Martina Berta catches everyone off guard with a decisive attack to win the Soldier Hollow Short Track

The Italian Martina Berta took victory in the Short Track of the Soldier Hollow World Cup after launching a strong attack on the penultimate lap that none of her rivals could neutralize. Alessandra Keller finished second and Sina Frei completed the podium in a very fast race that started in an unusual way and ended with almost all the favorites grouped together before Berta's winning move.

Martina Berta wins her first Short Track in Soldier Hollow

The race began with the good news that the weather finally gave a break after the storm the previous day forced the cancellation of all training sessions. The XCC was able to take place normally and favorable weather is also expected for the XCO on Sunday.

As soon as the race started, Gwendalyn Gibson practically went on the attack and Jolanda Neff immediately stuck to her wheel. In less than two minutes, both had already managed to open a small gap while the rest of the peloton seemed little concerned about the situation.

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It was Haley Batten who decided to react and jumped from the group to try to catch the two leaders. The race was scheduled for nine laps and, by the time they passed the third lap, the situation had changed again. Batten, Gibson, and Neff were at the front along with Evie Richards, who had also managed to close the gap.

Gibson and Richards were precisely the protagonists of one of the technical images of the day. The two Trek-Unbroken XC riders chose the new Trek with 32-inch wheels that we have seen throughout the week in Soldier Hollow. They appeared to be the only riders in the Elite women's field who opted for this size.

The race also marked the return of Jennifer Jackson. The Canadian had not competed since injuring her kneecap in Leogang. Another of the protagonists even before the start was Laura Stigger, who debuted her XCC world champion jersey along with a special decoration on her Specialized Epic 9.

The breakaway ended on the fourth of the nine laps. The peloton absorbed the leading group and Sina Frei immediately took command.

With all the favorites together, the race was practically starting over. Frei also had another important goal in Soldier Hollow. The Swiss arrived as the leader of the Short Track overall classification with 80 points ahead of Jenny Rissveds and, after this race, only one round will remain.

Savilia Blunk tried to change the pace on the fifth lap by moving to the front, but the high speed was not enough to definitively select the group. Moreover, each pass through the finish line served to erase the differences and the peloton compacted again. Everything pointed to the victory being decided in the final minutes.

Martina Berta waited for her moment and launched the winning attack

Jenny Rissveds had remained quite sheltered until then. It was not until the seventh lap that the Swede positioned herself at the front for the first time, giving the impression of having saved energy for the finish. But the decisive move did not come from Rissveds.

Martina Berta launched a powerful attack and managed to open a gap in a matter of seconds that no one had been able to establish during the previous laps. The Italian entered the last lap with a significant lead and, far from speculating, maintained a very high pace while the chase began behind her. This time the group could not organize in time.

Berta crossed the finish line alone to achieve a brilliant victory with 22:06, six seconds ahead of her pursuers. Alessandra Keller was the fastest in the fight for second place and Sina Frei finished third, an important result for her battle for the Short Track overall.

Evie Richards finished fourth, Jenny Rissveds fifth, and Jennifer Jackson marked a notable sixth position in her return to competition. Laura Stigger closed the Top 10 in her first race wearing the rainbow jersey of XCC world champion.

Top 10 XCC Elite Women – Soldier Hollow World Cup 2026

1. Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) – 22:06
2. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) – +6
3. Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) – +7
4. Evie Richards (Trek-Unbroken XC) – +7
5. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) – +7
6. Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) – +7
7. Gwendalyn Gibson (Trek-Unbroken XC) – +11
8. Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) – +12
9. Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) – +14
10. Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) – +15