Jolanda Neff and Lars Forster fly through the mud of Banyoles

The mud has turned the Shimano Supercup Massi Banyoles 2025 into an epic race where Swiss Jolanda Neff in the women's category and Lars Forster in the men's category have shown outstanding technical skills and strength to win.

Jolanda Neff flies in the mud of Banyoles

After a heavy downpour the day before, the women's race started with light rain and the news that the race would be shortened by 1 lap due to the mud on the track. In total, there would be 4 laps plus the initial loop.

After her victory in La Nucía, once again Austrian Tamara Wiedman (Mondraker Factory Racing) took the lead of the favorites' group and began to stretch the pack. Alongside her were Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory), Anne Terpstra (Ghost Factory), Sina Frei (Specialized Factory), and Evie Richards (Trek Factory), but soon the mud on the circuit began to cause problems and many had to dismount their bikes to pass some sections.

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Before finishing the initial loop, Jolanda Neff crossed the finish line first with almost 30 seconds ahead of Kelsey Urban (KMC Ridley) who had managed to recover positions to second place. But the circuit conditions were very challenging for all cyclists and both mechanical problems and the difficulty of staying on the bike made positions change constantly. For everyone except Jolanda Neff, who flew over the mud while the rest had to struggle with all kinds of issues.

U23 cyclist Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV) was one of the surprises of the day, and while the rest were fighting to clear mud from their bikes, she, with an easy and determined pedaling, reached the front to take second place with one lap to go. Behind her, Kira Böhm (Cube Factory) also climbed to third place.

Jolanda Neff's race was on another level and after dominating from start to finish, with impeccable technical superiority, she crossed the finish line first to be crowned the winner of the Shimano Supercup Massi Banyoles 2025.

Behind her, Valentina Corvi crossed the finish line to win the U23 category while also setting the second best overall time. But the second place in the elite category went to Portuguese Ana Santos (Cannondale Factory Racing) who made a comeback in the last lap to take the position from Kira Böhm, who closed the podium.

Lars Forster dynamites and wins the Shimano Supercup Massi Banyoles 2025

After the tough women's race, it was time for the men's race. The mud on the circuit also forced the race to be shortened to an initial loop plus 3 laps.

From the start, Danish Simon Andreassen (Orbea Factory Team) took charge of leading the group of favorites, and at the beginning of lap 1, a select group was at the front including: Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing), Dario Lillo (Giant Factory), Cole Punchard (Cannondale Factory Racing), Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing), and Lars Forster (Tomus Maxon).

Midway through lap 1, the first attacks began, and after an attempt by Aldridge to break away, it was Lars Forster who successfully changed the pace to go solo. Koretzky, Andreassen, and Aldridge had to settle, for now, with chasing him about 15 seconds behind.

One of the curiosities of the day was seen with Simon Andreassen, who started with a wooden stick attached to his handlebar. At the end of the first lap, we saw him detach it and use it to remove mud from his transmission while riding. A simple and effective solution that contrasts with the current technological advances in MTB.

Forster's change of pace ultimately proved to be decisive, and the Swiss rider proved to be the strongest in the mud of Banyoles to achieve victory.

Behind him, British Charlie Aldridge had a great finish where it even seemed like he could fight for the win, but he missed out by a few meters, finishing second. The last position on the podium went to Victor Koretzky in a sprint with Simon Andreassen.