The fact that a big race is taking place in Italy and Germany on the same day does somewhat diminish the field of riders, but hardly the quality of the opening race in Rivera. It is Nino Schurter (Scott Sram MTB Racing Team) who takes the lead right at the start of the elite race. Frenchman Titouan Carod, Lars Forster (both BMC MTB Racing Team) and Thomas Litscher (JB Brunex - Felt) were able to keep up with Schurter's pace at the start, but then only Forster was able to follow. However, Forster's chances of a podium finish soon disappeared. A flat front tire halfway through the lap knocked the Montichiari winner out of the race.

Meanwhile, Julien Absalon (BMC MTB Racing Team) sets off in pursuit. In Montichiari, the World Cup record winner showed a significant improvement in form in Rivera, riding the fastest lap twice and overtaking his team-mate Carod before the halfway point of the race to finish in second place. Around a minute behind third-placed Carod, Reto Indergand (BMC MTB Racing Team) rides to fourth place, with Thomas Litscher in fifth place.

Clear cut in the women's race

In the women's elite race, Jenny Rissveds (Scott Sram MTB Racing) shook off her rivals right from the start. The Olympic champion rode the fastest time on every lap and ultimately won with a comfortable lead of 2.30 minutes. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Canyon Sram) has one opponent, Sina Frei (JB Brunex Felt), until after the first lap. However, she soon broke away from Frei and from then on also rode her laps alone. Sina Frei took third place ahead of the Austrian Anna Spielmann and the Italian Emilie Collomb.

Gabriel and Grod in the U19, Colombo wins U23 race

Only on the first lap did Ticino's Filippo Colombo (Velo Club Monte Tamaro) ride together with Vital Albin (Biketeam Solothurn). The local hero then pulled away from the Grisons rider and took the U23 victory in front of his home crowd. Behind Albin in third place rode New Zealander Jack Compton, who lives in Italy.

A similar situation in the juniors: Jorin Gabriel (JB Brunex Felt) rode the first lap in a virtually closed group with Britain's Ross Harnden and Switzerland's Fabio Püntener. In the second round, Gabriel tries to escape and wins a good half minute ahead of Harnden and the Italian Simone Avondetto.

Nadja Grod wins the junior women's competition with a clear lead of almost four minutes over Tina Züger. Third place went to Pauline Roy.

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