From July 30 to August 2, Monteceneri (Switzerland) will host the UEC European Mountain Bike Championships 2026, a continental event dedicated to Cross Country Olympic (XCO), Cross Country Short Track (XCC) and Team Relay (XCR) disciplines.

The continental championship will feature 350 athletes (Elite, Under 23 and Junior, men and women) from 33 nations competing for the European Champion jerseys in one of the most anticipated events of the international season.

Among the Elite men, the main protagonist will be local hero Filippo Colombo from Ticino, the reigning Swiss champion, determined to claim the European title in front of his home crowd. He will face competition from Frenchman Victor Koretzky, a multiple world champion and silver medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, British rider Charlie Aldridge, last year's European vice-champion, Danish Simon Andreassen, bronze medalist at the 2025 European Championships, and another Swiss favorite Mathias Flückiger, Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo 2020.

Great spectacle is also expected in the Elite women's race, with the spotlight on defending European champion Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) and Swiss rider Alessandra Keller, 2025 Short Track World Champion and reigning national Cross Country champion, who will race in front of her home crowd. Completing Switzerland's formidable squad will be Sina Frei, Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo 2020, and Nicole Koller.

There is also great interest in the youth categories. Among the Under 23 riders, Italian Valentina Corvi stands out as the reigning European champion and one of the discipline's brightest prospects.

The program will kick off on Thursday, July 30 with the Cross Country Short Track (XCC) races, continue on Friday, July 31 with the Team Relay, while Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 will see the Cross Country Olympic (XCO) titles awarded in the Junior, Under 23 and Elite categories.

Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme: "We are delighted to return to Monteceneri following the outstanding 2020 edition. Switzerland represents one of the cradles of European and world mountain biking, a nation that has written important chapters in the history of this discipline and continues to produce athletes of the highest level. Ticino, with its landscapes, its trails and its strong off-road culture, is the ideal setting to host a European Championship of this caliber. Mountain biking holds a central role in the UEC calendar and continues to grow year after year, both in terms of technical quality and public participation and interest. I am confident we will witness four days of world-class sport, with Europe's best athletes ready to deliver excitement and spectacle. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Organizing Committee, led by President Rocco Cattaneo and Event Director Claudio Casati, to Swiss Cycling and its President Luana Bergamin, to the local authorities and the numerous volunteers who, with passion, expertise and dedication, are working to make this event possible."