Sukhopalova & Klemencic strike again in a nail-biting Sakarya season opener

View this email in your browser Sukhopalova & Klemencic strike again in a nail-biting Sakarya season opener

Ukraine’s Mariia Sukhopalova and three-time European champion Jakob Klemencic stormed to victory after two nail-biting finals. The opening round of the UCI World Cup is always a tricky one, and Sakarya once again delivered the drama. Against the impressive backdrop of the Ayçiçeği Bisiklet Vadisi Stadium, riders faced a demanding course packed with natural obstacles and tactical sections that pushed them to the limit in every heat.

Mariia Sukhopalova finds redemption after European final heartbreak After missing out on last week’s final at the European Championships in Sakarya, Mariia Sukhopalova was determined not to let another chance slip away. She started the day in style by setting the fastest time in the women’s qualifiers. On the home soil of her team sponsor, Sukhopalova made the most of her opportunity. Among the other fast qualifiers were German champion Marion Fromberger and Dutch champion Didi de Vries, putting them among the favourites heading into the finals. Sukhopalova powered away from the start and took the lead, with De Vries following closely in second place. The battle was on. As the riders pushed through the second lap, Sukhopalova was still in front, but Fromberger gave it everything on the climb ahead of the rock garden descent. Fromberger was not going to let Sukhopalova take the win easily. She closed the gap with a strong move, while de Vries dropped back into third. In the final sprint, Fromberger came incredibly close, but Sukhopalova held on at the line to claim victory and the first leader’s jersey of the season. After missing the final last week, Didi de Vries bounced back strongly to take a satisfying third place. Fourth place went to European champion Adéla Pernická from the Czech Republic, who made her first appearance in the European champion’s jersey. France’s Madison Boissiere also made an impressive comeback after recovering from a crash at last year’s UCI World Championships in Sakarya, completing the top five after winning the small final.

Jakob Klemenčič on a roll one week after claiming the European title One week after the European Championships, Jakob Klemenčič delivered again. The Slovenian was the fastest in the men’s qualifiers and was once more the man to beat throughout the heats, marking another brilliant start to the season. His fellow Slovenian Matic Kranjec Zagar also looked strong, making it through the heats with confidence. In the final, Klemenčič had another powerful start, taking first position on the uphill. Romania’s Mate Szakacs was right on his wheel and refused to let go, while Austrian champion Theo Hauser made his move entering the second lap. Matic Kranjec Zagar was also closing in, but a mechanical issue ruled him out of the fight for the medals. Hauser came close to passing Klemenčič on the final descent, but the freshly crowned European champion left no room and pushed himself to the limit in yet another head-to-head sprint. Klemenčič crossed the line first, with Hauser taking second after an impressive ride. Romania’s Mate Szakacs secured a strong third place, while Matic Kranjec Zagar had to settle for fourth.

Finish line quotes “The story was so perfect. Last week, I made a huge mistake. Today, I tried a different tactic. To be honest, I didn’t believe in myself too much, but my coach and team supported me and told me last week was just a mistake. So I tried to enjoy it. It feels good to win here, in the home of so many friends and great memories, in the hometown of my team. I can’t think of anything more perfect.” – Mariia Sukhopalova “I feel amazing. At the beginning of the week, I felt a little sick, and even yesterday I didn’t feel my best, but this morning I felt good, and the legs felt great. I’m impressed by my performance and by my start to the season. I’m just happy. When I saw Theo in the last corner again, I was impressed by his performance and I had to go really deep. That also means he is really well prepared for this season, and I can’t wait for the next battle. For now, the goal is to defend the leader’s jersey and hopefully win the overall title.” – Jakob Klemenčič With a short break before the next round of the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup in Gdynia, Poland, riders now turn their focus to an adrenaline-filled course and the first-ever Eliminator World Cup in Poland, where the standings could shift once again in what is already shaping up to be an intense season. Men’s results – UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup Sakarya 1. Jakob Klemenčič (SLO)
2. Theo Hauser (AUT)
3. Mate Szakacs (ROU)
4. Matic Kranjec Zagar (SLO)
5. Dainis Bricis  Women’s results – UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup Sakarya 1. Mariia Sukhopalova (UKR)
2. Marion Fromberger (GER)
3. Didi de Vries (NED) 
4. Adéla Pernická (CZE)
5. Madison Boissiere (FRA) FULL RESULTS

Men’s UCI World Cup standings after Sakarya 1. Jakob Klemenčič (SLO) – 100 points
2. Theo Hauser (AUT) – 78 points
3. Mate Szakacs (ROU) – 70 points
4. Matic Kranjec Zagar (SLO) – 65 points
5. Dainis Bricis – 47 points Women’s UCI World Cup standings after Sakarya 1. Mariia Sukhopalova (UKR) – 100 points
2. Marion Fromberger (GER) – 85 points
3. Didi de Vries (NED) – 70 points
4. Adéla Pernická (CZE) – 53 points
5. Madison Boissiere (FRA) – 48 points FULL STANDINGS

Race report — 2026 UCI MTB XCE World Cup Sakarya (TUR) Official host of the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Championships, the UEC Mountain Bike Eliminator European Championships & the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup. Spectacular XCE races in city centers.



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