Men’s results - UEC Mountain Bike Eliminator European Championships - Gibraltar
1. Jakob Klemencic (SLO)
2. Lorenzo Serres (FRA)
3. Matic Kranjec Zagar (SLO)
4. Jeroen van Eck (NED)
5. Theo Hauser (AUT)
European glory for Jakob Klemencic and Gaia Tormena in Gibraltar
Right at the southern edge of Europe, near the iconic lighthouse, the 2025 UEC Mountain Bike Eliminator European Championships delivered another thrilling spectacle.
The fast course may have looked smooth, but strong coastal winds added a tactical twist, testing riders both physically and mentally and leading to several nail-biting sprint finishes in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. In the end, Slovenia’s Jakob Klemencic and Italy’s Gaia Tormena delivered outstanding performances to each claim another European Champion title.
Klemencic takes another European title
All eyes were on Sweden’s Edvin Lindh, the fastest man in qualifying. But not this time. A flat tire forced the UCI World Champion to settle for 16th, though he still advanced and managed to fight through the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The fight for qualifying spots in the heats was intense. Both Sweden’s Lindh and Simon Gegenheimer from Germany appeared to have things under control while leading their semi-final heat, but underestimated Lorenzo Serres and Matic Kranjec Žagar. In a dramatic twist, the two favourites were eliminated and had to settle for the small final.
The line-up for the grand finale promised fireworks: former European Champions Jeroen van Eck and Jakob Klemencic, multiple medalist Lorenzo Serres, and Slovenia’s rising Eliminator star Matic Kranjec Žagar. But luck wasn’t on Van Eck’s side; a broken rear wheel on a jump ended his chances, leaving him in fourth. Out front, Klemencic and Serres went head-to-head in a thrilling sprint to the line, with Klemencic holding off the Frenchman to reclaim the European crown. Kranjec Žagar rounded out the podium with another medal for Slovenia. The defending European Champion Theo Hauser missed out on a spot in the big final but went on to win the small final, securing fifth overall.
Gaia Tormena extends her reign with a seventh consecutive European title
In the women’s qualifying time trials, it was the Czech Republic’s Adéla Pernická who set the benchmark, clocking the fastest time ahead of Italy’s defending European Champion Gaia Tormena and Germany’s Marion Fromberger. Pernická carried her strong pace through the heats and secured her place in the big final with confidence. Tormena, returning to form after a long period of illness, looked sharper with every round, while German champion Fromberger was another rider to watch. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue forced Fromberger to run part of her heat, costing her a spot in the big final. She bounced back impressively to win the small final and finish fifth overall.
Four riders went head-to-head for the European title: Adéla Pernická, Gaia Tormena, UCI World Champion Mariia Sukhopalova, and Cyprus’s Constantina Georgiou. Pernická got off to a fast start, but Tormena quickly took control through the opening corners of the final. Sukhopalova stayed close behind, pushing hard all the way to the line, where she outsprinted Pernická in a close finish to take silver. Tormena crossed the line first to secure her seventh European title, a remarkable comeback after a challenging season. Georgiou delivered another strong performance to take fourth, adding yet another top result for Cyprus.
Finish line quotes
“It feels amazing to grab the European title again! The level was so high this year, which makes this win even more special. The course was super challenging with the wind, and I’m so proud to bring the jersey back to Slovenia. It’s an incredible feeling, and I can’t wait to wear it again next season!” – Jakob Klemencic
“This season wasn’t the easiest for me, so I’m really proud to finish it off by taking the European title. Every win is special in its own way, but this one challenged me differently, and that makes this seventh European Championships title feel even more meaningful. I knew the course from last year, it was fast again, but I’m happy that everything came together perfectly today!” – Gaia Tormena
Women’s results - UEC Mountain Bike Eliminator European Championships - Gibraltar
1. Gaia Tormena (ITA)
2. Mariia Sukhopalova (UKR)
3. Adela Pernicka (CZE)
4. Constantina Georgiou (CYP)
5. Marion Fromberger (GER)
