YongPyong (South Korea). The 2026 UCI XCO World Series season opened under torrential rain. The first Elite Men’s Olympic Cross-Country race quickly turned into an extreme cyclocross-style battle: deep mud, running sections, and conditions that made the race brutally demanding. A scenario that highlighted the talent and technical skills of our Filippo Fontana, who delivered an impressive sixth-place finish, the best result among the Italian riders.
While Switzerland’s Dario Lillo claimed victory, Filippo Fontana (C.S. Carabinieri Olympia) put on a performance that lit up the day for Team Italy.
Starting from the back of the pack, Filippo also had to deal with a moment of hesitation in the rock garden, where he was forced to dismount and lost valuable ground. From that point on, however, the rider from Fregona shifted gears and became one of the standout performers of this UCI World Series round.
With a steady, technically flawless comeback driven by determination, the leading athlete of the CS Carabinieri Cicli Olympia gained positions lap after lap on a course made increasingly treacherous by the rain. In the final stages, he overtook Switzerland’s Püntener and came close to breaking into the top 5, with the two French riders ahead within reach.
Fontana crossed the line in 6th place with a time of 1:27:54. A specialist in harsh weather conditions thanks to his strong cyclocross background, he once again proved to be one of the most complete and consistent riders on the international scene.
Positive news also came from the national stage: at the Bike Marathon in Riva del Garda, Claudia Peretti secured third place, while Jacopo Billi finished eighth.
Photo: Radel Kasik.
