The 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships short track (XCC) races took place in Val di Sole, Italy, on Thursday, August 27, according to Pinkbike. The outlet published results for the event, which is part of the broader world championships program being held at the venue.
Pinkbike also released a separate race highlights feature focused on the elite XCC short track competition. The coverage indicates that the short track event was a key part of the day's schedule, with riders competing for world championship titles in the discipline.
The results and highlights follow a week of downhill practice sessions at the same venue, which Pinkbike documented in a photo epic. The world championships in Val di Sole include multiple mountain bike disciplines, with the short track races serving as one of the opening competitive events.
Earlier in the week, according to Cyclingnews, Australian rider Connor Wright won the junior men's cross-country Olympic (XCO) title, while Anja Grossmann took the women's race. Canadian Cycling Magazine also reported on a U23 XCC result involving rider Michele Mondini, though specific details of that race were not included in the available material.
The short track format is a shorter, faster race compared to traditional cross-country events, often setting the stage for the longer XCO competitions later in the championships. Pinkbike's coverage of the elite XCC highlights suggests the racing was competitive, though the outlet did not provide full podium details in the summary.
With the XCC results now posted, attention at the Val di Sole world championships will shift to the remaining cross-country and downhill events. Riders and teams will look to carry momentum from the short track races into the main title contests later in the week.
