Pal Arinsal marked the end of the 2026 Mountain Bike World Series' busiest stretch, with the sixth round also serving as the final race before the mid-season break.
With four World Cups in five weeks, the accumulated fatigue, stress, and travel added another layer to the racing. And for some, the break came just a week too late.
At nearly 2,000 metres above sea level, Pal Arinsal remains the highest venue on the calendar. The repeated anaerobic efforts demanded by the circuit would be punishing anywhere, but at altitude, any rider caught overreaching quickly paid a price that was hard to recover from.
Any doubts over Jenny Rissveds' form after an uncharacteristic ride in La Thuile were quickly erased in Friday's short track, where the world champion attacked early and rode clear for another XCC victory.
The men's short track produced one of the finishes of the season. Charlie Aldridge looked poised to fight for victory before a mistake on the final lap opened the door for Bjorn Riley, who seized the opportunity to claim his first elite XCC World Cup win ahead of Adrien Boichis.
That left Sunday's XCO races to decide the World Series standings before it paused for its summer break.
Brief results
Elite Women
- Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) 1:18:47
- Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) +0:17
- Sena Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) +0:18
- Savilia Blunk (Decathlon-Ford Racing Team) +0:28
- Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) +0:35
Elite Men
- Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) 1:14:48
- Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) +0:19
- Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon XC Racing) +1:12
- Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) +2:02
- Simone Avendetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) +2:10
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