Adrien Boichis is crowned XCC World Champion after a frantic final lap

Adrien Boichis has confirmed in Val di Sole that he is the great specialist of Short Track in 2026. The Frenchman has been crowned World Champion XCC Elite after surpassing Charlie Aldridge in an intense final sprint. Luca Martin completed the podium for France in a frantic race that kept a large group at the front until the last laps.

Adrien Boichis is crowned World Champion XCC Elite 2026

The Men's Short Track World Championship kicked off with a grid full of candidates. Among them was Victor Koretzky, the reigning world champion, although the Frenchman faced a very different situation than his compatriots Adrien Boichis and Luca Martin. Koretzky was racing his first event of the season and had to start from the 40th position.

As soon as the race started, it was Charlie Aldridge who took the initiative. The Brit positioned himself at the front with Martin Vidaurre immediately on his wheel. The Chilean also had significant support from the crowd during the race.

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The race was set for 11 laps and from the first minutes, it was run at a very high pace. The group was constantly stretching, but during the first laps, no movement managed to create significant gaps, and a good number of riders still had options.

France takes control with Boichis, Martin, and Azzaro

On the fourth lap, it was Adrien Boichis and Luca Martin who moved into the top positions. The lead, however, changed constantly, and no rider seemed willing to endure the strain of leading such a large group for too long.

Behind, some of the big names were having more difficulties. Christopher Blevins and Victor Koretzky were already riding outside the Top 15, while Aldridge, Martin, Boichis, Dario Lillo, Bjorn Riley, Martin Vidaurre, and Luca Schwarzbauer continued to appear at the front.

The situation barely changed during the fifth lap. There were still many riders grouped together, but France began to dictate the race's development with Boichis and Martin continuously present in the top positions.

The pace was frantic, and the exchanges at the front were frequent. Luca Schwarzbauer was one of those who tried to toughen the race even more in the second half, but Boichis quickly responded, regaining control.

Bjorn Riley was also starting to show himself more among the leaders. The American seemed to be saving energy while waiting for the decisive moment to try to enter the fight for medals.

Jofre Cullell holds on at the front and Sam Gaze stages a great comeback

One of the standout performances for much of the race was that of Jofre Cullell. The only Spaniard in the Men's Elite event managed to stay with the front group from the early stages and resisted the high pace for a good part of the race.

Another important comeback was that of Samuel Gaze. The New Zealander had started from the fifth row, in 31st position on the grid, but he was recovering riders until he positioned himself fifth with two laps to go, becoming a new threat to the men fighting for medals.

At the front, there was no respite. Aldridge, Boichis, and Mathis Azzaro took turns at the front as each acceleration gradually reduced the number of riders able to keep up the pace.

Aldridge breaks the race and Boichis finishes it in the sprint

Everything came down to the last lap. It was then that Charlie Aldridge launched a massive attack that finally managed to break the large group that had dominated almost the entire race.

Only Adrien Boichis and Luca Martin managed to stay immediately on his wheel. The World Championship had been reduced to three riders, and the rainbow jersey was going to be decided in the final meters.

Aldridge had made the selection, but Boichis managed to hold his move and still had the strength to contest the victory. In the final sprint, the Frenchman surpassed the Brit and crossed the finish line first after 20:32 of racing.

Adrien Boichis is the new World Champion of Short Track Elite 2026, just a year after being crowned world champion XCC in the Under-23 category in 2025. His victory also confirms an exceptional season in the discipline: he arrived in Val di Sole as the rider with the most wins in the XCC World Cup 2026, with three victories.

Charlie Aldridge took silver with the same time as the winner, and Luca Martin secured bronze two seconds later, giving France two of the three medals.

Bjorn Riley finished fourth just three seconds behind, and Tobias Lillelund staged one of the surprises of the race with his fifth position. Dario Lillo was sixth, Mathis Azzaro seventh, and Samuel Gaze capped off his great comeback with eighth place.

Top 10 World Championship XCC 2026 – Men's Elite

1. Adrien Boichis (FRA) — 20:32
2. Charlie Aldridge (GBR) — +0:00
3. Luca Martin (FRA) — +0:02
4. Bjorn Riley (USA) — +0:03
5. Tobias Lillelund (DEN) — +0:06
6. Dario Lillo (SUI) — +0:07
7. Mathis Azzaro (FRA) — +0:09
8. Samuel Gaze (NZL) — +0:09
9. Jens Schuermans (BEL) — +0:09
10. Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (CHI) — +0:10