Alessandra Keller wins the 2025 Short Track World Championship to the delight of the local audience

The Swiss Alessandra Keller has conquered the rainbow jersey of Short Track (XCC) 2025 in front of her fans in Zermatt, after winning a very tactical final marked by falls and attacks in the final stretch

Alessandra Keller conquers the rainbow at home after a tactical and thrilling race

The elite women's final of the Short Track World Championship (XCC) was held today in Zermatt, under ideal conditions for the show: 14°C, no wind and slightly cloudy sky, with the imposing Matterhorn as a witness to a spectacular race. The circuit, just over a kilometer long and with 70 meters of elevation gain per lap, combined explosive climbs, rock gardens, and fast cement sections, and was the perfect setting for a day of pure mountain biking.

From the start, Laura Stigger (AUT) took the lead, followed by Jenny Rissveds (SWE), Evie Richards (GBR), and Jennifer Jackson (CAN), in what was a compact and very fast start. Dutch rider Puck Pieterse tried to change the pace in the second lap, but couldn't sustain the offensive, and it was Alessandra Keller (SUI) and Richards who took control.

With the race set at 9 laps, and Switzerland with up to 6 riders in the front group (Keller, Neff, Frei, Blochlinger, Koller, and Indergand), it seemed only a matter of time before they imposed their strategy. Meanwhile, Jenny Rissveds showed great strength, regulating masterfully from the early laps.

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Everything changed in lap 5, when a slightly damp cement section caused the simultaneous fall of Sina Frei and Laura Stigger, both teammates at Specialized. The accident caused a decisive split, leaving Keller, Rissveds, Jackson, and Richards at the front.

Shortly after, Richards suffered a puncture, dropping out of the front group. At that moment, Rissveds launched an attack in an attempt to break the race, but Keller responded strongly and both riders pulled away, opening a gap.

 

 

 

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In the penultimate lap, Alessandra Keller waited for her moment and launched a final change of pace on the toughest climb of the circuit. The Swiss rider, cheered on by the local crowd, managed to open a gap over Rissveds, who couldn't follow her in the final lap.

Keller crossed the finish line in first place with a time of 20:43, becoming the new Short Track world champion, thus winning her first elite XCC rainbow jersey in front of her home crowd. Jenny Rissveds finished second, 4 seconds behind, and Jennifer Jackson closed the podium with a solid third place, 14 seconds back.

Complete standings - XCC Women's Elite World Championship

1. Alessandra Keller (Switzerland) - 20:43
2. Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) - +0:04
3. Jennifer Jackson (Canada) - +0:14
4. Ronja Blöchlinger (Switzerland) - +0:22
5. Samara Maxwell (New Zealand) - +0:22
6. Savilia Blunk – (USA)
7. Nicole Koller – (Switzerland)
8. Rebecca Henderson – (Australia)
9. Linda Indergand – (Switzerland)
10. Puck Pieterse – (Netherlands)
11. Chiara Teocchi – (Italy)
12. Kira Böhm – (Germany)
13. Kelsey Urban – (USA)
14. Jolanda Neff – (Switzerland)
15. Isla Short – (UK)
16. Caroline Bohe – (Denmark)
17. Laura Stigger – (Austria)
18. Vita Movrin – (Slovenia)
19. Sofie Pedersen – (Denmark)
20. Tamara Wiedmann – (Austria)
21. Raquel Queirós – (Portugal)
22. Gwendalyn Gibson – (USA)
23. Catalina Vidaurre Kossmann – (Chile)
24. Nicole Pesse – (Italy)
25. Paula Gorycka Kurmann – (Poland)
26. Madigan Munro – (USA)
27. Jitka ?abelická – (Czech Republic)
28. Tatiana Saitarova – (AIN)
29. Karen Fernandes Olimpio – (Brazil)
30. Lia Schrievers – (Germany)
31. Kristina Ilina – (AIN)
32. Gabriela Wojtyla – (Poland)
33. Faranak Partoazar – (Iran)
34. Raiza Goulao Henrique – (Brazil)
35. Hercilia Najara Ferreira de Souza – (Brazil)
36. Nuria Bosch Picó – (Spain)
37. Emilly Johnston – (Canada)
38. Evie Richards – (UK) (DNF)
39. Sina Frei – (Switzerland) (DNF)
40. Janika Loiv – (Estonia) (DNS)