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American Vibes and Next Level in Lake Placid

Oct 10, 2025 | News | 0 comments

Fueled by the energy of all the American fans, Fabio Püntener finished 6th in his first World Cup with the team. Bjorn Riley delivered an impressive performance on home soil, finishing 14th, while Emilly Johnston put in a strong ride to take 22nd. Here’s a quick recap of how things went down in Lake Placid.

Lake Placid, United States. The first race without Nino felt special. Unfortunately, Filippo Colombo is still missing from the team after the concussion he suffered in Lenzerheide, and he won’t be able to race next weekend in Mont-Sainte-Anne either. The team delivered strong performances on a super-fast course in Lake Placid, where temperatures climbed to around 30 degrees. For the first time this season, we saw Bjorn Riley back in the game, battling for a top 10 until the very end and ultimately crossing the line in 14th in Sunday’s XCO. Meanwhile, the newest addition to the team, Fabio Püntener, secured an excellent 6th place.

In the XCC, Emilly Johnston was chasing the pack from the very first lap and did an excellent job! Finishing 24th, she secured her third-row start for Sunday’s XCO for the first time. Fabio Püntener was dealing with a slight cold but still managed to bring home a solid 27th place and some important points for the World Cup overall.
The course had been slightly modified compared to last year’s edition, challenging the riders with its demanding layout and fast descents. The team lined up for Sunday’s XCO full of motivation and delivered a weekend defined by grit, progress, and promising performances.
The first World Cup weekend with the SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team and already a solid race from Fabio Püntener. The current leader of the UCI World Ranking stayed with the lead group throughout the race, fighting for victory until the final lap, when the leading group pulled away. After recent health issues, Fabio played it smart, pacing himself and staying in contention. He gave everything on the final lap, narrowly missing the podium and crossing the line in 6th, just a few seconds behind.
“I didn’t trust my body enough in the last lap after feeling a bit under the weather the past few days. Still, it was a great start with the team! My form is great, and I’m ready and still hungry for Mont-Sainte-Anne”

Fabio Püntener
Leader UCI World Ranking
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

What a ride from Bjorn! His best-ever World Cup finish with an impressive 14th place. He kept a steady pace throughout — super fast on the descents and confident on the climbs. After some health issues earlier in the season, it looks like his confidence is back and he’s ready to fight for the top spots in the elite field.
“This weekend’s race in front of the home crowd was one to remember. The fans’ energy lifted me every step of the way and helped me steadily work my way up through the race. I’m proud of the performance, thankful for all the support, and excited to build on this progress. Looking ahead with optimism — hoping to be on the XCC start line next weekend!”

Bjorn Riley
US National Champion
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team

Emilly Johnston rode a consistent race in the top 20, fighting to match her best-ever World Cup result with another 18th place, as she did previously in Pal Arinsal. She kept a steady pace throughout, gaining ground lap after lap. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to maintain that pace until the end of the final lap, finishing in a solid 22nd place. Her form looks strong heading into the last World Cup on home soil in Canada next weekend.
Andri Frischknecht wasn’t in the mix for the top positions, crossing the line in 50th place after a hard-fought race in the American dust. The focus now shifts to recovery and the final World Cup of the season next weekend in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada.