CABIROU

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports and Monster Energy are proud to announce a new long-term partnership for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.Monster Energy becomes a main partner of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, taking on the role of Official Energy Drink partner. As part of the agreement, the global energy drink giant will join WBD Sports onsite at all 14 events, bringing fresh energy and engagement to fan activations, enhancing the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series experience both trackside and on broadcast.The partnership builds on Monster Energy’s longstanding commitment to mountain bike, having supported some of the sport’s most iconic athletes since the brand’s inception, including Sam Hill, Steve Peat and Brendan Fairclough. During the 2025 season, several UCI Downhill World Cup podium finishers were Monster Energy athletes, including Amaury Pierron, Marine Cabirou, Loris Vergier, Luca Shaw, Thibaut Dapréla and Troy Brosnan. This agreement will further amplify Monster Energy’s presence at mountain bike events and support WBD Sports’ mission to grow the sport globally.Beyond mountain bike, Monster Energy has firmly established itself within the wider cycling world, driven by its investment in athlete development programs, including Freestyle BMX.Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Monster Energy as a main partner for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Securing a brand of Monster Energy’s reputation is a testament to the passion and dedication our teams have demonstrated since assuming the organisational and promotional aspects of the series. The team at Monster Energy has exciting plans for the forthcoming season and beyond, and we look forward to working closely with them to bring this new partnership to life.Daniel McHugh, Chief Marketing Officer at Monster Energy, said: “Mountain bike is one of the most progressive and exciting disciplines in global sport, and the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series represents the very pinnacle of competition. Monster Energy has a long history of supporting athletes and events that push limits and inspire fans, and we’re proud to partner with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports to elevate the experience for riders and audiences worldwide. We’re excited to bring our energy, creativity, and passion for the sport to every stop on the series.” Cody Dresser, Vice President of Action Sports at Monster Energy, said: “Mountain bike has always been part of Monster Energy’s DNA. The riders, the culture, and the fans share the same spirit that drives everything we do, pushing limits, taking risks, and elevating what’s possible. Partnering with the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series gives us an incredible platform to support the sport at every level. Fans can expect an elevated presence from Monster Energy throughout the 2026 season, with dynamic on-site activations that celebrate the athletes and bring the passion of the sport directly to fans around the world.”In 2025, WBD Sports drove the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series to new records across broadcast, digital and social platforms, and on-site fan attendance. Building on these strong foundations, the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series aims to deliver another record-breaking season across all four formats.The 2026 season kicks off on May 1 with the Race of South Korea – marking the return of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to the Asian continent for the first time in 25 years.

In a flashback from the past and indicator of what could be to come, Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) set the fastest times in Downhill qualifying on the Enduro Trails of Bielsko-Biała. Höll and Bruni were the dominant forces in the 2024 UCI Downhill World Cup season, and showed they are ready to fight for glory again with strong performances at the start of the opening weekend of the campaign. Höll produced a stirring finish in Women's Downhill Q1. The Austrian found herself in third after the opening split, as Tahnee Seagrave (Orbea / FMD Racing) set the pace. British rider Seagrave held sway after the first three splits, but defending UCI Downhill World Cup champion Höll found pace between the third and fourth timing checks. After taking the lead at the fourth split, Höll powered away to cross the line in a winning time of 3:39.203. Seagrave crossed the line in second, 1.566 behind Höll. Harriet Harnden (AON Racing - Tourne Campervans), switching from Enduro to Downhill, made it a two-three for Britain, as she came home in a time of 3:41.290 for third place. Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was the winner at Bielsko-Biała 12 months ago, and she took sixth place behind Höll. Of the 32 starters, there was only one DNF at the Szczyrk Mountain Resort in southern Poland, with Jolanda Kiener failing to get to the fourth split. BRUNI MAKES STATEMENT OF INTENT Men’s 2024 UCI Downhill World Cup champion Bruni threw down an early marker with victory in Q1. The French rider was only ninth at the first split but made relentless progress. He hit the front at the third split, only for his fellow French rider Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) to go faster at the fourth split. Pierron had an issue on the run to the finish, coming home in 79th, as Bruni stopped the clock in a time of 3:08.648. Oliver Davis of Trek Factory Racing DH took second, 1.359 behind Bruni, with Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) completing the top three. After his issue in Q1, Pierron had to push hard in Q2 to qualify for Sunday's final. He came home in fifth in Q2 to advance to the finals. Like Amaury Pierron, several top riders who didn’t make it through Q1 were back on track for Q2, where they had to push hard to earn their place in Sunday’s finals — making for an incredibly exciting and high-stakes qualifying session. JUNIOR QUALIFYING In the Junior Qualifying, Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) topped the Women’s Qualifying, while France's Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction), the 2024 overall series winner, set the pace in the Men's Qualifying. The UCI Downhill World Cup finals in Bielsko-Biała take place on Sunday, May 18, with Junior racing kicking off at 11:30 CET, followed by the Elite Men and Women finals. Fans around the world can tune in live: both the Men’s and Women’s Junior UCI Downhill World Cup races will be streamed on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel. To find out where to watch the Elite finals in your region, click here.

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has already witnessed the opening rounds of the cross-country and enduro formats, with three race weekends full of nail-biting, unpredictable racing in Araxá – Minas Gerais (Brazil) and Pietra Ligure, Finale Outdoor Region (Italy). This weekend, downhill joins the action alongside the second round of the UCI Enduro World Cup in the Enduro Trails of Bielsko-Biała (Poland), and fans can expect more of the same in the gravity-fuelled formats. A MODERN CLASSIC The Beskid Mountains venue in southern Poland hosted rounds of the UCI Downhill World Cup and UCI Enduro World Cup for the first time last year, and instantly became a modern classic. Its Enduro Trails network was already renowned in this corner of Europe for its steep, technical and natural terrain, while its new downhill course delivered on its pro debut with its blend of jumps, technical features and wood sections. Riders were also treated to a warm welcome from the thriving local mountain bike community, with passionate Polish fans stationed on every jump, berm, rock garden and drop. The downhill course is broadly the same, while the UCI Enduro World Cup features a new stage from last year – the final 2.31km Stary Zielony – with the remaining stages reshuffled in order. In total, athletes will take on five stages during a 37km course featuring 1,320m pedal ascent (and 440m gondola) and 1,609m of descent. FIRST-ROUND FORM FINDER The opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup is always difficult to predict, with riders coming off a long off-season that could have included a switch in team and bike set-up, recovery from injury or operation, or simply seven months without racing. Reigning overall series champions Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Valentina Höll (YT Mob) will line up as favourites with points to prove – both having missed out on the top spot last year in Bielsko-Biała. But Bruni and Höll face stiff competition from a chasing pack of riders that’s more competitive than ever. For Höll, Harriet Harnden (AON Racing - Tourne Campervans) is the most intriguing opposition in Poland. The reigning UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner has switched formats for 2025 and is focusing on downhill, but still found time to dominate the first UCI Enduro World Cup round of the season in Pietra Ligure, Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) last weekend. Other likely challengers for Höll include last year’s victor in Bielsko-Biała, Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing). Bruni meanwhile hasn’t gone between the race tape since Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) last October, but few would bet against the Frenchman being in contention for the win on Sunday. Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing) was the only rider to get the better of Super Bruni in Poland last year, but a resurgent Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction), format-switcher Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) and wildcard qualifier Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) could all stand between the Frenchman and the top spot this time out. A POTENTIAL HOME WINNER Before Sunday’s Downhill final, there’s the small matter of the second UCI Enduro World Cup to be decided on Saturday. Slawomir Lukasik’s (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) wait for a debut win goes on – the Pole missing out by an agonising 0.374 seconds to Daniel Booker in Pietra Ligure, Finale Outdoor Region – but he will be hoping home advantage can help give him the edge in the Beskid Mountains. Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) spoiled the Polish party in 2024, but with Richie Rude focused on downhill, that’s one less challenger for Lukasik to contend with. In the women’s field, there will definitely be a different winner from last year – Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) having retired from full-time racing at the end of 2024. With first-round winner Harriet Harnden also switching formats to downhill in Poland, the competition is wide open. Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) has UCI World Cup-winning experience on her side, but Ella Conolly showed consistency in Pietra Ligure to put herself into contention, while fourth-placed finisher Raphaela Richter was the only rider other than Harnden to win a stage in Enduro’s heartlands. Racing gets underway in Enduro Trails Bielsko-Biała on Saturday with the UCI Enduro World Cup – full schedule and events details are available here.