The 2026 UEC Granfondo European Championships got off to a spectacular start in Varese, Italy, with a sold-out individual time trial and a record field competing for the first European titles of the weekend.
The opening race was contested over a fast 22-kilometre course, with riders battling for honours across 22 different age categories. At the end of the day, 12 men and ten women were crowned UEC Granfondo European time trial champions.
The fastest performance of the day came from Austrian World Champion Daniel Hochstrasser. Competing in the Men 35-39 category, Hochstrasser completed the course in 27:12.19, recording an impressive average speed of 48.52 km/h. He finished just over one second ahead of Germany’s Julian Braun, the winner of the Men 19-34 category.
Polish World Champion Ewelina Wołos set the fastest women’s time. The Women 35-39 winner stopped the clock at 31:35.39, averaging 41.79 km/h. Great Britain’s Jessica Disley finished only seven seconds behind her, while Aurore Pauchet of France claimed the Women 19-34 European title with the third-fastest women’s time overall.
Among the other standout performances, former multiple World Champion Jeannie Longo added another major title to her extensive palmarès by winning the Women 65-69 category for France. At the opposite end of the age spectrum, France’s Marcel Éve became European champion in the Men 85-89 category.
The sold-out time trial underlined the continued growth of granfondo racing in Europe and provided a high-speed opening to a record-breaking championship weekend in Varese.
2026 UEC Granfondo European time trial champions
Women
- Women 19-34: Aurore Pauchet (FRA), 32:17.72
- Women 35-39: Ewelina Wołos (POL), 31:35.39
- Women 40-44: Alina Mylka (POL), 32:20.19
- Women 45-49: Simone Steffen (SUI), 33:42.92
- Women 50-54: Jutta Stienen (SUI), 33:23.90
- Women 55-59: Marijke De Smedt (BEL), 33:44.51
- Women 60-64: Olga Cappiello (ITA), 35:21.79
- Women 65-69: Jeannie Longo (FRA), 35:16.34
- Women 70-74: Deborah Sheridan (GBR), 41:09.22
- Women 75-79: Margaret Docking (GBR), 46:47.54
Men
- Men 19-34: Julian Braun (GER), 27:13.61
- Men 35-39: Daniel Hochstrasser (AUT), 27:12.19
- Men 40-44: Loureiro Helder (POR), 27:52.46
- Men 45-49: Reidar Bohlin Borgersen (NOR), 27:51.68
- Men 50-54: Ivan Alfonso Bufalino Maranella (ITA), 28:12.76
- Men 55-59: Jose Maria Olivés Parals (ESP), 29:46.76
- Men 60-64: Maurizio Sacchet (ITA), 31:07.79
- Men 65-69: Felix Widmer (SUI), 31:56.60
- Men 70-74: Frank Aadland (NOR), 32:46.22
- Men 75-79: Christian Boeuve (FRA), 34:07.18
- Men 80-84: Claude Janus (FRA), 48:15.02
- Men 85-89: Marcel Éve (FRA), 40:25.30
