Riera, Montalvo and Carthy crowned UCI World Champions in trials in Abu Dhabi

Spanish and the British athletes in the spotlight

The final titles in trials were awarded on the afternoon of the fifth and last day of the UCI Urban Cycling World Championships in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).

The finals of the day saw Spain's Alba Riera claim the Women's title for the first time, while her compatriot Alejandro Montalvo defended his title in the Men's Elite 20" category, and Britain's Jack Carthy won the Men's Elite 26" competition for the seventh time.

Women: Young Riera on top of the world!

The six female finalists were Nina Vabre (FRA), Eliška Hríbková (CZE), Emilia Keikus (GER), the two Spaniards Alba Riera and Vera Barón (2021 UCI World Champion), and six-time UCI World Champion and reigning titleholder Nina Reichenbach (GER), who was the last to start.

A perfect score of 60 points in the first section gave Barón an early lead, before Reichenbach—who scored 30 points, the best score in the difficult third section—and Riera, 16 years old, joined her at the top to form the leading trio.

Barón’s 20 points in the third section dropped her to third place, and with a perfect 60 in the penultimate section, Reichenbach took the lead heading into the fifth and final section. However, a zero score in this last section ended the German's hopes, while Riera scored 40 points to secure the victory!

Riera won her first rainbow jersey in the Women Elite category with 210 points, Barón took the silver with 200 points, and Reichenbach earned the bronze with 180 points.

Men Elite 20": Montalvo first in a Spanish triple

The Men Elite 20" final featured Niilo Stenvall (FIN), Thomas Pechhacker (AUT), and Dominik Oswald (GER), as well as three Spanish athletes: Eloi Palau (2022 UCI World Champion), Alejandro Montalvo (2023 UCI World Champion), and 2021 UCI World Champion Borja Conejos, who was the last to start.

Conejos and Montalvo both scored 50 points in the first section, with the other four riders scoring only 30 points, before Montalvo gained the advantage in the second section.

Palau moved into second place after the third section. The battle between the three Spanish champions remained tight throughout, with Pechhacker always close behind.

Montalvo, the youngest of the three Spaniards, scored a perfect 60 in the fourth section and a third 50 in the final section, amassing an impressive total of 270 points to retain his rainbow jersey.

The fight for the remaining medals was incredibly close, with Conejos, Palau, and Pechhacker all finishing with 200 points. However, a greater number of 50-point sections allowed the two Spaniards to step onto the Men Elite 20” podium (Conejos in second and Palau in third).

Men Elite 26": Carthy's demonstration and a British triple

Three Spanish athletes—Marti Vayreda, Daniel Barón (2022 UCI World Championship silver medalist), and Julen Saenz De Ormijana (2021 UCI World Championship silver medalist)—competed against three British riders in the Men Elite 26” final: Oliver Weightman, and the first two riders to start the final, Charlie Rolls (2024 UCI World Cup winner) and Jack Carthy (six-time UCI Elite World Champion and reigning titleholder).

Weightman, Saenz De Ormijana, Rolls, and Carthy all scored 60 points in the first section, setting the tone for a high-quality and very tight competition.

Weightman, Rolls, and Carthy again earned 60 points in the second section, forming a British trio, before Rolls and Carthy also completed the third section flawlessly.

While Rolls reached 50 points in the fourth section, Carthy was the only rider to achieve a perfect score, leading into the final section. And when Rolls scored 20 points in the final phase of the competition, Carthy responded with 30 points, repeating his 2022 victory in Abu Dhabi. The Briton secured his seventh historic UCI World Champion title in the Men Elite 26” category, which is a fourth consecutive title and an unprecedented achievement in this category.

Carthy finished with 270 points, Rolls took the silver with 250 points, and Weightman earned the bronze with 230 points.

The trial finals preceded the BMX Freestyle finals (Park and Flatland), the last events on the programme of the 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships.