Melgaço, Portugal – All-round cycling superstar Tom Pidcock reaffirmed his dominance in mountain biking by claiming his second European XCO title on Sunday in Portugal.
The men’s race started at a furious pace on a hot, technical course. Pidcock, who chose to skip this year’s Tour de France to focus on MTB, rode a smart opening lap, working his way into the top 10 by lap two. Midway through the nine-lap race he surged past compatriot Charlie Aldridge, then controlled the pace from the front to cross the line in 1:21:02. Aldridge took a brilliant silver at 36 seconds, while Denmark’s Simon Andreassen, the 2024 European XCC champion, secured a well-deserved bronze.
Pidcock’s victory adds another prestigious title to an already glittering palmarès that includes Olympic golds (2020 and Paris 2024), the 2023 World title, the 2022 European title, a cyclo-cross World Championship and victories in major Spring Classics on the road. After riding the Spring Classics and finishing 16th in his team’s debut Giro d’Italia earlier this year, the Briton has shifted his focus back to mountain biking – a decision that is paying off handsomely, especially after his World Cup win in Andorra just two weeks ago.
The women’s race saw a dominant performance from Jenny Rissveds of Sweden, who completed a golden double by following up her XCC victory with a commanding win in XCO. Britain’s Evie Richards produced a strong ride for silver, while Switzerland’s Nicole Koller rounded out the podium with bronze.
These 2025 European MTB Championships confirmed Britain as a powerhouse in mountain biking, with Pidcock and Richards starring on a demanding course in Portugal.
Tags: mtb, xco, mountainbike, europeans, tom pidcock, charlie aldridge, simon andreassen, evie richards, jenny rissveds, cycling
