UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2026: Soldier Hollow Preview
The UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2026 heads to Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah, on September 19-20. The weekend features both Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) racing.
Soldier Hollow is a new venue on the 2026 World Series calendar and one of the final cross-country rounds of the season. The event comes after the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Val di Sole and before the final cross-country round at Lake Placid.
For the full season schedule, see our 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar.
Venue: Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, Midway, Utah, USA
Dates: September 19-20, 2026
Disciplines: XCO and XCC
Status: Penultimate cross-country round of the 2026 season
Table of Contents
- Soldier Hollow 2026 Event
- 2026 World Championship Results
- Previous World Series Round: Les Gets
- 2026 World Cup Standings
- Soldier Hollow Schedule
- XCO and XCC Explained
- Key Riders to Watch
- Key Storylines
- Soldier Hollow Venue and Course
- How to Watch
- The 2026 Season Finale
- What to Expect
- Frequently Asked Questions
Soldier Hollow 2026 Event
The Soldier Hollow round takes place on September 19 and 20, 2026, in Midway, Utah.
The weekend features Elite and U23 XCC races on Saturday followed by Elite and U23 XCO races on Sunday.
Soldier Hollow is a new addition to the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar. The venue is also closely associated with American rider Haley Batten, who has trained there throughout her career.
The Soldier Hollow Nordic Center previously hosted cross-country skiing and biathlon during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Its terrain now provides a demanding mountain bike course combining climbs, technical sections and faster riding areas.
2026 World Championship Results
The Soldier Hollow round comes only a few weeks after the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships at Val di Sole, Italy. The World Championships provide an important indication of current rider form.
Elite XCO World Champions
- Women's XCO: 🇨🇭 Sina Frei, Switzerland
- Men's XCO: 🇬🇧 Tom Pidcock, Great Britain
Sina Frei claimed the women's Elite XCO world title, while Tom Pidcock won the men's Elite XCO rainbow jersey.
Elite XCC World Champions
- Women's XCC: 🇦🇹 Laura Stigger, Austria
- Men's XCC: 🇫🇷 Adrien Boichis, France
The XCC championships also produced important results for the Soldier Hollow weekend. Laura Stigger won the women's Elite XCC title, while Adrien Boichis became men's Elite XCC world champion.
These World Championship titles are separate from the overall World Cup standings. A rider can therefore hold a World Championship title while another rider leads the World Cup classification.
Previous World Series Round: Les Gets
The previous XCO and XCC World Series round was held at Les Gets, France, on August 21-23.
Sina Frei won the women's XCC race and then completed the weekend double by winning the women's XCO race. Jenny Rissveds finished second in both races.
In the men's competition, Adrien Boichis won both the XCC and XCO races at Les Gets.
After Les Gets, Rissveds retained a 282-point advantage over Frei in the women's XCO overall standings.
The Les Gets results therefore provide an important form guide for Soldier Hollow, especially for the women's title battle.
2026 World Cup Standings Before Soldier Hollow
The following standings show the leading Elite riders heading into the Soldier Hollow round.
Women's Elite XCO Standings
| Pos. | Rider | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jenny Rissveds | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1,897 |
| 2 | Sina Frei | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,615 |
| 3 | Savilia Blunk | 🇺🇸 USA | 1,329 |
| 4 | Martina Berta | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1,300 |
| 5 | Laura Stigger | 🇦🇹 Austria | 1,267 |
| 6 | Nicole Koller | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,127 |
| 7 | Ronja Blöchlinger | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,111 |
| 8 | Alessandra Keller | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 963 |
| 9 | Gwendalyn Gibson | 🇺🇸 USA | 808 |
| 10 | Puck Pieterse | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 766 |
Women's XCO title battle: Jenny Rissveds leads Sina Frei by 282 points heading into Soldier Hollow.
Men's Elite XCO Standings
| Pos. | Rider | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luca Martin | 🇫🇷 France | 1,634 |
| 2 | Adrien Boichis | 🇫🇷 France | 1,619 |
| 3 | Bjorn Riley | 🇺🇸 USA | 1,084 |
| 4 | Simone Avondetto | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1,023 |
| 5 | Dario Lillo | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,017 |
| 6 | Martin Vidaurre Kossmann | 🇨🇱 Chile | 916 |
| 7 | Mathis Azzaro | 🇫🇷 France | 916 |
| 8 | Luca Schwarzbauer | 🇩🇪 Germany | 898 |
| 9 | David List | 🇩🇪 Germany | 877 |
| 10 | Fabio Püntener | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 822 |
Men's XCO title battle: Luca Martin leads Adrien Boichis by only 15 points, but Boichis will not compete in the final two cross-country World Cup rounds. This makes Martin the clear rider to watch in the closing rounds.
Women's Elite XCC Standings
| Pos. | Rider | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sina Frei | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 1,330 |
| 2 | Jenny Rissveds | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1,250 |
| 3 | Savilia Blunk | 🇺🇸 USA | 980 |
| 4 | Nicole Koller | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 978 |
| 5 | Laura Stigger | 🇦🇹 Austria | 968 |
| 6 | Ronja Blöchlinger | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 758 |
| 7 | Martina Berta | 🇮🇹 Italy | 758 |
| 8 | Alessandra Keller | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 740 |
| 9 | Rebecca Henderson | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 675 |
| 10 | Gwendalyn Gibson | 🇺🇸 USA | 672 |
Women's XCC title battle: Sina Frei leads Jenny Rissveds by 80 points heading into Soldier Hollow.
Men's Elite XCC Standings
| Pos. | Rider | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adrien Boichis | 🇫🇷 France | 1,210 |
| 2 | Luca Martin | 🇫🇷 France | 1,040 |
| 3 | Mathis Azzaro | 🇫🇷 France | 994 |
Men's XCC title picture: Adrien Boichis leads Luca Martin by 170 points, but his decision to miss the final two rounds leaves the classification open for the riders behind him.
Soldier Hollow Schedule
The official event schedule uses Mountain Time. The main XCC races take place on Saturday, followed by the XCO races on Sunday.
Saturday, September 19
- 11:20: Women's U23 XCC
- 12:10: Men's U23 XCC
- 13:00: Women's Elite XCC
- 13:50: Men's Elite XCC
Sunday, September 20
- 09:00: Women's U23 XCO
- 11:00: Men's U23 XCO
- 13:30: Women's Elite XCO
- 15:30: Men's Elite XCO
Race times can change because of event conditions or organisational requirements. Viewers should check the official event schedule close to race day.
XCO and XCC Explained
Cross-Country Olympic (XCO)
XCO is the main Olympic cross-country mountain bike discipline. Riders start together and complete several laps over a course containing climbs, descents, technical sections and faster riding areas.
An elite XCO race normally lasts around 80 to 90 minutes. Courses commonly use laps of approximately 3.5 to 5 kilometres.
Cross-Country Short Track (XCC)
XCC is a shorter and faster form of cross-country racing. Elite races normally last around 20 to 25 minutes on a shorter course.
XCC is important beyond its own race. Results contribute to the World Series competition, while leading Elite XCC finishers can receive favourable starting positions for the XCO race.
Key Riders to Watch
Jenny Rissveds 🇸🇪
Jenny Rissveds arrives at Soldier Hollow as the women's XCO overall leader. She has 1,897 points and holds a 282-point advantage over Sina Frei.
Rissveds will be looking to protect that lead during the final stages of the season.
Sina Frei 🇨🇭
Sina Frei enters Soldier Hollow in strong form. She won the women's XCC and XCO races at Les Gets and then became the 2026 UCI XCO World Champion at Val di Sole.
She is also the current women's XCC standings leader, making her one of the most important riders of the weekend.
Luca Martin 🇫🇷
Luca Martin leads the men's XCO overall classification with 1,634 points.
His lead over Adrien Boichis is only 15 points, but Boichis will miss the final two rounds. Martin therefore has a major opportunity to strengthen his position in the overall title race.
Adrien Boichis 🇫🇷
Boichis has had an outstanding 2026 season, winning major XCO and XCC races and becoming the 2026 Men's Elite XCC World Champion.
However, Boichis will not compete at Soldier Hollow or Lake Placid as he shifts his focus back to road racing. His absence is one of the biggest developments heading into the final two cross-country World Cup rounds.
Haley Batten 🇺🇸
Haley Batten is the home rider who could attract significant attention in Utah. The Park City native has trained at Soldier Hollow and knows the area well.
Batten won Olympic silver in women's XCO at Paris 2024. Racing at a venue closely connected with her development gives the Soldier Hollow round an important home-race storyline.
Key Storylines at Soldier Hollow
- Women's XCO title battle: Jenny Rissveds leads Sina Frei by 282 points.
- Women's XCC battle: Sina Frei leads Jenny Rissveds by 80 points.
- Men's XCO title race: Luca Martin leads Adrien Boichis by 15 points, but Boichis will miss the final two rounds.
- Men's XCC standings: Boichis leads the classification but will not compete in the final two rounds.
- World Champion form: Sina Frei and Tom Pidcock won the Elite XCO world titles at Val di Sole.
- Home race: Haley Batten returns to a venue closely connected with her training and development.
- New venue: Soldier Hollow makes its World Series debut in 2026.
- Late-season pressure: Riders have very few remaining opportunities to improve their overall positions.
Soldier Hollow Venue and Course
The event will be held at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center in Midway, Utah.
The venue has a strong history with endurance sports and hosted cross-country skiing and biathlon during the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The mountain bike course combines climbing sections, technical rocky terrain, faster sections and features designed to test bike control.
Technical sections and changes in terrain can make positioning and bike handling especially important during the races.
Soldier Hollow also provides spectators with several opportunities to watch riders from different areas around the course.
How to Watch the 2026 Soldier Hollow World Series
The UCI Mountain Bike World Series is distributed internationally through Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and regional broadcast partners.
In the United States, coverage is available through HBO Max and MTBWS TV. Coverage options vary by country.
International viewers should check the official World Series broadcast information for their location before race day.
The 2026 Season Finale
Soldier Hollow is the penultimate cross-country round of the 2026 World Series season.
After the Utah event, the World Series moves to Whistler Mountain Bike Park in British Columbia for Downhill racing on September 25-27.
The final event of the overall 2026 World Series calendar takes place at the Lake Placid Olympic Sites in New York from October 2-4. Lake Placid will feature XCO, XCC and Downhill.
For the cross-country riders, Soldier Hollow is therefore one of the last opportunities to influence the overall standings before the season reaches its conclusion.
What to Expect at Soldier Hollow
Soldier Hollow should provide a different challenge from many of the established European World Series venues.
The altitude, climbing sections, technical terrain and faster riding areas will test both fitness and bike handling.
The women's XCO battle between Jenny Rissveds and Sina Frei is likely to be one of the biggest stories of the weekend.
In the men's XCO competition, Luca Martin has a major opportunity to strengthen his position after Adrien Boichis confirmed that he will miss the final two rounds.
For American fans, Haley Batten's home appearance adds another major storyline to a weekend that could have a significant effect on the 2026 standings.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Series Soldier Hollow round?
The Soldier Hollow round takes place on September 19-20, 2026.
Where is Soldier Hollow?
Soldier Hollow is located in Midway, Utah, United States. The event venue is the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center.
Which mountain bike disciplines are held at Soldier Hollow?
The 2026 Soldier Hollow World Series round features Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-Country Short Track (XCC).
Who leads the women's XCO standings?
Jenny Rissveds leads the women's XCO standings with 1,897 points, ahead of Sina Frei on 1,615 points.
Who leads the men's XCO standings?
Luca Martin leads the men's XCO standings with 1,634 points, followed by Adrien Boichis with 1,619 points.
Will Adrien Boichis race at Soldier Hollow?
No. Adrien Boichis will miss the final two cross-country World Cup rounds at Soldier Hollow and Lake Placid as he shifts his focus back to road racing.
Who is the 2026 women's XCO World Champion?
Sina Frei of Switzerland is the 2026 UCI Women's Elite XCO World Champion.
Who is the 2026 men's XCO World Champion?
Tom Pidcock of Great Britain is the 2026 UCI Men's Elite XCO World Champion.
Who is racing at the home venue in Utah?
American rider Haley Batten is one of the major riders to watch at Soldier Hollow. She has trained at the venue and won Olympic silver in women's XCO at Paris 2024.
How can I watch Soldier Hollow online?
Coverage is available through the UCI Mountain Bike World Series broadcast network and regional partners. Availability depends on the viewer's country.
When is the final 2026 World Series event?
The final event of the 2026 World Series calendar is scheduled for October 2-4 at the Lake Placid Olympic Sites in New York.