Mara Winter upsets WorldTour favorites to win U23 European road race title

Mara Winter of Switzerland pulled off a remarkable ride to crown herself European champion, winning the under-23 women’s road race at the 2026 European Championships. The Swiss rider secured the title after a tight finish against a high-quality four-woman group.

Winter was considered the underdog as she entered the final kilometer of the race. She was in the company of Slovakia's Viktória Chladoňová, who had been crowned the under-23 road race world champion just last week.

The leading group also featured two WorldTour riders representing the Netherlands, Nienke Vinke and Megan Arens. Despite facing these formidable opponents, Winter managed to overcome the favorites to claim the European crown.