Jenny Rissveds' great performance in Leogang to achieve her first victory of the year

Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) once again demonstrated why she is one of the top specialists in the world of XCO, claiming the 2026 Leogang World Cup after a display of strength on the revamped Austrian circuit. The world champion took control of the race from the early laps and gradually extended her lead, crossing the finish line alone with a 56-second advantage over Puck Pieterse and 1:14 over Alessandra Keller.

Jenny Rissveds dominates Leogang and secures her first victory of the year to become the new leader of the World Cup

The victory also comes with an added bonus for the Swede, as it places her as the new leader of the overall World Cup standings after a season start marked by consistency, with second places in both South Korea and Nové Město.

From mud to a completely different circuit

The day began under very different conditions than those experienced during Friday's Short Track. Although rain made a return during the morning and the circuit remained muddy in many areas, the precipitation lost intensity and the sun appeared during the race, constantly changing the state of the terrain.

Even so, the revamped Leogang course continued to show its toughness. Falls were constant from the first lap, and several of the favorites made mistakes in the most technical sections.

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Right after the race started, one of the most talked-about moments of the day occurred when Jenny Rissveds and Savilia Blunk made contact in the first corner. The American ended up on the ground, although the officials later reviewed the incident and determined it was a racing incident with no need for sanctions.

Rissveds strikes first and opens up a gap

The Swede made her intentions clear from the start. By the first lap, she crossed the finish line in the lead with just a few seconds advantage over Sina Frei and Puck Pieterse.

Behind her, the overall leader began to have a tough day. Frei accumulated several mistakes in the most technical descents of the circuit and even had to change her front wheel in the technical area after several falls that distanced her from the fight for victory.

Meanwhile, Rissveds was gradually increasing her lead. By the start of the third lap, she had more than 40 seconds over a chasing group made up of Nicole Koller, Alessandra Keller, and Puck Pieterse.

The world champion maintained a steady pace, and although the circuit was changing with each lap, she never showed signs of weakness.

Keller and Pieterse battle for the podium

With the victory practically decided, the excitement shifted to the fight for the other two podium positions.

Alessandra Keller and Puck Pieterse featured one of the most interesting duels of the race. The Dutch rider was clearly faster on the climbs and managed to open small gaps on each ascent, but Keller repeatedly regained ground in the technical descents.

This exchange ended up favoring the Swiss rider for much of the race, although in the final lap, Pieterse managed to secure second place and crossed the finish line 56 seconds behind the winner.

Keller ultimately completed the podium in third place, while Nicole Koller once again delivered a very solid performance to finish fourth.

Sina Frei sinks after winning the Short Track

The Swiss rider had arrived in Leogang after winning Friday's Short Track and defending the overall lead, but falls and technical problems ultimately took her out of contention for the top positions.

She finally crossed the finish line in ninth place, 3:42 behind Rissveds, also losing the leader's jersey of the World Cup.

It was also a tough race for local champion Laura Stigger, who never managed to enter the podium fight, and for Jolanda Neff, who suffered problems during the race to the point of being lapped by Rissveds in the final stages.

Top 10 XCO World Cup Leogang 2026 - Elite Women

1. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) – 1:25:29
2. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech) – +56”
3. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) – +1:14
4. Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) – +1:32
5. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) – +2:03
6. Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) – +2:28
7. Gwendalyn Gibson (Trek-Unbroken XC) – +3:30
8. Madigan Munro (Liv Factory Racing) – +3:41
9. Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) – +3:42
10. Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC) – +4:34