Martina Berta wins the Lake Placid XCC as Sina Frei claims the World Cup

Martina Berta has won the Short Track in Lake Placid, closing this final block of the World Cup in the United States in the same way she started. The Italian triumphed in the sprint against Jenny Rissveds after launching the decisive move on the last lap, while Sina Frei finished third and secured the necessary points to be crowned the overall winner of the World Cup XCC 2026.

Martina Berta repeats victory in the Short Track of Lake Placid and Sina Frei wins the overall

Before the race began, there were already important updates on the grid. Haley Batten was out, while Nicole Koller made her return to a World Cup after the abrupt end of Lapierre PXR Racing. Koller returned in Lake Placid competing privately, although still dressed in the team's gear.

With the sky completely overcast and a light rain, the riders took off on a circuit that had changed since the training sessions. The rain that had fallen in the last hours had left some areas slightly muddy, and sections like the rock garden now required a bit more attention.

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Sina Frei was the fastest in the first meters, immediately followed by Jenny Rissveds. The two riders arrived in Lake Placid competing for both the Short Track and XCO overall, which will be decided on Saturday.

But Martina Berta quickly made her presence known at the front. The Italian took the lead with Jolanda Neff on her wheel, and by the time they completed the first of the eight planned laps, the group was still quite large. Among the leaders was also Evie Richards with the new 32-inch Trek, which had already been one of the major highlights of Soldier Hollow.

Frei and Rissveds took much of the initiative during the following laps. Both knew that any position could be decisive for the overall, and neither seemed willing to relinquish control of the race to the other.

The situation changed little until the fifth lap. The pace dropped slightly, and ten riders remained grouped at the front, while the terrain became progressively more delicate, with small scares and mistakes starting to appear.

Berta waited until the last lap

Sina Frei made the first serious attempt at the start of the seventh lap. The World Cup leader accelerated, but Rissveds immediately responded with a counterattack that neutralized the move. The group came back together, and everything was set to be decided in the final turn. It was then that Martina Berta made her move.

Just as the bell rang, the Italian launched a strong change of pace and began to open small gaps. Rissveds managed to go with her while Frei lagged a few meters behind trying to close the gap.

Berta and Rissveds reached the final meters together. The Italian opened the sprint and managed to win by just one second, clocking a time of 20:55 and thus achieving another XCC victory after the one she secured two weeks ago in Soldier Hollow.

Behind, Frei managed to maintain a third position that held much greater value than the podium itself. She crossed the finish line four seconds behind Berta, thus securing the overall title of the World Cup XCC 2026, ahead of Rissveds.

Evie Richards finished fourth, five seconds back with her 32" Trek, while Nicole Koller completed a remarkable return to the World Cup, finishing fifth, just six seconds from victory.

Berta's victory also confirms her exceptional end to the season. The Italian had already been the standout at Soldier Hollow, where she achieved a double win in both the XCC and XCO, and now adds another victory in the last event of the calendar.

Top 10 XCC Elite Women – Lake Placid 2026

1. Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) – 20:55
2. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) – +1
3. Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) – +4
4. Evie Richards (Trek-Unbroken XC) – +5
5. Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) – +6
6. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) – +7
7. Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) – +9
8. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) – +10
9. Gwendalyn Gibson (Trek-Unbroken XC) – +13
10. Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) – +22