Indergand was hoping to lead a Swiss charge in the Czech Republic having topped the podium at last year’s event, with the 22-year-old easing into the semi-final stage of the competition.

After finishing in the top two positions in the semi-final, Indergand move closer to successfully defending her title, with her team-mates Kathrin Stirnemann and Ramona Forchini also advancing.

Norway’s Ingrid Boe Jacobsen, the silver medallist from 2015, proved outnumbered by the Swiss cyclists in the four-woman final and eventually missed out on securing a podium finish.

Indergand broke clear in the closing stages and had time to celebrate claiming gold, with Stirnemann and Forchini claiming silver and bronze respectively as Switzerland swept the podium.

In the men’s competition Federspiel was able to replicate Indergand’s feat of defending a world title, with the Austrian holding off the challenge of Germany’s Simon Gegenheimer in the final.

Bronze was earned by Fabrice Mels, with Sweden’s Emil Linde narrowly missing out on a medal in the event, which features short courses containing several obstacles.

The team relay is scheduled to take place tomorrow before junior cross-country races come to the fore on Friday (July 1).

Attention will then turn to the elite women’s cross-country race the following day, with the men’s competition rounding off the Championships on Sunday (July 3).