Bjorn Riley wins against Blevins in the U.S. Short Track Championship and Savilia Blunk dominates her race

The international MTB calendar has left a pause this weekend between World Cup events to make way for one of the most important dates of the season: the National Championships. Most countries will take these days to decide who will wear the champion's jersey for the next year, and the United States has been one of the first to kick off the program with the Short Track (XCC) races held in Roanoke, Virginia.

Bjorn Riley and Savilia Blunk win the 2026 U.S. Short Track Championship

The event comes at a particularly sweet moment for American mountain biking. It is striking that the country where this sport was born went through many years without any references capable of regularly competing for victories at the international elite level. However, the last decade has completely changed that landscape.

The resurgence began with riders like Kate Courtney, world champion in XCO in 2018, and continued with names like Christopher Blevins, who has become one of the great global references in both XCO and Short Track. Shortly after, Haley Batten arrived, making history by winning the first Olympic medal for the United States in cross-country. Now a new generation has taken over with cyclists like Bjorn Riley, Riley Amos, and Savilia Blunk, who are already regulars at the front positions in the World Cup.

Bjorn Riley beats Chris Blevins in the XCC National Championship

Among all of them, the standout name in recent weeks is Bjorn Riley. The SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing rider arrived in Roanoke after securing his first career victory in a World Cup Short Track event in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), a performance that confirmed the huge competitive leap he has made this season.

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The U.S. national championship brought together several of the best specialists in the country, many of whom had just arrived from Andorra. Christopher Blevins was one of the favorites alongside the reigning champion Riley and Riley Amos.

The race remained very controlled for much of its development. Attacks came one after another without success until, two laps from the end, Riley decided to accelerate and break the group. Blevins managed to react and caught up with his rival just before the last turn, setting up an exciting head-to-head between the two strongest riders in the country.

The outcome was decided in the finishing straight, where Riley once again demonstrated his explosiveness to win by a narrow margin and retain the national champion's jersey in XCC. Ivan Sippy completed the podium after narrowly beating Riley Amos in the sprint for third place.

Men's Elite Podium

1. Bjorn Riley (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing)
2. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Racing)
3. Ivan Sippy (Team Segment 28 p/b Baird)

Savilia Blunk continues to dominate the national championship

The women's race also brought together several of the top American riders of the moment and ended with a new victory for Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing).

After some very tactical opening laps, Crystal Anthony toughened the race with a powerful attack. However, the definitive response came shortly after, when Blunk accelerated in one of the technical sections of the circuit. Only Gwendalyn Gibson managed to initially follow her wheel, although the Decathlon Ford Racing rider gradually increased her lead to cross the finish line solo and claim her second national Short Track title. Gibson finished in second place, while Anthony completed the podium.

Women's Elite Podium

1. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing)
2. Gwendalyn Gibson (Trek-Unbroken)
3. Crystal Anthony (Flow Formulas/Kenda/The Black Bibs)