Photo Martin Vidaurre— Jason Strother / JTS Media
Martín Vidaurre overcame a 25th-place starting position to win the men elite Cross-country Olympic (XCO) race at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah, on Sunday, 20 September 2026, claiming his first UCI XCO World Cup victory of the season in the penultimate round of the 2026 campaign. Vidaurre completed the race in 1:28:55, holding off Cole Punchard by five seconds and Mathis Guay by seven seconds at the Utah Olympic venue.
The result capped a dramatic men elite race at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, Soldier Hollow, presented by SCOTT Sports. The venue’s debut on the series delivered a relentlessly paced contest shaped by crashes, mechanical setbacks and a decisive late move from the Specialized Factory Racing rider.
Vidaurre Turns a Disadvantage Into Victory
Vidaurre began the race deep in the field after starting 25th on the grid. The grid position left him with significant ground to recover, particularly after the opening climb established an aggressive tempo at the front.
Chris Blevins of Specialized Factory Racing led onto that climb and immediately applied pressure. The pace from the gun forced several leading contenders to work through the field, including Vidaurre, Riley Amos of Trek – Unbroken XC and Cole Punchard of Cannondale Factory Racing. All three had been disadvantaged by an incident in Saturday’s XCC race.
Rather than allowing the difficult start to dictate the outcome, Vidaurre steadily advanced through the field. His progress placed him in contention as the race entered its decisive phase, setting up one of the most significant comebacks of the 2026 UCI XCO World Cup season.
The official series report described the victory as a stunning comeback. Vidaurre characterized it as one of the most impressive victories of his career.
Photo Cole Punchard— Jason Strother / JTS Media
“It's so good. I've been looking for this all year. I worked like a dog, my team has been incredible all season, and my teammates have been winning all year. It was finally my turn. I didn't expect it today. Yesterday I had really bad luck, but man, it feels so good.”
Relentless Pace Produces Early Attrition
Blevins’ opening surge came at a cost. He crashed while exiting a berm, becoming the first of several high-profile riders whose challenges were disrupted during the race. His fall did little to reduce the intensity at the front, where the leading contenders continued to apply pressure.
Photo Mathis Guay — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Sam Gaze of Alpecin-Premier Tech, Luca Martin and Charlie Aldridge of Cannondale Factory Racing then drove the pace. Aldridge briefly opened a small gap on lap five, but the move did not settle the race.
The attrition continued through the technical sections. Luca Schätti of Bixs Race Team crashed in a rock garden, while Filippo Colombo of SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team suffered a puncture moments after bridging across to the lead group.
Photo Christopher Blevins— Jason Strother / JTS Media
Aldridge’s race changed on the penultimate lap when he misjudged a landing and was launched over a berm into the crowd netting. He landed on his wheels and remounted quickly, but the impact damaged his bike and ended his challenge. Speaking to TNT Sports afterward, Aldridge said he was “thanking his lucky stars.”
Photo #20 — Jason Strother / JTS Media
The incidents repeatedly reshaped the front of the race without diminishing the pressure. Punchard and Martin continued to push the tempo while the lead group tested one another, but no decisive move held for long.
Azzaro’s Unclip Opens the Door
The decisive split came in the closing stages. Mathis Azzaro of Origine Racing Division was forced to unclip on a technical slab section, creating a small separation in the six-rider lead group.
Vidaurre reacted immediately. He attacked moments later and opened the decisive gap that had eluded the other contenders throughout the race. Punchard kept the pressure on, but Vidaurre held his advantage through the finish to secure the victory.
The result marked Vidaurre’s first UCI XCO World Cup win of the season. It also delivered Punchard the first UCI World Cup podium of his elite career. Guay completed the podium and was the only other rider to finish within 10 seconds of Vidaurre.
Men Elite XCO Results
The top three official results were:
- 1. Martín Vidaurre (CHI), SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING, 1:28:55, 250 points
- 2. Cole Punchard (CAN), CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING, 1:29:00 (+0:05), 200 points
- 3. Mathis Guay (FRA), KTM FACTORY MTB TEAM, 1:29:02 (+0:07), 160 points
Vidaurre’s five-second margin over Punchard reflected the narrow separation at the front after a race defined by repeated attacks and disruption. Guay finished seven seconds behind the winner and secured the final podium position.
The complete result is available through the official Soldier Hollow results page, while the race narrative and event analysis appear in the UCI MTB World Series XCO race report.
Martin Strengthens Overall Position
Although Vidaurre took the headline victory, Luca Martin emerged from Soldier Hollow with an important advantage in the season-long championship picture.
Martin strengthened his grip on the overall standings, extending his advantage over the absent Adrien Boichis of Specialized Factory Racing. Boichis remains the only rider still mathematically capable of denying Martin the 2026 UCI XCO World Cup title.
Depending on Boichis’ plans, Martin could be crowned champion before the final race in Lake Placid. The Soldier Hollow result therefore carried significance beyond the podium, with the overall title now moving closer to resolution.
The team standings also shifted in favor of Specialized Factory Racing. The team extended its lead over Decathlon Ford Racing Team to 797 points, supported by Vidaurre’s victory and strong rides from Sina Frei and Haley Batten.
Lake Placid Finale Awaits
Fans at Soldier Hollow — Jason Strother / JTS Media
Soldier Hollow represented the penultimate round of the 2026 UCI Cross-country World Cup season. The final race in Lake Placid will determine whether Martin secures the overall championship before the season concludes or whether the title fight continues to the last round.
For Vidaurre, the Utah victory provides a major late-season statement. Starting 25th and advancing through a field repeatedly disrupted by crashes, punctures and technical mistakes, he converted a difficult opening position into a first-place finish.
The result also reinforced the depth of Specialized Factory Racing’s campaign. Vidaurre claimed the individual victory, Martin’s overall lead remained under threat only mathematically, and the team expanded its advantage in the standings. The series now turns toward Lake Placid, where the final race will close the 2026 XCO World Cup season.
Leave a Reply