Ex-Olympic champion Rissveds overcomes depression to win world mountain bike gold

English Woman's Journal - Ex-Olympic champion Rissveds overcomes depression to win world mountain bike gold

SPORTS 13.09.2025

Ex-Olympic champion Rissveds overcomes depression to win world mountain bike gold / Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI - AFP

Sweden's Jenny Rissveds, who won the Rio Olympics mountain bike gold before falling into depression, hit the top again Saturday by claiming her first world cross-country title at Crans Montana.

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Rissveds led the race from the first of eight circuits, eventually winning by an 18sec margin on New Zealand's Samara Maxwell. Swiss rider Alessandra Keller was third almost a minute down.

Defending champion Puck Pieterse of the Netherlands could only finish sixth.

The 31-year-old Rissveds had taken time out from the sport after suffering from depression and an eating disorder.

At the Paris Games last year she managed third as home hope Pauline Ferrand-Prevot took the gold.

Earlier in 2025 she won the European cross-country title in Portugal before taking Saturday's world crown too.

On Sunday, Dutch cross-discipline rider Mathieu van der Poel will target his first world mountain bike title after winning world gold in the road and cyclo-cross events.

P.Mitchell--EWJ

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English Woman's Journal - Ex-Olympic champion Rissveds overcomes depression to win world mountain bike gold