The 2026 XCM European Championship takes place this Sunday in Spain: schedules, favorites, and how to watch it for free

The best XCM in the continent has this Sunday, July 12 one of its major events of the season. Ramales de la Victoria, in Cantabria, hosts the 2026 XCM European Championship over a course of 74 kilometers and 3,000 meters of total ascent that will bring together some of the main European specialists in long-distance.

The 2026 XCM European Championship takes place this Sunday in Spain: schedules, favorites, and how to watch it for free

Spain will have a significant representation and will also have two serious options to fight for medals in the Elite categories. David Valero arrives after becoming one of the main protagonists of the international XCM season, while Natalia Fischer will be one of the main references in the women's race.

The competition can be followed live and for free, so this edition of the XCM European Championship will have all the ingredients to become one of the most interesting races of the weekend.

An XCM European Championship with 161 participants and 22 nationalities

The provisional list of participants published by the European Cycling Union includes 161 riders across the men's and women's Elite categories.

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A total of 22 different nationalities will be represented in Ramales de la Victoria, with a particularly large Spanish presence due to the championship being held on national territory.

A course of 74 km and 3,000 meters of total ascent

Ramales de la Victoria will be the center of a race that will take place on the route of the Desafío Dama Roja. The organization has prepared a circular route with a start and finish in the Cantabrian town that accumulates 74 kilometers and approximately 3,000 meters of total ascent.

The distance is relatively contained for the usual standards of international XCM, but the high concentration of elevation anticipates a very demanding race and possibly more explosive than other championships held on routes exceeding 90 or 100 kilometers.

The course includes eight ascents and reserves a final difficulty for the last kilometers. The last climb peaks approximately at kilometer 70, very close to the finish, so it could become the decisive point to definitively select the title contenders.

All participating categories, Elite men, Elite women, and Masters, will complete the same route.

David Valero arrives as one of the top favorites

The men's race will feature a top-level participation and David Valero will be one of the riders who will attract much of the attention.

The Spanish cyclist is having an excellent season in long-distance and arrives at the European Championship after winning the last two events of the XCM World Cup. His form, international experience, and the fact of competing at home place him among the main contenders for the European champion jersey.

But the starting list will force Valero to face some of the best specialists on the continent.

Italy will have riders with the experience of Fabian Rabensteiner, Diego Rosa, and Samuele Porro, while Germany presents one of the strongest groups with Lukas Baum, Georg Egger, Andreas Seewald, Martin Frey, and Simon Stiebjahn.

Also in Ramales de la Victoria will be the Belgian Wout Alleman, the Dutch Hans Becking, the Polish Krzysztof Łukasik, and the Swiss Casey South and Marc Stutzmann, among other riders with experience in major international MTB Marathon events. (uec.ch⁠)

Natalia Fischer, among the main candidates for the European title

The women's race will also feature significant international presence and Natalia Fischer will be one of the main Spanish hopes to fight for medals and already knows what it is like to win this title twice.

The Málaga native will have some of her major rivals including Anna Weinbeer, current leader of the XCM World Cup, and Claudia Peretti, another rider who is standing out during the international season.

The Bosnian Lejla Njemčević will also be at the start alongside riders like Katazina Sosna-Pinelė, Rosa van Doorn, Paula Gorycka-Kurmann, Mara Fumagalli or the Swiss Chrystelle Baumann.

Spain will also have a large female representation including Berta Bassols, Carlota Casanueva, Meritxell Figueras, Gemma García, Lara Lois, María Reyes Murillo, Laura Ríos, Alba Teruel, Marta Torà, and María Mercedes Villanueva. 

Schedules for the 2026 XCM European Championship

The competition will take place entirely during the morning of Sunday, July 12. The different categories will start staggered from 9:00 AM.

These are the scheduled times:

• 08:30 AM: start of the live broadcast
• 09:00 AM: Elite men's start
• 09:05 AM: Masters men's start
• 09:10 AM: Elite women's and Masters women's start

The arrival of the first riders is expected approximately between 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM, although the development of the competition and the conditions of the course will determine the final schedule.

Where to watch the 2026 XCM European Championship for free

The 2026 MTB Marathon European Championship can be followed live and for free through Siroko TV.

The broadcast will start on Sunday, July 12 at 08:30 AM, half an hour before the start of the Elite men's race.

Fans will be able to follow live the battle for the continental titles in a particularly interesting edition for Spanish MTB. David Valero and Natalia Fischer are set to be among the main protagonists, although they will have to overcome a top-level international participation and a demanding course of 74 kilometers and 3,000 meters of total ascent.