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Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Alps, La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta welcomed the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series to the Italy–France border for a gruelling test of endurance. Making its debut on the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup calendar, the venue challenged riders with a compact yet explosive 714-metre course, featuring two steep ascents at 1,500 metres above sea level. Dry, dusty conditions and technical descents further amplified the challenge, setting the stage for a thrilling day of racing across all categories.Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) took his second Men’s Elite UCI XCC World Cup win of the season after overcoming fellow Frenchman Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) in a last lap tussle.In similar fashion, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) charged clear of challenger Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) to win her first Women’s Elite UCI XCC World Cup race of the season.Meanwhile, there were familiar names at the top of the under-23 podiums as Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) increased their overall leads. BOICHIS OVERCOMES CANNONDALE CHALLENGE TO TAKE VICTORY Adrien Boichis rose to the occasion in a thrilling battle with Cannondale Factory Racing duo Luca Martin and Charlie Aldridge. The race turned on the penultimate lap when Aldridge clipped wheels with his teammate and crashed, leaving Martin as Boichis’ sole remaining rival. Sensing his opportunity, the Frenchman unleashed a decisive attack on the final lap, breaking clear to secure the win.There was notable absentees on the starting line with Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) out with a fractured fibula suffered during a training ride and Martín Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) also failing to take the start after crashing in practice.The race exploded from the gun as the riders sprinted up the opening gravel climb determined to reach the first technical section in prime position. Aldridge won the dash to the front, forming part of a select group of seven riders that quickly opened a gap. Further back, overall series leader Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) saw his hopes dented when he crashed in the rock garden, conceding crucial seconds to the front group.Cannondale Factory Racing held the upper hand in the early stages, with Martin and Aldridge firmly established at the head of the race. The lead group swelled around the halfway mark as the chasing riders reeled them in, while Boichis and Aldridge exchanged blows in a thrilling contest for control. But La Thuile’s loose and unforgiving terrain continued to take its toll, with home hero Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) slipping out of contention after a costly mistake.The race’s defining moment came on the penultimate lap when Cannondale Factory Racing teammates tangled while attempting to contain Boichis’ relentless pressure, leaving Aldridge on the ground. With Martin now the sole Cannondale rider at the front, Boichis seized his opportunity, unleashing his final-lap attack. Aldridge fought back admirably to claim third, narrowly beating Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) to the final podium spot. Despite earlier crashes, both Azzaro and Avondetto recovered strongly to secure top-10 finishes and valuable points in the overall standings.Azzaro’s recovery to finish eighth ensured that he remains leader of the UCI XCC World Cup, just 55 points ahead of Boichis.Reflecting on his victory, the Frenchman said: “I don’t know why, but I just wanted to make it hard. It’s a beautiful place and a really nice track for Short Track. Luca [Martin] is in incredible form, and it was great to race against him. We’ve known each other for a long time, so to be up there battling together was something special.”RISSVEDS THRIVES ON NATURAL TRAILS WITH LATE CHARGEJenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) produced a perfectly timed late attack to deny Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and claim her first UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup victory of the season.The steep climbs and technical descents of La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta created a demanding test that quickly separated the strongest riders from the rest of the field. It was Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) who suffered the first setback of the race, unclipping on the opening lap and losing valuable positions. Meanwhile, the combination of a technical rock garden descent and a tight switchback climb immediately fractured the field, with six riders breaking clear on the opening lap.Fresh from her UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup victory in Lenzerheide, Rissveds set the pace at the front during the early stages. Behind her, Blöchlinger mounted an impressive recovery, using her climbing strength to fight her way back into contention.As the race intensified, Rissveds' relentless tempo and descending prowess began to take their toll. By the halfway point, the Swedish rider had reduced the lead group to just three riders, pulling clear alongside Frei and Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon).Not to be denied a place in the fight for the podium, Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) gradually worked her way back to the leaders and rejoined the front group. On the penultimate lap, Rissveds launched a fierce acceleration on the climb, with only Frei able to match her pace.The leading pair started the final lap with a seven-second advantage over the chasers. Frei struck first, attacking on the steep climb above the start area as the two rivals raced wheel-to-wheel. But Rissveds had the final word, producing a decisive move on the course’s steep switchback ascent. The reigning UCI XCC European Champion opened a small gap and held it all the way to the finish, taking victory ahead of Frei, while Blunk secured third place. Although disappointed to miss out on the win, Frei strengthened her grip on the overall standings and now holds a commanding 170-point lead after five rounds of the UCI XCC World Cup.Reflecting on her victory, Rissveds said: “It feels great. I really love it here. The surroundings are incredible and the course is so good. I really appreciate the natural trails, it’s proper mountain biking and that’s really cool. It’s also been great to see Sina [Frei] step up this season. She’s racing at an incredibly high level and it’s exciting to battle against riders who are that strong.” The Women’s Elite race also marked the welcome return of reigning UCI XCC World Champion Evie Richards (Trek – Unbroken XC), who was back in action after recovering from concussion and enjoyed an encouraging comeback with a top-10 finish. CORVI AND SCHEHL TAKE UNDER-23 WINS Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) gave the home fans plenty to celebrate by becoming the first rider to win a UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup race at La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta.Having already claimed three UCI World Cup victories this season, all in the Olympic discipline, the Italian arrived in La Thuile in outstanding form. Fresh from a runner-up finish in the XCC at Lenzerheide, Corvi carried that confidence onto home soil and quickly asserted herself at the front of the race.Taking the lead after eight minutes of racing, the Canyon XC Racing rider used the course’s demanding climbs to steadily build an advantage over her rivals. Even a mid-race mechanical failed to derail her charge. Staying composed, Corvi quickly re-established her lead before cruising to the finish line with a commanding 18-second margin of victory.Bloeme Kalis (KMC Nukeproof MTB Racing Team) chased hard but had to settle for second place, while Monique Halter (Thömus Akros – Youngstars) completed the podium in third. After five rounds, Corvi now leads the overall UCI XCC World Cup standings by 54 points.Reflecting on her victory, she said: “It was really hard. The track is super steep on the climbs, very physical, and the pace was really high today. I tried to stick to my own rhythm and realised I was gaining time on both the climbs and the descents. When I had a mechanical issue in the middle of the race, I stayed calm, got going again and focused on my own race. I’m super happy with how I felt today.”Meanwhile, Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) continued his dominance in the Men’s U23 category, securing a fourth consecutive UCI XCC World Cup victory with another commanding display.As has become a familiar storyline this season, Schehl was once again joined at the front by rival Thibaut François Baudry (Canyon XC Racing). The pair set the pace throughout the race before the German made his decisive move on the final lap. Showing his trademark power, Schehl opened a winning gap to take victory ahead of Baudry, while Nicolas Halter (Thömus Akros – Youngstars) rounded out the podium in third.The result further strengthened Schehl’s grip on the overall standings, extending his advantage to 115 points after five rounds.Following his victory, he said: “My plan was to stay at the front because of the dust, and I managed to do that from the start. I kept the pace high, but in a way that suited me. I felt strong throughout the race and started to increase the pace with three laps to go, hoping to catch everyone by surprise. I could see Thibaut [François Baudry] still on my wheel, so on the final lap I gave absolutely everything. It worked perfectly. I really enjoy racing against Thibaut and having that rivalry with him.”The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues at La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta on Saturday, when gravity riders take centre stage with the UCI Enduro World Cup and UCI Downhill World Cup. The endurance athletes return to action on Sunday for the venue’s first-ever UCI XCO World Cup. Discover the full schedule and where to watch here.

Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) and Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) will start last in tomorrow’s UCI Downhill World Cup finals after mastering the difficult downhill course in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta. Šimun Juras topped Men’s Junior qualification for the first time, while Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) is a familiar name at the top of the Women’s Junior leaderboard.The LTHell - La Thuile Hell downhill course was created especially for the UCI Downhill World Cup last year by track manager Enrico Martello and Swiss specialists Trailworks (whose work includes Bike Kingdom, Lenzerheide, Switzerland) and was tweaked slightly for the second edition.The longest course of the 2026 UCI Downhill World Cup season is a steep, technical challenge that puts riders’ skills to the test from start to finish. Stretching 2.3 kilometres and plunging 641 metres in elevation with an average gradient of -27%, the track descends into the high-altitude alpine resort town of La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta, framed by some of the most breathtaking scenery on the circuit.WILLIAMS GOES QUICKEST IN SEARCH OF LONG-AWAITED WINJordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) secured the fastest time for the second time this season on the formidable LTHell – La Thuile Hell track. Having already led qualifying in Loudenvielle–Peyragudes (France) earlier this year before claiming third place in the final, the Briton stopped the clock at 3:30.765, a mark that remained untouched throughout the remainder of the session. Remarkably, Williams believed he had left time on the mountain, underlining both his confidence and pace on one of the toughest tracks of the year. He will be searching for the second UCI Downhill World Cup victory of his career in tomorrow’s finals – his last coming on his elite debut at Lenzerheide in 2023.Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) stood on the top step 12 months ago in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta and hoped to be back on form this weekend. The UCI Downhill World Champion felt more himself and comfortable on the bike as he sailed through Q1 in third position.Surprise of the session came from privateer Angel Suárez Alonso who was a second quicker than Williams through the second sector. The 30-year-old lost time in the bottom sector to finish second in Q1, just two hundredths of a second behind Williams.Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) is bidding for a third consecutive UCI Downhill World Cup victory at La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta. However, the Canadian will have a long wait in finals after edging through Q1 in 17th position.Overall series contenders Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) and Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) also have time to find in finals after progressing through Q1 in fifth and 13th position respectively.Michael Delesalle (Frameworks Racing/TRP) won Q2 in 3:31.614, ahead of Tyler Waite (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) and Bode Burke (Crestline Speed Shop).Max Alran (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) also had to take the long route to the finals, booking his place through Q2 after failing to progress at the first attempt. The Frenchman was one of the high-profile riders caught up in a fiercely contested qualifying session, but others were less fortunate. Dylan Maples (Pivot Factory Racing), Oliver Davis (Trek – Unbroken DH) and Aaron Gwin (Frameworks Racing / TRP) were among the notable names to miss out on a place in tomorrow’s finals.HÖLL CONQUERS QUALIFYING AS RIVALS FAULTERValentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orress) won qualifying for the second time this season and will start last for tomorrow’s finals. The Austrian suffered a small crash two weeks ago in Lenzerheide resulting in a 10th place finish, putting to an end her perfect start to the season.Despite leaving some time on the top section of the course, Höll flew down the steep wooded section and pulled over a second out on her rivals. The UCI Downhill World Champion had time to be cautious in the bottom section as she posted the fastest time in Q1 of 4:03.270.It was a great Women’s Elite Q1 session for Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres as Swiss rider Lisa Baumann pushed her team-mate close for top spot. She finished a career-best runner-up two weeks ago in Lenzerheide and will be dreaming of her first UCI Downhill World Cup win tomorrow after finishing just six tenths of a second behind her teammate.Last year’s La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta winner Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) finished third fastest in Q1 but could have more to give in tomorrow’s finals.After failing to make finals two weeks ago, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco X adidas Race Division) made no mistake on the difficult course and placed fourth in qualification. Gloria Scarsi (MS Racing) continued her consistent season by placing sixth, while Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) was also amongst the Q1 qualifiers.Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP), who claimed her maiden UCI World Cup victory in Lenzerheide two weeks ago, will not feature in tomorrow’s finals after a disappointing qualifying day. The American failed to finish her Q1 run and was unable to recover in Q2, where she finished outside the top five required to progress. Newkirk was not the only high-profile casualty, with Phoebe Gale (Orbea FMD Racing) and Marine Cabirou (Canyon DH Racing) also missing out on a place in the finals after falling short in Q2.Meanwhile, Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing) was missing from the course in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta after announcing that she is taking time to recover from the injuries which have impacted her season so far.JURAS AND OSTGAARD MASTER COURSE IN JUNIOR QUALIFICATIONŠimun Juras showed his technical ability on the steep lower slopes of La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta to qualify fastest during an intense Men’s Junior qualifying session. The Croatian rider has yet to finish inside the top 10 during his debut season in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. However, he flew down the rutted slopes of LTHell - La Thuile Hell in a time of 3:39.436 to qualify quickest.Sacha Gabriel Brizin (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) was quickest of the overall contenders and qualified second fastest just two tenths of a second behind. Meanwhile, Thomas Bruno (MS-Racing) will have Italian hopes on his shoulders after placing third – just one second behind.After winning the opening four UCI Downhill World Cup rounds this season Jonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) struggled on the testing course but squeezed through qualification in 17th. His overall rival Felix Griffiths (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was not so fortunate and his 27th position was not good enough to make finals.Meanwhile, overall Women’s Junior leader Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) was fastest in qualification with an impressive time of 4:08.888. Rival Lina Frener (Norco x adidas Race Division) was three seconds back in second and Cassandre Peizerat finished third.Rosa Marie Jensen (Specialized Gravity) will also be amongst the Women Junior favourites in tomorrow’s finals after qualifying fourth.The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues at La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta tomorrow (Saturday) when gravity riders are in action with the UCI Downhill World Cup finals and the UCI Enduro World Cup culminating in a unique final night time stage.

After three out of six consecutive weekends of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, all formats return in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) for the second quadruple header of 2026.The Italian Alps venue made its UCI World Cup debut in 2025 when it welcomed Downhill and Enduro, but this year the Endurance formats (Cross-country Olympic and Short Track) are joining the action for the series' second new venue of 2026.We look at everything you need to know about the La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, including when the UCI Cross-country, UCI Enduro and UCI Downhill World Cup events are scheduled to take place, who is racing, and how to watch.WHEN? The 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta, Italy starts with the Women’s U23 UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup at 10:35 (UTC+2) on Friday, July 3 and concludes with the Men’s Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at 15:30 (UTC+2) on Sunday, July 5.Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC+2 (EST+6/BST+1/CEST):Friday, July 310:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U2311:25 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U2317:30 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite18:20 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior14:20 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior15:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men EliteSaturday July 411:30 – UCI Enduro World Cup11:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite14:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men EliteSunday, July 59:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U2311:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U2313:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men EliteWHERE CAN I WATCH?For the UCI Enduro World Cup, coverage will feature a course preview presented by UCI World Champion Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team), who will guide fans through the route and its key sections. Practice and race-day highlights will be published on the official YouTube channel, while key moments from the action will be shared across social media. Live timing will be available via the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website and app, alongside the new live blogging feed. A highlights programme will also be broadcast on Eurosport and TNT Sports next week, before becoming available on demand on HBO Max.For the UCI Downhill and the UCI Cross-country World Cups, there will be several ways to watch the action unfold. Both the men’s and women’s UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on HBO Max (in all available territories) and MTWBS TV via subscription. The UCI Downhill World Cup qualification day meanwhile can be followed on live timing, across social media and on the official app, with the new live blogging feed.The Elite XCO, XCC and Downhill finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services:Europe:Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Baltics, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine – HBO Max / EurosportBelgium – RTL (only selected races)Czechia - HBO Max, Eurosport and CT SportFrance – HBO Max, Eurosport and L’Équipe / La Chaîne L’Équipe (only Elite DH and XCO races)Ireland – TNT SportsItaly - HBO Max, Eurosport, Rai Sport/Rai Play and La Gazzetta (only XCO Elite XCO races)Switzerland, Liechtenstein - HBO Max, Eurosport and SRG/RSI (Only Elite XCC & XCO races live)United Kingdom – HBO Max and TNT SportsAsia:Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Thailand - Eurosport World Oceania:Australia – Stan SportNew Zealand - MTBWS TVSamoa - Eurosport WorldNorth America:Canada – FloSportsUSA – HBO Max and MTBWS TVSouth & Central America: MTBWS TVAfrica: MTBWS TVAll other territories: MTBWS TVENDURO: PRIVATEERS WINNING IN DAVID VS GOLIATH BATTLEThe Enduro bikes will have only just been cleaned after a dramatic round in Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy), and as riders head west to the Alps, there will be little time for reflection.Alex Rudeau’s consistency means the Frenchman has a narrow advantage over the Canadian Lief Rodgers as the series enters its second half. Although neither podiumed in the Dolomites, they are both favourites to be towards the top of the standings this weekend.Reigning champion Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) will be hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 11th-place finish in Val di Fassa, Trentino, but the Pole has a mountain to climb to regain his confidence and make it consecutive victories at La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta. Elsewhere, last weekend’s winner Tristan Botteram will be looking to back up his debut UCI World Cup win, while fellow podium finishers in Canazei Tommaso Francardo (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory) and Tommaso Calonaci benefit from home advantage.Ella Conolly remains the rider to beat in the women’s contest and knows what it takes to win in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta having won in 2025. But the Brit has shown that she can be beaten twice already this season – Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) the latest to get the better of her as the Frenchwoman picked up her first UCI Enduro World Cup win in the Dolomites. Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria) winner Winnifred Goldsbury is another to keep an eye on – the New Zealander podiuming last weekend and within 90 points of Conolly in the standings – while there’s more to come from Raphaela Richter and reigning UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskin.DOWNHILL: ILES AND HÖLL EARLY LEADERS OF THE PACKThe downhill contingent had a week off from racing, and will arrive in Italy slightly more refreshed since they competed in Lenzerheide (Switzerland) two weeks ago.Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) will hope the break won’t have impacted his momentum – the Canadian winning back-to-back rounds in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland and Lenzerheide. The in-form rider of 2026 is picking up where compatriot Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) left off at the end of last season, although there’s still more to come from the reigning overall title holder, who won in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta in 2025.It’s also been a North American lock-out at the top of the men’s podium in 2026, with Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) and Luca Shaw (Canyon DH Racing) keeping the Europeans and Antipodean’s at bay in the series’ first four rounds. Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) has come closest to breaking the trend, and the Frenchman’s 13 career wins and return to form also makes him the most likely.In the women’s contest, Valentina Höll’s (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) chances of completing a perfect season were dashed in Lenzerheide as the Austrian finished down in 10th. Regardless, she will start as the favourite in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta.Anna Newkirk’s (Frameworks Racing / TRP) debut UCI Downhill World Cup win in Switzerland means she has emerged as Höll’s most-likely competitor for the series, while Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) could be the surprise package, the Italian finishing second, third and fourth in her three starts in 2026.CROSS-COUNTRY: MARTIN AND RISSVEDS IN RED-HOT FORMLuca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) leads the way in the men’s XCO standings with four podium finishes in the first four rounds, including the win in Lenzerheide. While he has already built a 268-point lead in the series, there’s still a long way to go yet, and with Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing), he’s up against someone who looks to be improving every week. Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) is another rider who is on the up, while Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) will have had another two weeks to build on his return to racing after injuring himself at the first round of the year in MONA YongPyong (South Korea). Adding further intrigue to the battle at the front, Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC) is set to make his WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series debut of the 2026 campaign.Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) has been just as dominant as Martin in the women’s field, recording her second consecutive win in Lenzerheide. The Swede is being hunted down by Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) in the overall, but neither have shown the same consistency as the reigning UCI XCO World Champion so far in 2026. Other riders on the rise are Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) and Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing).One important thing to note is that, since 2018, no rider has ever won at multiple new venues on the venue’s debut. That means we could see a surprise victor as riders tackle the La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta course for the first time.ALL TO PLAY FOR IN SHORT TRACKMathis Azzaro’s (Origine Racing Division) early season dominance is keeping the Frenchman firmly at the top of the XCC standings, but both Martin and Boichis are in red-hot form in the shorter format.Sina Frei meanwhile has a 220-point lead in the women’s contest, but the Swiss rider isn’t nailed on for top spot in the Italian Alps. Evie Richards (Trek - Unbroken XC) is always a threat and the Brit’s return will be feared by her main rivals, while Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) and Rissveds are all winless so far in 2026 and will feel like they’re due a strong performance.Racing gets underway on Friday, July 3 in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta.  Full schedule and event details are available here. You can find where to watch all of the racing action live here.

The 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike Series approaches its midway point this weekend, and all four of the formats’ overall titles are still wide open with plenty to play for. The racing in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) will therefore be pivotal in setting the tone for the latter stages of the season, providing momentum in a frantic run of back-to-back race weekends that continue with Pal Arinsal (Andorra) for the downhill and cross-country athletes next weekend and Aletsch Arena-Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland) for enduro the following.The Italian Alps venue returns after a successful debut in 2025, where both the UCI Enduro and UCI Downhill World Cups produced some memorable and incredibly close action. This weekend sees the UCI Cross-country World Cup join the fray, making it the second four-way WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stop of the season.THE FORMING OF AN ITALIAN ICONLa Thuile - Valle d’Aosta is a high alpine ski town in the northwest of Italy that’s nestled in the Alps on the Italy-France border. A stone’s throw from Chamonix (France) and Mont Blanc, the town’s 1,450m elevation guarantees amazing views of the surrounding mountain range and down into the valley below.Its trail area is home to 170km of routes, featuring some challenging, black-diamond trails packed with long, steep descents. Above the treeline, riders are treated to mellow, meadow fields, but on dropping into the woods, the lines become rocky, rooty, and natural, creating a demanding test for both rider and bike.The UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup course is new for 2026 on the UCI World Cup circuit and combines natural, long open climbs with a mix of flowing bike park descents and technical, raw cross-country drops on its 3.42km loop. The 714m UCI Cross-country Short-Track (XCC) World Cup course meanwhile features the same tight start corner and punchy initial climb before descending back down with a couple of tight, hairpin bends thrown in what could cause havoc at the front of the race.The LTHell - La Thuile Hell downhill course was created especially for the UCI Downhill World Cup by track manager Enrico Martello and Swiss specialists Trailworks (whose work includes Bike Kingdom, Lenzerheide, Switzerland). The technical, steep and fast 2.3km course has an average gradient of -27% as it drops 641m in elevation. A mix of 40% machined and 60% natural terrain, it represents La Thuile’s character as it passes through dense alpine forests before opening up into a fast, flowing white-knuckle ride down towards the finish line.The venue’s Enduro stages meanwhile take in the best trails of the Aosta Valley. The UCI Enduro World Cup will see athletes take on four stages as part of a 28.4km course featuring 2,696m of descent. Stages one and three are drawn out affairs – the opening 4.42km with 874m descent Touraisse the longest of the lot – while the venue is pulling out all the stops again for the final stage, Nightfall.After a successful debut in 2025, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ only after-dark stage returns; riders dropping in from 20.30 CET and navigating the 600m-long stage lit by 23 floodlights that utilise the same technology as those used in Formula 1’s night races to ensure there are no shadows.WILDCARD TEAMSThe following wildcard teams have been confirmed to compete in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta:UCI Downhill World Cup: Crestline Speed Shop, Outlaw Intense Racing, Pivot Factory Racing, Team High Country, The Alliance, Stoic Racing, YT RD.UCI Cross-country World Cup: Bike Team Solothurn, KTM Factory Team, Lexware Mountainbike Team, Massi, Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret, SUNN Factory Racing, Thömus Akros - Youngstars, UNNO Factory Racing.It’s the first appearance for YT RD, a development squad run by YT whose previous riders include Oisin O’Callaghan (Trek - Unbroken DH).PRIVATEERS LEAD THE WAY IN ENDUROAlex Rudeau and Ella Conolly might not have the backing of a factory set-up, but both riders make the privateer life work for them as they lead the UCI Enduro World Cup.The 2024 UCI Enduro World Champion, Rudeau minimised losses in a dramatic and weather-impacted round in Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy), last weekend to finish fifth, while his most likely challenger for the overall series Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) could only manage 11th place. With such a short turnaround between rounds, it will be interesting to see whether the support of a team plays to Lukasik’s advantage during Saturday’s UCI Enduro World Cup.Conolly meanwhile continued her impressive consistency – the last time the Brit finished outside the top two was at the UCI Enduro World Championships in September 2024. She opened her 2026 account with victory in Loudenvielle, and although Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) got the better of her in the Dolomites last week, a return to La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta, where she triumphed 12 months ago, could provide the perfect stage for another success.DOWNHILL: ILES EYES A HISTORIC HAT-TRICK WHILE HÖLL TARGETS A RETURN TO WINNING WAYSThings are finally falling into place for Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity). The Canadian overcame his 1,407 days without a win in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria) and then followed it up seven days later with a second victory at the next time of asking. With team-mate Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) out, Iles has big boots to fill as the team’s leader, but he’s doing it in style, and will fancy his chances in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta, even though he failed to make it out of qualifying last year.Another Canadian, Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), stood on the top step 12 months ago, and while the reigning overall champion is without a podium in 2026, he’s getting closer, finishing fourth in Lenzerheide (Switzerland).Elsewhere, Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) is showing the consistency that has been lacking in his riding since his last overall title from 2022, and Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) looks to be near his race-winning best.Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orress) had an off day by her incredibly high standards – her 10th place her worst result since Mont-Sainte-Anne in October 2025. The Austrian will hope that Lenzerheide was just a blip and will look to go one better than her result in the Italian Alps from last year, where she finished second.Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP) appears the most likely to capitalise on any mistakes from Höll. The American is fresh from recording her first-ever UCI World Cup victory two weeks ago, an achievement that earned her the right to choose a career number, with Newkirk opting for 14.Others knocking on the door include Gloria Scarsi (MS Racing), last year’s La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta winner Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and we’re yet to see the form that took Gracey Hemstreet (Norco X Adidas Race Division) to second place in the overall in 2025.CROSS-COUNTRY: MARTIN AND RISSVEDS ON THE MARCHLuca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) currently sits in first place of the UCI rankings and it’s easy to see why. The Frenchman is having a stellar second season in the elite class, adding another win to his collection in the UCI XCO World Cup last time out. He hasn’t finished off the podium in the Olympic distance all year, and it’s this sort of consistency that will make him a firm favourite for the title.He won’t have it plain sailing in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta though. Multi-discipline riders Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and UCI XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Race Team - XC) can both keep Martin off the top spot, and Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) might be closer to full race fitness than he was when he made his return from injury two weeks ago in Lenzerheide.Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) is also riding a wave of success with the Swede finishing in the top three of the UCI XCO World Cup for more than a calendar year, including back-to-back wins in the last two rounds. Another victory in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta would be the Rio 2016 Olympic champions’ 10th of her career and move her within one win of eighth-place Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing) in the all-time list.Only the Specialized Factory Racing pair of Sina Frei and Laura Stigger have had the edge on Rissveds in the UCI XCO World Cup this season, but Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) and Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) are on the rise, while Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech) and Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) are always a threat.RICHARDS AND KORETZKY RETURN IN SHORT TRACKThe UCI XCC World Cup has been missing two of its biggest stars for large portions of this season – women’s reigning overall winner Evie Richards (Trek - Unbroken XC) out for the last two rounds with concussion, while men’s UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) has been injured all year with a broken arm. Both are set to return in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta and will be keen to make up for lost time.Richards’ return will give series leader Frei an extra challenge alongside the likes of Rissveds, Blunk and Pieterse, while Koretzky could shake up a men’s contest that has so far been dominated by three other Frenchmen – Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), Boichis and Martin.MORE THAN RACINGSet against an outstanding backdrop and with a wide range of activities on offer, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stop in La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta promises to deliver everything fans and riders need for an unforgettable weekend.With all four formats reunited, the on-track action is guaranteed, while off track, fans can immerse themselves in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series experience through the partner passport challenge, a fun initiative that invites them to explore the Event Village. Visitors will receive a booklet and are encouraged to stop by each partner stand to collect stickers. Once completed, the passport can be redeemed for a prize at the official merchandise store.The initiative is designed to encourage fans to discover the full Event Village, increase engagement with partners, and celebrate the launch of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series official store. Now present at all major European events and available online worldwide, the store offers exclusive merchandise ranging from apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, long-sleeve tees) and accessories (water bottles, hats, key rings, mugs) to race-day essentials such as branded ponchos and sun hats. Explore the full collection here.

The third round of the UCI Enduro World Cup marked the season’s first two-day race. However, wet weather and stormy conditions in the Dolomites forced the cancellation of two physically demanding tests scheduled for day two, setting the stage for some unexpected results.Experienced rider Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) delivered a technical masterclass to overturn a 16-second deficit and claim her maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory. In the men’s race, Tristan Botteram pushed to the limit on the final stage to edge out Tommaso Calonaci by less than a second in a thrilling finish.The Junior categories were equally dramatic: Harper Nelmes stormed to victory in the Men’s Junior race with a decisive final stage performance, while Nežka Libnik enjoyed a flawless weekend to take top honours in the Women’s Junior event.In the team standings, Speed Project secured their third consecutive round win, further extending their overall lead.BOTTERAM PRODUCES PERFECT RUN TO CLINCH SLENDER VICTORYComing into the second race day Italian rider Tommaso Calonaci was a surprise leader by three seconds in the Men’s Elite event, as he looked to secure a first UCI Enduro World Cup podium of his career. UCI Enduro World Champion, Alex Rudeau, was just three seconds behind and Tristan Botteram also in contention five seconds back. Last year’s UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was also well placed for charge at victory just seven seconds from the lead.A storm before the day’s first stage resulted in stages four, five and six being cancelled for the Men’s Elite riders. Riders were left to battle for victory over the final 1.32-kilomete long Ciasates “EDR”.The short and powerful stage following the earlier storm resulted in some difficult conditions for riders. Botteram produced the ride of his career to win the stage by just eight tenths of a second from Lief Rogers, with Vojtech Bláha in third. Importantly Botteram’s time was 6.5 seconds faster than Calonaci to clinch the overall victory from the Italian by just six tenths of a second.After winning Saturday’s first stage Tommaso Francardo (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team) did enough to place third overall. Meanwhile, Rudeau was pushed down to fifth, while Łukasik had issues on the final stage and placed 11th. After three rounds Rudeau keeps the lead in the overall standings ahead of Rodgers in second and Francardo.Speaking following his first UCI Enduro World Cup victory, Botteram said: “It was a special day for sure. With a lot of stages being cancelled and having to re-group and then put everything into one run, it was very difficult to regain all the time to win. To deliver under the pressure when I knew that I could win the race was really good.“It was big build-up to this race for me since November. I worked really hard and it’s been a long journey to get here. This is my first World Cup win and podium at the first time.”PUGIN PRODUCES TECHNICAL MASTERCLASS TO OVERTURN RIVALSMélanie Pugin (Speed Project) started the second day in sixth overall, having lost 13 seconds on the opening day, most of it on the demanding Tutti Frutti physical test. However, the French rider turned things around in emphatic style, mastering the steep and highly technical 2.51km Titans stage.Rain during the stage added another layer of difficulty, making the wooded and rocky terrain, capped by a challenging rock garden, particularly treacherous. Pugin handled the conditions to perfection, setting a benchmark time an impressive 12 seconds clear of her nearest rival.Winnifred Goldsbury, who claimed her maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland, also had ground to make up, starting the day in third overall, 12 seconds off the lead. The 19-year-old New Zealander delivered under pressure, finishing second on Titans, just seven seconds behind Pugin.Overnight leader Ella Conolly opted for a more measured approach on the opening stage, anticipating the physical tests later in the day. She placed third on Titans, conceding 27 seconds to Pugin but remaining firmly in contention, just 10 seconds behind the new race leader.The demanding conditions took their toll, with several riders losing ground, including UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskins, who finished 52 seconds down on the stage, effectively ending her challenge for overall victory. Shortly after, worsening weather forced the cancellation of stages five and six, leaving only the final Ciasates “EDR” stage to decide the race.The 1.3km test combined high-speed sections, a short climb and a technical wooded descent, setting up a decisive finale. Pugin once again excelled in the technical terrain, winning the stage to secure overall victory.Hoskins bounced back to finish second on the stage, less than two seconds behind, while Conolly came home over six seconds adrift. In the final standings, Pugin sealed a commanding overall win by 17 seconds ahead of Conolly, with Goldsbury continuing her strong form in third.Reflecting on her victory, Pugin said: “I’m so proud of myself and my team. It’s been five years since my last win, so it feels incredible to be back on top. I had a difficult start to the weekend after a crash before training, so I took it easy at first, and yesterday I struggled to find my rhythm on the physical stages. With the weather today, we didn’t know how many stages we would even get. I gave everything on that first stage, and it paid off. I love this place. I think it’s the most beautiful place in Europe to ride a bike.”After three rounds, Conolly retains the overall series lead, holding a 30-point advantage over Pugin, with Goldsbury in third.NELMES AND LIBNIK TAKE JUNIOR HONOURSOvernight, Hugo Marti Montessinos led the Men’s Junior race by 11 seconds after breaking clear on the opening two stages. However, a crash in the Titans rock garden cost the youngster valuable time, dropping eight seconds on the stage. Fellow French rider Jules Janniaud kept his composure to take the stage win, while Harper Nelmes finished a close runner-up, just four tenths of a second back, moving to within three seconds of the lead heading into the final stage.On the decisive 1.7km finale, Tommy Bougon laid down the fastest time of the day, going four seconds quicker than his rivals to secure fourth overall. Behind him, Nelmes delivered when it mattered most, finishing third on the stage to overturn the deficit and claim the overall victory, as Marti Montessinos conceded five crucial seconds.Reflecting on his win, Nelmes said: “That was probably one of the toughest races I’ve ever competed in. It was a great weekend battling with Hugo [Marti Montessinos] and some of the Italian guys. They were fast and right there all weekend. Kudos to them.”After three rounds, Marti Montessinos still leads the overall standings, holding a 60-point advantage over Nelmes.In the Women’s Junior race, Nežka Libnik completed a flawless weekend, winning all five stages. The Slovenian rider continued her dominance on Titans, extending her advantage by a further 40 seconds.Elena Frei once again proved her closest challenger in second, while Romy Williams (Speed Project) strengthened her grip on third overall. Libnik then capped off a perfect performance by claiming victory on the final Ciasates “EDR” stage, sealing the overall by an emphatic margin of 2 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Frei, with Williams in third.After back-to-back dominant rounds, Libnik leads the overall standings, ahead of Williams. Speaking after her victory, she said: “It was a very tough and physical weekend. The stages were great, technical and a bit slippery, but I managed to stay upright and put down some good times”.There is no let-up for the world’s best riders, as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads to La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta next weekend for a blockbuster quadruple-header. The event will feature Downhill and Enduro alongside the addition of the UCI Cross-country World Cup for 2026.The action gets underway on Friday (July 3) with UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup racing and UCI Downhill World Cup qualifications. Saturday (July 4) brings the Downhill finals and UCI Enduro World Cup, including a special night stage, before the weekend concludes on Sunday (July 5) with the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup.

Three adrenaline fuelled stages greeted riders on the opening day of enduro racing as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series arrived in the spectacular setting of the Dolomites.Italian home favourite Tommaso Calonaci showed his consistency in the Men’s Elite category with top three stage placings to lead overall overnight. Meanwhile, Ella Conolly was locked in battle with UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskin throughout the day in the Women’s Elite event and also has a slender lead heading into Sunday.Val di Fassa, Trentino is the first two-day race format of the season, with a 59.6-kilometre course featuring 2,633m of descent across two days.With four stages ahead of them tomorrow both Calonaci and Conolly lead their respective events by just three seconds overall.In the Junior categories Hugo Marti Montessinos leads the Men’s event by 11 seconds overall and Nežka Libnik has an advantage of over one minute in the Women’s.CALONACI HAS STELLAR DAY TO LEAD MEN’S ELITE BATTLETommaso Calonaci is on course to secure the best UCI Enduro World Cup result of his career, provided he can hold off a stacked Men’s Elite field across Sunday’s four decisive stages. The 23-year-old Italian emerged as the standout performer in Val di Fassa, Trentino, taking an unexpected overnight lead.Fellow Italian Tommaso Francardo (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team) laid down the benchmark time in the iconic Tutti Frutti. Calonaci followed closely, just three tenths adrift. Overall series leader and defending champion Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) stayed firmly in contention, only 1.4 seconds back, with round one winner and reigning UCI World Champion Alex Rudeau hovering just 3.5 seconds off the lead.There was early drama for Canadian Elliot Jamieson, whose return to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series was compromised by a mechanical issue that cost him 12 seconds.Stage two, a 1.85km mix of technical and high-speed descending on 9.90, reshuffled the order slightly. Rudeau capitalised on the terrain, edging out Canada’s Evan Wall by a tenth of a second in a tightly contested run to move back into contention. Calonaci remained consistent at 1.8 seconds back, while Łukasik dropped a further three seconds and Francardo conceded four.The short but punchy final stage, Ciasates “EWS” (1.25km), demanded an all-out effort ahead of Sunday’s racing. Dutch rider Tristan Botteram set the pace, narrowly beating Calonaci by a tenth, with Rudeau another second behind. Łukasik, however, slipped to ninth on the stage, losing 4.9 seconds.With just four stages remaining, the Men’s Elite race is finely poised. Calonaci leads by three seconds over Rudeau, while Botteram sits third at 5.8 seconds. Łukasik remains within striking distance, just 7.1 seconds off the lead heading into the final day.CONOLLY AND HOSKINS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN DOLOMITES BATTLEAfter winning the opening round and finishing runner-up in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland, Ella Conolly arrived in Val di Fassa, Trentino as the overall UCI Enduro World Cup leader. The British rider, who also triumphed at this picturesque venue last year, wasted no time asserting herself on the opening stage.Despite its reduced length of just 2.2km and an uphill start, Tutti Frutti played to Conolly’s strengths, allowing her to put her power to good use and take the stage win.Reigning UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskins is still searching for her first podium of the season and immediately applied pressure, finishing just 3.6 seconds behind. Fresh from her maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory last weekend, Winnifred Goldsbury also stayed firmly in contention, placing third a further second back.Tutti Frutti claimed an early victim, as Simona Kuchyňková (Cube Action Team) dropped 20 seconds, while Italy’s Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team) conceded eight seconds after suffering a rear wheel puncture. Determined to bounce back in front of a home crowd, Ellecosta responded strongly on stage two, the 1.85km technical test of 9.90. The reworked stage combined a demanding opening section with faster, flowing terrain, setting up a tight battle that Ellecosta edged by just eight tenths of a second over Conolly, with Hoskins 1.9 seconds further back.Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) also recovered well after losing 11 seconds on the opening stage, finishing just 2.5 seconds off the fastest time on 9.90.The short but intense final stage of the day, Ciasates “EWS” (1.25km), delivered a physical test featuring a rapid opening descent followed by a punchy uphill section. Hoskins seized the opportunity to claw back time ahead of Sunday’s finale, beating Conolly by 1.4 seconds, while Goldsbury remained in touch just two tenths further adrift.Heading into the final day, the fight for overall victory remains wide open. Conolly leads Hoskins by just three seconds, with Goldsbury in third, 12 seconds off the pace.MONTESSINOS AND LIBNIK COMMAND JUNIOR CATEGORIESHugo Marti Montessinos is firmly on course to make it three wins from three in the Men’s Junior category. The Frenchman edged a tightly contested opening stage on Tutti Frutti, beating Šimon Lehký by just three tenths of a second.Lehký’s challenge unravelled on stage two, where a problem cost him 31 seconds and effectively ended his bid for victory. Montessinos capitalised immediately, dominating the 9.90 stage with a commanding five-second margin over Italian Lorenzo Noferini, while Australia’s Harper Nelmes completed the top three.The third and final stage of the day offered a glimmer of hope for his rivals. Canadian Nolan Weiss took the stage win, finishing 1.4 seconds ahead of Nelmes, with France’s Tommy Bougon in third.Despite placing fifth on the final stage, Marti Montessinos remains firmly in control, carrying an 11-second advantage into Sunday’s four remaining stages. Behind him, the fight for the podium is intensifying, with Nelmes and Weiss separated by just one tenth of a second.In the Women’s Junior category, Nežka Libnik delivered a flawless opening day. Fresh from her victory in the previous round, the Slovakian rider swept all three stages and holds a commanding lead of over one minute heading into the final day.Elena Frei secured second place on the opening two stages and has established a clear gap in the runner-up position, while a tightly contested battle for third is unfolding between Bélinda Baudet, Ella Mårtensson and Romy Williams (Speed Project).The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Val di Fassa, Trentino on Sunday, with four decisive stages set to determine the UCI Enduro World Cup outcome. Click here for information on how to follow the final day of action.

The UCI Enduro World Cup will stay in Italy after its two-days in the heart of the Dolomites, but heads west to the Alps and the Valle d’Aosta resort of La Thuile.La Thuile’s Bike World is well-traversed in the world of Enduro, having hosted five rounds of the Enduro World Series between 2014 and 2021. Its 170km of high-alpine trails provide a smorgasbord of riding options.The venue made its WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series debut in 2025 and produced a UCI Enduro World Cup to remember with it featuring the first-ever night-time stage in the format’s history.A stage completely lit by 23 floodlights and utilising the same technology as those used in Formula 1’s night races to ensure there are no shadows on course, it produced a spectacle unlike anything seen in Enduro before, as riders navigated the specially designed trail as the sun set on the idyllic surroundings.Last season, Elite Men’s UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Elite Women’s runner-up Simona Kuchynkova edged incredibly close races – Kuchynkova beating Ella Conolly by a little over two seconds, while it was even closer in the men’s race with just five-hundredths of a second separating Lukasik and Charlie Murray.This year, riders will cover a total of 28.4km featuring 2969m of descending across four stages – three of which are new to the UCI Enduro World Cup. Following training on Friday, Elite and Enduro Open riders will tackle the four stages on Saturday, with the fourth and final night-time stage starting at 20:30 (CEST).Stage 1: TouraisseLength: 4.42 kmElevation: +84m / -874 mStage 2: BelfaceLength: 1.43 kmElevation: +124 m / -525mStage 3: CambogiaLength: 3.58kmElevation: +67 m / -826mStage 4: NightfallLength: 0.37kmElevation: +8 m / -117 m

The official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series e-shop is NOW OPEN, giving fans a new way to show their love for the sport wherever they are, with the store available online globally and in-person at all major rounds in Europe.Designed for fans, riders and all enthusiasts of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, the collection allows supporters to carry the energy of the series with them - whether trackside, on the bike or at home.The store launches with a range of official clothing and accessories, including t-shirts, hoodies, long-sleeve tees, water bottles, hats, key rings, pens and mugs. Fans can also pick up race day essentials, including branded ponchos and sun hats, alongside 2026 season mementos featuring the racing calendar and 2026 branding.New WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series mascot Roki also has its own dedicated range, including t-shirts, a keyring and hat.Explore the e-store NOW!

After two UCI Enduro World Cup rounds in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) and Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria), the series moves into round three this weekend with its first two-day format of the season, as Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy) welcomes the Enduro field to the dramatic setting of the Dolomites.A staple of the UCI Enduro World Cup and its precursor -the Enduro World Series- since 2019, the location and its Val di Fassa Bike Park District are regarded as one of the best riding destinations in the world.The venue is so iconic that it hosted the inaugural UCI Mountain Bike Enduro and E-Enduro World Championships in 2024 and is scheduled to host the UCI Enduro World Championship in 2031 as part of the third multi-discipline UCI Cycling World Championships – the Italian region of Trentino following Glasgow and Scotland, UK (2023) and Haute-Savoie, France (2027) in welcoming the event which is held every four years and, over a two-week period, combines UCI World Championships for nearly all cycling disciplines.RACING IN THE HEART OF THE DOLOMITESWHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series locations don’t get much better than the bucolic surrounds of the Dolomites. The mountain range provides a jaw-dropping backdrop to the Enduro action, and its terrain will also make for some amazing racing.The charming town of Canazei will play host to the race HQ, while the riding will stretch across seven trails of the Val di Fassa Bike Park District over the four days of riding – two practice and two racing.For the third round of the UCI Enduro World Cup, athletes will take on seven stages during a 59.6km course featuring 2,633m of descent across two days. The first day’s action will be completely pedalled, while the second day’s four stages will involve a mix of lifts and pedalling transfers.Day one kicks off with the iconic Tutti Frutti, albeit a shorter version that starts just below the Col Rodella ridge and connects with Fassa and Furious. Iconic stages 9.90 and Ciasates EWS also return on a day that, while lighter on descending, will push riders into the red with plenty of pedalling in the intervening liaisons.With legs nicely warmed, day two will put recovery to the test as riders tackle the region’s high altitude and long, natural descents. Titans delivers a brutal wake-up call, with the intensity only building from there starting with the UCI Enduro World Cup debut of Lezuo’s epic 3.94km stage, before flowing straight into fan favourite Infinity. And if the racing is still close, expect a sprint finish on the final stage of Ciasates “EDR”.ŁUKASIK PLAYING CATCH UP WHILE CONOLLY HAS COMPETITION IN COURDURIERThe return of Slawomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) to the top step of the podium in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria) confirmed that the reigning UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner has put the disappointment of finishing outside the points in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) behind him.However, despite taking maximum points two weeks ago, the Pole still has ground to make up in the overall standings and remains 125 points back from series leader, round one winner and 2024 UCI Enduro World Champion Alex Rudeau.The pair have one win each from the format’s last two visits to the Val di Fassa Bike Park District – Łukasik most recently in 2025, and the Frenchman when he clinched the rainbow bands in 2024 – making them the clear favourites. Whoever comes out on top this weekend will head into the series’ midway point in the ascendancy, carrying valuable momentum into the final three rounds.Another rider to keep an eye on is privateer Lief Rodgers. The young Canadian secured his best-ever finish and second UCI Enduro World Cup podium with second place in Austria and was within five seconds of a debut UCI World Cup win.In the women’s competition, Ella Conolly’s second place in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland kept her title defence on track. However, New Zealand’s Winnifred Goldsbury, fresh from claiming her first UCI Enduro World Cup victory and now racing with career number 73, has added her name to the growing list of riders capable of challenging the British rider on any given day.Conolly starts in Canazei as a favourite having won in the Dolomites in 2025.HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTIONRace content will be available across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ official platforms, including:A detailed course preview highlighting the route and its key sections and video highlights from both practice and race days on the official YouTube channel.Key moments shared on social media (@uci_mtbworldseries)Live timing on the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website and via the official app, which will also feature live blogging with key updates throughout the event.A highlights programme will be broadcast on Eurosport and TNT Sports next week and available on streaming platform HBO Max on demand.This season, former Enduro rider and Enduro World Series (EWS) Under 21 Champion Elliott Heap has joined the team as a presenter across all video content, bringing first-hand race experience along with expert insight and analysis.SHIMANO ENDURO OPEN RETURNSSet against an outstanding backdrop and with a wide range of activities on offer, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stop in Val di Fassa-Trentino is set to provide both fans and amateur riders with everything they need for an unforgettable weekend.Through the Shimano Enduro Open participants have the opportunity to test themselves on the very same trails and on the same days as the sport’s elite, dropping in just hours ahead of the professionals. Once they cross the finish line, they can stay on to watch the pros race and directly compare their times with the world’s best.To further enhance the competitive experience, new age categories and a pairs category have been introduced, allowing for tighter groupings and more meaningful racing. Registration is also open for the remaining Enduro Open rounds in Aletsch Arena–Bellwald (Valais, Switzerland) and Morillon (Haute‑Savoie, France) with full details available here.Racing gets underway in Val di Fassa, Trentino on Saturday 27 June. Discover the full schedule and event details here. 

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports today announces the launch of an annual awards ceremony, The Golden Arrows, created to recognise and celebrate riders, teams, organisations and professionals across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.The inaugural awards gala will take place on Sunday 4th October at the Lake Placid Olympic Centre, following the final round of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series at Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA).As an iconic Olympic destination with a rich history of hosting major international sporting moments, Lake Placid offers a fitting setting for the awards ceremony. Its combination of world-class facilities, experienced delivery and strong connection to elite sport provides an ideal backdrop to celebrate the achievements of athletes, teams and stakeholders across the series.Individuals and organisations across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series ecosystem will be recognised, highlighting excellence both on and off the bike; with fans, WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series teams and expert panels playing a key role in judging and selecting those who have made the most meaningful impact on the series across a range of award categories:Event of the Year: awarded to a venue that delivered an outstanding event experience throughout the season. The award recognises excellence in organisation, facilities, course design, operations, atmosphere, and overall delivery.Rookie of the Year: honouring the most outstanding first-year elite cross-country and downhill athlete who have made a significant impact during their debut season.Legacy Award: recognising teams and Local Organising Committees (LOCs) that go beyond the race tape to make a lasting impact, honouring initiatives that have delivered meaningful contributions in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR).Best Professional Photograph: celebrating the image that best captures the essence, emotion, and spectacle of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.In addition, The Summit team trophy will be presented to the top-performing team in each WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series format, while the overall UCI World Cup winners in each category will also be recognised with their overall trophy, The Globe.The prestigious Mountain Bike Hall of Fame will also feature at The Golden Arrows, with four new inductees welcomed into one of the sport’s highest honours in recognition of exceptional careers and lasting contributions to mountain biking. Founded in 1988, the Hall of Fame has honoured between three and seven pioneers of the sport each year. This marks the first time the inductions will take place outside of California since 2015.More details on the award categories, eligibility requirements, as well as the entry and judging criteria, will soon be available here.

Downhill and Cross-country formats were back in action this weekend just a week on from Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria), as the UCI Downhill, Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cups crossed the border in the direction of Lenzerheide (Switzerland) for the fourth rounds of the respective series.The racing kicked off on Friday with a fast and dry XCC, and the pace remained high until the conclusion of Sunday’s UCI XCO World Cup.The weekend delivered a perfectly balanced split of results. Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing), Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP) each secured their maiden wins in their respective formats. Meanwhile, Finn Iles (Specialized Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) claimed back-to-back victories, while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) celebrated his second UCI XCO World Cup triumph.But the winning riders only tell a small portion of the story from Lenzerheide. From mixed fortunes for downhill’s most iconic couple, to the hectic schedule of one of cross-country’s most exciting stars, here are some of the behind-the-scenes highlights from this week’s THE B LINE.ILES ON THE PRIZEFinn Iles made it back-to-back wins, recording his third elite-level victory just seven days on from his success in Austria – beating the previous gap by 1,400 days.“It feels really good. I still can’t believe it,” he told Emma Stewart. “There’s barely any time to process the first win, so racing again the following week actually helps. It keeps you focused, even if part of me just wants to celebrate what happened. Instead, I’ve been able to carry that momentum and keep riding the same way. I’m really proud of this result, of the team and all the work they’ve put in to get us here. To take two in a row… I never imagined that in my life. I’m really stoked.”“It took seven days, and 1,407 days previously so we’re on a roll now. I’m cutting down my win time by 2000% or something like that. One of our team guys sent us a photo. I’d sent him the 1,407 days and he cut the 140 out and wrote '7 days until your next World Cup win'. It feels really good to have a team that believes in me that much. It really helps because I know that all the people around me trust me to do my job and trust me to be able to win. I just have to do that for myself, so to go out and do it again reinstalls that confidence in myself and the confidence in the fact that I can race, which is a really cool feeling.BAUMANN MOMENTS FROM DEBUT WINWhile Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) lost her 100% winning streak and finished in 10th, there were still positives to come from the Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres camp with Lisa Baumann securing second place – her best-ever result.“I was really close to the win but I’m super happy about my run,” she said. “The pressure was okay at the top. I wasn’t too stressed. I was in a good mood. To be second in front of the home crowd is pretty cool. It’s a really nice sensation.HULSEBOSCH HAPPY WITH TRANSITION TO ELITESAfter making the move up to the Elite class in the off-season, Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) showed that she’s already on the pace in the premier class, finishing third in qualifying to secure her spot in her second-ever UCI Downhill World Cup Finals.“It was pretty insane. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I know I’m an amazing rider, so it’s only a matter of time before it starts to click and starts to show, but it was pretty insane to be third to last to drop,” she said.While the New Zealander ultimately settled for ninth, it is her best result since moving up from the Juniors and a sign of things to come.“I was a second slower [in my finals run]. I was straight out of the gate, pushing too hard, overriding, making some mistakes. I was quite frustrated because I didn’t ride how I wanted to, but also at the end of the day it’s another building block, it’s a top 10 in Elite women, so I’m just going to keep going and keep charging.“The sport is only getting faster and faster. Some injuries along the way have definitely slowed down my progress, but I think in the long run it’s going to help me out a bit. It gives me that determination and strength.”VERMETTE PROUD TO BE BACK ON THE PODIUMAsa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) had a debut to remember, winning on the first time of asking in MONA YongPyong (South Korea). While things haven’t run smoothly since for the American, his return to the podium in Lenzerheide shows that the result in South Korea wasn’t a flash in the pan.“It feels really good to be back on the elite podium,” he said. “The last two races I’ve been a bit sad, so I’m stoked to get back and put down a run, it felt really nice. It was also the first World Cup win for [team-mate] Anna [Newkirk]. I’m super hyped for her. When I was warming up and I saw that, I was stoked.”SCARSI CONTINUES FINE FORMThe competition in the women’s field improves year on year, and Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) is arguably having her strongest season yet – a third place in Lenzerheide her second podium of the season.“I’m super proud with all the people behind the podium,” she said. “It’s not only my job but it’s a job of everyone. I made three races, and I got second, third and fourth, and I just missed the first place. I know it’s a long process, so I just believe in me and my team, and I know it’s going to arrive.”SEAGRAVE STRUGGLING WITH FITNESS BUT HAPPY FOR ILESTahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing) is having the opposite season to her boyfriend Finn Iles, but the Brit had an injury-plagued off-season and is still a long way from full race fitness.“The elbow is not too bad,” she said. “It’s not amazing but I’ve not got any upper body strength because I spent my off-season injured with my back. So I’m struggling a lot fitness-wise, health-wise and it’s just showing in the results. It’s taking its toll a little bit.“A lot of doubts start creeping in and I’m a realist, so when the results show up, the doubts kind of come true. It’s hard to manage but we’ve got a plan put in place to move ahead and set the goals towards World [Championships] and the second part of the season, which was always the goal, but it’s hard when you’re in it and you want to give your best and you feel like you’re not giving it. It sucks for myself, but also for the team who have put in so much effort.“Also, me and Finn [Iles], the tables have completely turned, and there’s a lot more understanding for the position that he was in last year when I was winning, so we’re growing a lot together. My headspace is being challenged quite a lot. He had to deal with what I’m dealing with now, so there’s a mutual understanding. It’s been really difficult, but a win for him today is like a win for me today. A win is a win.NEWKIRK NAILS FIRST WINAnna Newkirk’s season is on an upward trajectory – the American following up her third place in Leogang with her debut win in Lenzerheide.“I won a World Cup today. How insane is that? I can’t even describe the feeling when I crossed the finish line. I heard the crowd cheering, and I saw the number one. I haven’t screamed like that since I was a little girl. These moments are few and far between so I’m going to try and enjoy it as much as I can.BOICHIS ON BIDING HIS TIME AND BEING PART OF MOUNTAIN BIKING’S MOST SUCCESSFUL TEAMAdrien Boichis might have been around the Elite Men’s UCI Cross-country World Cup since making the step-up ahead of schedule in 2024, but this year is shaping up to be a memorable one for the 23-year-old.He clinched his debut UCI XCO World Cup win in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland and followed it up at the soonest possible opportunity with his first-ever UCI XCC World Cup win in Lenzerheide. It looked like he could be on for a memorable XCO-XCC double too, until the then-race leader made a mistake on the final lap that Luca Martin seized upon.“I think it was nice to watch,” he said to Ashleigh Wilmot after the UCI XCO World Cup. “It’s probably the strongest I’ve felt on a mountain bike ever. I felt at one with the bike. I was pushing on the climbs and then on the flat sections I was trying to stay smooth, not pushing over the limit, just on that nice edge. People were dropping one by one and it was just Luca [Martin]. He came and I did a nice attack…”Boichis’ attack to launch himself into the lead might have looked familiar to cross-country fans, and he revealed that he was inspired by Mathieu Van der Poel.“I was waiting for that moment the whole race. I knew what I wanted to do. Mathieu Van der Poel in 2019 did this to Nino [Schurter] with three laps to go in the same place, and I was thinking about this all year. I wanted to do this and if I was in the fight for the win, I would do this like Mathieu. I did this and I felt good. I didn’t want to take any risks and then it was a stupid mistake, fell on the floor and [Martin] overtook me.”While it might seem like Boichis has arrived from nowhere this season, the Frenchman has actually been around the Elite class since 2024. He won the overall in the U23 XCC and XCO World Cup in 2023 and made the step up with a view of attempting to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.“I came to Mariporã in 2024, which was a qualification race, in really good shape. I pushed my body to the limit to be in top shape but the travel to Brazil and how hard the conditions are over there meant I got sick and still tried to race. I passed out, crashed in the feed zone and didn’t stand up. I came back to Europe and realised I had some real big issues, so had to stop for three months fully off the bike. For one month, I couldn’t move, I was in bed. It was a severe health problem at the time. But Specialized Factory Racing and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe gave me a contract for the years after, which is something I’m grateful for. That helped me so much because it helped me to stay patient, to not do any stupid mistakes coming back, to take my time, to allow my body to take the time to come back. It took a long time to come back. It wasn’t until March or April 2025 that I was feeling like myself again. 2025 I came back to racing on the road and mountain bike. It was my second-year elite, but I only did two World Cups before.”Although he was near the front of proceedings during some rounds last year, he believes a change in process has unlocked his race-winning potential in 2026.“This winter, I really worked on not putting too much pressure on myself to get a win, and to race without thinking about this win. I came to Leogang with a plan and I won, so it’s special. I think it made me free to win in Leogang. It relieved the pressure that I had on myself. It also made me believe in the process I have. I’m always questioning if I do things well enough, if I should try harder, if I should eat a bit less, if I should train a bit more, if I should train a bit less. To see that I won with what I do, and on a course like Leogang which is one of the hardest physically, it was special.”His race-winning performances mean that Specialized Factory Racing now have a roster full of UCI World Cup winners. But Boichis believes that it is a positive environment that aids the team’s results.“If I had to choose for anyone else but me to win, I would choose Martin [Vidaurre], or Chris [Blevins] or Victor [Koretzky]. But of course, I’d choose me first. Also to see how happy the team was to see me win in Leogang was something super special, Something I’ll remember forever. Everybody came to hug me; everybody was genuinely happy for me.”His attention now turns to Pal Arinsal (Andorra) and the next UCI World Cup between July 10-12. But as an athlete who juggles commitments on the road and off it, there’s little time to rest.“Last year, for 40 weeks I was away between training camps, races with both teams. During these 12 weeks, I still need to train though. So, when I’m at home, I try to relax as much as possible. I like to paint with my dad. I’ve started building Lego. I play chess a bit with the team. I just like spending time with my family when I can or riding with my brother. Cycling takes up a lot of my time and is also my life.“After Andorra, I have a three-week training camp, a road race, and then building up to Les Gets and World Champs.”

Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) claimed his first win of the year after coming out on top in a race-long battle with Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing). A last-lap crash for Boichis allowed Martin to take advantage and secure the second UCI XCO World Cup victory of his career, while Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) completed the podium in third.Meanwhile, Jenny Rissveds took her second XCO victory in as many weeks with a commanding performance in the women’s Elite race. The Canyon XC Racing rider led from the second lap and went on to win by more than a minute, finishing ahead of Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) in second and Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) in third.In the Under 23 categories, it was Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) who took solo victories.Back-to-back race weekends presented a physical and mental challenge for riders in Lenzerheide, with last weekend’s wet and slippery conditions at Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland giving way to hot, dry racing in Switzerland. It was a good weekend for Specialized Factory Racing, with Boichis leading them to victory in the mixed team standings, as they extended their overall lead to a healthy 342 points. The team placed four riders in the top 10 of Friday’s UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup and then five riders in the top 10 of the XCO.MARTIN OVERCOMES BOICHIS IN LAST LAP SHOWDOWNLuca Martin took top spot of the Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup podium for the first time this year. After four second placed finishes this season, the Cannondale Factory Racing rider finally celebrated finishing on top in Lenzerheide.Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) finished fourth in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland last weekend. However, luck was not on his side in Switzerland, and a starting loop puncture ended his podium hopes. After winning his last two UCI World Cup races, Boichis showed confidence as he rode a consistent pace at the front to whittle down the leading group to six riders after two laps. Under pressure Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) clipped the course marking and lost position, as the leading group was reduced to four riders.Boichis was joined at the front by Martin Vidaurre Kossman (Specialized Factory Racing), Luca Martin and Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team). The relentless climbing speed of Boichis took its toll as Vidaurre Kossman and Riley were both distanced, leaving two at the front. Despite losing contact with the front pairing, Riley kept his pace constant to maintain third position.In the last lap showdown, it was Boichis who launched a blistering attack on the asphalt climb to distance his rival. However, under pressure the Specialized Factory Racing rider slipped out on the gravel and Martin took advantage. The Cannondale Factory Racing rider had time to celebrate in style, pulling tricks on his way to a clear victory and the overall standings lead.A deflated Boichis finished 25 seconds behind in second and Riley added another podium to his growing collection.Following his win Martin said: “I’m so happy after three second places, I needed to win. It was a crazy race. In the first part I tried to stay at the back [of the leading group] and feel my shape.“The dirt changed after 45 minutes to very slippery, and I had that at the back of my head.“I knew the last lap would be very dangerous and it was never finished. When Adrien attacked I felt like I could come back in the downhill.“He crashed, it was very slippery, when I saw that I had to go.”RISSVEDS SHOWS COMPOSURE TO CLAIM SOLO VICTORYJenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) showed the mark of a true champion as she took a composed solo victory in the Women Elite UCI XCO World Cup. Despite not feeling at her best, the UCI XCO World Champion took the lead early in the race before riding clear to win.Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) came into the race looking to continue her run of three consecutive podiums across XCO and XCC. However, the home athlete endured a nightmare start, crashing on the opening downhill rutted sector and losing contact with the leaders.Meanwhile, Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) had been beaten in a close sprint finish in the XCC days earlier and looked to take matters into her own hands. Buoyed by a vocal home crowd, the Swiss rider pulled out a solo lead of nine seconds after the opening start loop. Rissveds looked composed as she left the chasers before overtaking Blöchlinger on the first full lap and building what would become her winning advantage.Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing), who won Friday’s XCC, was also in podium contention, along with overall hopeful Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing). However, Blunk suffered misfortune on the second lap with a rear wheel puncture, with the wheel change costing her 40 seconds and dropping her from third to fifth.Despite making a huge first-lap effort, Blöchlinger kept her lap times consistent and held a comfortable second place. Blunk was not deterred by her mechanical and powered away from the chasers with a lap remaining as she went in search of Blöchlinger.At the front, it was a familiar feeling for Rissveds as she completed a faultless display. Meanwhile, Blöchlinger did enough on the technical descent to the finish to celebrate her first XCO podium in second, ahead of Blunk in third.After four rounds, Rissveds leads the overall standings by 177 points from Frei.Rissveds said: I’m really happy about today’s race. In Short Track on Friday, I was pretty exhausted to be honest. “I was just trying to be patient today, but then I realised that I was feeling good.”CORVI AND SCHEHL CONTINUE U23 DOMINANCE OF DISCIPLINEValentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) delivered another masterclass in XCO racing, riding clear of her rivals to win the women’s U23 event by nearly a minute. The Italian led from start to finish to claim her third victory from four UCI XCO World Cup rounds this season, extending her advantage in the overall standings to 208 points.Norwegian rider Lisa Kristine Jorde was the only rider able to follow Corvi’s pace in the early stages, but lost around a dozen seconds each lap as the gap continued to grow. Her efforts were rewarded with a career-best XCO finish in second, as Corvi eased through the final lap to finish 53 seconds clear. American rider Makena Kellerman completed the podium, finishing 1:46 behind the winner.Following her win, Corvi said: “This one really means a lot. I was looking forward to this race as it’s one of my favourite tracks and really iconic. I was trying to be as smooth as possible, keep the flow of the bike, not make mistakes and keep the lap times regular. I’m really proud of my race today.”Meanwhile, Paul Schehl completed his second weekend double in as many weeks. The Lexware Mountainbike Team rider has hit a rich run of form, winning both the XCC and XCO races at Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland and Lenzerheide.Schehl also led throughout, with a powerful opening three laps proving too much for his rivals. Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Nukeproof MTB Racing Team), chasing his first podium of the season, led the pursuit during the first half of the race. However, Thibaut François Baudry (Canyon XC Racing) stayed composed in the opening laps before timing his finishing effort perfectly to pass Teunissen Van Manen for second.The result moved Schehl into the overall lead, just eight points ahead of François Baudry.Following his win, Schehl said: “Back-to-back weekends is super tough, also the track is very hard. It feels amazing to ride the perfect weekend back-to-back. Keeping the power high is super tough on this track and is a big challenge. I wanted to wait longer initially, but then I decided to go and do my own race so I didn’t have to deal with other riders and could do my own thing.”Enduro riders take centre stage next weekend (25-28 June) when the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads to Val di Fassa – Trentino (Italy). Meanwhile, endurance and gravity riders are all in action the following week (3-5 July) for the second quadruple header of the season at La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy).

After previously waiting 1,400 days for his second career victory, Finn Iles threw caution to the wind to secure back-to-back wins at round four. In doing so, he denied Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) a fourth victory in Switzerland and moved to the top of the overall standings.Fastest qualifier Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP) completed an impressive weekend of racing by claiming her debut win, having perfected the undulating task of the shortest downhill course in the series.While Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) retained the lead in the Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup standings despite seeing her three-win streak come to an end, everything was up for grabs at the beginning of the afternoon in the men’s race, with 19 riders mathematically in reach of first place.Weather conditions were perfect for the riders to tackle the relentless track, but the slopes of Lenzerheide lived up to their brutal reputation with riders balancing risk with reward.None more so than in the men’s Junior category, where Jonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) extended his flawless record and opened up a 110-point lead over Felix Griffiths (Santa Cruz Syndicate). Meanwhile, Lina Frener (Norco x adidas Race Division) moved within five points on leader Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing), with back-to-back victories in the women’s Junior category.ILES MAKES IT BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES AND GOES TOP OF STANDINGS Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) made it back-to-back victories to move top of the Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup standings with an aggressive win in Lenzerheide.It was another action-packed start to the elite men’s race with Benoit Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory), Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP), Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL / MUC OFF by Riding Addiction) and Luca Shaw (Canyon Racing) all having to go through Q2 in order to reach the final and starting their final earlier than they would have liked.Coulanges was one of the first heavy hitters to tackle the course in Lenzerheide and took 4.346 seconds off the opening two racers’ times. However, the French rider was unable to sustain the challenge when he went off-course shortly after the third time split.Having won in Lenzerheide in the Junior category last season, Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing TRP) made a quick start in search of a second Elite UCI World Cup victory and raced through the midsection, building in confidence and speed which would see him move into the hotseat.However, he was shortly displaced by three-time winner at Lenzerheide, Amaury Pierron, who put himself firmly in contention of adding a fourth to his record and increasing his lead at the top of the UCI Downhill World Cup standings. Forced to go through Q2, Pierron made no mistake as he stormed out of the start hut to set the fastest time in the first split, which countless riders after struggled to get into touching distance of. Continuing to take time on Vermette, Pierron’s smooth yet explosive run would see the Frenchman take 0.754 out of the American’s time.UCI Downhill World Champion and 2025 UCI Downhill World Cup overall winner Jackson Goldstone’s wait for a win in 2026 continued in Switzerland, but the Santa Cruz Syndicate was able to rectify the errors which saw him forced to go through Q2 to reach the Finals and put together a solid run to put his season back on track, which saw him finish in fourth and 1.304 down on Iles.Ethan Craik (Scott Downhill Factory) was one of the few to get in touching distance of Pierron’s time, finishing 1.118 second behind the Frenchman having gained speed as the course dragged on.Pierron’s prolonged wait in the hot seat came to an end as Iles backed up his Saalfelden- Leogang Salzburgerland victory with a dominant run in Switzerland, mastering each section to beat Pierron’s time by four hundredths of a second with a time of 2:46.348, whilst Vermette achieved a second podium of the season.Penultimate starter Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek-Unbroken DH) was unable to put together a similar run to Q1 despite a promising start, having suffered a puncture in the midsection, whilst final starter Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) was forced to settle for 11th.Iles now leads the standings after four rounds, with a lead of 41 points over Amaury Pierron ahead of round five in La Thuile, Val d’Aosta (Italy).After back-to-back victories, Iles said: “It feels incredible. These are the kind of things you dream of. I was really hoping to take momentum from last weekend and I felt good for day one.“The boys have been working really hard all week and we knew we had a really fast bike. Today, leading up to finals, I think I slept for three hours. I was like sleeping, sleeping, sleeping until I got to the warm-up and it was gametime. I knew I felt good as soon as I came out of the gate and from there, it just had to focus on what I was doing and I can’t believe it.”NEWKIRK SECURES DEBUT WIN AS HÖLL FALLS SHORTAnna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP) became the first American woman to win in a Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup in 23 years as she claimed a debut UCI World Cup victory in Lenzerheide.Backing up her win in qualifying, the American took two further seconds off her time to take the top step of the podium, having finished third in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland last weekend.Sitting fourth at the first sector, Newkirk mastered the rest of her ride continuing to close in on the time set by home favourite Lisa Baumann (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) to post a winning time of 3:12.917.Switzerland’s Baumann looked to be heading towards a dream first victory on home soil for much of the race when she repeatedly took the best time across the course to finish in the hot seat and lead MS-Racing’s Gloria Scarsi by 0.813 seconds.It was not to be for UCI Downhill World Cup overall leader Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) as she looked to become just the third elite woman to win the opening four rounds of the UCI World Cup Downhill season alongside Anne-Caroline Chausson (2001 and 2002), and Rachel Atherton (2015 and 2016).The Austrian qualified in seventh and appeared to be on the right track when she beat her teammate Baumann’s time in the first sector, but she lost 0.522 by the second. By the third sector, she had once again brought time back, but she was brought to a standstill as she was unclipped in the wooded sector to see her flawless streak come to an end and finish in 10th place.Having missed out on victory last year by close margins, Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Nina Hoffmann was unable to replicate her 2025 run, whilst there were similar struggles for Myriam Nicole (COMMENCAL MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction), who was looking to claim a fourth Lenzerheide victory to close the gap on Höll in the standings but slid to a halt before the first split. Elsewhere, Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) settled for fifth, having fought through Q2.Speaking after her debut win, Newkirk said: “I can’t believe it. I’m lost for words. I didn’t think I had it in me in that run. I thought I was going too slow but I’m so stoked.“I was so nervous today. I have never been this nervous before a race. This morning I was riding so chaotic, I was flying, I was crashing. I was like ‘what am I doing? Just chill’.“Once I started warming up and got into my routine, I calmed down and focused. I really tried to focus on the process and not the result, and not predict anything.The team has been doing super good. I’m so stoked to be a part of it and there’s no team I’d rather be with.”WILLIAMSON RETAINS FLAWLESS RECORD IN CRASH-BLIGHTED RUNJonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) kept his flawless record in the Men Junior UCI Downhill World Cup intact as he flew down the course at Lenzerheide, taking 3.699 seconds out of Felix Griffiths’ (Santa Cruz Syndicate) time, who claimed a career best finish in Switzerland.Briton Griffiths’ rapid run put the Santa Cruz Syndicate rider in the hot seat, having gained time throughout his run before doubling his lead by sector four. However, there was no beating Williamson who took the fastest time across all sectors to finish with a time of 2:50.688. Ažbe Kalinšek completed the podium in third, 4.385 seconds behind.After his win at Lenzerheide, he said: “It doesn’t feel real. I never thought coming into this season I would go four in a row, it’s so crazy.”SUCCESSIVE VICTORIES FOR FRENER AS GAP CLOSES ON OSTGAARDNorco x adidas Race Division’s Lina Frener claimed back-to-back victories in the Women Junior Downhill World Cup following her first victory of the season at Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland to close the gap on World Cup leader Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) to just five points.Behind Rosa Marie Jensen (Specialized Gravity) at the first sector, Frener gained time in the wooded second sector before continuing to gain time and finishing over 3.6 seconds faster than the Dane.Fastest qualifier and World Cup leader Aletha Ostgaard looked to be returning back to the top step when she hit the ground running claiming the fastest time in first three sectors, however, a mechanical saw the American continue to lose time and finish 0.131 seconds behind Frener.Following her victory, Frener said: “I’m feeling pretty good right now because my family, my whole family, my grandparents, my sister, my cousins and my friends are here so it’s a good feeling.”The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Lenzerheide tomorrow (Sunday 21 June), with Cross-country Olympic action. Discover the full schedule and where to watch here. 

In back-to-back race weekends, it’s often about who can recover best, and Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) and Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) showed that they had managed it best in a jam-packed racing schedule.While the focus before the race was whether Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) could make it a fifth XCC win in a row at the venue or whether home favourite and overall leader, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) could continue her strong start to the season, it was Blunk who battled her way to the front, edging Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) in a sprint for the line to clinch her debut UCI XCC World Cup victory. Another Swiss star, Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon), would finish third, making history in the process – the reigning UCI XCC World Champion riding a prototype 32”-wheel bike onto a podium spot in its first Elite-level race.In the men’s Elite, Boichis came into Lenzerheide as the man to beat – the Frenchman having won his first UCI XCO World Cup five days ago in Austria. Despite Luca Martin’s (Cannondale Factory Racing) best efforts, no one had an answer to the Specialized Factory Racing rider, who picked up his debut UCI XCC World Cup win after an explosive final lap attack. Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Race Team) was the only other rider alongside Martin who could follow Boichis’ surge, but had to settle for third – his first Elite UCI XCC World Cup podium.Before the Elites, it was the turn of the Under 23s on Lenzerheide’s fast and frantic course, and it witnessed a debut win for Bloeme Kalis in the women’s event, while Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) made it three wins in a row to extend his lead in the men’s overall standings.BLUNK DUSTS HERSELF DOWN TO TAKE DEBUT XCC WINSavilia Blunk showed strength and determination last week to finish fifth in the UCI XCO World Cup despite a coming together with Jenny Rissveds that had left the American rider on the ground.This time out, she was determined not to suffer the same misfortune, working her way to the front of the pack in the early laps to keep herself out of harm’s way.It was Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech) who set the early pace though, leading into the Lenzerheide course’s descent for the first time with Keller and Blöchinger for company. The Dutchwoman was on the limit from the off though – her WHOOP live data showing that she was already in zone five as early as the third lap.By the race’s mid-point, the Dutchwoman had started to fade, and it was Rissveds and Keller who took up the mantle with Blöchlinger and Blunk for company. A fifth consecutive win in Lenzerheide appeared to still be on the cards for Rissveds, who is yet to win an XCC race this year.It was Keller who went on the attack though – the Swiss rider winding it up to pile the pressure on the chasing pack, which proved too much for Rissveds. It was a sign of things to come too, and on the penultimate lap, Keller went all in on the climb, her surge enough to finally break the resolve of Nicole Koller (Lapierre PXR Racing) and Frei. Blunk and Blöchlinger managed to cling on though, and still had the rainbow jersey’s wheel as the race entered its final lap.Keller appeared to have played her hand too soon, and as the lead group took on the course’s main climb for the final time, she had no response for when Blöchlinger and Blunk made counter attacks of their own.Blöchlinger led into the crucial descent, but Blunk kept her nerve, attacking up the inside on the bridge before the final corner, leading out the sprint for the finish line. Despite her best attempts, Blöchlinger couldn’t match the American’s sprint, and it was Blunk who was able to take her debut win at the expense of the Swiss. Keller meanwhile held on for third.Speaking at the end of the race, Savilia Blunk said:“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I tried to have a good race, be smart and I felt super good. It’s been a long time coming. It feels good.“I knew it was a secret line for the last lap. It takes a lot of effort, but I think it closes a few inches and that’s all it took.“It was really good. I feel like it was pretty high pace from the beginning and I just tried to stay positioned in the top five because it was a lot easier than yo-yoing. People kept throwing attacks and I just tried to carry that momentum where I could. “I’ve had good confidence for the last few weekends and I just want a clean race and see what I can do. It fills me with confidence and I’m going to enjoy it too.”BOICHIS BLITZES OPPOSITION TO CLINCH FIRST XCC WINIn the men’s field, eyes were on Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing). The reigning UCI XCC World Cup overall winner has been out of action since a crash in MONA YongPyong (South Korea), and the American rider was making his return after recovering from a broken collarbone.Teammate Adrien Boichis has kept the wins rolling in for Specialized in Blevins’ absence, and it would be interesting to see whether the Frenchman would be given free reign with the outfit’s more senior rider back in contention.Initially, it was another American, Bjorn Riley, who looked to be up for the fight, while Boichis was in the mix with Blevins stuck in traffic towards the back of the grid.By lap two, Fabio Püntener (Scott-SRAM MTB Race Team) found himself in the lead of a big front group that was all strung out, and the Swiss rider continued to set the pace deep into the fourth lap when Boichis took up proceedings.Blevins meanwhile was going about his business and up to 12th by the midway point, although with a chunky gap between him and the lead group of 11, he still had a lot to do to be in with a shot of a victorious return to racing.Luca Martin had other ideas, seizing the lead on lap six and setting a pace that was too much for Blevins in the chasing second group. It wasn’t a problem for another rider who had suffered a poor start though – Mattis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) laying down some impressive lap times to pull himself back into the lead group with three laps to go.The current UCI XCC World Cup overall leader had left himself too much to do though, and when Martin put in a concerted effort on the penultimate lap’s climb, the lead pack was stretched and whittled down to seven.This would be reduced to three the following lap when Boichis threw down the gauntlet on the same climb. Only Martin was able to follow, with Riley a few bike lengths in arrears.Unlike in the women’s race, Boichis’ attack would ultimately be the winning one, and Martin had no answer for his fellow Frenchman’s raw power. Riley meanwhile would come home third for his first UCI XCC World Cup podium.Speaking after the race, Adrien Boichis said: “It was a super nice race. I felt really good. My legs were powerful today and it was really enjoyable.“Towards the end of last year I started feeling good in the short tracks again. In 2023, I was good and then took some time to get back to it. I think just race after race I feel better. I’ve had a long time on the road and now to get to the sharp end of the races makes me feel better.“I’m still figuring out the transition from road to mountain bike. For example, two weeks ago, I did a road race. In the end, it was a good decision because I feel good now. I’m still playing with it and hopefully improving the process week after week. “I love my team so much and I’m super happy to be there but also it’s a team with a lot of champions. So you need to be good to feel like you belong there, and slowly but surely, I feel like I belong there.”KALIS CLINCHES DEBUT U23 WIN, SCHEHL MAKES IT THREE IN A ROWBloeme Kalis recorded her debut win in the Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup, riding clear of a group of five containing Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and series leader Makena Kellerman on the final lap.Kalis had a mountain to climb at the race’s halfway point and found herself 13 seconds down on then-race leader Corvi after five laps, but she fought her way back into the leading group and by lap eight of 10 she was fully in the mix. Despite expending energy chasing down the pace setters, Kalis found another burst of speed on the final lap, leaving Corvi to settle for second while Rafaelle Carrier came home third.Speaking after the race, Bloeme Kalis said: “I feel amazing. This is crazy. A World Cup win is something special and I’m just enjoying it. “Today, I didn’t know what happened. I went full gas on the last climb and that was crazy. We were in the second group and I thought we’d never get back to the front group. The front group came back and it was a crazy last lap.”The men’s U23 race was a much tighter affair with a group of 10 still in contention as the contest entered its final lap.It was Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team), Naël Rouffiac (Origine Racing Division) and Thibaut Francois Baudry (Canyon XC Racing) who managed to break clear of the chasing pack, although series leader Schehl had too much for his rivals, edging them to claim his third consecutive victory and go 90 points clear at the top of the standings. Rouffiac recorded his second second-place of the season, while Baudry’s third means the Spaniard remains second in the overall standings.Speaking at the end of the race, Paul Schehl said: “I’m feeling amazing. It’s incredible. I’m so happy to do it.“It’s very challenging. More than I thought. In the second from last lap I thought I could attack and get away and do the last lap on my own. But the other guys were so strong and I couldn’t drop them. I had to go again, which was incredibly hard. I had to dig deep for it, but it worked out and I’m super happy to do it again.”Racing continues in Lenzerheide tomorrow (Saturday, June 20) with the UCI Downhill World Cup. The UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup follows on Sunday. Discover the full schedule and where to watch here. 

Riders had perfect conditions on the mountain with warm and dry weather, but with the likes of Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco X adidas Race Division) yet to show their form from last year in 2026, there was added pressure to perform.NEWKIRK NAILS HER FIRST QUALIFYING WINAnna Newkirk’s (Frameworks Racing / TRP) season is firmly on an upward trajectory. The American’s results have improved with every round, and she converted a second-place in qualifying with her first podium of the year in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland.She went one better in Lenzerheide, securing her maiden qualifying win, going fastest in all but one sector to finish in a time of 3:14.64.Myriam Nicole (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) was the only rider to get within a second of Newkirk, finishing 0.202 seconds down. The French icon, who has the best record at Lenzerheide from the current crop of riders with three UCI Downhill World Cup wins, will take confidence from her performance, which included the fastest first intermediate sector.Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was the next best rider, while current series leader Vali Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) could only manage a 3:18.023, which was good enough for seventh place. The Austrian will have to find a lot more time tomorrow if she is to take her first Elite-level win at the venue and continue her 100% record.At the other end of the Q1 results table, both Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing) and Hemstreet missed out on a top-10 run and were forced to go again in Q2. Neither managed to make it through at a second time of asking though, with Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) and Jess Blewitt (Scott Downhill Factory) amongst those who scraped through to tomorrow’s finals.PINKERTON CLINCHES FIRST QUALIFYING VICTORY WITH CONSISTENT RUNNorth American Downhill is enjoying a strong run of form, with athletes from the US or Canada winning each of the first three rounds of this year’s Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup.Not content to let Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP), Luca Shaw (Canyon DH Racing) and Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) steal the limelight, Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) has also thrown his hat into the ring, completing the most consistent qualifying run of the day and winning his first Q1 in the process.While he wasn’t fastest in any one sector, Pinkerton wasn’t outside the top seven of any split and only got faster as he approached the line, stopping the clock at 2:48.406.It was tight at the top though – the fastest eight qualifiers all finishing within a second of Pinkerton’s winning time. Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek-Unbroken DH) was closest, finishing 0.41 seconds back after recovering from a slower start. Last week’s winner in Austria, Finn Iles, meanwhile continued to show his strong form by finishing in third.Things weren’t as rosy for another Canadian, Jackson Goldstone, who had an off on the first corner and was forced into Q2. The reigning UCI Downhill World Champion and UCI Downhill World Cup overall winner did enough at a second time of asking, qualifying fourth in Q2, as did Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction), Vermette and Shaw – the latter of whom set the fastest time of the day, but will still start 10th on the hill tomorrow.WILLIAMSON AND OSTGAARD FASTEST IN JUNIORSMen Junior UCI Downhill World Cup overall leader Jonty Williamson (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) put in a barn-storming ride in qualifying – the New Zealander recovering from a middling start to record a 2:54.177 on the hill. Seppy Binsbergen was the only rider who could get within two seconds of Williamson, while Felix Griffiths (Santa Cruz Syndicate) gave himself a good shot at recording his first Junior podium by finishing third.Junior women's overall leader Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) meanwhile showed that she's the in-form rider in 2026, going fastest from the start hut all the way to the finish line in a qualifying performance that will leave her confident that she can record her second win of the season since the opener in South Korea. Last week's winner in Austria Lina Frener (Norco x adidas Race Division) was 2.284 seconds down on Ostgaard, while Rosa Marie Jensen (Specialized Gravity) looked like she would be the second fastest on the hill until a slightly slower final split saw her qualify down in third.Racing continues tomorrow (Saturday, June 20) in Lenzerheide from 11:30 CEST with the Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup Finals. Find out how to watch here.