The Majestics opened on Friday 10 July with its mountain time trial from Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland, the first of three days of racing in the Vaud Alps and the final UCI Gran Fondo World Championships qualifier before the 2026 World Championships in Niseko, Japan, at the end of August.
19 year-old Belgian Jort Dockx (Club Ciclista Padronés – Cortizo) set the fastest overall time, stopping the clock in 00:19:11 to top the field. Switzerland’s Michael Nydegger (Disco Cycle Club) finished 36 seconds back, while fellow Swiss rider Eric Rüttimann (RV Altenrhein) was 48 seconds down in third. Frenchman Enzo Felice and Switzerland’s Joël Karlen rounded out the top five.
The short, punchy course likely favoured a fresh-legged climber. The timed ascent follows the Col de la Croix out of Villars, covering roughly 7.4 kilometres and gaining 440 metres at an average gradient of 6.2 percent. It is an explosive effort rather than a long grind, explaining why the fastest riders finished in under 20 minutes.
In the women’s field, Germany’s Ilsa Beig (Team Bernshausen by Kirchmair Coaching) was fastest overall, clocking 00:23:48. Ethiopia’s Gebru Eyeru Tesfoam was second fastest, 50 seconds back, with Canadian Isabelle Chaput third, 1 minute 21 seconds down. France’s reigning UCI Gran Fondo World Champion, Gwenaëlle Legendre, finished sixth, over seven minutes behind.
Saturday 11 July brought the 150 km Gran Fondo showcase route over the Col de la Croix, Col du Pillon, Saanen, Montbovon, Col des Mosses and La Forclaz — and it was Friday’s time trial winner, Jort Dockx, who completed the double. The Belgian teenager crossed the line in 04:35:32, averaging 32.67 km/h over the demanding alpine route, with Poland’s Artur Sowinski (HS Cycling Team) second, 2 minutes 41 seconds back, and France’s Adrien Guillonnet (Team Materiel-Velo.com) third, 4 minutes 47 seconds down.
In the women’s race, Germany’s Brigitte Filensky (RSV Atterbiker) took overall victory in 05:26:51, well clear of Poland’s Marharyta Laktsevich (Le Camp de Base 1850) who was 55 minutes 22 seconds back. Friday’s time trial winner Ilsa Beig (Germany, Team Bernshausen by Kirchmair Coaching) rounded out the women’s podium in third, 1 hour 12 minutes 24 seconds behind Dockx.
In the shorter Medio Fondo event, Switzerland’s Christoph Friedli (Disco Cycle Cycle Club) took the men’s win in 03:02:01, while Ethiopia’s Gebru Eyeru Tesfoam (Team Buffaz Gestion de Patrimoine) once again stepped onto the women’s podium with a winning time of 03:27:35.
Riders are racing to qualify for the Niseko World Championships by finishing in the top 25 percent of their age category. As with any UCI-sanctioned qualifier, competitors remain subject to World Anti-Doping Agency testing protocols, a reminder that has grown more significant across the gran fondo scene following several high-profile cases this year.
The Majesties’ UCI Gravel World Championships qualifying race on Sunday will also be covered separately.
Photo Credit: The Majestics
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