly. After conserving energy and avoiding the wind throughout the race, the New Zealander takes the lead for the first time on the home stretch and pulls away powerfully to celebrate a memorable victory.

Jubilation all around in the U23 categories

In the U23 categories, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate in Soldier Hollow. Rafaelle Carrier and Nicolas Halter secure the stage victories, while Valentina Corvi and Paul Schehl claim the U23 overall titles.

Carrier celebrates her first-ever UCI World Cup victory with a cool-headed performance in the final stages of a tactical women’s U23 race. The Canadian had to overcome a miserable start but positioned herself perfectly on the final lap. She drafted off Makena Kellerman’s rear wheel before launching her winning sprint in the final meters.

“It feels incredible,” says Carrier. “I got off to such a bad start and was around 30th place. It’s crazy that I ended up winning. The easiest way for me to make up ground was on the long straight because no one wanted to set the pace. The group almost came to a standstill at times, and that gave me the opportunity to move up. Before the sprint, I knew I had the perfect wheel. Makena is such a strong sprinter that she practically gave me a lead-out. It’s unbelievable. I didn’t even have time to celebrate.”

Corvi rode safely through the race in the lead group, securing the overall victory in the U23 Women’s UCI XCC World Cup. Less than an hour later, Paul Schehl follows suit and also secures the men’s U23 overall title.

The stage victory, however, goes to the newly crowned UCI XCC World Champion Nicolas Halter, who impressively confirms his triumph in the rainbow jersey. The Swiss rider launched a decisive attack on the final lap. He broke away from the pack and kept Nikolaj Hougs at bay all the way to the finish line.

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