Bjorn Riley achieves his first elite HC victory and sends a warning ahead of the World Cup

The American Bjorn Riley (SCOTT SRAM) has made the breakthrough he needed just before the start of the XCO World Cup. His victory at the Ötztaler Mountainbike Festival, an HC category event held in Haiming (Austria), is not just another preseason result. It is, above all, a clear sign that he is starting to put behind the bad feelings of last season.

Bjorn Riley signs his first elite HC victory just before the World Cup 

Riley won decisively with a time of 1:18:12, surpassing high-level rivals, such as the Swiss Lars Forster, who came in second more than a minute behind, and confirming his progression with his first elite victory in an HC event. The Top 5 was completed by Mario Bair, Maximilian Foidl, and Andri Frischknecht, in a race with high-level international participation.

 

 

 

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The SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team rider joined the structure in 2025 during a generational transition, coinciding with the end of the legendary Nino Schurter's career. He did not come in as a direct replacement, but as one of the names expected to lead the future of XCO after a sub23 stage marked by consistency and results.

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However, his jump to the elite was hampered by physical problems, especially persistent back pain, and several withdrawals in key events like Val di Sole or Andorra that slowed his progression. In that context, Riley himself acknowledged the toughness of the moment and publicly thanked the team's support, highlighting the patience and assistance received during the most challenging times.

Now, beyond the result in Austria, the victory confirms that the work accumulated during the winter is starting to pay off. It also reinforces the idea that his adaptation to the elite category, although slower than expected, is on track.

With the World Cup about to start in South Korea, this triumph places Riley in a very different position than just a few months ago. It does not radically change his status within the starting grid, but it does restore his confidence and allows him to approach the start of the season with a different perspective.

In a sport where processes are rarely linear, the American has just demonstrated that he is still on the right path.

You can check the complete results of this event and the rest of the races of the weekend at mtbdata.com