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UCI Urban Cycling World Championships get under way in Abu Dhabi

Spain win the mixed team event in trials

The 2024 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships kicked off in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday with Spain, France, and Germany taking home the medals in the mixed team trials event. The event is running from December 17 to 22 in Abu Dhabi.

The action began in a newly constructed arena, featuring five purpose-built sections. A total of 37 riders from eight nations – Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Czechia, Italy, and Slovakia – tackled five very different sections under the warm sun on Abu Dhabi’s iconic Corniche beach.

Each nation fielded a team of at least three riders, who could race in any order their team chose.

Spain emerged victorious, claiming their sixth consecutive win in the mixed team trials. The nation showcased the depth and talent of their riders, though the victory came after a fierce and closely contested battle. Spain was one of six nations that fielded the maximum of five riders – one for each section, with Slovakia and Italy fielding fewer riders (four and three, respectively).

Spain's team included Men Junior 26” rider Ferran Gonzalo Vaquer, 2021 UCI World Champion Vera Barón, Men Elite 20” Eloi Palau Pinyana (the 2022 UCI World Champion), 18-year-old Men Junior 20” Victor Perez Zamora, and Julen Sáenz de Ormijana, the 2021 UCI Trials World Championships silver medalist in Vic, Catalonia (Spain).

After three sections, the standings were extremely tight, with Spain and Italy both on 510 points, closely followed by France with 500 points.

In the final section, Germany and France were tied with 730 points - after an uncharacteristic zero score from six-times UCI World Champion Nina Reichenbach, while Switzerland had 640, leaving Spain to finish their run.

Sáenz de Ormijana sealed the victory for Spain with a steady performance, scoring 200 points across the five sections to bring his team total to 800.

France’s Robin Berchiatti (Men Elite 20’’) scored 40 points in each section, bringing his team to a total of 790 points, with solid contributions from Nathan Charra (Men Elite 26’’), Guillaume Camus (Men Junior 20’’) and Roman Salaun (Men Junior 26’’), securing second place.

Germany finished in third with 730 points, thanks to standout performances from Oliver Widmann (Men Elite 26’’) and Jonas Friedrich (Men Elite 20’’).

The mixed team trials event provided riders with valuable course experience ahead of the individual battles for the coveted rainbow jerseys in the coming days. In terms of form, Germany’s Nina Reichenbach scored 120 points, edging out Spain's Vera Barón (110), while France's Nina Vabre scored 90 points.

The Women Elite and Men Elite finals in trials will be held on Saturday, December 21, following qualification rounds on Wednesday and Thursday. The next rainbow jerseys in trials will be awarded in the Men Junior categories on Friday, December 20.