Germany celebrates: Erik Riss is long-track world champion for the third time

The Long Track World Championships have come to a close, and Erik Riss has secured his third world title. The 31-year-old got off to a flying start in Marmande, winning his first two heats with ease. Although he dropped a point to a rampant Chris Harris, the Swabian set himself on course for direct qualification for the final with another heat victory. However, this attempt failed: in Heat 19, Riss started only third, but with a strong manoeuvre on the inside, he overtook Dave Meijerink and Anthony Chauffour to take the lead. He pulled away unstoppably, but rolled to a halt in the second lap due to a technical fault. As Lukas Fienhage won the final heat ahead of Harris, Riss dropped to fourth place in the provisional standings after the heats and had to enter the last-chance races, whilst Meijerink, Harris and Fienhage had secured their places in the final.

Reaching the final secured the World Championship title for Erik Riss

Riss navigated the detour via the last-chance heat with ease; his victory ahead of Kenneth Kruse Hansen – who was subsequently disqualified for leaving the track – meant that the title was now his to keep. In the second Last-Chance heat, Jesse Mustonen triumphed after a tough battle with Zach Wajtknecht. As a result, the 2025 title holder missed out on the final and also on a World Championship medal.

With the World Championship title already secured, Riss let Harris and Meijerink pull away in the final. Harris had taken the lead from the inside starting position ahead of Meijerink; after fending off an initial attack from the Dutchman, the Englishman pulled away. His victory in Marmande earned him 26 World Championship points, catapulting him ahead of Lukas Fienhage and Zach Wajtknecht in the final standings. As there is no longer a play-off for silver or bronze in the event of a tie on points, the stage win in Marmande was the decisive factor in Lukas Fienhage finishing without a medal.

Die Top-3 der Welt (v.l.): Erik Riss, David Meijerink und Chris Harris

Foto: fim

The Finn Tero Aarnio and the Dutchman Mika Meijer also secured places in the top eight, guaranteeing them a World Championship spot next year. In doing so, they displaced Patrick Kruse and William Kruit, who finished outside the top ten in Marmande.

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With his third World Championship title on the long track – following those in 2014 and 2016 – Riss drew level in the all-time medal table with the legendary Ivan Mauger, Egon Müller, Kelvin Tatum and Martin Smolinski.

Long-track World Championships results, Final 3, Marmande, France: