Australian rider Connor Wright took the Junior cross-country title at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Italy on Thursday.
The 18-year-old multi-discipline rider took control on the second of five laps of the Val di Sole Circuit, eventually beating the Austrian Michael Hettegger by well over a minute. Swiss rider Marwan Barhoumi was third, a further 27 seconds down.
"I attacked exactly where I wanted to attack ... even after coming off the bike, and I kept it clean through the singletrack and the roots," said Wright. "I got to the bottom of that descent with 22 seconds and I couldn't believe it. From there I rode my own race and I could really soak it in over those last two laps."
Wright is a rising star, winning on and off-road and recently signing with Tudor Pro Cycling’s Development team.
"Everything was perfect. Legs felt good and the mind was in the right place and all I had left to do was execute it and I’m super happy with how the race played out," said Wright in a media release from the ARA Australian Cycling Team.
In the women’s race, the Swiss rider Anja Grossman took the rainbow jersey, the 17-year-old taking the lead from Barbora Bukovska on the second of four laps, eventually beating her Czech rival by 48 seconds, with French rider Agathe Vauchamp in third place.
Like Wright, 2026 has been an excellent season for Grossmann, during which she has won European and national titles.
"The last few years have taught me a huge amount, disappointments included, and I have had the best people around me: people who give everything, every day, and who believed in this dream as much as I did," said Grossman.
Results
Men Junior Cross-Country Olympic
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Connor Wright (Aus) |
1:00:09 |
2 |
Michael Hettegger (Aut) |
+1:16 |
3 |
Marwan Barhoumi (Swi) |
+1:43 |
4 |
Daan Bakelaar (Ned) |
+1:59 |
5 |
Mathieu Ghibaudo (Fra) |
+2:10 |
6 |
Noa Filippi (Fra) |
+2:24 |
7 |
James Climo (NZl) |
+2:34 |
8 |
Michael Ortner (Aut) |
+2:37 |
9 |
Leonardo Bernardes de Castro Filho (Bra) |
+2:39 |
10 |
Niko Terho (Fin) |
+3:12 |
11 |
Emilien Belzile (Can) |
+3:21 |
12 |
Lucas Rodriguez (Fra) |
+3:30 |
13 |
Marlon Riess (Ger) |
+3:32 |
14 |
Johannes Braedstrup-Holm (Den) |
+3:32 |
15 |
Luke Trafford (GBr) |
+3:37 |
Women Junior Cross-Country Olympic
Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Anja Grossmann (Swi) |
57:57 |
2 |
Barbora Bukovska (Cze) |
0:00:48 |
3 |
Agathe Vauchamp (Fra) |
0:01:26 |
4 |
Nikoletta Bettina Kiss (Hun) |
0:02:42 |
5 |
Mariachiara Signorelli (Ita) |
0:03:18 |
6 |
Lise Revol (Fra) |
0:03:56 |
7 |
Daniela Gaviria Ramirez (Col) |
0:04:20 |
8 |
Lou-Anne Halter (Swi) |
0:04:44 |
9 |
Giorgia Pellizotti (Ita) |
0:04:46 |
10 |
Adina Daubner (Ger) |
0:04:46 |
11 |
Zelie Lambert (Fra) |
0:04:52 |
12 |
Aida Linton (USA) |
0:05:27 |
13 |
Eva Terpin (Slo) |
0:05:50 |
14 |
Jeanne Duterne (Fra) |
0:05:56 |
15 |
Angelica Gatto (Ita) |
0:05:59 |
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