News

Michelin has a long and storied history in mountain biking, so it made perfect sense when the iconic French manufacturer became a major, long-term partner of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in 2024.But the world’s premier mountain biking racing contest is much more than an activation and marketing opportunity for the world’s leading tyre manufacturer. In fact, each of the race rounds acts as a test bed, where it ideates, creates, and refines its products over the cut-and-thrust nature of a race weekend.Its partnership with Origine Racing Division is a prime example of this relationship. The newly launched team worked closely with Michelin throughout the season, developing a range of cross-country tyres that were put through their paces by up-and-coming talent, such as Mathis Azzaro.The results speak for themselves too – Azzaro finishing fourth and seventh in the XCO and XCC standings overall in 2025, recording six podium places along the way and a bronze medal at the 2025 UCI Cross-country Short Track World Championships.Here, Michelin’s racing program manager Vincent Ledieu explains how the partnership with a UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team led to the development of new race-focused cross-country prototypes.THE ORIGIN OF THE PARTNERSHIPMichelin has been an ever-present at the pinnacle of mountain biking since the sport’s early days, so it was an obvious choice when Origine Racing Division founder Maxime Marotte was looking for a tyre partner to help elevate his new outfit to the top level.“In 2024, Maxime Marotte decided to create his own team after many successful years competing at the highest level in Olympic Cross-Country,” says Vincent Ledieu. “At Les Gets, we were shown the first outline of this ambitious project, and Maxime confirmed to us at Mont-Sainte-Anne, in the Michelin truck, that the team would be launched.“Maxime told us about an exciting roster of riders full of potential. The Origine team also announced that their goal is to develop top-level equipment (bike, drivetrain) as well as young talent (such as Mathis Azzaro).”A PERFECT FITMarotte’s ambitious project struck a chord with Vincent Ledieu, and it matched Michelin’s own development-focused goals.“Our mission at the highest level of competition is to meet the needs of our teams through continuous development of our tyres,” he says. “Competition is a laboratory for Michelin, and our teams are our partners for developing, thinking outside the box, and testing technologies all year long, across several continents.“Maxime came to know Michelin well when he was racing for the BH team. It was during those years that he experienced this ‘development program’, and that is certainly why he thought of us.”A STRONG STARTMichelin wasted no time and delivered prototypes featuring new designs and casings to the team and its riders during the 2024-25 off-season. There has been constant dialogue ever since, with feedback helping to refine the tyres at every stage of their development.“Three tread patterns have been tested, validated, and used in UCI World Cup races. The team has also tried different casing variants and tread compounds,” says Vincent Ledieu.“After a year of intense riding, we have jointly validated a strong-yet-lightweight casing for the most demanding XCO races. A compound has also been approved that offers a good balance between pedaling efficiency and grip in wet and muddy conditions. In addition, we now have a new portfolio of tread designs to give the team the best possible tools to adapt to the terrain and weather conditions they may encounter throughout the season.”But the process isn’t limited to the current range of cross-country tyres, and it’s a continuous development cycle that will influence designs and trends for years to come.“A year of work and technical feedback not only allows us to validate technologies, it also lets us plan ahead,” he explains. “We have already identified improvement areas in our design to give the team better chances in certain conditions. For example, performing well in Short Track is increasingly important for starting the XCO race on the front row, naturally increasing the chances of fighting for a podium. This is why, in 2026, we will work on tyre solutions that allow even better performance in XCC events and in XCO races with less technical terrain.”FUTURE GOALSOrigine Racing Division is clearly just getting started, with riders like Mathis Azzaro and Martina Berta targeting even greater things in 2026. And Michelin will be with the team every pedal stroke of the way, helping them achieve their ambitious targets.“Michelin wants to continue developing and collaborating with the Origine team to give them an even greater chance of reaching their podium goals in 2026,” says Vincent Ledieu. “The Origine team is one of the pillars of our ambition to provide our customers with top-level cross-country tyres. Follow the team, follow us at the UCI World Cups, and you’ll discover for yourself what we’re working on.“But above all, we are looking forward to seeing our team shine in the races and reach podiums throughout the season. The consistent performance of the Origine team and its steady rise throughout the 2025 season give us hope for great results in 2026 – our shared goal is to win.”

In its third season as broadcaster, promoter and organiser, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports drove the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series to new records across broadcast, digital and social platforms, and on-site fan attendance*.2025 reached a true turning point with significant updates to UCI Regulations, including major changes to the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup qualification system and the introduction of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams. These reforms build on a groundbreaking long-term partnership between WBD Sports and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) launched in 2023, unifying most major mountain bike formats under a single brand for the first time.During 16 race weekends in 10 countries across three continents, 64 UCI World Cup winners were crowned, with new overall champions emerging in all-but-one Elite category, highlighting the heightened competitiveness and excitement driven by the latest reforms. On the industry side, 30 mountain bike manufacturers secured UCI World Cup victories through their trade teams during the season with Canyon leading the table, closely followed by Cube and Specialized.The 2025 season also welcomed an exciting new long-term partner venue in La Thuile – Valle D’Aosta  (Italy), which hosted the first-ever UCI Enduro World Cup night race, alongside the introduction of a thrilling Downhill course at a 2024 newcomer venue Lake Placid Olympic Region (USA) and the return of several iconic venues across South America, North America and Europe.NEW BENCHMARKS SET FOR VIEWERSHIPFor the third consecutive year, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series saw record-breaking worldwide TV viewership. WBD’s channels and platforms (HBO Max, Eurosport, discovery+ and TNT Sports) accounted for the majority of the audience, generating over 87 million cumulative views across the season. This growth was fuelled bythousands of hours of racing broadcast on over 25 partner TV and streaming channels, extending the series’ reach to fans in over 150 countries and territories worldwide.As part of the reform, the UCI and WBD Sports also worked closely with the teams to deliver greater exposure and enhanced marketing opportunities. Broadcast graphics were upgraded to maximise on-screen visibility and increase the media value for teams, athletes and brands, incorporating elements such as headshots, race bike images, team logos, colours, career numbers and national flags. These enhancements helped raise awareness among millions of fans watching worldwide, while creating a more cohesive and recognisable visual identity across events and media platforms.In parallel, WBD continued to enhance its broadcasts to help viewers better understand the racing and provide deeper context for fans at home, with accessible, data-driven insights such as heart-rate zones and athlete strain metrics during races — all powered by WHOOP.In 2025, WBD also invested in a portfolio of non-live cycling content, with the launch of two new, original documentaries – Grit and Glory: Enduro Mountain Bike Racing, an inside look at the 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup season, and Race Bikes, a deep dive into the sport’s fastest machines.FAN-LED GROWTHWBD takes storytelling beyond live broadcasts, capturing every moment on and off the track through comprehensive digital and social coverage.During the 2025 season, more than 250,000 new users followed the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series official accounts (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube), bringing the total follower count to 1.25 million. This season, social channels have continued to bring fans closer to the action whilst attracting new audiences to the sport, surpassing one billion impressions since the start of the WBD Sports era in 2023.This interest carried over into the expanded media coverage of the series on owned and earned platforms. The new official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website (an essential hub for all news, previews, reports and athlete profiles) saw record-breaking volumes of traffic in 2025, generating 5 million total page views (+233% vs 2024) taking the total to more than 10 million since the series’ inception in 2023.Along with the millions of viewers watching at home and online, a record 440,000 fans attended on-site, with 97% of those surveyed saying they would return to another WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series event in the future. More than 100,000 descended on Haute-Savoie alone over two weekends of racing in Les Gets and Morillon.Chris Ball, VP Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “The third year of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has exceeded all expectations. What began as an ambitious vision a few years ago has now become one of the most thrilling spectacles on the international sporting calendar. With the continued support of the UCI, which has embraced our ambition for change, we have introduced reforms that are genuinely transforming the sport and elevating the experience for both athletes and fans.We are proud to see these results reflect the positive response to the changes we believed in from the outset, and we remain confident that we will continue to drive growth and innovation with every new season.”UCI President David Lappartientsaid: "From the opening rounds in Brazil in April, to four months of racing in European destinations, before returning to the American continent for the final two rounds - in the USA and Canada – the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series was an enormous success. Thanks to our collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports we have taken this leading mountain bike series to new heights, both in terms of sporting interest and international popularity. We will continue to work together to build on this success and ensure that both mountain bike athletes and fans can continue to look forward to innovative and exciting season-long competitions.”EYES ON 2026The 2025 season marked the most significant overhaul in mountain bike since the inception of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in 1991, reshaping the sport’s landscape, raising professional standards across the series, and elevating elite teams to new levels and new audiences worldwide. Building on these strong foundations, the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series aims to deliver another record-breaking season across all four formats.The 2026 season kicks off in May with the Race of South Korea – marking the return of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to the Asian continent for the first time in 25 years. The series will also make first-time stops at Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) and Downhill’s spiritual home of Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia (Canada), delivering on decades of anticipation from fans, teams and athletes alike. And this is just a taste of things to come, with 14 race weekend across three continents, nine countries, including two quadruple headers and a series finale in the US at the iconic Lake Placid Olympic Region.*Figures from January 1st – November 1st 2025

The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series experienced a shake-up at the start of the 2025 series.For the first time in UCI Mountain Bike World Cup history, UCI World Series Team status was introduced, which guaranteed spots on the start line at every round for 40 teams – 20 in Endurance and 20 in Gravity. The new regulations were introduced to make UCI World Cups more competitive whilst providing teams and athletes with greater opportunities for growth and visibility.While 30 of the spaces (15 across each format) were decided by UCI ranking points, five Endurance and five Gravity outfits would earn their places via yearlong wildcard spots.Fiercely contested, they were selected by the UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports based on a scoring matrix that included criteria such as UCI team ranking, UCI Continental Series participation and results, athlete profiles, sponsor profiles and media reach.In Endurance, it saw the likes of multi-discipline stars Mathieu van der Poel and Puck Pieterse’s Alpecin-Deceuninck secure its place despite missing out via UCI rankings, while Reece Wilson’s new outfit AON Racing-Tourne Campervan was guaranteed a spot in the Downhill start hut.The 2026 season will see the same five year-long wildcard spaces on offer across Endurance and Gravity, with 19 teams currently awaiting their fate to see if they’ve been selected for next season.Teams likely to be in contention include Alpecin-Deceuninck, AON Racing-Tourne Campervan, and other year-long wildcard picks from last year such as Continental Atherton, Pivot Factory Racing (Gravity), Liv Factory Racing and Mondraker Factory Racing (Endurance).ADDITIONAL SPOTS AT EACH ROUNDIn addition to the wildcard UCI World Series Team spots, there will be up to eight wildcard spots available to regular UCI Mountain Bike teams in each format at each UCI World Cup round.These follow the same selection criteria as the year-long picks, but also considers the home nation of the team as well as recent results.These round-based picks aren’t just to make up the numbers either, and teams and riders can propel themselves from wildcard entrants to major contenders – Rogue Racing’s Thibault Daprela recording a podium (Val di Sole - Trentino, Italy) and 16th in the Downhill overall in 2025 despite only entering as a wildcard.

The off-season is a time for riders to enjoy some relaxation and recuperation before readying themselves for an intensive training block that will get race ready ahead of the first round of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in May.But this time of year is also an interesting proposition for teams, who are waiting eagerly to find out if they’ve done enough to secure UCI World Series Team status, and a spot at every UCI World Cup of the 2026 season.A new qualifying process was introduced at the start of the 2025 season to enhance the competitiveness and excitement of each UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, while establishing a clear development pathway to the highest level of mountain biking. All teams are required to register with the UCI to be classified as either a UCI Mountain Bike Team or a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team (previously known as UCI MTB Elite teams). UCI World Series Team status is awarded to 20 teams in each of the Endurance and Gravity formats, which guarantees participation at each UCI World Cup.Like in the 2025 series, the 20 teams for each format are made up of the top 15 in the UCI team rankings and five year-long wildcard spots that are awarded based on a scoring matrix.A team’s UCI points are calculated by adding together the points of the four highest scored riders of each team without making a distinction between men Elite, men Junior/U23, women Elite and women Junior/U23. These points are accrued across all UCI-registered events (not just WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series points) and are scored in finals only. The rankings cut off was 28 October 2025.There is a bit of a difference for 2026 though. Unlike in 2025, points aren’t transferred with riders to their new teams, meaning there’s no opportunities for a team to make shrewd off-season signings to increase their chances of bagging UCI World Series Team status. Also, this season will see teams ranked 1-10 offered a two-year licence, and the teams ranked 11-15 offered a one-year licence, unlike last season where the top 15 ranked teams were only offered a one-year licence.Being in the top 15 provides an invitation to become a UCI World Series team, but it doesn’t guarantee participation—teams still need to accept and complete registration.Three-quarters of the UCI World Series teams decided, the remaining 10 spots are awarded to year-long wildcards decided by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports, while there are a number of other ways that teams and riders can bag their spot on a startline or in the start hut, including round-by-round wildcard entries and a rider’s individual UCI ranking.

Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Vali Höll (YT Mob) might have come away with all the spoils from the 2025 season, but the 10-round series was one of the most competitive in recent memory with one nail-biting conclusion that will live long in the memory.Downhill mountain biking is fast, furious, and extremely unpredictable, but two riders had bucked the trend in recent history, showing consistency where others had crumbled and cruising to back-to-back overall series in 2023 and 2024.All eyes were on Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Vali Höll (YT Mob) once more as the longest-ever season got underway in Bielsko-Biała, and whether any other athletes could end their dominance.As it turns out, they could. The men’s contest witnessed the rise of Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) – the 21-year-old Canadian returning to action after a year on the sidelines with injury – and a battle for the top spot with Bruni that wouldn’t be decided until the very last run of the series. While Höll still came out on top, her fourth overall series was the Austrian’s toughest test yet, with five different women standing on the top spot over the year. Goldstone’s record-equaling run and five wins enough to topple BruniWhen Loïc Bruni won qualifying and finals at the opening round in Bielsko-Biała (Poland), his competitors could have been forgiven for thinking that the series was already over. While there were still nine rounds to go, the Frenchman’s signature consistency would mean that his win in Poland probably wouldn’t be his last of the year, while only an uncharacteristic crash or injury would prevent him from winning his fifth overall title and third consecutive crown.Jackson Goldstone had other ideas though. Fresh from a season sat on the sidelines with injury, the Canadian had a point to prove after an impressive debut elite season in 2023 where he won his first two UCI Downhill World Cups and narrowly finished second behind Bruni in the overall. And although he could only manage a top-20 finish at the season opener, it was a warm-up for what was to come.From Loudenvielle-Peyragudes onwards, he was unstoppable, equaling Aaron Gwin’s (Gwin Racing) record for four wins in a row, while he had back-to-back perfect weekends in Val di Sole (Italy) and La Thuile (Italy). His results propelled him to the top of the standings, and at the midway point, he had a healthy 195-point lead over Bruni.His run would end in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), Bruni getting the better of Goldstone for his second win of the series, and the Frenchman would chip away at Goldstone’s lead with each round – the Canadian dropping points in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and Bike Kingdom Lenzerheide (Switzerland), while Bruni was his metronomic self with two top-five finishes.Neither made the podium in Lake Placid’s (USA) UCI Downhill World Cup debut, and things were poised tantalisingly with just Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) – Bruni leading by 72 and able to take the series even if Goldstone won.On finals day, Goldstone did all he could in front of a partisan home crowd, putting in the first 3:30 of the day to sit in the hotseat with only Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Bruni to go. The American could only go second fastest, and then all eyes were on the start hut awaiting Bruni’s drop in. But it never came – the Frenchman injured during training on finals day and knowing that he wouldn’t be able to compete, let alone beat, Goldstone’s time. The Canadian had done it, winning the UCI Downhill World Cup Overall series on home soil, completing a Hollywood ending to a redemption story that also included winning the UCI Downhill World Championship. Höll shows grit to complete hat-trick of overall and world championship doubleWhile the men’s contest was a two-horse race, the women’s was the most open it has been in years. After Vali Höll’s dominance since breaking through to the elite class in 2021, the Austrian had a fight on her hands from the off.It was Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) who started strongest – the experienced Brit back to her best to take the opening round in Bielsko-Biała (Poland) – before Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) took up the mantle, winning her first two UCI Downhill World Cups.Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) got in on the action in Val di Sole (Italy) and La Thuile (Italy), but at the halfway point, Höll still led the overall despite not winning a weekend.It was her consistency that had got her there – the 23-year-old using her experience to grind out podium finishes even if she didn’t take the win – but as her winless UCI World Cup streak extended beyond a year, many wondered if it would be enough to see her through to the end of the season.Seagrave and Hemstreet cleaned up at the next three rounds, but their inconsistency couldn’t shake Höll from the overall top spot, and when the Austrian had her first opportunity to mathematically secure her fourth title and third consecutive crown in Lake Placid (USA), she seized it with both hands while her rivals’ challenges wilted.Fresh off the back of winning her fourth consecutive UCI Downhill World Championship, Höll blitzed the field on the venue’s new downhill course, going fastest in each intermediate split to win by almost three seconds. Hemstreet meanwhile could only manage 10th, meaning the title wouldn’t go to the final round.A crash in her Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) finals run saw Höll finish down in 14th, but she was still able to extend her lead – neither Hemstreet or Seagrave scoring a point over the weekend, meaning it was as you were for the top three spots in the overall. Alran edges Vermette and Rosa keeps it consistent in JuniorsWhile the Elite contests were the closest they’ve been in years, the Juniors were on another level.In the women’s field, Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) and Alehta Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) were the dominant forces – the pair claiming four wins each from the 10 rounds. It was Zierl who edged it though, beating Ostgaard by 45 points – the American’s failure to score anything in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes coming back to haunt her at the season’s end.The men’s contest meanwhile was an epic that featured two riders who often put down runs faster than the elites that followed. Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) ultimately had the edge over Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5Dev), but just 12 points separated the pair after 10 rounds of fierce and frenetic racing. It was Alran’s four wins to Vermette’s two that were the difference – the Frenchman outscoring his American rival despite the latter’s podium finishes.Next year the season kicks-off in South Korea.

The American and Brit dominated their respective series with consistency and race-winning performances that no-one else could handle.The UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup has become fiercely contested where results are much more than simply sorting the starting order for the race weekend’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup. The shorter, high intensity nature of the racing has seen specialists emerge, and when they are in form, they are almost unstoppable.Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) are two such riders. Explosive, aggressive and able to ride in the red for sustained periods of time, the pair had already shown they could beat the best in XCC races – Richards in particular going into the 2025 season as the reigning UCI XCC World Champion.But both pulled together seriously impressive series that left them head and shoulders above the rest, and worthy winners of the 2025 UCI XCC World Cup overall titles.BLEVINS GOES FIVE-IN-A-ROW BEFORE SIGNING OFF THE SERIES WITH ONE ROUND TO GOLike his UCI XCO World Cup record, Blevins had two UCI XCC World Cup wins to his name prior to the 2025 series, although you’d have to go back to Snowshoe (USA) in 2022 for his most recent short track victory. While he had recorded some podium finishes in 2024, it was his teammate and reigning UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) who was the rider to watch going into the new season.The American had clearly had an impressive off-season though, and started the series in the best way possible – outsprinting Koretzky to take the win in the Araxá, Minas Gerais’ (Brazil) opening race. It was a feat he repeated six days later, again getting the better of Koretzky, and as the series moved from South America to Europe, he already held a healthy lead in the overall.It was the same story in Nové Mesto na Moravě (Czechia), while wins in Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland (Austria) and Val di Sole (Italy) made it an unprecedented five in a row for Blevins. It wasn’t until Pal Arinsal (Andorra) in July when another rider would finally get the better of Blevins – Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) edging him on the line.While his season appeared to drift in the next two rounds, his early dominance meant that the overall never truly looked to be under threat. And when the opportunity presented itself to claim the overall on home soil in Lake Placid Olympic Region (USA), Blevins didn’t miss – flying round teammate Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) on the line for his sixth win of the season, and Specialized’s sixth 1-2 of the year.Martin prevented it being a Specialized Factory Racing whitewash in the overall – the Frenchman adding a second win of the series at the season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) – while his teammate Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) rounded out the overall podium.RICHARDS PUTS IN HER MOST-CONSISTENT SEASON TO ADD THE OVERALL TITLE TO HER 2024 RAINBOW BANDSWhen Evie Richards won the 2021 UCI XCO World Championship, the Brit appeared to suffer the curse of the rainbow bands during her year in the world champions jersey, only finishing two UCI XCO World Cups and 16th position her best placing.The 28-year-old had another three seasons’ experience on her side entering the 2025 series, and looked determined to not suffer the same fate while wearing the UCI XCC World Champions jersey.She started her season the best possible way, leaving Brazil with a 100% record from the opening two rounds and in control of the overall. A narrow second place to Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in Nové Mesto na Moravě was the first time she had been bettered in the XCC all year, while sixth in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland would be her worst result all season.Forced to skip Val di Sole – Trentino (Italy), her overall looked under threat from Pieterse, who had won three back-to-back UCI XCC World Cups. But come Pal Arinsal, Richards answered her critics, returning to the podium with second behind Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) while the Dutchwoman wilted at altitude.Defending overall champion Keller appeared to be Richards’ main threat and was hitting form just at the right time, while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) threw her hat into the ring with a win in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) with the series leader only managing fifth. But the Brit showed a new, steely resolve.While Rissveds could go on to win the next three rounds, finishing the season with an almost perfect record and picking up XCO/XCC doubles in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, Lake Placid Olympic Region and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), Richards was always in the background, finishing next best to the Swede to retain her advantage in the overall.Rissveds ultimately left it too late, and will rue her failure to score points in Nové Mesto with 110 points the difference between the two. Keller meanwhile finished third while also clinching the 2025 UCI XCC World Championship.SADNIK EDGES CORVI WHILE TREUDLER ADDS XCC TITLE TO XCO CROWN IN U23In the U23 field, it was a similar story with a competitive contest in the women’s U23 while one rider ran away with proceedings in the men’s U23.Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) had the edge in the women’s U23, beating Women U23 UCI XCO World Cup overall winner Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) by 26 points. The Austrian collected six podiums all year, including the win in Pal Arinsal, but the series was separated by just six points as racing got underway in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Her third-place finish scored her 20 more points than Corvi, who could only manage seventh – the Italian likely regretting her two missed rounds in Nové Mesto and Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland.In the men’s U23, like in the XCO, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) dominated. While he wasn’t able to match his eight wins from the Olympic-distance format, the Swiss 22-year-old did win seven rounds in a row from Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland to Mont-Sainte-Anne, and was only beaten by elite-class rider Adrien Boichis at the U23 UCI XCC World Championships.

The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike Series would witness something of the changing of the guard in the Cross-country formats for 2025. Reigning UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Champions Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC) and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) would instead focus on the road – both skipping the first two and final two rounds of the year – while one of the G.O.A.Ts Pauline Ferrand-Prevot didn’t set foot on the trails once all season as she targeted (and won) the Tour de France Femmes. Elsewhere, consistent performers of previous seasons – Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) had age and a comeback from injury to contend with.This void at the top of the table opened up the chance for other riders to stake their claim. And it was an opportunity that both Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) seized with both hands.The pair were ever present at all 10 rounds of the series. But their debut title wins were down to more than simply showing up – both Blevins and Maxwell displaying the consistency needed be crowned overall champions. From an unprecedented three XCO-XCC doubles to an almost-perfect podium season, here’s how Blevins and Maxwell did it.BLEVINS BLOWS COMPETITORS AWAY BEFORE OVERCOMING MID-SEASON SLUMP IN STYLEPrior to the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, Christopher Blevins had only won two XCO races on the biggest stage – a sprint finish in Mairiporã (Brazil) in April 2024 and in Snowshoe (USA) back in September 2021. While the 27-year-old would have to settle for second best to teammate Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) at the opening round in Araxá, Minais Gerais (Brazil), when the field returned six days later, the American made sure he didn’t miss again.His victory in South America was his third of the opening two rounds – Blevins also picking up the opening two UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup wins – and started a run of first-places that would last until round four in Saalfelden Leogang - Salzbugerland (Austria). A 17th place on the slopes in the Austrian alps wasn’t enough to dent his overall lead, while by the series’ midpoint in Val di Sole - Trentino (Italy), his advantage was more than 300 points.Blevins’ form appeared to desert him in Pal Arinsal’s (Andorra) high altitude arena – a 29th place his worst result of the year – and things didn’t seem to improve with 12th and 27th in Les Gets, Haute Savoie (France) and Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland), respectively. But when the chance to mathematically secure the overall arose at home in Lake Placid Olympic Region (USA), the American rose to the occasion – clinching a third UCI XCO World Cup and XCO-XCC double of the season, and with it the title.Blevins could relax as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series crossed the border into Canada for the final round, where teammate Martin Viduarre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) secured second in the overall, and Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) third.MAXWELL CLINCHES NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST UCI WORLD CUP OVERALL CROWNSamara Maxwell had an impressive debut elite season in 2024, finishing within the top 20 at every UCI XCO World Cup she entered, but the 23-year-old took things up a gear for 2025 and signaled her intent from the off.At the opening round in Araxá, the New Zealander edged Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) and teammate Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) to record her debut UCI XCO World Cup win and the top spot in the overall, and it was a position she held on to all the way to the season’s end.Although she would only claim one more victory – in Pal Arinsal – the young rider’s consistency made her a runaway force that was impossible to contain. After her win in the season opener, Maxwell would become a feature of each round’s podium until race weekend 8 in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide at the end of September – when she finished sixth (her lowest position of the entire year).Other riders looked like they might be able to threaten Maxwell’s dominance. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deceuninck) put together a hat-trick of wins in Nové Mesto na Moravě (Czechia), Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland and Val di Sole, but the 2024 UCI XCO World Champion lost her way in the second-half of the season. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) went one better, winning the final four UCI XCO World Cups of the series and the UCI XCO World Championship, but the Swede had ultimately left it too late to topple Maxwell. The Decathlon Ford Racing Team rider had to wait until the Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) season finale to confirm her crown, but signed off her season with a fourth second-place to take her and her country’s first-ever UCI World Cup overall series. Elsewhere, Rissveds would have to settle for second, with 2024 UCI XCO World Cup overall winner Alessandra Keller third.CORVI AND TREUDLER CROWNED U23 WINNERSIn the U23 field, another two riders dominated proceedings with podium-perfect seasons between them.In the women’s Under 23, Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) completed her second U23 season in style, picking up podiums at every round she entered and three wins in Val di Sole, Pal Arinsal and Les Gets. The Italian could afford to skip two rounds and still win at a canter to Vida Lopez De San Roman (Trinity Racing).In the men’s U23, it was the Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) show. The Swiss 22-year-old dominated the field, winning eight out of 10 rounds with the only blemishes on his near-perfect record third-place in Nové Mesto na Moravě and second in Val di Sole. His 601-point victory in the overall over Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) is one of the most one-sided performances ever, and it will be interesting to see how he fairs when stepping up to the elites in 2026.

Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Ella Conolly both won three UCI Enduro World Cups each over the seven-round series to wrap up their first overall titles before the final race weekend in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). Conolly wasn’t the only privateer to impress in 2025, either, with Daniel Booker almost writing his own underdog story with two UCI Enduro World Cup wins. The 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup was always set to be a year of transition. Both of the 2024 UCI Enduro World Cup overall winners, Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Harriet Harnden (Aon Racing - Tourne Campervans) were focusing their attention on Downhill, and would only compete at UCI Enduro World Cups where there was no clash in the Gravity calendar. Isabeau Courdurier’s absence in the women’s field would also make it a more open affair, giving other riders an opportunity to shine. But it wasn’t just the favourites who had a different look for 2025. The courses themselves were a different proposition – four rounds going back to the sport’s roots and splitting the action across two days and UCI World Cup’s first-ever night stage. Coming out on top would require even greater consistency, and the ability to manage races – both mentally and physically – across multiple days. And it was a challenge that appeared to suit Łukasik and Conolly down to a T. ŁUKASIK STEPS OUT FROM RUDE’S SHADOW Sławomir Łukasik was the nearly-man of 2024. The Polish rider came agonisingly close to clinching his first UCI Enduro World Cup in front of his home fans at Bielsko-Biała (Poland), and often had to settle for second place behind teammate Richie Rude. But with the American absent for four out of seven rounds, the 32-year-old sensed his chance. He wasn’t able to get off to a winning start in Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) – Australian privateer Daniel Booker edging him to the top spot by less than a second, but come Bielsko-Biała, Lukasik wasn’t going to let a debut UCI Enduro World Cup win slip through his fingers again. He dominated on home soil, winning by more than six seconds to Jack Moir (YT Mob), and leapfrogged Booker into first in the overall – a position he wouldn’t relinquish again all series. Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) and Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland (Austria) would see him off the pace but still able to secure podium finishes with third to further his advantage in the title race, but it was the follow two rounds that would see him ram home his dominance. In Val di Fassa - Trentino’s (Italy) first UCI Enduro World Cup, no one could get close to the Pole over the two days, with Rude the next best almost 14 seconds in arrears. The following week, in La Thuile – Valle D’Aosta (Italy), he clinched his third UCI Enduro World Cup in emphatic fashion – finishing fourth fastest on the floodlit NightFall stage, pipping Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) by 0.05 seconds to the win. His victory also meant that he had built an unassailable lead with one round still to go, where he could afford to finish 24th. CONOLLY PROVES PRIVATEERS CAN RIVAL FACTORY TEAMS Ella Conolly was another rider who was still looking for a UCI Enduro World Cup win at the start of the 2025 series. The Brit had come close, but the likes of Harnden and Courdurier always had the edge and experience when it mattered most. It was Harnden who started the season in style – the defending UCI Enduro World Cup overall series winner crushing the field in Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region, winning five out of seven stages and finishing third in the others. But 24 seconds back in second was Conolly, and with Harnden set to be switching to Downhill in Bielsko-Biała, the Brit looked like she had a good shot. It wasn’t to be – Conolly again having to play second fiddle, this time to Elly Hoskin – but her consistency saw her take top spot in the overall, and, like Łukasik, she would never look back. The stars aligned for Conolly in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes as she went fastest in four out of five stages and finished second in the other, crushing the competition by more than 40 seconds to win her first UCI Enduro World Cup. The privateer made it back-to-back in Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland, again posting a health 16-second advantage, while she made it a hattrick of wins in Val di Fassa to make the overall series a seemingly foregone conclusion with two rounds still to go. The 27-year-old narrowly missed out on making it four-in-a-row the following weekend in La Thuile – Simona Kuchynková (Cube Action Team) building enough an advantage on the second stage to hold on to first by 2.08 seconds – but her sixth-consecutive podium of the series was enough to claim the overall series.  Her advantage meant that she could afford not to start the final UCI Enduro World Cup of the series to focus on the UCI Enduro World Championships instead, where she finished second behind Elly Hoskin. ADAMS AND ALMUEIS DOMINATE IN JUNIOR CLASS The UCI Enduro World Cup aligned with the other Gravity formats with an overall Junior class that was restricted to riders aged 18 and under.  In the women's field, Lacey Adams (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was a dominant force throughout the series, finishing on the podium at all seven rounds and picking up a hattrick of wins in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France), Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland (Austria) and Val di Fassa - Trentino (Italy). The Australian finished with a comfortable 200-point lead over teammate Chloe Bear (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) to claim the series, while privateer and Pietra Ligure winner Lucile Metge finished third.    Melvin Almueis went two better in the men's competition, winning five out of the seven rounds, with second-place (Bielsko-Biala) and sixth-place (La Thuile) the only times the Frenchman wasn't stood atop the podium come the end of a race weekend. If that wasn't enough, the privateer also won the Men Junior UCI Enduro World Champion title in Valais (Switzerland), and with the 18-year-old ineligible for the junior class next year, it will be interesting to see how he fares against the elites. 

Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) produced the most dominant display in women’s Elite Cross-country Olympic (XCO) history in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com, while Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) took the first Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup win of his career. Samara Maxwell also made history of her own and became the first women’s Elite rider from New Zealand to win the UCI XCO World Cup overall title. The Decathlon Ford Racing Team rider sealed her crown with an emotional runner-up spot, while Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) overcame a battle of her own for third. The men’s elite race was a much closer affair, with British national champion Aldridge making a decisive last lap attack to narrowly beat Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) into second, while Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) finished third.  Isabella Holmgren returned to mountain biking for her home UCI World Cup and completed a weekend double in the women’s U23 category, while Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) was rewarded for her consistency with the overall title. Despite already wrapping up the Men Under 23 UCI World XCO Cup and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) overall titles, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) rounded off his season with another perfect weekend. RISSVEDS FINDS RHYTHM TO LEAVE OPPONENTS IN WAKE Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) rounded off a perfect end to her season by winning by a record race margin in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Despite missing out on vital overall points early in the season, the Swedish rider has turned her season around in style with eight wins from her last 10 world class starts, including winning the UCI XCO World Championship title.  Following a consistent season Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) came into the final UCI World Cup race of the season knowing that a top eight finish would make history for her country. However, Rissveds still had a chance of stealing the overall honours if her young rival made any mistakes. While there was hesitation on the opening climb from the favourites, Linda Indergand (Liv Factory Racing) marked her retirement by powered through on the opening climb to briefly lead. However, by the top of the opening hill Rissveds regained the lead and pulled out a slender advantage over Maxwell and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli), as Indergand paid for her effort. Within five minutes of racing Rissveds had already pulled out a 10-second advantage over a resurgent Maxwell as she wound her way up the Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) slope. In the battle behind, Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) had a good start and was leading the chase for the podium positions behind Maxwell. Following the starting loop, Rissveds had pulled out an impressive 31-second advantage, but Maxwell was being chased by an eight-woman chasing group. Following the first complete lap Rissveds’ lead had doubled to over a minute, while the chasing group were 10 seconds behind Maxwell. The group battling for third contained Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing), Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), Candice Lill and Richards, as Berta started to lose ground. By the midway point Rissveds had an emphatic margin of 1:51 over a comfortable Maxwell, while Blunk was dropped from the chasing quartet 50 seconds further back. Frei forced the pace on the fourth time up the climb and the subsequent descent to pull away with Richards in the battle for third. Maxwell was given a fright herself after almost crashing after catching a rut, banging her leg but remaining on her bike. Blunk also had trouble in the downhill rock garden and crashed resulting in losing time to the podium battle.  Taking the last lap bell Rissveds had a commanding lead of 2:48 over a consistent Maxwell. Frei and Richards were locked in a battle for third 4:02 behind the leader as they traded blows on the final climb, while Keller remained chasing a handful of seconds further back. Rissveds closed the book on an emphatic end to the season with a record winning margin of 3:30, over an emotional Maxwell who secured the overall series title with second. Meanwhile, Richards overcame a last lap mishap in the wooded area and passed Frei to clinch third. Talking about winning by the biggest margin in XCO history. Rissveds said: “This is the first time I’m speechless. “I was really tired towards the end of the race. I really felt it in my legs. I was just focusing on flow today, I really enjoyed the course, it’s a really cool course. “It’s proper mountain biking and they kept the heart of the course, I really tried to just enjoy it. I had no plan, I just wanted to ride with good flow and my own race. It worked out, it’s really nice. “It has been a big learning season. I feel everything happened this year, I became very dominant towards the end of the season, I won the World Championships and there’s still so much to learn. I’m still hungry and excited for the future.” Meanwhile, 23-year-old Maxwell won the overall series for the first time in her young career, beating Rissveds into second and Keller third.  Maxwell said: “I was thinking about how much stress we go through as athletes. “We had 11 races this year, including the World Championships, and I was on the podium for 10 of them.  “This season has been incredible, there has been so much belief in the team for me.  “To stay consistent was trusting in my own system, my own process, coach, my team and recovery. Just listening to the people around me who supported me were the main thing.” ALDRIDGE POWERS AWAY FROM RIVALS FOR MAIDEN XCO VICTORY Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) bided his time to launch two blistering attacks and took his first Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup victory. The 24-year-old, who finished third in Pal Arinsal – Andorra and second in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide, recovered from a poor start and then attacked from a leading quartet for glory. Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) was a noticeable absentee from the final XCO round after deciding to focus on recovery following a crash in the previous round at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, the previous weekend.  Aldridge had work to do away from the line after missing his pedal at the start and being shuffled back down the pack. Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) capitalised from the mistake and led the early pace, along with Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Racing). The Mont-Sainte-Anne course provided early drama as XCC winner from Friday Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) crashed on a bridge before moments later XCO and XCC series winner Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) also slid out on a loose corner. The battle between Specialized Factory Racing and Cannondale Factory Racing was developing again on the opening lap as both teams placed riders highly in the leading group. A blistering place set by Specialized Factory Racing resulted in a seven-man group going clear consisting of Blevins, Vidaurre, Aldridge, Martin, Andreassen, Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) and Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing). Vidaurre showed his fearless descending which forced himself clear after 30 minutes of racing with Aldridge and Azzaro. Boichis saw the danger unfolding and attacked the chasing group to draw back up to the leaders. Young British rider Aldridge was bidding for his first XCO and on the penultimate lap attacked to put his rivals under pressure on the climb. The Cannondale Factory Racing rider continued to power up the punchy switch-back climb to pull out five seconds on his opponents. Vidaurre and Azzaro provided a response to the pressure and pulled back the young British rider before taking the last lap bell, while Boichis dropped out of podium contention. Aldridge repeated his move from the previous lap and took the lead from Vidaurre at the top of the lengthy climb and forced the pace into the wooded section. The young British rider again pulled out a six-second gap on the steep switch-backs as Vidaurre desperately chased and Azzaro was distanced in third 10 seconds behind. Aldridge was able to look back at the bottom of the descent and see the margin he had pulled out on his chasing Specialized Factory Racing opponent. The British national champion continued to push the pace home on the final section to win by 11 seconds from Vidaurre and Azzaro completed the podium.  Following his victory Aldridge said: “What a way to finish the year, I’m over the moon with that. “I’ve been working towards an XCO win my whole career. This year I’ve been close a couple of times, so to finish it off like this is unreal. “The last two laps were full gas, I was cramping up, everybody was cramping up. It was just a battle of attrition. “Towards the top of the climb I could see I was getting a bit of a gap, so on the last lap I was just going full gas to get to the finish. I made it.   Blevins had already sealed the overall XCO series coming into the final round, while Vidaurre was second and Martin finished third. Blevins said: “It has been a beautiful year. “I’ve got to let myself catch up with myself a little bit. Right now I feel extremely grateful, proud of myself, proud of the team, it’s been quite a ride. “The process is working, I worked on my own subtle mental game and with the team everything is clicking. “I stuck with the process, believe in it and had some breakthrough moments. Not much has changed, but in a way everything changes.”   HOLMGREN HAS DOMINANT WEEKEND, WHILE CORVI SEALS TITLE Isabella Holmgren produced a perfect weekend with two solo victories as she returned to women’s U23 mountain bike action in style. The Canadian rider has missed half of the UCI World Cup rounds this season due to her multi-discipline calendar, road racing with Lidl-Trek. However, after winning the opening two rounds, Holmgren bookended the season with a weekend double in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) was looking to seal the overall series title and pulled out a slender lead after the opening loop, with Holmgren 12 seconds behind in fourth. American Vida Lopez De San Roman (Trinity Racing) won the previous XCO round in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, and was joined by Holmgren, Corvi and Olivia Onesti (BH Coloma Team) in the leading group after the first full lap. However, on the second lap Holmgren stamped her authority on the race and pulled a 16-second advantage over Lopez De San Roman and Covi. The gap continued to grow to 51 seconds coming into the final lap as the chasing pair battled for second. Holmgren had time to be cautious on the final lap, while Lopez De San Roman was strongest and gapped Corvi for second. After completing a weekend double on home tuft Holmgren said: “I really didn’t want to crash on the same rock as last year. “I made it through, pretty focused the whole race and then in the last lap I really made sure I stayed on the bike.  “I definitely want to continue racing road and mountain bike, I found a really good balance with the team and I’m happy continuing both. Meanwhile, a third placed finish for Corvi was enough for the Italian to clinch the overall title, ahead of Lopez De San Roman in second and Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) in third. After taking the overall victory Corvi said: “It’s just amazing. I wanted to enjoy the race as much as possible. This jersey means a lot after quite a complicated season, I missed two races with injury.  “I’m speechless with the results and let’s enjoy it as much as possible.” TREUDLER COMPLETES PERFECT WEEKEND WITH SUPERIOR WIN Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) completed a dominant men’s U23 campaign with an eighth XCO UCI World Cup win from 10 rounds this season. The Swiss youngster had no pressure coming into Mont-Sainte-Anne having already wrapped up both XCO and XCC overall titles.   After being made to work for his slender victory in Friday’s XCC the Cube Factory Racing rider had a more comfortable outing in the XCO. Treudler was joined on the starting loop by countryman Maxime Lhomme and the pair had an advantage of 11 seconds. Not content with his margin Treudler went alone on the first full lap and would not been seen by his rivals again. By the third lap the UCI World Cup series winner had an unassailable margin of 43 seconds as the podium battle behind started to take shape. Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) finished second in the XCC but suffered a slower start and had to battle through from seventh on the starting loop. Pedersen moved up to second on the third lap and his pace resulted in the chasing group slimming down.  Frenchman Naël Rouffiac (Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret) was another rider who paced his effort well on the testing Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) course. Rouffiac battled back from 20th on the starting loop and was lapping quickest during mid-race to join the podium fight on the penultimate lap. However, Pedersen had energy in reserve and responded with the quickest lap of the race. Treudler saw his winning margin shrink to 29 seconds due to the battle behind, while Pederson finished just three seconds ahead of Rouffiac in third. Treudler dominated the overall series finishing ahead of Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) in second and Pedersen in third. Following his victory Treudler said: “It means so much, it has been such a great season. “I’m just super happy to finish it off in this way, it has just been a fantastic season. I really liked the track this year. “The climbs suited me really well and I could push really hard today. It was just a really good day again and so happy about my win. “I’ll try to be as good as possible, I’m following my way and will just try and be the best version on myself. The success will be a result of that.”   The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has now concluded for 2025, with the opening round of 2026 happening on May 1-3 with the Race of South Korea.  

Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) clinched the Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup overall title in the most dramatic of circumstances in his home country at Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com. Meanwhile, Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) took her 11th career UCI World Cup victory following an enthralling end to the women’s Elite category. Coming into the weekend Goldstone was locked in a battle for overall honours with quickest qualifier Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). However, a crash for Bruni in a training run resulted in the Frenchman suffering a thigh injury and not taking to the track for finals. In front of his home crowd Goldstone rose to the pressure and put down a winning run, putting Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) into second and early starter Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) into third. The women’s Elite event was equally as dramatic after the top three riders overall all had issues on the Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) course. Valentina Höll (YT Mob) suffered a flat tyre in the finals, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) crashed out, and Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) pulled out of qualifying with a back injury. Cabirou had no such problems narrowly beating Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) into second, while fastest qualifier Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) finished third. American riders Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) and Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) replicated their quickest qualifying runs to win the men’s and women’s Junior categories respectively. Vermette also finished in the quickest time of the weekend of 3:29.7 – over three tenths quicker than Goldstone. Proving their consistency Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) also held their nerves to seal the junior overall victories. GOLDSTONE RISKS EVERYTHING AND MASTERS HOME COURSE Youngster Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) completed the perfect season as he wrapped up the overall UCI Downhill World Cup series. The 21-year-old also matched the record of five Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup wins in the same season of Aaron Gwin. The previous day Bruni set the quickest qualifying time of 3:33.5 and had to finish on the podium to seal the overall title. However, after Goldstone flew down the slope in 3:30 and took the lead. Bruni then opted not to start due to a thigh injury sustained in practice, stunning his rival and handing him the overall honours. After qualifying through Q2 the previous day, Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) had a point to prove early in the field. The young American set a benchmark time of 3:33.05, which was quicker than Bruni’s quickest qualifying time the previous day and earned him a fifth placed finish. Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) crashed in the previous day’s Q1 and had to book his final spot through Q2. The Austrian showed no fear with huge jumps into the rock garden and was one second faster than Pinkerton in a new benchmark time of 3:32.3. The rock gardens caused havoc all weekend, with Martin Maes (Orbea/FMD Racing) suffering a flat tyre before Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory Racing DH) crashed out. Kolb’s blistering time stood the test of time until Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) made his mark on the course. The Irish rider led by seven tenths before his tyre exploded on a rock following a heavy landing to end his run. American Dakotah Norton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) was next to challenge the time of Kolb, but despite gaining time on the final rock garden with his high-rise bars he finished just three tenths slower to finish fourth. All the pressure was on young UCI Downhill World Champion, Goldstone, who flew out of the starting gate on his home course and was in contention from the opening turns. Fighting through the trees Goldstone maintained his speed with huge jumps as he tripled over the difficult rock garden to maintain his speed. Goldstone mastered the final sector to finish two seconds faster than Kolb to go quickest and send the Mont-Sainte-Anne crowd wild. Penultimate starter Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) showed his experience with a controlled performance and was a second slower than Goldstone in the top sectors. Shaw gained momentum and charged through the rock garden to finish runner-up just two seconds behind Goldstone. The drama then unfolded as all eyes were on the starting gate for the final competitor of this year’s series. However, Bruni did not appear, and his team later announced the earlier injury suffered in practice. The result gave Goldstone the overall series victory by 178 points ahead of Bruni in second and Shaw in third.  Following his victory Goldstone said: “I’m completely speechless. That was the run of my life. I knew I had to give it absolutely everything, it wasn’t pretty, I was making so many mistakes and getting super sketchy. The crowd were so amazing and cheered me on every step of the way. It didn’t feel quite right not battling with Loïc (Bruni) and I have no clue what happened. It’s not the way I wanted to win. I was hoping it to be a good fight right to the bottom, but we got it done at the end of the day. “I hardly got any sleep last night, it was staring at the roof for two hours as my mind was racing. I just had to try and focus on myself. It was quite testing for me. “I hope Loïc (Bruni) is alright. It was such a good battle with him this year, he’s someone I’ve looked up to my whole career and what an amazing rival to compete with. “It’s such a cool and friendly rivalry we’ve got and we’ll be battling again next year.” CABIROU FINISHES SEASON IN STYLE WITH VICTORY Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) repeated her win at Mont-Sainte-Anne from 12 months earlier by building her speed through the lower sections of the Canadian course and finishing her season in style. Young New Zealander Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing Downhill) has overcome several injuries this season. The youngster showed her talent to set a blistering opening two sections and posted an early benchmark time of 4:08.8 which was good enough for fifth overall. Last weekend, UCI Downhill World Champion, Valentina Höll (YT Mob) won her first UCI World Cup of the season and with it, the overall series. Höll looked determined for more success and put down an impressive top two sections which were four seconds faster than Earnest. The Austrian continued to build her speed down the track and led by 6.5 seconds, until suffering a punctured front wheel and had to walk the remainder of the track. Meanwhile, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) was looking for her first victory in Mont-Sainte-Anne after finishing runner-up last year. The Canadian started on the front foot and was 2.4 seconds faster than the quickest time before crashing out at the bottom. Like 12 months earlier Cabirou mastered the Canadian course and built speed throughout her run to post a winning time of 4:01.6. Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) won in La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta (Italy) earlier this season and was also bidding to sign off the campaign in style. The German competitor matched the time of Cabirou through the opening sections before finishing just seven tenths of a second slower. Meanwhile, Camille Balanche (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was in the thick of the podium battle in the final ride of her career, before crashing. Final starter Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) was quickest qualifier and was hoping to end an indifferent season with victory. The French woman showed aggression through the technical section as she looked to repeat her UCI World Cup win at the same venue in 2019. Nicole was four tenths behind after the second sector and had everything to do in the second rock garden. However, the Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction rider finished 2.2 seconds behind in third. Following her victory Cabirou said: “I’m happy to take the win today, it’s incredible. “I tried my best the whole week to have a good result today, as last week was not very good for me. I have had some good races today and some really bad. “I’m happy to take the win. I couldn’t have hoped for a better race to end the season. I made some mistakes during my qualification run and I wasn’t too happy with my qualification.  “Today I knew I had more in the bag so I just focused on myself and tried to give the best I could. I’m really happy to get my 11th win here, I love this track and this crowd.” Höll topped the UCI World Cup overall standings followed by Hemstreet in second and Seagrave in third.  VERMETTE SIGNS OFF JUNIOR RANKS WITH VICTORY, WHILE ALRAN CLINCHES OVERALL  Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) clinched the North American victory he desired and won the men’s junior category by over four seconds. The 18-year-old, who also took victory in Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), will move up to the Elite ranks next season and his winning time of 3:29.7 was faster than all the men. After finishing runner-up in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York last weekend the American was fired up to go one better in Canada. Jonty Williamson (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) set a benchmark time but left time on in the bottom two sections as he eventually finished third. Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team teammate Tyler Waite then put pressure on the later starters by going three seconds faster, and was runner-up. The precarious nature of the course was evident when Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) crashed on the last section and placed 14th. Before the finals session, Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) had suffered a crash in the rock garden during his last practice. However, the Frenchman had the overall title at stake and needed a top five finish to secure it. Max Alran held his nerve and despite placing fourth his time was enough to secure the overall series title. Final starter Vermette was not to be denied and posted an impressive winning time. Following his win Vermette said: “I didn’t think it was going to be a that good of a run, I didn’t feel any quicker than yesterday (in qualifying). “I was off-line in a few bits. I’ll have to watch my GoPro back, but it felt pretty good. I really wanted to get the win after not getting it last weekend at basically home in Lake Placid. “It felt great. In the start gate my mindset was just to win. I wasn’t that worried about the overall as I knew it was going to be hard. “I just tried to put down my best run. I’m stoked to go and battle with the elites next year.” Max Alran took the overall series, finishing 12 points ahead of Vermette, while Waite placed third. After winning the overall series Alran said: “This morning was pretty bad. “On the last run of practice I crashed in the rock garden and dislocated my finger on the left hand, but it was not the worst. “My wrist was already sore after crashing in Lenzerheide and it was just feeling better at Lake Placid and all the week. I crashed again and it hurt. “I’m super stoked to make it to the bottom. We did it pretty good with fourth and to keep the overall. I just had to keep riding as I know and try to be safe.” OSTGAARD FINISHES WITH DOUBLE AS ZIERL SEALS CROWN Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) secured back-to-back victories in North America to finish the season on a high. Quickest qualifier Ostgaard also took victory in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last weekend and was again triumphant following a well-paced run. Meanwhile, Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) did enough to secure the overall series title with a third placed finish. Zierl qualified fourth quickest and knew that a top eight finish world secure the UCI Downhill World Champion the UCI World Cup series overall. The title was never in doubt for the 16-year-old who was quicker than those before her at every split and her time was enough for another podium finish. Penultimate starter Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) threw down the gauntlet to her rivals with an aggressive top section in a search for her first UCI World Cup win of the campaign. The New Zealander held on to her early advantage and finished one second quicker than Zierl. Final starter Ostgaard was in touch with Hulsebosch on the first two sections before building pace throughout her run. The American carried her speed and finished over a second clear of Hulsebosch in a winning time of 4:04.2. Following her victory Ostgaard said: “I just gave it everything I had.  “This course is easy to make mistakes, but there is a lot of time to make it up. I just gave it everything, even though I had a scary moment.  “I kept pushing as hard I could. It was about pacing myself and not killing myself on the top section. Ellie (Hulsebosch) is so strong on the top section and she could muscle her way through it, that was really impressive. “I know I can’t do that quite yet, I’m going to try. I just had to pace myself at the beginning and get faster during the run.” With eight podium finishes in 10 rounds the consistency of Zierl was enough for her to clinch the overall UCI World Cup by 35 points, ahead of Ostgaard in second and Hulsebosch in third. Women Junior UCI Downhill World Champion, Zierl said: “I just enjoyed riding my bike so much this season. “With the wins, I was quite often on the podium. It was perfect. It’s even more of a confidence boost to know that I’m fast, but I still have to work a lot to get even faster. “I’ll enjoy the first few weeks of the off-season before we start training again. It’s good to know how consistent I was. “Also, for the World Championships that I could deliver on that one race too. I’m just super happy.” The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series concludes on Sunday in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) with Cross-country Olympic action.

Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) made UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup history at Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com, while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) sprinted to the men’s Elite victory.Swedish rider Rissveds powered away from her women’s Elite rivals with three laps remaining and pulled out a XCC record 18-second win. Meanwhile, Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) controlled the chasing pack and her second position was enough to seal her maiden UCI XCC World Cup overall victory.The men’s Elite race was a closer affair with Martin escaping on the last lap and Cannondale Factory Racing teammate Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) fended off Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) for second.The short and sharp XCC course featured a power climb before descending back down and a decisive short rise on loose terrain rising into the finishing straight.Isabella Holmgren took victory for hosting nation Canada in the women’s Under 23 category, while Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his winning run in the men’s Under 23 event.RISSVEDS POWERS TO GLORY, WHILE RICHARDS CELEBRATES TITLE Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) took her fourth consecutive Women Elite UCI XCC World Cup victory with a commanding performance. The Swedish rider showed her dominant form as her rivals were unable to follow as she rode away to win by 18 seconds.Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) came into the event knowing that a top eight finish would be enough to seal her maiden Women Elite UCI XCC overall crown. Overall points leader Richards got off to the perfect start and pushed the pace on the opening climb as Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) was pushed further back.Canadian rider Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) was looking for a good performance on her home turf and took over the early pace setting.On the third of nine laps Rissveds forced the pace and was followed by Richards, before the front group came back together. Rissveds continued her pace and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) joined Richards but once more the chasing pack rejoined the front.After 13 minutes of racing Rissveds attacked again on the climb and was initially joined by Frei and Richards. However, the Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider had power to burn and used the final mound before the finish to pull out a sizeable advantage.Rissveds was untouchable as she pulled out a 24-second advantage heading into the penultimate lap over a 13-rider chasing group. Taking the last lap bell Rissveds led by 25 seconds as Richards was powering at the front of the chasing group.Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) used the climb to challenge Richards for second position, and the pair had a slender gap descending down to the finish for the final time.Rissveds celebrated a clear win and finished 18 seconds ahead of a delighted Richards, while Blöchlinger finished third.Afterwards Rissveds said: “I just felt really strong today, I didn’t have to wait so I just went earlier than I normally would do.“I learnt so much this year as an athlete and how to race as fast as possible. I feel like I improve every race and try new things every race. It’s scary sometimes to try new things and new challenges.“When you face it, trust and believe then you should be proud of that. I really like this course in Mont-Sainte-Anne, I feel really strong at the moment, it’s a good feeling.”Richards won the overall series by 110 points from Rissveds in second and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) in third.Following her overall victory Richards said: “I’m so happy. It has been such a turbulent year. When I didn’t race in Italy [Val Di Sole – Trentino], I didn’t care about the overall. I just wanted to get healthy and once I’m healthy I could then fight again. The fact I missed that, got healthy and still got it is just amazing. I’m very excited. Under 23“I was really nervous, I wanted to win but also didn’t want to finish outside of the top eight.“I know how strong Jenny [Rissveds] is and when she went, I had to make the call, I just couldn’t sacrifice trying to chase her down and risk losing it. I had to think quite a lot today.”MARTIN LEADS ONE-TWO FOR CANNONDALE FACTORY RACINGLuca Martin and Charlie Aldridge were perfect teammates as they fended off their rivals to complete a one-two for Cannondale Factory Racing in the men’s Elite category.The pair were involved in a last lap battle with Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and refused to let their rival by, as the Frenchman had to settle for third.Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) powered from the front row and set a blistering first lap pace on the dry and fast course. Fellow Specialized Factory Racing rider Boichis finished runner-up in the previous two XCC UCI World Cup events and was close on the wheel of his teammate. Series winner Christopher Blevins was also keen to join his team-mates in the podium battle and used the climb to move himself up the front pack.Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) took the race on from the front and at the midway point was leading a long string of riders. Cannondale Factory Racing were also keen to take the fight to their rivals as Aldridge, Martin and Canadian rider Cole Punchard massed at the front on the sixth of 10 laps.UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) was one of those who felt the fast pace being driven by Schwarzbauer and dropped outside the top-20 heading into the penultimate lap.British rider Aldridge looked to repeat his victory from Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and took the front on the penultimate lap, taking teammate Martin and Boichis with him. On the climb for the final lap the three leaders went alongside each other in a drag race for the front. Martin held first place and Aldridge allowed his team-mate a gap as Boichis was unable to come around his rival on the descent. Rising to the finish Martin held on for a slender win ahead of Aldridge and Boichis rounded off the podium.Blevins had already secured the overall series and was joined on the overall XCC podium by Martin and Aldridge in second and third respectively.Following his race victory Martin said: “It’s so nice to win here in Mont-Sainte-Anne because it’s very special.“The people speak French here and it’s so nice to ride here. Charlie [Aldridge] helped me a lot, he rode on the front and today we played for the win.“We worked super-well together. I think the sport is changing and we need to ride with a team-mate for the win. I think we did it perfectly today.”HOLMGREN RETURNS WITH HOME VICTORYUnder 23 UCI XCC World Champion Isabella Holmgren took victory following an impressive penultimate lap attack. The multi-discipline rider has combined her mountain bike aspirations with road racing for Lidl-Trek. Holmgren had won two of her three XCC outings this season coming into the event and finished runner-up in the other.Anina Hutter (Nexetis) led the charge behind in second nine seconds back, while Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) finished third.Following her victory Holmgren said: “It feels really nice to back on the mountain bike, especially here in Canada. It feels so nice to have a home crowd and family cheering.“It’s super-hard to hold a good position on this course, so I wanted to stay as close to the front as much as possible and make it a hard race.A third place for Sadnik was enough for her to clinch the overall series ahead of Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) in second and Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) in third.Following her overall victory Sadnik added: “I can’t imagine what I’ve done this year, it’s unbelievable.“I’m more than happy and it will take a bit of time to get over it. Sometimes when I look down, I thought ‘I want to keep this jersey so I need to push’.TREUDLER TAKES SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE WINFinn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his domination of the men’s Under 23 category with his seventh win in a row. The 22-year-old had already wrapped up both the XCC and XCO overall series titles coming into the final round in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada).Despite his persistent efforts throughout the race Treudler was unable to gap a string of leading riders. That was until the penultimate lap when the Swiss rider pulled out a slender margin and fended off his rivals to the line.Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) had to settle for runner-up position just two seconds behind and Swedish rider Nils Johansson was third.Treudler won the overall by 281 points ahead of Pedersen in second, while Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountain Bike Team) finished third overall.Following his victory Treudler said: “It was a super-tough battle today. I tried to break away a few times, but I just couldn’t make a decisive gap so it was a sprint finish again.“I’m super-happy to take my seventh win in a row, it sounds pretty insane. I’m extremely proud of my season so far, I feel like I’ve come such a long way and it’s really nice to have such a great season with so many victories.”The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) with the downhill finals on Saturday before the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup rounds of proceedings on Sunday.

Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) will start the final downhill of this season last off the ramp after qualifying quickest in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com. Super Bruni is bidding for his fifth overall series victory in Canada on Saturday and needs to finish on the podium to secure the crown. The Frenchman sent a huge message to series rival Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) by setting a time which was three seconds quicker than the Canadian.  The legendary Canadian bike park at Mont-Sainte-Anne welcomed downhill athletes for a record 30th UCI World Cup and the final round of this year’s 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Meanwhile, Nicole will be bidding for her first Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season after qualifying quickest. However, she faces a tough battle after the top five qualifier were separated by just three tenths of a second. The Mont-Sainte-Anne course provided drama in women’s qualifying as series winner Valentina Höll (YT Mob) finished seventh. Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) showed her talent again in women’s Junior category by qualifying quickest and she was also faster than any Elite woman. Meanwhile, fellow American rider Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) was the quickest qualifier in the men’s Junior category. BRUNI LANDS PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOW ON RIVALS Jackson Goldstone’s dream of sealing a home overall victory this weekend was dealt an early blow in qualifying by Loïc Bruni. Newly crowned UCI World Champion, Goldstone, has to win and hope Bruni finishes off the podium in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) to leapfrog his rival and take the crown. However, the experienced Bruni responded in style by setting the quickest qualifying time of the day (3:33.5). Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) is up for the battle for third overall and also landed a psychological blow on his challengers by finishing second in qualifying, while Goldstone was third. Shaw's rivals for third place overall Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) qualified in fourth and seventh respectively.  Meanwhile, Antoine Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) failed to finish the first qualifying session and did not start Q2 as a result. Youngster Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) and Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) were amongst those who had to book their finals spot through Q2. Oisin O’Callaghan (YT Mob) and Richard Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) were some of those competitors who missed out on a Q2 qualifying spot through to the finals.  NICOLE SNATCHES POLL BY NARROWEST OF MARGINS The experienced Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) will be the last women’s elite starter in the finals after qualifying fastest by just seven hundredths of a second. The 35-year-old has had an illustrious career in downhill with two UCI World Championship titles and 10 UCI World Cup wins. After finishing a season’s best runner-up at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last weekend Nicole will look to go one better in Mont-Sainte-Anne on Saturday. Camille Balanche (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) came into the final round in fourth position overall following a consistent season. The Swiss rider looks set for another good weekend of racing after qualifying second just seventh hundredths of a second further back. Fellow Swiss competitor Lisa Baumann completed an excellent qualifying session for Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction by finishing third in Q1 and just two tenths slower than the quickest time. UCI World Champion Valentina Höll (YT Mob) recorded the perfect weekend in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last week. The Austrian completed a solid Q1 run to place seventh just 1.79 off the quickest pace. In the battle for second overall Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) qualified in sixth fastest in her home country. Her challenger for second Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) struggled in Q1 to finish 13th and did not start Q2, marking an end to her weekend. Meanwhile, youngster Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) qualified in eighth, despite finishing with a flat tyre. AMERICANS OSTGAARD AND VERMETTE TOP JUNIOR QUALIFIERS Aletha Ostgaard took a home victory in the women Junior category at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last weekend and looks just as comfortable on the Canadian course. The American has an outside chance of overall victory if she wins a fourth UCI World Cup win of the season and Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) fails to finish in the top-eight. However, Zierl showed the credentials she has shown all season and placed fourth in qualifying. Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Lina Frener (Norco Race Division) qualified second and third quickest. The men’s Junior overall series is going down to the wire with quickest qualifier Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) throwing down the gauntlet to his rivals. Vermette came into the weekend just 32 points behind Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and they qualified first and second respectively. Frenchman Alran is also looking for a fifth UCI World Cup win of the season and was just eight tenths off the pace in qualifying, while Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) qualified third quickest.  The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) on Saturday with the downhill finals.

While three out of six titles were decided last time out in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA), there are still three series on the line in the Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Downhill. It couldn’t be in a more fitting location either – Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) hosting its record 30th UCI World Cup.  We look at everything you need to know about the Mont-Sainte-Anne round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, presented by Events.com, including when the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing and how to watch.   WHEN?  The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Mont-Sainte-Anne starts with the Women Under 23 UCI XCC World Cup at 09:45 (UTC-4) on Friday, October 10 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup at 15:30 (UTC-4) on Sunday, October 12. Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC-4 (BST+5/CEST +6): Friday, October 10 12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite 14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior 14:20 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior 15:05 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men Elite 9:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 10:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 16:20 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite 17:00 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite Saturday, October 11 11:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior 12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite 14:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite Sunday, October 12 09:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 13:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite WHERE CAN I WATCH? There will be several ways to watch the action unfold at Canada’s only Cross-country and Downhill UCI World Cups of the 2025 season. The UCI Downhill World Cup Qualification day can be followed on live timing and across social media. For the tenth and final UCI Cross-country Olympic, UCI Cross-country Short Track and UCI Downhill World Cups of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on discovery+ (in front of paywall), HBO Max* (in front of the sports add-on) and MTBWS TV (included in subscription), while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports, RDS USA – HBO Max South & Central America All Central and South American territories – MTBWS TV Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport China - Zhibo.TV (Only Elite Downhill races live) All other Asian territories – MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa Angola, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cape Verde, Cote d'lvoire, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Reunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, São Tome and Principe, St Helena and Ascension, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Socotra, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia - Supersport All African territories – MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport Austria – discovery+, Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport Czechia – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (only Elite XCO and XCC races live) Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport Faroe Islands – HBO Max, Eurosport France – HBO Max, Eurosport, L’Equipe (Only Elite DHI and XCO races live) Germany – discovery+, Eurosport Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport Ireland – TNT Sports Italy – discovery+, Eurosport Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport North Macedonia – HBO Max, Eurosport Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport Switzerland – MTBWS TV , SRF/RSI (Only Elite XCC and XCO races live) Türkiye – HBO Max, Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+, TNT Sports All other European territories – MTBWS TV RIDERS TO WATCH In Downhill, just 72 points separate Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) in the overall, and whoever comes out on top has a good chance of securing the title. It’s advantage Super Bruni in terms of points and experience, but the Canadian closed the gap on the Frenchman with a higher finish in Lake Placid Olympic Region (fourth vs sixth), has home advantage, and has a 100% record at Mont-Sainte-Anne as an elite rider – winning his last race at the venue at the end of 2023. Even if Goldstone wins on Sunday, Bruni can still be a heartbreaker and deny the 21-year-old a debut title by finishing on the podium to claim his fifth overall title. The showdown also has the chance to be the closest overall title battle in history, which is currently 2010 when Gee Atheron beat Greg Minnaar by just seven points. In terms of recent form, Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) will be targeting a follow up to his first-ever UCI World Cup win last Saturday, Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) recovered from a two-second deficit at intermediate split two to finish runner-up just 0.7 seconds back on Meier-Smith, Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) has recorded back-to-back podiums at the last two rounds, and Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland) winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) appeared to be onto a flyer on Whiteface Mountain before a mistake in the second sector cost him a shot at back-to-back wins. Shaw, Pierron and Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) are all in the running for third in the series, too. The women’s overall might have been decided in Lake Placid Olympic Region, but there’s still plenty at stake. Valentina Höll (YT Mob) recorded the first perfect weekend of 2025 in the women’s field to clinch her fourth series. The Austrian will be looking to add UCI World Cup win number 13 to her collection in Mont-Sainte-Anne and sign off a turbulent year in style. Her closest rival in the rankings, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division), will be looking to bounce back in front of a home crowd after a poor showing south of the US-Canada border, while Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) can leapfrog the 20-year-old in the standings if results go her way.  Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) is another rider to look out for. The Frenchwoman was best of the rest in Lake Placid Olympic Region and has been unfortunate with some big crashes in qualifying and finals this year, but the 35-year-old clearly has good race pace as she searches for her first win of the year. Either side of the Downhill action is the Friday’s XCC and Sunday’s XCO, with both of the women’s series still to be decided. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) is in control of the short track series, but both Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) can overhaul the Brit if results go their way. All three have been in scintillating form of late, so expect them to go tyre-to-tyre until the finish line in Mont-Sainte-Anne.  Rissveds will also be a favourite in Sunday’s Women Elite UCI XCO World Cup – the Swede winning four of her last five Olympic-distance races, including the UCI XCO World Championship and last Sunday’s final in New York state. But the 31-year-old has most probably left it too late to catch Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) in the overall series – the New Zealander’s 183-point advantage almost unassailable unless disaster strikes. Maxwell herself is also a favourite to record her third UCI XCO World Cup win of 2025, while Richards and Keller are likely to contend for the podium places. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), meanwhile, wrapped up both the men’s XCO and XCC overall titles last weekend with two sprint victories over teammate Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing). The American can afford to take it easy north of the border, but few would bet against him attempting a fourth XCO-XCC double of the series. Boichis will also be in the frame in Mont-Sainte-Anne, while Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) and Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) are currently sitting in second place in the XCC and XCO standings, respectively. Looking to spoil Specialized’s party, though, is Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) who able to contest for the first runner-up in both series. The Frenchman hasn’t hit the same heights as in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) and Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) after being forced to miss the UCI MTB World Championships with Covid, but an eighth-place finish on Sunday shows he’s heading in the right direction.  Racing gets underway on Friday, October 10 in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Full schedule and event details are available HERE.  

The legendary Canadian bike park welcomes Endurance and Gravity athletes for a record 30th UCI World Cup, and with titles still on the line in Cross-country and Downhill, fans can expect a nail-biting conclusion to the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series on the slopes of Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com.  The dust hasn’t even settled after an attritional and fast-paced Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) race weekend, but the best mountain bikers on the planet are gearing up to do it all again north of the border. And with three out of six series titles still yet to be decided –Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) clinching the Men’s Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC), and Valentina Höll (YT Mob) defending her Downhill overall title last time out – expect the racing to be bar-to-bar from the off.  The venue – Mont-Sainte-Anne’s world-famous bike park, with more than 165km of trails and runs for all disciplines from Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Downhill (DHI) and freeride – is a fitting location for the season finale too. The Laurentian Mountains spot will be hosting its 30th UCI World Cup since it made its debut in 1991, and it has also held the UCI World Championship three times – 1998, 2010 and 2019 – in that period. BRUNI V GOLDSTONE GOES TO THE WIRE, WHILE HEMSTREET AND SEAGRAVE BATTLE IT OUT FOR SECOND PLACE After nine rounds of racing, Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) can only be separated by 72 points. While Goldstone has more wins to his name – four consecutive, record-equaling victories – and clinched the UCI Downhill World Championship too, it’s Bruni who is in the driving seat. The Frenchman has been here before, having won the overall series four times, including 2023 and 2024. But unlike last year, Super Bruni still has a lot to do to be sure of completing a hat-trick of consecutive titles. The 31-year-old has experience on his side and needs to finish on the podium if Goldstone wins to guarantee the overall, but the Canadian will be racing on home soil and will benefit from the boost of a partisan crowd. The 21-year-old will also have fond memories of the last time he raced at Mont-Sainte-Anne, when he won in his first Elite season in 2023. He also took a Junior UCI World Cup win at the venue in 2022. After being forced to sit out most of 2024 with an injury, it would be a Hollywood ending for the Santa Cruz Syndicate rider. Elsewhere, the fight for third is between Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), while Lake Placid Olympic Region victor Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) will be extra buoyed after his debut UCI World Cup win last weekend. The other Downhill winner on Whiteface Mountain was Vali Höll (YT Mob). The Austrian had a perfect weekend, winning Q1 and finals to score maximum points and seal her fourth overall series, and third in a row. The 23-year-old’s victory also broke a UCI World Cup winless streak that stretched back to June 2024, although she has been remarkably consistent this campaign – Lake Placid Olympic Region her eighth consecutive podium. Her main title rival, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) had a weekend to forget and was forced into Q2 before placing 10th in finals. But the 20-year-old Canadian will have to dust herself down and go again in Mont-Sainte-Anne if she’s to hold on to second place in the series. Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) is only 123 points behind and will be keen to cap off a strong first season with new outfit Orbea/FMD Racing. WOMEN'S TITLES GO DOWN TO THE WIRE IN CROSS-COUNTRY FORMATS There are titles to be decided on all three days of the UCI World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, with it still all to play for in the women’s XCO and XCC contests. On Friday, all eyes will be on Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) and whether she can hold off Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) to take her first UCI XCC World Cup overall series. The Brit has a 150- and 160-point lead over her respective competitors and lines up in Canada in great form – finishing second behind Rissveds in her last two UCI XCC World Cups after a mid-season wobble that threatened to let Keller in. She can afford to finish eighth on Friday, but Keller and Rissveds will be ready to pounce if Richards does make a mistake. Of the two, it’s Rissveds who appears to be the most likely – the Swede is in the form of her life and coming off the back of her second XCO-XCC double of the season in Lake Placid Olympic Region. The Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider is also in contention for the XCO overall in Sunday’s final, but would require Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) to effectively DNF to have a serious shot at the title. The New Zealander has a 183-point advantage over Rissveds and could even tie up her and her country’s first-ever UCI World Cup overall title if she wins Friday’s XCC and Rissveds finishes 31st. The most likely scenario is that the overall won’t be decided until Sunday, and with Maxwell only finishing off the podium once this series – when she finished fifth in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) – the 23-year-old already has one hand on the trophy. In the men’s field, Christopher Blevins will be able to enjoy a victory procession in Mont-Sainte-Anne in his red series leader jersey and number one plate – the American tying up both overall series in style on home soil in Lake Placid Olympic Region by doing his third XCO-XCC double of the series. The 27-year-old had dominated the early stages of the season, but appeared to be grinding his way to the titles after disappointing results in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. Class is permanent, though, and Blevins answered his critics by dominating on the fast and frenetic Mt Van Hoevenberg course. Although top spot is settled, second place is still the play for in both series, with Blevins’ teammates currently occupying the runners-up rankings. In XCC, Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) has a narrow, 36-point advantage over Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing), while Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) is 99 points back in fourth. The UCI XCC World Champion had a disappointing race in Lake Placid Olympic Region, crashing on the unforgiving rock garden before getting caught up behind another incident to finish 31st. The Cannondale Factory Racing duo will sense their opportunity, but will need the Frenchman to have another bad day at the office to have the best chance. In the XCO standings, Martin is again the underdog and sits 74 points in arrears of Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing). The Chilean had the edge over the Frenchman last Sunday, finishing fourth to his eighth, and the Cannondale Factory Racing rider will need to secure his second-ever UCI XCO World Cup win to give himself the best chance at second in the standings. Racing gets underway in Mont-Sainte-Anne on Friday, October 10 with the Men U23 and Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.

Grit and Glory: Enduro Mountain Bike Racing is set to premiere this October, offering fans an exciting and intimate glimpse into the world of professional enduro racing. The eight-part docuseries follows a group of elite athletes through the highs and lows of the 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup, capturing the intensity of race days and the personal stories that unfolded behind the scenes. Episode 1 will air on Eurosport (across mainland Europe) at 21:30 CEST on Friday, 10 October and on TNT Sports (in the UK and Ireland) at 23:00 BST as well as its streaming platforms HBO Max and discovery+*. The episode will become available on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel from Sunday, 13 October at 17:00 BST. The opening episode introduces viewers to the world of enduro racing—an intense format that blends endurance, technical skill, and strategy across varied terrain. It sets the stage for the season’s journey, spotlighting a diverse lineup of international riders as they prepare for the first major race. With sweeping landscapes, high-stakes competition, and intimate access to the athletes, the series begins with a powerful mix of action and emotion. Following the premiere, new episodes will be released weekly every Monday at 17:00 BST/GMT on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel. Each instalment will revisit key moments from the season, offering fans a deeper look at the rivalries, setbacks, and triumphs that shaped the championship from the season opener in Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) to the finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). The series will also be available on MTBWS TV.  *HBO Max is available in Europe in France, Greece, Iberia, the Nordics, Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe, Belgium and the Netherlands; discovery+ is the streaming platform for Germany, Austria, Italy and the United Kingdom ahead of HBO Max launching in 2026.

Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) recorded weekend doubles as they won the Cross-country Olympic (XCO) disciplines at the UCI World Cup in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Both riders won the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) on Friday and won the XCO in very different styles. American rider Blevins secured the overall XCC title earlier in the weekend and knew victory would also secure him the XCO honours. The men’s Elite category saw a large leading group dominate proceedings and eight riders come into the final lap together. Blevins escaped with teammate Adrien Boichis and had to enough power to beat the youngster in a sprint finish. With it Bevins became the first American male Elite since 1991 to win the overall XCO title. Meanwhile, Rissveds produced a dominant performance in the women’s Elite category after pulling clear on the first lap and establishing an unassailable margin. Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) hosted XCO riders for the second season with a varied course which tested physical and technical abilities. The shorter climbs and fast descents made for exciting racing in the penultimate round of this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. In the Under 23 categories, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) also achieved a weekend double after riding clear of the men’s field, while Vida Lopez De San Roman (Trinity Racing) clinched an exciting victory in the women’s race. BLEVINS SHOWS POWER TO BEAT TEAMMATE BOICHIS Christopher Blevins led a one-two for Specialized Factory Racing as he rose to the occasion to wrap up the overall XCO standings. The American was without a UCI XCO World Cup win since the third round in Nové Město na Moravě (Czechia) in May and pressure was mounting on him coming into the penultimate round.  However, Blevins thrived on the fast course and controlled the front positions before matching the last lap attack of teammate Adrien Boichis and sprinted to victory. Racing up the gravel start, competitors were keen to get into the uphill rock garden first. Those outside the top 20 positions were held up as some riders were forced to get off and run. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) was one of the biggest losers as he slipped back from a front row start to 24th on the opening start loop. After returning to form in Friday’s XCC, Blevins led the Specialized Factory Racing challenge in the opening lap, along with teammates Boichis and Victor Koretzky. The short climbs of the Lake Placid Olympic Region course resulted in tight racing early on as 24 riders were closely grouped on the second lap. Specialized Factory Racing used their XCC expertise to hold the front positions and put their rivals under pressure in the opening 20 minutes. The pace rose in the third lap and Luca Schatti (BIXS Performance Race Team) suffered an untimely puncture, resulting in going from the lead to out of contention. After 30 minutes of racing, Fabio Püntener (Scott-Scram MTB Racing Team) charged clear at the front and took with him Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), Boichis, Blevins, and Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing). After getting caught in a close pack on the opening lap, British rider Aldridge missed the front split and led a large chasing group just 11 seconds back. Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) was also thriving on the powerful course and had enough ability on the fast descent to bridge across to the leading group. As the pace slowed, the leading group swelled to nine riders with three laps remaining and Azzaro slid out on the loose terrain but maintained his position. Blevins was at the forefront throughout the race and exposed weaknesses in his opponents with a penultimate lap attack which reduced the leading group to five riders – including three Specialized Factory Racing teammates. However, the race pace slowed again as riders took the bell, allowing several riders to get back into contention. Looking for a home victory, Blevins again powered up the climb and was closely followed by teammate Boichis. The youngster made his move going into the single-track wooded climb and distanced Azzaro in third. Specialized Factory Racing dominated the final proceedings and Martin Vidaurre Kossmann controlled the chasing group’s pace in third. Coming into the finish, Boichis and Blevins prepared for a sprint as the chasing group closed in. Blevins led out the sprint and had enough power to fend off Boichis, while Azzaro finished just two seconds behind in third after coming around Vidaurre. “I love this sport and everything about it,” said Blevins. “It was a beautiful race. Adrien [Boichis] and I for the sprint. I looked back and smiled. It has been an amazing year with the team.” “It was all on instinct, it was very narrow and each lap I was in a good space. I controlled the race from the front. I knew Adrien (Boichis) would make that attack on the last lap and it would be really hard.” “I just had to stick on his wheel and try and go for the sprint.” Talking about his return to form for the weekend, Blevins added: “I had to believe in myself again. You have to show up with what you have every weekend, regardless of if you think you have it or not. You have got to come back to ground zero and start a fresh. I’ve had a big dip in the middle of the year and I’m just grateful to be finishing strong.” RISSVEDS IN FAULTLESS FORM TO TAKE CLEAR VICTORY Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) was the most convincing winner of the weekend as she led the women’s Elite event from the first lap to finish. The UCI XCO World Champion has hit formidable form and was quickly out of sight of her rivals before riding away to victory. The Swedish rider was lapping faster than any of her rivals throughout the event before sitting up on the last lap to enjoy her victory by over two minutes.  A chaotic start to the women’s Elite saw a collision in the rock garden which resulted in riders outside the top 20 being held up and early gaps created. Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) stayed out of the mayhem and charged into a slender lead on the starting loop. The asphalt finish allowed the field behind to condense, and riders jostled for position before Rissveds closed the gap. The Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider then took advantage of hesitation through the rock garden and the following technical section to edge out a small margin. After gaining the advantage and being out of sight, Rissveds continued to grow out her margin on the opening lap. Following the first full lap, Rissveds had an advantage of 24 seconds from nine riders chasing and she would not look back. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) finished runner-up in Friday’s XCC and pushed the early pace for the chasers. Behind, overall leader Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) slid out on the dusty and loose terrain, resulting in her losing some time. Meanwhile, American Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) sensed an opportunity to grab a home podium position and took over the pace setting from Richards before pulling out a small margin in second. Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) was also thriving on the short climb and fast descent to join Richards in the medal battle. British rider Richards paced her ride well to pull back Blunk to form a three-rider chasing group 1:17 behind the lone leader. By the end of the third lap, Rissveds was given a psychological boost by being able to see the chasing trio descending into the finishing area as she climbed out – such was her 1:38 margin. After pacing their early effort well in the hot conditions, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Maxwell pulled their way back into contention in the closing stages. As the battle for the podium position hotted up, Blochlinger fell away, while Keller and Maxwell joined Richards and Blunk to form a chasing quartet. Keller was the first rider to be distanced as Richards forced the pace with the three riders competing for two medals. Taking the last lap bell, Rissveds had maintained her consistent pace to lead by 2:40 from the trio behind. No.1 plate Maxwell had kept out of trouble during the middle section of the race and came through strong on the final lap. However, Richards was in determined form and responded on the short and punchy climb to dispatch Blunk from the medal fight. The British rider continued her last lap effort on the final ascent and also gapped series leader Maxwell. UCI XCO World Champion, Rissveds, had time to celebrate the victory with her team as she finished 2:16 ahead of fast-finishing Richards, while Maxwell held on for third. Ahead of the final round next weekend, Maxwell leads overall by 183 points ahead of Rissveds. Following her victory, Rissveds said: “The most important thing is to be healthy, I’ve realised it’s very important to enjoy the journey. You’re going to have hard moments too, but it’s okay. Trying to do sport in a sustainable way is important.” TREUDLER PROVES TOO STRONG FOR MEN’S UNDER 23 COMPETITORS Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his domination of the men’s Under 23 category and took another UCI World Cup win to add to his growing collection. Treudler had already sewn up the overall standings coming into Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, and was in the mood for more success as he added the XCO to his XCC win on Friday. The Swiss rider made his move on the first full lap and took with him Spanish rider Thibaut Francois Baudry (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountain Bike Team). However, a third lap crash for Schehl ended his hopes of victory.  Not daunted by his companion, Baudry took the race to the series winner and had a slender lead through the third lap. Treudler responded in style by passing his rival and recording the fastest lap of the race to pull out an advantage of over 10 seconds. The Cube Factory Racing rider continued to grow out his advantage over the following lap and came home victor by 28 seconds. Ren Teunissen van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) narrowly missed a podium in Friday’s XCC event. The Dutch rider again had a battle on his hands for bronze from Canadian Owen Clark and Dane Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team). Pedersen flew out of the starting blocks before suffering for his early effort, allowing Van Manen to edge clear of Clark for third. Following his win, Treudler said: “I’m pretty tired from the season, it has been a really long season and I’m feeling the efforts from this year.” “I had to be smart with my energy today. I managed it quite good so I’m pretty happy about the win. I just went with the flow and saw where the others were at with their speed today. Paul [Schehl] was really pushing in the beginning and then he crashed. Then we were two riders left at the front so I tried to focus on my speed. I struggled a bit in the downhills and Thibaut [Francois Baudry] was really fast there. I really had to manage my effort today.” LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN TAKES DRAMATIC VICTORY FOR HOME FANS Vida Lopez De San Roman (Trinity Racing) recorded back-to-back UCI XCO World Cup wins after a last lap showdown in the women’s under-23 category. The American took her maiden under-23 UCI XCO World Cup victory the previous week in Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide in Switzerland last month. On her home turf, Lopez De San Roman was locked into a close contest with Italian pair Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing). Overall series leader Corvi was the first rider to crack, losing a few seconds taking the ball and slipping away to finish third. Spurred on by her home fans, Lopez De San Roman attacked on the last lap and pulled out a winning margin of 15 seconds from Cortinovis. A third place for Corvi gives her an unassailable 178-point lead heading into the final round. Following her win, Lopez De San Roman said: “It was a really exciting race which pretty quickly came down to three of us at the front.” “It was super-dynamic back and forth and came down to the last lap. I put a really big attack in, I wasn’t sure if it was going to hold and just left it all out there on the last lap.” “It means so much. I definitely had some extra speed on the course today by hearing so many people cheering my name. It was a really special day. It has been a really great season and a lot of learning throughout the season to get to this point. I’m hoping to finish on a high note.” Tickets for next year's WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York are now on sale here. Meanwhile, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series concludes in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada next weekend with gravity and endurance riders in action between 9-12 October.

Valentina Höll (YT Mob) rose to the occasion and took her first UCI Downhill World Cup of the season and with it the overall title at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Meanwhile, Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team DH) took an emotional first Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup victory of his career and denied American Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) a home celebration.Höll became the UCI Downhill World Champion last month but had been waiting 474 days for her 12th UCI World Cup win. The Austrian had a perfect weekend, and victory earnt her a fourth overall UCI World Cup title and third consecutive success – with a round remaining.Meanwhile, the men’s Elite overall title will go down to the final round with Loic Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) locked in an enthralling battle after both finishing off the podium.Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York hosted the penultimate round of this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The American venue first hosted a UCI World Cup last year and 12 months later have introduced downhill to their programme.The two-kilometre course of Whiteface Mountain greeted competitors in the majestic Adirondack Mountains, containing a technical terrain full of loose ground, large holes and rocks. The terrain required precise bike handling and fearless determination.In the junior categories, Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) sent another warning to his Elite rivals next season with a dominant display in the men’s Junior category. The Junior UCI World Champion set a winning time of 3:06.5 which was only beaten by men’s Elite winner Meier-Smith. Meanwhile, Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) gave America a victory to celebrate in the women’s junior category.MEIER-SMITH MASTERS DIFFICULT TERRAIN TO TAKE MAIDEN WINLuke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team DH) marked his switch from enduro back to downhill with a well-earned victory. The 23-year-old had not finished on the podium this season coming into Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York. However, the new course on Whiteface Mountain suited the Australian who qualified second fastest and then went one better in the final.The early lead exchanged hands various times with Luke Wayman (Continental Atherton) and Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) setting benchmark times. The unpredictable and loose nature of the course favoured those with an Enduro background but Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) suffered a crash in practice and was unable to start the finals.All eyes were on UCI Downhill World Champion, Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), who was forced to push hard in the technical section due to his small physic. The Canadian replied going two seconds faster than his nearest opponent into the fast open terrain. Goldstone was full of confidence as he flew over the jumps on the bottom section and posted a quickest time of 3:07 to add further pressure to his rivals.Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) was looking to consolidate his third place overall but lost valuable time and points in the standings after crashing. Goldstone’s time was vulnerable and Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) kept in contention with the Canadian’s time on the technical section. The German then used his strength to gain speed and lowered the leading mark to 3:06.Loic Bruni (Specialized Gravity) was also under pressure in his bid for overall victory. The Frenchman picked quick lines through the technical top section to stay in contention and matched the splits of rival Goldstone. Bruni mis-timed a jump coming into the finish and lose valuable time as he finished in sixth and two positions behind Goldstone.With little to separate the fastest competitors Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) was next to test the time of Kiefer and despite finishing strongly he had to settle for fifth. Winner at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) led by over a second through the first split before crashing on a berm to end his challenge.After qualifying second fastest the previous day, Meier-Smith led from the first split and produced a perfect top half of the course. The Giant Factory Off-Road Team DH rider, who had switched from an enduro to downhill focus this season, led by over a second in the bottom half to post 3:05.Quickest qualifier Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was the only rider who could deny Meier-Smith but made an early mistake and lost two seconds on the top section. The American home favourite finished strongly to finish just seven hundredths back in second.Bruni leads the overall standings heading into next weekend's final round by 72 points ahead of Goldstone.Following the first Men Elite UCI World Cup win of his career, Meier-Smith said: “It means everything, I’ve worked my whole life for this, to pull it off is amazing.“I didn’t think I could win today, but I was hopeful of a top five. To come away with the win is massive. I tried to keep the top pretty clean as I knew a mistake up there could cost you quite a lot, I tried to keep it smooth.“Once I got past the second split I really tried to drill the pedals and give it all I had from there. The track suited me pretty well with the physical bottom half and pedalling.“It’s cool to have a track a bit more suited to what I ride in Australia, that really helped me to come away on top.HÖLL COMPLETES PERFECT WEEKEND TO SEAL TITLEAfter seven podium positions this UCI Downhill World Cup series, Vali Höll finally got the win she desired and with it the overall series. Coming into the penultimate round, the women’s elite series standings was still in the balance.The overall title race had hotted up the previous day when an error-strewn Q1 resulted in Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) being forced to book her final place through Q2.  Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) also needed the extra ride in Q2 but used her experience on the technical course to set an early finals benchmark time of 3:34.After her drama the previous day, Canadian Hemstreet was an early starter and set a good pace off the rocky start through the trees. The 20-year-old was under pressure after struggling for pace on the open section and then nearly crashed, resulting in losing more time, eventually finishing 10th and losing valuable points to Höll.Anna Newkirk was the only American in the final as she continues her recovery from a broken hand. The Frameworks Racing/5DEV rider was put under pressure early and had to unclip on the first corner before losing small amounts of time throughout to place 13th.Tahnee Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) was also in overall contention coming into the weekend and flew out of the starting blocks as she rose to the occasion. The British rider also struggled to match the speed of Cabirou in the middle section and struggled to regain the lost time to finish sixth.Meanwhile, Swiss competitor Camille Ballanche (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) pulled out the performance of her season as she carried fast speed through the bottom half of the course to better Cabirou by just three tenths for fourth position.Winner at La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta (Italy), Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate), was another rider who struggled on the loose course. After crashing in the final practice session, she lost confidence and went off course to end her challenge.Experienced Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) has struggled in the UCI World Cup this season. Searching for her first UCI World Cup win in 414 days, the French woman mastered the technical section and held her form to post the quickest time, which would only be bettered by Höll.Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) had a career-best second place in qualifying and, despite losing time on the technical section, the New Zealander came roaring back to finish just three hundredths of a second behind Nicole in third.At the start, final starter Höll knew she had to finish in the top four positions to seal the overall title. The UCI Downhill World Champion had a lightning start and carried impressive speed from the loose terrain to lead by over a second after the second sector. Höll continued to increase her lead through the fastest sections to post a winning time of 3:30 – two seconds faster than her nearest opponent.Speaking about her win, Höll said: “It took me way too long to win again.“It has been a long year, many downs and a few ups which have been pretty amazing. I’m so happy that I could finally pull it off.“Wrapping up the overall is pretty insane, Mont-Sainte-Anne is going to be a real holiday. I’m happy.”OSTGAARD GIVES HOME FANS VICTORY TO CELEBRATEAletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) strengthened her bid for the overall series title with her third win of the season. The 17-year-old American also won at La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta and Pal Arinsal (Andorra), putting her in overall contention.Ostgaard put a flawless performance down and posted the quickest first and second sector times to win by over three seconds. There was little between the women juniors during the previous day’s qualifying, with the top three riders separated by under two seconds.Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was quickest in a time of 3:43 ahead of Marie Rosa Jensen (Specialized Gravity) and Lina Frener (Norco Race Division). Meanwhile, overall contenders Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) and Ostgaard could only qualify in fifth and sixth respectively.Looking to keep her overall chances alive, Ostgaard was first on course and put down a fearless ride and a winning time of 3:34. Junior UCI Downhill World Champion, Zierl, struggled to match her overall rival as small mistakes lost her speed on the technical section, finishing five seconds behind in fifth.Matilda Melton (Commencal Schwalbe By Les Orres) boosted her fellow American countrywoman’s overall efforts with a fine performance in second. Jensen also backed up her ride in qualifying with another consistent effort which placed her fourth.Final starter Hulsebosch displayed the same fearlessness and technique as the previous day but lost vital time in the third and fourth sectors to finish third. A home victory for Ostgaard pulls her within 50 points of leader Zierl heading into the final round next weekend.“It was super loose, but we’re in the USA which is a really special place for me, I was feeling really hungry this morning,” said Ostgaard.“Just having a clean run means the world for me. I’m really excited as there aren’t many US races, having one in America is amazing.”ALRAN HOLDS NERVE TO EXTEND OVERALL LEADMax Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) had another perfect weekend in the men’s junior event and his winning time put many of the men elite competitors to shame. The UCI Junior World Downhill Champion qualified fastest and then showed his skill to take a fourth UCI World Cup win of the season.The junior qualifying format saw overall contender Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) falter and lose 15 seconds on his brother to finish in 25th position. With no Q2 sessions in the juniors, Alran’s qualifying time ended his overall hopes.Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5Dev) was the home favourite, and his run was full of risk and reward as he gained speed on the top half of the course. After winning the previous round in Lenzerheide, the American was on stellar form and posted a time of 3:07 to smash the quickest junior or elite qualifying times and finish second.New Zealander Tyler Waite (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was hoping to rekindle his overall hopes and matched Vermette in the top two sectors. However, the smallest of errors would prove critical as he finished two seconds behind the American in third.Men Junior UCI Downhill World Champion, Max Alran, was the final starter following an impressive qualification session. The Frenchman was full of confidence on the technical top sections and carried epic speed through the midpoint speed-trap as he led by two seconds. However, Alran lost time on the bottom section and had to give it everything to post a winning time of 3:06 to win by a single second.The win was Alran’s fourth UCI Downhill World Cup victory of the season and he leads the overall standings by 32 points from Vermette heading into the final round.Alran said: “It was really tough, a really rough track, deep holes and really loose.I kept a flow and got to the bottom without a mistake. It was a good run, I was feeling good. I’m stoked.”With his win, Alran matched Jackson Goldstone’s benchmark of eight UCI Junior World Cup wins.“It’s great,” added Alran. “I’m still leading (overall). It’s so cool.”The Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region continues on Sunday with Cross-country Olympic action.Tickets for next year's WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York have gone on sale.Meanwhile, the UCI Downhill World Cup concludes next week as part of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada between 9-12 October.

The penultimate round of the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup returned to Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA), and if last year’s UCI World Cup debut was anything to go by, fans at home and on trackside were in for a fast, frenetic treat. The racing didn’t disappoint, with the wins going to UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and the new UCI XCC World Cup overall winner Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing). Rissveds continues her amazing form in the format, clinching her third consecutive UCI XCC World Cup in a row. The UCI XCO World Champion battled with series leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) and UCI XCC World Champion Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) throughout, but showed that she had the edge with an attack from range on the last lap. In the Men’s Elite, Blevins effectively led from the off – a sight we haven’t seen in recent times. Despite dominating the overall series and winning the first five rounds, the American has been out of sorts since his streak came to an end in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), finishing down in 26th two weeks ago in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland). But Blevins looked back to his best, putting on a show for his home fans and outsprinting teammate Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) on the line to clinch his sixth UCI XCC World Cup win of 2025. Blevins' superiority in the overall meant he only needed to finish within the top 30 to confirm the title with one round still to go, but his victory in Lake Placid Olympic Region saw him secure his first series in emphatic style. Before the Elites, it was the turn of the Under 23s on Mt Van. Hoevenberg’s technical and testing course, and it witnessed the sixth-consecutive win for Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) and a first U23 UCI XCC World Cup victory for Tyler Jacobs (Liv Factory Racing). RISSVEDS MAKES IT A HATTRICK IN SHORT TRACK The focus ahead of the penultimate UCI XCC World Cup of the season was the battle between Richards and Keller – the Brit looking back to her best in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide to seize the initiative in the overall. But Jenny Rissveds doesn’t know when she’s beaten. The Swede had already shown her superiority, winning in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and in Switzerland to propel herself up to third in the standings. And with two races to go, she was mathematically in the running. The race was combative from the off, Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) taking an early lead ahead of old teammate Richards, while Keller sank like a stone off the line. Richards soon led proceedings, with Rissveds firmly on her wheel. By lap two, Keller had recovered and was back in the fold as Rissveds hit the front for the first time. She seemed to be operating on a different plane to everyone else though, making riding look effortless while others laboured to keep up. Last year’s winner in Lake Placid Olympic Region, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) was also in the mix, with a big bunch forming each time the race passed the start/finish straight before stringing out again on the first tight, technical section. By lap six, there was still a lead group of 12 with everyone having their own digs but unable to make them stick. But it would be Keller who would blink first. At the start of lap seven, the Swiss rider was out of the saddle and employing her signature swinging style on the handlebars, squeezing every watt out of her Thömus mountain bike. Rissveds soon took up the mantle, leading into the rock garden before the lead changed hands a few more times. The penultimate lap saw Keller winding it up again, but she was unable to shake Richards, who was glued firmly to her back wheel. Finally, it was Rissveds whose move stuck – the Swede going long on the final lap, exploding into the rock garden and creating a gap to Keller and Richards. The Brit would overtake her main title rival coming into the finish line drag, but didn’t have enough to catch Rissveds, who recorded her sixth UCI XCC World Cup of her career. The results mean that Richards still leads the overall by 150 points to Keller, with Rissveds only another 10 points back in third. And with one round to go in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), everything is still to play for. Speaking at the end of the race, Rissveds said: “This [course] is pretty hectic because it’s so fast. It’s a flat course and high speed. So I tried to be smart and I didn’t just ride with force. I rode with my head. That’s something I’ve been learning this year. Trying to think more and analyse, even when I’m not succeeding, I’m trying to analyse what I did wrong. The cross-country course is actually similar to the short track course but just a little longer. I think it’s going to be fast as well as tactical and I think we’re going to be a big group racing.” BLEVINS CLINCHES SIXTH XCC WIN OF THE SERIES AND OVERALL Christopher Blevins has had a summer to forget after a spring where he couldn’t stop winning. The American had been in dominant form, winning five UCI XCC World Cups in a row, breaking records as he went. But his season looked at risk of petering out, even if he could afford to finish 30th at his home race to claim the UCI XCC World Cup overall title. The Specialized Factory Racing rider had different ideas in Lake Placid Olympic Region. He looked ominous from the off, and back to his race-winning best rather than the rider we’ve seen in recent rounds. The 10-lap race was a cagey affair, with dusty conditions and slippery surfaces causing chaos throughout as the lead group set a ferocious pace. It looked like it could be a Specialized shut out though, with Boichis and Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) joining Blevins at the front of the race. That was until lap five, when Koretzky had a crash on the rock garden – the rainbow jersey sent flying into the air, and the Frenchman fortunate not to hurt himself. He dusted himself down and remounted, but his chances of adding a second consecutive win were over. Boichis was showing that he is a worthy rival to Blevins though, and the pair exchanged the lead numerous times. Another big crash on lap 8 – this time Luca Braidot (Willier Vittoria Factory Team) – finally split the lead group, and it was Blevins, Boichis and Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) who looked most likely.  Things started getting punchy at the front with Azzaro happy to sit in Blevins wheel, but as the race entered its final lap, it was Boichis who launched first. The young Frenchman overtook Blevins up the course’s first hill, and appeared to have got a gap as they exited the rock garden.  Blevins managed to close him down, but brought Azzaro with him, and as the trio reached the final corner, it was going to be a three-up sprint for the line. Boichis led them out, but Blevins had just enough to edge him on the line, Azzaro settling for third. His sixth win of the season was enough to secure Blevins the UCI XCC World Cup overall series.  Speaking after the race, Blevins said: “Thank you everyone that’s here. My family’s here. The last world cup my sister watched was 2021 Snowshoe, which was a magical day for me. It's a beautiful thing. I definitely get a bit of a boost racing here, and that was the most I’ve ever led a short track. My coach was probably wondering what I was doing. But it worked out. Adrien [Boichis], he was phenomenal on the last lap, so it’s a beautiful feeling. I love doing this, and I love doing it in the US. “You have to be present each moment. Come back to your process. I just stuck with it. This sport is extremely hard. We always talk about how fun it is, and it absolutely is, but it is so hard and you have to embrace that. I had those hard times in the middle of this season but it’s amazing to finish strongly. “This has felt like such a magical year for Specialized. People throw around the word family a lot, but it is a family. I spend so much time with everyone. We love each other. There’s so much that goes into a performance – my coach, my strength coach, my family.” JACOBS CLAIMS DEBUT WIN WHILE TREUDLER MAKES IT SIX IN A ROW IN U23 Tyler Jacobs (Liv Factory Racing) recorded her debut win in the U23 UCI XCC World Cup in a four-strong sprint finish. Overall U23 UCI XCO World Cup series leader Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) had led proceedings from the off, and would stay in control until a lap from the finish, but the Italian had an eight-strong group for company to make it back-to-back wins. Jacobs had been part of the pack from the off, and had enough left in the tank to outsprint Line Burquier (Trinity Racing) – who had recovered from 33rd place after the first lap – and Anina Hutter on the line. Corvi meanwhile would have to settle for fourth. The men’s U23 race also had a large lead group until late, when Finn Treudler and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) attacked on the final lap. No one could handle the pair’s pace, and it would be decided in a sprint for the line. Treudler came out on top as he so often has this year, the Swiss rider recording his sixth consecutive XCC win. Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) completed the podium, outsprinting Ren Teunissen van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) for third. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action continues in New York tomorrow as the Downhill riders take to the Whiteface Mountain track for the ninth UCI Downhill World Cup of the season.

The UCI Downhill World Cup’s penultimate round is upon us in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA), and with two more races before the curtain closes on a nail-biting 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, every point from qualifying and finals takes on even more importance in the race for the overall title. It was a sunny day on the Whiteface Mountain course as riders laid down the venue’s first Downhill qualifying runs on what is a brand new 2.2km course. All eyes were on Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity), Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) – the foursome the most mathematically likely winners of the overall next weekend. HÖLL LAYS DOWN A MARKER Vali Höll is still without a UCI World Cup win this season, but the Austrian isn’t letting that impact her qualifying, going fastest again in Q1 by almost six seconds to show that she was already up to speed on the New York State track. The 23-year-old was fastest in each intermediate split and dominated the hill from the start hut to the finish line. Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) were the only two riders to get within six seconds of the UCI Downhill World Champion, who is looking likely to break her winless streak tomorrow. Höll’s closest competitor in the overall series, Hemstreet, was forced to go again in Q2 after an error-strewn first attempt. The Canadian dusted herself down though to go fastest at the second time of asking – although her qualifying time was still nine seconds down on Höll’s. Other riders who scraped through in Q2 include Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Louise-Anne Ferguson (Axess Intense Factory Racing). Jess Blewitt’s (Cube Factory Racing) weekend meanwhile is over, and the New Zealander will have to wait another week before going between the race tape. Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) qualified in first for the women’s Junior Downhill finals. SHAW PUTS ON A SHOW FOR HOME FANS Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) might not have picked up a win year this series, but the American gave himself the best chance yet, crushing the Whiteface Mountain course in 3:09.29. The 28-year-old was fastest at the first intermediate split, but recovered after a slightly slower middle section to edge Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) by 0.176 seconds. The Australian was the only rider to get within a second of Shaw, and would have probably edged it if the course had been slightly longer, recovering from 21st at the first intermediate split and setting the fastest speed on the speed check – 64.655km/h. Benoit Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) edged compatriot Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) to go third fastest in Q1, but the Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland) winner from two weeks ago shouldn’t be overlooked tomorrow. Another worth keeping your eye on is Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) – the legendary American multi-time UCI World Cup overall winner and wildcard entrant qualifying ninth. In the title race, both Bruni and Goldstone made it through in Q1 – Bruni remaining the only rider to have a 100% Q1 record this series. Both will have a long wait in the hot seat on their hands if they put in fast runs – Bruni qualifying 11th while UCI Downhill World Champion Goldstone was down in 18th. Elsewhere, Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing), Reece Wilson (Aon Racing-Tourne Campervans) and Bernard Kerr (Pivot Factory Racing) were amongst the 10 riders who made it through in Q2. Some of the big names missing out on finals though include Laurie Greenland (Santa Cruz Syndicate), Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) and Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity). Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) will be last off the ramp in tomorrow’s men’s Junior finals. Racing gets underway tomorrow (Saturday, October 4) in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York from 11:30 EST with the women’s Junior finals. Find out how to watch here.

After the season’s final European round in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland), the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has crossed the Atlantic for its last two UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups of 2025. The back-to-back weekenders kick off Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) this Friday (October 3), before crossing the border into Canada for Mont-Sainte-Anne’s landmark 30th UCI World Cup and the final round of the series. We look at everything you need to know about the Lake Placid Olympic Region round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, including when the Cross-county Short Track (XCC), Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing, and how to watch. WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Lake Placid Olympic Region (USA) starts with the Women Under 23 Cross-country Short Track at 09:45 (UTC-4) on Friday, 3 October and concludes with the Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup at 15:30 (UTC-4) on Sunday, 5 October.  Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC-4 (BST+5/CEST +6): Friday, October 3 ·       9:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 ·       10:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 ·       16:20 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite ·       17:00 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite   ·       12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite ·       13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite ·       14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior ·       14:20 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior ·       15:05 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite ·       15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men Elite  Saturday, October 4 ·       11:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior ·       12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior ·       13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite ·       14:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite  Sunday, October 5 ·       09:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 ·       11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 ·       13:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite ·       15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite  WHERE CAN I WATCH? There will be several ways to watch the action unfold at the USA’s only Cross-country and Downhill UCI World Cups of the 2025 season. The UCI Downhill World Cup Qualification day can be followed on live timing and across social media. For the ninth UCI Cross-country Olympic, UCI Cross-country Short Track and UCI Downhill World Cups of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on discovery+ (in front of paywall), HBO Max* (in front of the sports add-on) and MTBWS TV (included in subscription), while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports USA – HBO Max South & Central America All Central and South American territories – MTBWS TV Carribean – Rushsports (Only Elite XCC and Elite Women’s Downhill races live)  Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport China - Zhibo.TV (Only Elite Downhill races live) All other Asian territories – MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa All African territories – MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport Austria – discovery+, Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport Czechia – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (only Elite XCO and XCC races live) Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport Faroe Islands – HBO Max, Eurosport France – HBO Max, Eurosport, L’Equipe (Only Elite DHI and XCO races live) Germany – discovery+, Eurosport Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport Ireland – TNT Sports Italy – discovery+, Eurosport Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport North Macedonia – HBO Max, Eurosport Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport Switzerland – MTBWS TV , SRG (Only Elite XCC and XCO races live) Türkiye – HBO Max, Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+, TNT Sports All other European territories – MTBWS TV RIDERS TO WATCH In Downhill, the battle between Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) is set to go to the wire after the series’ top spot changed hands in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. While neither rider came away with the spoils – the win going to Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) – Bruni’s fifth to Goldstone’s 25th was enough to propel the Frenchman to the top of the standings with two rounds to go. Super Bruni knows what it takes to close out an overall series from here, but UCI Downhill World Champion Goldstone will be hoping to bounce back and reduce the 100-point deficit ahead of a final showdown on home soil in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). The women’s overall also hangs finely in the balance, with Valentina Höll (YT Mob) boosting her advantage over Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) to 137 points in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. Like the men’s contest, neither title contender won in Switzerland – Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) picking up her third UCI World Cup win of the season and narrowly edging Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate) by six-hundreths of a second. The Brit sits in third place in the overall and is now up to fifth in the all-time race winners standings, but her inconsistencies this year and her 300-point deficit to Höll leaves it as a two-horse race with two rounds to go. Either side of the Downhill action is the Friday’s XCC and Sunday’s XCO, with both series still to be decided. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) lead the respective UCI XCC series, but both riders had very different weekends in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. Blevins’ season has been one of two halves – the American literally unbeatable for the first five rounds, while in his last three races, he has finished 2nd, 17th and 26th. He only needs to finish in the top 30 to secure the overall series, but will be targeting a strong performance in front of a partisan home crowd. Teammate and back-to-back UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) won last time out and is the rider most likely to spoil Blevins’ party.  Richards meanwhile appears to have overcome a mid-series wobble and reaffirmed her position at the top of the table with second in Bike-Kingdom Lenzerheide. The 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Champion in XCC now has a 110-point lead over the current rainbow jersey, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), while the winner in Switzerland, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), is a further 100-points back in third. The Brit could clinch the overall on Friday, but needs to win and for other results to go her way. Victory on Sunday could also wrap-up the title for Blevins in the XCO, but he needs a 330-point margin over teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) going into Mont-Sainte-Anne to make it definite – his lead currently stands at 290 points. Like in the XCC, the American’s season appears to have gone off the boil, and his 27th place in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide was his second-worst performance of the series. Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) is currently the rider in form, having followed up his UCI XCO World Championship victory in Crans-Montana, Valais (Switzerland) with a win in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. However, he will not be participating in the last two rounds, ruling him out of contention. In the women’s field, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) could also mathematically wrap things up if she does the XCO-XCC double, but the New Zealander will have to get the better of the UCI XCO Mountain Bike World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide UCI XCO World Cup winner Keller to have any chance of securing her country’s first-ever overall series. Racing gets underway on Friday, October 3 in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York. Full schedule and event details are available HERE.

After a barnstorming UCI World Cup debut in 2024, Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) became a firm favourite of riders and fans alike in the Cross-Country formats. But the New York state venue wasn’t content with hosting only Endurance events and has added a UCI World Cup-worthy Downhill course, welcoming Gravity athletes for the first time this weekend. The venue’s relatively unknown nature and its timing in the series makes it an interesting proposition, particularly in Downhill, where both overall leaders currently have narrow advantages with only two rounds to go. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW After a summer of European trails, this weekend will be the first time that a lot of riders have gone between the race tape on North American soil this season. Located 285 miles north of downtown Manhattan and a stone’s throw from the Canadian border, the Lake Placid Olympic Region might be best known for winter sports, but the site has a growing network of off-road trails perfect for mountain biking, centred around Mt Van Hoevenberg and Whiteface Mountain. The former is the location of the Cross-country course, featuring rock gardens, a dual slalom course and a section that mimics the venue’s Olympic bobsled run. Whiteface Mountain, meanwhile, is the setting of the new downhill track. Roughly 2km in length, the crafted course is packed full of steep, technical terrain and requires precise bike handling and fearless determination to come out on top. MATHEMATICALLY POSSIBLE FOR MAXWELL 330 points is the big target for Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) as this is the advantage that the New Zealander needs by the end of Sunday to clinch her and her country’s first-ever overall series. The 23-year-old currently sits 323 points ahead of Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), so a career-first Cross-country Olympic (XCO)-Cross-country Short Track (XCC) double is the easiest way of securing her crown before Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). But given the form of Rissveds, that will be easier said than done. The Swede is experiencing a purple patch, adding second place in the XCO to her UCI XCC World Cup win in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland), and the UCI XCO World Champion will push Maxwell all the way to the line. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) is another worth keeping tabs on – the 2024 UCI XCO World Cup overall winner victorious in Lenzerheide and not out of contention in the title yet. BLEVINS ON THE CUSP Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) is another rider with 330 points on his mind this weekend, as he looks to confirm his first UCI XCO overall series. The American’s 290-point lead over teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) means the XCO-XCC double is also a must, but unlike Maxwell, it’s something he’s managed twice this year. His recent form would suggest it’s beyond him, though, with it looking like he will stumble over the line to his title next week rather than seal things in style on home soil. RICHARDS HOLDS FIRM, BLEVINS ALL-BUT CONFIRMED The overall UCI XCC series are also still to be decided, but one is a lot tighter than the other. The women’s competition is currently separated by 110 points – Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) extending her advantage over the 2025 UCI XCC World Champion Alessandra Keller with a podium finish in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. The latter had been showing the consistency that propelled her to last year’s XCO-XCC overall double, but it looks like she might have left her title push too late, with the Brit arresting her mid-season dip in results.  The men’s meanwhile is effectively a foregone conclusion. Blevins missed the chance to take the title in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide, but only needs to finish within the top 30 to be crowned UCI XCC World Cup overall winner. Even with his recent poor form – with a 26th-place finish last time out in Lenzerheide – he can afford to ride conservatively to claim the overall. Victor Koretkzy (Specialized Factory Racing) has looked imperious in his last two outings – defending his UCI XCC World Championship title and winning in Lenzerheide – while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) are favourites to spoil the Specialized party. HÖLL GRINDING HER WAY TO ANOTHER OVERALL On Saturday, it will have been 474 days since Valentina Höll (YT Mob) last won a UCI World Cup. The Austrian has won two UCI Downhill World Championships in that time – most recently in Champéry, Switzerland, at the start of September – but it’s a record that the 23-year-old won't want hanging over her during the off-season. Despite her winless streak, her consistent performances have left her top of the pile with two rounds to go, and the US has historically been a happy hunting ground, with Höll recording three wins at Snowshoe. Her lead over second-place Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) was extended to 137 points after Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide, and she can clinch a fourth overall title in five years if she wins both qualifying and finals and Hemstreet fails to earn less than 177 points in Lake Placid Olympic Region. The Canadian – who has already won three UCI World Cups this season – isn’t one to go down without a fight, and will be extra motivated to take the title race to next week in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide winner Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) is the only other rider who can still mathematically win the overall series, and while the title is a distant prospect, the Brit is another favourite for Saturday’s finals. ADVANTAGE BRUNI IN TWO-WAY TITLE TUSTLE Just 100 points separate Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), with the Frenchman leapfrogging the new UCI Downhill World Champion with a superior points haul in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. Like Höll, Bruni has also claimed the overall title three times and has experience on his side when it comes to the pointy end of the season. Goldstone, meanwhile, showed a potential chink in his armour in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide with his 25th-place finish, but will be targeting a return to the top of the podium to take the title to his backyard in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Outside of the title race, other contenders for this Saturday’s finals include Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) and home favourite Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team). Racing gets underway in Lake Placid Olympic Region on Friday with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.

Trentino, a staple region on the WHOOP UCI MTB World Series calendar, has been awarded hosting rights for the 2031 Cycling Super World Championships.Announced in Kigali, Rwanda following a vote during the UCI’s annual congress, the event will follow a series of world-class events to grace the region over the next six years that also includes the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and the 2028 Winter Youth Olympics.The 2031 edition of the UCI Super World Championships will span two weeks and unite all major cycling disciplines in one location, including road, track, mountain bike, gravel, BMX, trials, enduro, granfondo, indoor cycling, cycling e-sports, pump track, and bike polo. More than 10,000 athletes are expected to participate across 20 disciplines, with over 200 rainbow jerseys on the line in elite, youth, para-cycling, and masters categories.“This result rewards Trentino’s proven ability to host world-class events,” said Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Autonomous Province of Trento. “We are extremely proud that the UCI has entrusted us with organizing the 2031 Super World Championships.”Andrea Abodi, Italian Minister for Sport and Youth“The awarding of this ‘World of Worlds’ to Italy for 2031 – said Minister Andrea Abodi – is another wonderful international recognition of our ability to present a bid rich in content and opportunities, capable of combining an excellent project with the credibility of a team of institutions that have worked together over time for a common goal. Trentino, together with Veneto for the velodrome being built in Spresiano, confirms itself as a land of sport, the land of cycling par excellence, with all the requirements needed to guarantee a fantastic world-class event, both technically and in terms of the emotions this land can offer. These will be six years of joint work with the Autonomous Province of Trento, Trentino Marketing, all the municipalities involved, and the Italian Cycling Federation, aiming to add many other cultural and social contents to the sporting dimension, making the world cycling festival unforgettable. The Government will work to ensure a positive legacy in three areas: promoting cycling in schools, developing infrastructure for the various cycling disciplines, and improving safety for those who ride bikes for sport or leisure. I wish good work to everyone from now on for this exciting new chapter in Italian sport, congratulating President Fugatti and his team for achieving this prestigious goal and thanking UCI President David Lappartient for the trust he has placed in us.”Luciano Buonfiglio, CONI President“With pride and satisfaction, I welcome the awarding of the 2031 UCI World Championships to Trentino. Today a unique territory has been rewarded, and once again Italy’s ability to organize major sporting events has been recognized. This is the result of fantastic teamwork between institutions, the Federation, and local organizations. This ‘Super Worlds,’ which brings together all disciplines, will provide an extraordinary showcase for our country and its sporting and cultural heritage, fueling the passion for two-wheeled sports that has always inspired Italians.”Cordiano Dagnoni, President of the Italian Cycling Federation“We are particularly pleased with the awarding of the 2031 UCI Super World Championships to Trentino, which rewards the ability of a region that has demonstrated in recent years that it can welcome and organize every cycling discipline in the best possible way, consistently achieving excellent participation levels. At this point, we just need the new velodrome, which the Federation is working on together with the UCI: it will be a facility worthy of a world-class event. As a country and as the Italian Cycling Federation, we are particularly proud because this confirms our reliability as organizers and our high-quality standards, now universally recognized.”

Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) rose to the occasion and gave her home fans a victory to celebrate at the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup in Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère, while newly crowned UCI XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC) survived a last lap scare to win the Men Elite category. The Swiss crowd also said an emotional farewell to Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) who retired following a stellar career. The dry and dusty conditions at the Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide provided dramatic races which were impacted by mechanicals and punctures. While her rivals faded away, Keller kept calm before launching her bid for glory on the penultimate lap. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) was just seven seconds behind the lead on the final lap before puncturing and finishing fourth. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) finished second following a determined performance, while Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) recovered from a crash while leading to take third. In the men's Elite, Hatherly re-produced his commanding display from Valais the previous weekend as nobody could follow his mid-race attack. That was until the last lap when the Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC rider saw his one-minute advantage halved due to mechanical trouble with his chain. Meanwhile, Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) led a four-man chasing group home for a personal best second XCO result, and Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) placed third. In the men’s U23 category, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his domination by winning both the Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and XCO events in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. Meanwhile, American Vida Lopez de San Roman (Trinity Racing) powered away from rival Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) to win the women’s U23. KELLER ENDS LONG WAIT FOR SECOND WORLD CUP WIN Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) ended a long wait to clinch the second UCI XCO World Cup win of her career. The Swiss rider was crowned UCI XCC World Champion in Valais but had been without a UCI XCO World Cup victory since winning at Snowshoe in July 2022 – a total of 1,144 days earlier. In an intense women’s Elite battle, Keller proved strongest as she took a stellar victory. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) won Friday’s UCI XCC World Cup and was targeting a weekend double. Overall series leader Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) initially joined Rissveds before also being distanced as the course tracked back on itself with short and sharp climbs. Meanwhile, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) suffered an opening lap crash which almost halted Keller. Pieterse was forced to get off her bike to fix a mechanical, before later suffering more problems and pulling out. The asphalt at the end of the first lap allowed Maxwell, Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) to regroup at the front with a clear 12-second gap over the chasers. Rissveds continued her pressure at the front and Blunk followed, as Keller also bridged across to the leaders. Decathlon Ford Racing Team rider Blunk was targeting her first UCI World Cup win and used her technical ability to put her rivals under pressure as Richards and Maxwell were distanced. Disaster struck for Blunk after 40 minutes of racing when she went to adjust her sunglasses and crashed. The American rider dropped back to the chasers, 33 seconds behind the leaders. After recovering from her earlier effort, Richards looked to power across the gap to the leaders with over two laps remaining. Heading into the penultimate lap, the British rider had drawn back to within 15 seconds of the leading duo, and Blunk was also chasing 21 seconds behind. Keller sensed opponent Rissveds was weakening and used the long climb and switchbacks early in the lap to pull out a slender lead. Taking the last lap bell, Keller led by 14 seconds from Richards, who had joined Rissveds in the podium battle. The British rider was on the charge, and she powered away from Rissveds and had Keller and the victory in her sights at seven seconds. However, disaster also struck for Richards and she stopped in the technical zone to change a rear wheel puncture, falling back to fourth after losing 25 seconds. The incident allowed Keller to enjoy her home victory. A chasing Rissveds was rewarded for her efforts by taking second, 16 seconds behind, and Blunk third at 25 seconds. Following her victory Keller said: “It was a tough one, but I had everyone cheering. I gave it my all, I had a gap in the second-from-last lap and went all in. I tried to go as fast as I could with everyone cheering.” “It’s amazing with everyone here, the family and the team. The race was crazy, first Puck crashed in front of me and I basically rode over her, I couldn’t do anything. “Savilia was so strong, but she somehow crashed and then there was two of us. Jenny made such a strong effort. I tried to go into the long uphill first and I had a little gap. “I just suffered until the finish line. It was totally worth it.” HATHERLY ENDS SEASON ON HIGH AS SCHURTER BOWS OUT Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC) completed his mountain bike campaign with a first UCI World Cup victory of the year. The South African has been riding a mixture of road and mountain bike races this campaign and showed his form to ride away from his rivals. Meanwhile, the Swiss fans turned out to say goodbye to Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) who retired following a career of nine UCI World Cup overall titles, 10 UCI World Championship titles, and 36 World Cup race wins. The narrow start loop at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide saw the men’s Elite field tightly grouped with little room to move. At the front it was Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team) who led, while Schurter moved up to 15th from 33rd on the starting grid. Overall series leader Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) had another day to forget as a snapped chain on the second lap saw him lose a host of time and positions. Following the conclusion of the second lap, a group of nine riders had gathered in the front group. Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) had made the front group before puncturing and ripping his back tyre off its rim, ending his challenge. As the race started to explode, Hatherly attacked on the lap’s main climb and pulled out 12 seconds. Behind the lone leader, British competitor Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) led the chasing pack with Andreassen. A cagey race unfolded behind for the remaining podium positions, as Hatherly pulled out his advantage to 54 seconds on the penultimate lap. Taking the bell, Hatherly had extended his lead to a minute over a four-rider chasing group who battled out the remaining podium positions. Aldridge pushed the pace in pursuit of a second-place finish, while Andreassen suffered a puncture to end his hopes. There was one last twist as Hatherly had mechanical trouble with his chain and had to dismount on two occasions. However, the South African was able to nurse his bike home to take victory, with celebrating Aldridge second 32 seconds behind and Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) rewarded for his persistence with third. Following his own mechanical issues, Blevins finished 27th and saw his overall lead reduced to 290 points with two rounds remaining. After taking victory, Hatherly said: “This is a really special venue for me, I’ve only won once here, my Under 23 world title. I was really hungry to get a win. This is my final World Cup of the season, unfortunately, so I wanted to do the jersey justice and go out on top. “I’m at a high again. I finished last season on a similar high, I’m really happy to be back at my normal level now.” “The whole purpose of this season has been to combine road and mountain bike racing, the road is really a big challenge for me but I’m enjoying every step of the way.” Talking about his last lap mechanical problem, the Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC rider added: “I dropped a chain, it’s never happened before but was one of those fluke things that happens.” “Fortunately the gap was big enough and I was able to seal the deal.” Schurter came over the line to a massive ovation as he finished 24th on the day, 3 minutes 27 seconds behind the winner. He added:“It’s super-cool. I’m so thankful for everything, it was an amazing career and it feels so good.” “It’s better than I could ever imagine. Today was a beautiful day, it was again hard for me. I was scared of the 80% rule, so I had to push hard to get through the race.” LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN CELEBRATES FIRST U23 XCO WORLD CUP SUCCESS American Vida Lopez de San Roman timed her last lap attack perfectly to win her first Women U23 UCI XCO World Cup. The 19-year-old finished runner-up in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships last weekend. In Friday’s UCI XCC World Cup, she was joined at the front of proceedings by series leader Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO). Once again, the duo pulled away from their competitors on the opening lap as they were evenly matched on the tough course. After a slower start fellow Italian Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing) came through strongly to join the bronze medal fight. On the last lap Lopez de San Roman powered away from Corvi to take victory by 24 seconds. Meanwhile, Cortinovis beat Marta Cano Espinosa (Trek Future Racing) and Ella Maclean-Howell (Cube Factory Racing) into fourth and fifth respectively. Heading into the final two rounds Corvi has a healthy 123-point overall lead and could seal the title at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Following her victory Lopez de San Roman said: “It honestly came down to the very last lap on the first climb, we were super evenly matched the whole race up until that point. “I decided to put an acceleration on the switchbacks and a got a few seconds, so I just went all in and didn’t look back once and it seemed to stick. Lopez de San Roman will return to America when the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns to Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York next month. TREUDLER COMPLETES WEEKEND DOUBLE AT HOME Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) produced a show of strength for his home Swiss supporters to win the Men U23 UCI XCO World Cup and extend his overall series lead. The newly crowned U23 UCI XCO World Champion has dominated both Cross-country formats this year and won the XCC event on Friday with a devastating attack on the penultimate lap. The 22-year-old provided another dominant display for his home fans and attacked on the second lap to pull out an advantage. Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) won the XCO round in Val Di Sole – Trentino (Italy) and led the battle behind in second. Despite pulling time back on the fifth lap Teunissen Van Manen had to settle for the runner-up position finishing 34 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) was locked in a battle for third position with fellow Danish rider Mikkel Lose – with the former finishing just six seconds ahead of his countryman. Treudler increased his overall advantage to 422 points and has sealed the series with two rounds remaining. Following his victory Treudler said: “It was such a special moment lining up, the crowd were going nuts. “I had to really push today to win, and I’m just really happy with the performance today. “I’ll have some quiet weeks at home now, it has been two hectic weeks so I look forward to some rest.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series takes a week break before continuing for its penultimate round in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) between 3-5 October.  

Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) bounced back from a collarbone injury to clinch his 13th Men Elite UCI World Cup race victory, while Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) added another win to her collection following an eventful day at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère. Pierron’s win equalled the Frenchman with Australian Sam Hill in fifth position of all-time UCI Downhill World Cup event winners. Meanwhile, Seagrave took her third Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup victory by the narrowest of margins. The final European round of this year's series saw riders descend on Bike Kingdom in search of the event victory and overall points. Conditions were dry and sunny once again with the dusty track encouraging fast runs and risk-taking. With only two races remaining next month in North America the tension was rising on the Swiss slopes as riders risked everything. Both Pierron and Seagrave surprised themselves with victories after coming through Q2 and feeling that they left time on the Swiss course. The Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide course also had an impact in the overall standings as Jackson Goldstone crashed in the men’s Elite category and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) finished fifth. After finishing runner-up in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships two weeks ago Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was second, while Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory Racing DH) finished third. Meanwhile, the Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup overall standings remain in the balance as Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) placed third and fourth respectively – behind runner-up Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) who was just six hundredths of a second slower than Seagrave. The men’s Junior competitors continue to set times that also challenge their Elite counterparts in an enthralling battle for overall honours. Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / 5DEV) had a perfect weekend after qualifying quickest and then taking his first UCI World Cup victory of the campaign. Meanwhile, Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) continues to take the women’s Junior category by storm as the 16-year-old extended her overall lead with a fourth World Cup success of the year. PIERRON TAKES RECORD WIN AS OVERALL RIVALS FALTER Amaury Pierron kept his calm to take his first men’s Elite UCI World Cup victory of the season. The two-time overall UCI World Cup winner finished runner-up in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) before suffering a collarbone injury. It looked to be another tough weekend for the Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction rider who was forced to go through Q2 into the finals, alongside Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) and Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH). The trio dominated the early starters with Pierron, two-time winner in Lenzerheide, setting his winning time of 2-44.6. Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) winner Dunne was also in contention just a second behind, while Kolb posted 2-46.4. The big jumps and hard landings on course resulted in a host of flat tyres which ruined the hopes of several finalists. After finishing runner-up at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships two weeks ago, Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was closest challenger and finished just four tenths behind Pierron in runner-up. New Zealander Lachlan Stevens-McNab finished quickly, but the young Trek Factory Racing DH competitor was eight tenths behind in third. Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) had a fairytale victory last year in Lenzerheide but suffered a crash in practice and finished down in 26th. The Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide course provided challenges throughout, and Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) crashed into the starting gate which ended his challenge. Coming into the event five-time UCI Downhill World Champion Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) is competing for overall honours with the newly crowned UCI World Champion Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate). After qualifying fifth fastest Goldstone threw caution to the wind and had the lead through the top section. However, after losing time in the second sector Goldstone pushed his limits too far and crashed out off the course. The Santa Cruz Syndicate rider got back on the course and finished 25th in 2-53.3. Penultimate starter Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) showed his pure speed and smooth riding as he challenged the time of Pierron into the bottom section. However, after hitting a shallow rut Shaw lost control of his bike wheel and lost a second of time to finish ninth. Final starter Bruni had the opportunity to gain advantage in the overall standings and deny fellow Frenchman Pierron the victory. The Specialized Gravity rider found himself over a second behind into the middle and technical section of the course. Despite giving everything in a bid to take victory Bruni had to settle for fifth position after finishing 1.6 seconds behind countryman Pierron. With two rounds remaining Bruni leads the overall standings by 100 points ahead of Goldstone. Following his victory Pierron said: “I really didn’t expect that one. It was quite a nightmare weekend for me, a lot of problems with mechanicals. Everything looked like it was going wrong, I had no expectations and gave everything I had today and it was enough for the win. I didn’t expect it as my run was not so good, at the bottom it was super-slow but it was enough today. I’m super-stoked. I injured myself at the end of last year so all winter was tough and then I was injured again in mid-season with my collarbone. It has been a hell of a season, it’s not over yet. If I can keep going this way then hopefully we can have more success.” SEAGRAVE TURNS WEEKEND AROUND TO TAKE THIRD WIN British rider Tahnée Seagrave took her third Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season. The 30-year-old had to progress through Q2 for the first time to book her finals position. After overcoming an early error in her finals run, Seagrave mastered the rest of her ride to post a winning time of 3-11.5 – eight seconds quicker than her fellow early starters. The Orbea/FMD Racing rider also went nine seconds quicker than her qualifying time the previous day but had a long time to wait for victory to be confirmed. Overall series challenger Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) had a crash in practice earlier in the week. The Canadian qualified eighth fastest the previous day and maintained her UCI World Cup overall challenge with a fourth-place finish. Winner at La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta (Italy), Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) qualified second fastest following a mixed season and brought the challenge to her rivals. The 29-year-old stayed in contention with the fastest time of Seagrave before taking a slender lead during the steep wooded section. However, the German lost out by six hundredths of a second and had to settle for runner-up spot. Final starter and Women Elite UCI Downhill World Champion, Valentina Höll (YT Mob), was looking for her first UCI Downhill World Cup win of the campaign. The Austrian rode an aggressive top section but found herself over a second behind Seagrave. Höll regained ground through the technical wooded part and led by four tenths into the final part. However, the UCI World Champion lost speed on the steps and important time as she finished third just eight tenths of a second back. With two rounds remaining Höll leads the overall standings by 127 points ahead of Hemstreet, while Seagrave remains in contention following her victory. “I was not feeling good all week, I just wanted to be kind to myself and make myself feel better,” said Seagrave. “I really didn’t expect to win today. I tried to avoid Q2 all year and we were successful until yesterday. I really can’t believe how stressful it was, I really don’t envy anyone who does Q2. “The track was super different, the nerves and you start picturing every bad scenario, that was new to me. “I did what I had to do to get into today and an extra run was probably quite nice. The run to me didn’t feel very good. I was surprised when I saw my time and I definitely thought that it would get beaten.” Talking about her slight mistake in the top section of the course, Seagrave added: “It was in a horrible spot. I just pushed down on my cranks as hard as I could. It was a nice spot afterwards to re-settle and get back into the flow. I was good.” VERMETTE BOOSTS OVERALL HOPES WITH VICTORY Asa Vermette mastered the slopes of Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide and took his first Men Junior UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season. The 18-year-old has been consistent this season with four UCI Downhill World Cup podium finishes this season, but a win had eluded him prior to this weekend. The Frameworks Racing / 5DEV was flawless after qualifying quickest and was 4.7 seconds clear of his nearest rival in the final. Newly crowned UCI Downhill World Champion for the age category and UCI Downhill World Cup series leader Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-off by Riding Addiction) crashed the previous day and only qualified eighth fastest. The Frenchman pushed the Swiss course to its limits resulting in a few small mistakes. Alran then suffered a rear-wheel puncture in the final sector and lost vital time to stop the clock in 2-51.0, narrowly beating his brother Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-off by Riding Addiction) – with pair finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Alran’s time was quickly beaten as Oli Clark (MS-Racing) stopped the clock in a 2-50.4. He was overtaken by fellow New Zealander Jonty Williamson (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) as the podium battle hotted up. Penultimate starter Tyler Waite (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) was also in the podium battle until a puncture on the top section of the course ended his hopes. Final starter Vermette made no mistake as he mastered the course and went quickest in every sector to stop the clock in an impressive 2-44.7 to win by 4.7 seconds. The win takes Vermette to 22 points behind series leader Max Alran with two rounds remaining. After taking his long-awaited first UCI World Cup win of 2025, Vermette said: “It was the exact run I wanted to put down, I hit all my marks, didn’t go off line and it was pretty perfect. I’m stoked. “I got first yesterday, so to back it up today feels insane. I’ll try not to think about the overall. I’ll just try and be in the moment, and for the next races. "I’m stoked that I’m getting close [to the overall], I definitely want to try and get that.” ZIERL CONTINUES DOMINATION WITH FOURTH WORLD CUP WIN After qualifying in second the previous day, 16-year-old Rosa Zierl found her rhythm and took a fourth Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup victory of the 2025 campaign. The Cube Factory Racing rider was crowned Junior UCI World Champion for the first time two weeks ago in Champéry and produced another memorable performance under pressure at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide. Denmark’s Rosa Marie Jensen narrowly beat Zierl in qualifying as the two prepared for a head-to-head battle in the finals. Meanwhile, Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) came into the weekend looking for a second UCI World Cup win of the season, following her success in La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta. The American was third-from-last out of the starting gate and posted the quickest women’s Junior time of the weekend in 3-14.5 – almost eight seconds quicker than her qualifying run. Wearing her rainbow stripes Zierl put down a fluent run and led by seven tenth of a second at the opening split. The Austrian continued to increase her advantage during a flawless ride and stopped the clock in a winning time of 3-11.4 – three seconds quicker than Ostgaard. SFR Specialized Factory Racing rider Jensen was last out of the starting gate in a bid for her second UCI World Cup victory. Despite losing time to Zierl in the top section Jensen produced a stylish run and clinched a podium finish with third place in 3-16.7. Zierl now leads the overall Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup standings by 75 points and could seal the title at penultimate round in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York next month. Following her victory Zierl said: “It’s crazy. I was enjoying this track, but struggling a bit. I just wanted to come down safely and be consistent. After winning the UCI World Championship title, another win is more than I expected. “I’m so happy. Racing in this [the World Champion jersey] still feels unreal. To do a good run now, I’m so happy.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues at Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) on Sunday with Cross-country Olympic action. Meanwhile, the UCI Downhill World Cup moves to its penultimate round at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) from 3-5 October

The first UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup since the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships produced fast and furious action at altitude in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland), as riders showed off their new jerseys for the first time since the dust settled in Zermatt and Crans-Montana, Valais (Switzerland). The wins went to UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and the UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing), with both riders showing that they’re hitting form just at the right time as the season nears its conclusion. Rissveds showed that she is the in-form rider of the series, battling it out with UCI XCC World Cup overall leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) throughout the race before going clear on the penultimate lap and never looking back. The win was the 2016 Olympic gold medalist’s second consecutive in the shorter format this series after her win in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France), and puts her in contention to do the first-ever Women Elite XCC-XCO double at Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. The victory was the reigning UCI XCO World Champion’s second in the shorter format this series and the fifth of her career. In the men’s Elite, Koretzky proved that class is permanent, throwing down the gauntlet on the final lap with no one able to hold the rainbow jersey’s wheel. Teammate and U23 UCI XCC World Champion Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) was the only rider able to handle the Frenchman’s pace, while Simon Andreassen (Orbea/Fox Factory) secured his first podium of the season. Elsewhere, it wasn’t to be for overall series leader Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), who could have wrapped up the title with two rounds still to go. His 26th-place finish means that the contest will continue until the next round in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Before the Elites, it was the turn of the U23s on Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide’s tight and technical course, and it witnessed the fifth-consecutive win for home favourite Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) and a first win of the season for Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO). RISSVEDS GOES BACK-TO-BACK Jenny Rissveds is in the form of her life. The 31-year-old has had a solid season so far, but has turned things up a gear since the last UCI World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France), winning three out of four races entered, including the UCI XCO World Championships, and finishing second in the other – the UCI XCC World Championships. Going into Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide’s UCI XCC World Cup, her 260-point deficit to series leader Richards probably ruled her out of mounting a late challenge in the overall, but she was a clear favourite to take the win. She wasn’t the only rider looking to make a statement in Switzerland, though, with Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) showing off her new rainbow bands in front of a partisan home crowd. After a combative start lap, the racing settled down with Rissveds setting the early pace. Richards was never far behind, though, and with a big crash in the woods that held up Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing), it clearly a good tactic to be at the front of the pack. By lap two, Keller had joined the leading pair, while other Swiss riders Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) also had their time in the lead. At the halfway point, though, there was a leading group of four – Rissveds, Richards, Keller and Blöchlinger – with the first two starting to gap their Swiss rivals. On lap six, the leading pair had a gap of five seconds on Keller, and worked together to build their advantage. It was cat and mouse at the front though, with both putting in efforts to test the other’s weaknesses. It was Richards who looked to launch an attack first, cranking up her efforts on lap 7, but the series leader in the red jersey for the first time since losing her rainbow bands couldn’t shake the Swede. Halfway through the final lap, Rissveds went full gas on the gravel climb, risking it all through the technical wood section to build a two-second gap as they crossed the finish line for the penultimate time. The Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider attacked again, and despite Richards emptying the tank, she couldn’t catch the Swede’s unstoppable rise, as she claimed her second consecutive UCI XCC World Cup and fifth of her career. Richards would have to settle for second, with Blöchlinger third and Keller back in sixth. Speaking at the end of the race, Jenny Rissveds said: “I would say I’ve done pretty good results-wise lately. [Evie Richards and I] managed to stretch the field pretty early in the race. I tried to keep the speed high and it seems like Evie also preferred that. We didn’t really work together, but we were alternating between who was on the front and who was in the wheel. “We’ll see [about Sunday’s XCO race]. I’m pretty tired after last weekend and the week that followed. I guess we’re all pretty flat after Worlds. It’s a long preparation. For us, it’s 10 months prior to Worlds. Someone succeeds, and some are disappointed. It’s exhausting. I’m looking forward to Sunday’s race, but we’ll see what happens.” KORETZKY CLINCHES NINTH SHORT TRACK WIN Victor Koretzky did the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships-UCI World Cup overall double in short track last year, but things haven’t aligned for the Frenchman in 2025. Forced to play second fiddle to teammate and series leader Christopher Blevins, he hadn’t hit the same highs on the short track course while wearing the rainbow jersey. This all changed at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Zermatt, Valais (Switzerland) – the 31-year-old getting the better of Blevins on the line to defend his rainbow jersey. And his performance in the shadows of the Matterhorn appears to have kick-started his season with three rounds to go. It was the previous UCI XCC World Cup winner at the venue, Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) who set the initial pace – the German happy to lead as a large pack of riders tussled for position behind him. One of those not in contention from the start was Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Divion)– the Frenchman having a nightmare start and going from the front row to dead last. Schwarzbauer had Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) for company – the French national champion looking to make amends after illness forced him to miss the World Championships– while Koretkzy and series-leader Blevins were never far from the front. Lap three saw an incident after the lead pack, Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC) forced to unclip on a technical wooded section and causing a gap from about 10th place back, while at the front Andreassen rode into first place, continuing his good form where he has recorded back-to-back fourth-places in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie and at World Championships. Schwarzbauer continued to look comfortable, while a mistake from Blevins saw him start to drift back and out of contention of a top eight finish – the result required to secure the overall title. Koretzky was joined by teammate Boichis in the lead group, and it was evident that Specialized might try some team tactics. On the penultimate lap, Martin attacked at the midway point, throwing all his cards on the table a long way from home. He couldn’t shake Koretzky though, and the rainbow jersey was glued firmly to his wheel. Taking the bell to signal the last lap, Schwarzbauer again came through, but it was Koretzky who would launch, rocketing up the tech zone’s gravel climb, leaving his rivals in his dust. Only Boichis could follow, but it was enough to be the winning move. Koretzky crossed the line arms aloft to take his first UCI XCC World Cup win of the season, and ninth of his career – moving him one behind current record holder Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck). Boichis would take second, while Andreassen claimed third – securing another podium finish to go with his partner Jenny Rissveds win. Speaking after the race, Victor Koretzky said: “This year, I haven’t had the chance to win with [the rainbow] jersey. It’s always nice to win a race with this amazing jersey and even more here. I love this place and it’s such a nice course here. And I’m pretty happy. To share this podium with Adrien [Boichis] is pretty amazing. “I think it was nice to be together at the front because we take care of each other for the positioning. It’s always better to be strong as a team here. It was difficult to overtake and it was better to be at the front today. We managed it really well and in the end we finished first and second.” CORVI CLAIMS DEBUT WIN WHILE TREUDLER MAKE IT FIVE IN A ROW IN U23 Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) recorded her debut win in the U23 UCI XCC World Cup in a hard-fought race. Overall U23 UCI XCO World Cup series leader Corvi had led proceedings from the off, and would take the start/finish line in first or second throughout the race, but the lead group would remain five-strong deep into the penultimate lap. It was Corvi and Vida Lopez de San Roman who went clear on the final lap, with the Italian having the edge over the American to win by one second. Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup overall leader Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) finished four-seconds back in third to retain a 31-point lead over Corvi with two races to go. Speaking after the race, Valentina Corvi said: “This season has gone super good and I’m really happy. Today, I tried to manage the race and in the end it was quite tactical. I tried to push and I took some meters and I’m happy to win my first short track race ever.” The men’s U23 race wasn’t as close as the women’s with Finn Treudler happy to sit in the lead pack before launching an attack on the penultimate lap that would see him home for his fifth consecutive U23 UCI XCC World Cup win. The newly crowned U23 UCI XCO World Champion has dominated both series this year, and the result was never really in doubt. A group of three made up of Paul Schel (Lexware Mountainbike Team), Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) and Rens Teunissen van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) did their best to close him down but couldn’t match the Swiss rider’s pace. In the end, Schel would edge Pedersen for second, with Teunissen van Manen fading to sixth. Speaking at the end of the race, Finn Treudler said: “My shape is still here. I really like the course here and also the short track one is quite physical so it suits me well and I’m happy to take the win today. “I really wanted to win today to be able to be called up last in the world champs jersey [on Sunday]. It’s going to be an exciting final. “When I went out this morning, I was really in the right headspace for a race day. I’m happy I could have a race today and focus on something else other than the media attention.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action continues in Switzerland tomorrow as the Downhill riders take to Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide track for the eighth UCI Downhill World Cup of the season.

The UCI Downhill World Cup’s final European round is upon us in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland), and with only three races between now and the season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), every point counts in the race for the overall title. Conditions were dry and sunny in Lenzerheide’s Bike Kingdom resort, with riders sampling another Swiss descent two weeks on from the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Champéry, and looking to lay down a fast time to make it through to tomorrow’s finals. It was also the first chance for athletes to show their form as the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series nears its conclusion, and whether they’re still on a high from Champéry, have managed to put a disappointing rainbow run behind them, or are on a downward trajectory and ready for the off-season. HÖLL BACKS UP RAINBOW WIN  Valentina Höll (YT Mob) still hasn’t won a UCI Downhill World Cup this season, but finds herself at the top of the overall standings – narrowly having the edge over Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division). The Austrian made it four UCI Downhill World Championships in a row in Champéry, and looks like she’s hitting top form just at the right time, going fastest in Q1 in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. The 23-year-old was fastest in three out of four intermediate splits, and had more than a two-second advantage over second-place qualifier, Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate). It could have all been so different, though, with Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) the fastest in the first split and on for a top-three finish before a crash in the final sector saw her cross the line 52 seconds back. The French icon decided not to start Q2. Hemstreet, meanwhile, recovered from a slow start but qualified eighth and will have a nervous wait in tomorrow’s finals to see if she will finish ahead of her title rival and close the gap even more with two rounds to go. Q2 was stacked with big hitters who had missed out first time round – Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing/5 Dev), Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) and Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) all needing a second stab at the course to qualify. In the women’s Junior category, Denmark’s Rosa Marie Jensen narrowly edged out overall leader Rosa Zierl (CUBE Factory Racing) by less than a second to be last off the ramp in tomorrow’s finals. BRUNI SHOWS HE’S FULLY FOCUSED ON CHASING DOWN GOLDSTONE Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) had a disappointing UCI World Championships in Champéry. The five-time UCI Downhill World Champion finished down in 49th after a crash on course, missing out on the chance to add a sixth elite rainbow jersey to his collection. The 31-year-old showed that he’s put that behind him, though, and is fully focused on overthrowing Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) in the overall, going fastest in every intermediate split to record a 2:47.654. Also, Bruni remains the only rider this season to have qualified for finals at the first time of asking. Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) will be confident going into tomorrow’s finals, though – the American was just 0.111 seconds behind Bruni, and the only rider to get within a second of the flying Frenchman.  Newly crowned UCI Downhill World Champion Goldstone started slowly in his first qualifying run whilst wearing the rainbow jersey, recording the 10th fastest time in intermediate split 1, before rallying to qualify fourth, 1.323 seconds back on Bruni. While the rest of the top 20 was made up of UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team riders, there was also wild card in the mix – Jackson Connelly (The Alliance) qualifying 12th and making it through to his first UCI Downhill World Cup finals of the 2025 series. Riders forced to take a second bite of the cherry and make it to finals via Q2 included Andreas Kolb (YT Mob), two-time winner in Lenzerheide Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) winner Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH), Benoit Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) and Laurie Greenland (Santa Cruz Syndicate).  For Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) and Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team), however, the weekend is over, with the North American pair missing out in both qualifying rounds and now forced to wait until Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) before they get to go between the race tape once more. Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / 5DEV) and Tyler Waite (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) secured first and second respectively in the men’s Junior qualifying, with overall series leader Max Alan (Commencal/Muc-off by Riding Addiction) having to settle for eighth. Racing continues tomorrow (Saturday, September 20) in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide from 11:30 CEST with the women’s Junior Finals. Find out how to watch here.

Staying in Switzerland after the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais, the UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups travel east to the canton of Graubünden and the trails of Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. We look at everything you need to know about the Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, presented by Le Gruyère, including when the Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-county Short Track (XCC)and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing, and how to watch.  WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide starts with the Women Under 23 Cross-country Short Track at 10:45 (UTC+2) on Friday, September 19 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup at 15:30 (UTC+2) on Sunday, September 21.  Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC+2 (EST+6/BST+1/CEST): Friday, September 19 12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite 14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior 14:20 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior 15:05 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men Elite 10:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 11:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 17:30 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite 18:10 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite Saturday, September 20 11:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior 12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite 14:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite Sunday, September 21 09:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 13:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite WHERE CAN I WATCH? There will be several ways to watch the action unfold at Switzerland’s only Cross-country and Downhill UCI World Cups of the 2025 season. The UCI Downhill World Cup Qualification day can be followed on live timing and across social media. For the eighth UCI Cross-country Olympic, UCI Cross-country Short Track and UCI Downhill World Cups of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on discovery+ (in front of paywall), HBO Max* (in front of the sports add-on) and MTBWS TV (included in subscription), while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports USA – HBO Max South & Central America All Central and South American territories – MTBWS TV Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport China - Zhibo.TV (Only Elite Downhill races live) All other Asian territories – MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa Angola, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cape Verde, Cote d'lvoire, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Reunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, São Tome and Principe, St Helena and Ascension, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Socotra, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia - Supersport All African territories – MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport Austria – discovery+, Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport, LN24 (only Men’s Elite XCO race live) Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport Czechia – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (only Elite XCO and XCC races live) Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport Faroe Islands – HBO Max, Eurosport France – HBO Max, Eurosport, L’Equipe (only Elite Downhill and XCO races live) Germany – discovery+, Eurosport Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport Ireland – TNT Sports Italy – discovery+, Eurosport Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport North Macedonia – HBO Max, Eurosport Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport Switzerland – MTBWS TV , SRF/RSI Türkiye – HBO Max, Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+, TNT Sports All other European territories – MTBWS TV RIDERS TO WATCH In Downhill, the battle between Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) resumes after the pair had a very different UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Goldstone took the win in Champéry, Valais (Switzerland), adding an Elite rainbow jersey to his junior title from 2021. Five-time UCI World Champion Bruni, meanwhile, had a race to forget, finishing down in 49th. The Canadian holds a small, 25-point lead with three rounds to go, and every placing from here to Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) crucial in the destination of the title. The women’s battle is almost as close, with Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) separated by 59 points. The Austrian finds herself on the top spot without a UCI World Cup win this season, although her fourth consecutive UCI Mountain Bike World Championships win in Champéry might just unlock some more race-winning form for the 23-year-old. Hemstreet might not have the consistency, but has shown she can win, clinching three UCI World Cup rounds this series, including the most recent in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France). With a series finale on the cards in Canada, expect the 20-year-old to try and take the title fight to the last round, where she will have the backing of a partisan home crowd. Either side of the Downhill action is the Friday’s XCC and Sunday’s XCO, with both series heating up with only three rounds to go. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) lead the respective XCC series, but both riders are on different trajectories after mixed performances in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie and last weekend’s UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Blevins’ title is all but secured, the American able to build an unassailable lead over second-placed Charlie Alridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) before a pedal stroke in North America. He finished second to teammate Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) in the UCI World Championships, and will be aiming to add even more wins to the five consecutive victories earlier this season. Richards’ table-topping position is less certain. The 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Champion in XCC has a slender 40-point lead over the newly crowned rainbow jersey, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), and the Swiss rider appears to be in the ascendancy and hitting form just at the right time. Victory on Sunday would also effectively wrap up the title for Blevins in the XCO, but the American has been less consistent over the longer format in recent times. Here, Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) is the man to beat, having won in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie and finished second behind Thomas Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) in Pal Arinsal (Andorra). But the Frenchman might have left things too late to mount a serious title bid. All eyes, however, will be on Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Race Team), with Lenzerheide the G.O.A.T’s final ever UCI World Cup appearance. In the women’s field, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) could also mathematically wrap things up if other results go her way, but the New Zealander can expect the new UCI XCO Mountain Bike World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) to push her all the way to Mont-Sainte-Anne. The Swedish rider is in a rich vein of form, and has won her last three XCO races, which also include the UCI World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie and the 2025 UEC European Continental Championships.  Racing gets underway on Friday, September 19 in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. Full schedule and event details are available HERE.

There aren’t many riders who can be considered the greatest of all time. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is certainly one of the most dominant Cross-country riders of her generation, while Rachel Atherton and Greg Minnaar’s records in Downhill (DHI) are unlikely to be topped. But one man stands head and shoulders above the rest – Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team). This weekend will mark his final appearance on the start grid as he bids farewell to a historic career at home, in front of his fans, at Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère. The Swiss star has been an ever-present at the front of Cross-country mountain bike races for almost two decades, and has secured a long list of achievements that will probably stand the test of time – Olympic gold (2016), 10-time Cross-country Olympic (XCO) UCI World Champion, nine-time UCI XCO World Cup overall winner, winner of 36 UCI XCO World Cup rounds and starter at 131 UCI XCO World Cup races. Although he’s only managed one podium this season at Araxá – Minas Gerais, Brazil’s UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup, few would bet against Schurter signing off in style. The Swiss rider won at the venue when it last hosted a UCI World Cup in 2023, and has a total of four wins at Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide, including his 2018 rainbow jersey. Schurter bows out from the UCI World Cup circuit still at the top of the sport – his last win coming in Val di Sole (Italy) in 2024. THE BIKE KINGDOM BECKONS  This weekend isn’t just a farewell to Schurter, but also the final European round of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. While there’s been a three-week break since the last round in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France), there has been plenty of racing for both the Cross-country and Downhill athletes with the two-week 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais (Switzerland) only wrapping up on September 14. Riders will now head east to Bike Kingdom in Lenzerheide. The venue first hosted a UCI XCO World Cup round in 1994 before a 21-year absence from the series. It returned in 2015 with XCO and DHI, and has been a staple ever since, with breaks only in 2018 (when it hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships), 2020 and 2024. Located in the shadow of the Lenzerhorn in the town of Lenzerheide, the bike region more than lives up to its Bike Kingdom moniker, connecting Arosa, Lenzerheide and Chur to form the largest bike area in Switzerland. The Downhill takes place on the venue’s Straightline UCI World Cup track – a 1.7km course that features 402m of descent and a monster big drop to navigate into the finish corral.  The Cross-country Olympic and Cross-country Short Track races, meanwhile, are duked out on densely packed woodland and expansive, exposed sections of mountain that lend themselves to close racing. CAN RISSVEDS RIVAL MAXWELL? Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) is in red-hot form. The 31-year-old has won her last three XCO races, which include the UCI XCO World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, and the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Few can cope with her race-winning tactics, where she builds a lead with an explosive start and stays out front until the finish, and at Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide, she will be a favourite for the win once more. Her current form could make things interesting in the race for the overall series, with Samara Maxwell’s (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) 435-point lead no longer looking unassailable. The one thing that the New Zealander has going for her, though, is her own performances. She clinched XCO silver at last weekend’s UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, and hasn’t finished off the podium all year – her third in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, her worst XCO performance of the season. Make a mistake in Lenzerheide, though, and things could get interesting for the final two rounds in North America.  BLEVINS CAN SEAL THE DEAL IN SWITZERLAND Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) might not have recreated his early-season XCO form in the last four rounds, but the American’s healthy lead in the overall series means it would be mathematically possible for him to clinch the title in Switzerland. The reality is that it will likely go to Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) at least, with team-mate Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) his closest rival, 361 points behind. Those likely to be contesting for the win this Sunday include the two-time (and reigning) XCO UCI World Champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team), Les Gets, Haute-Savoie winner Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) and local favourite Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon). KELLER ON COURSE TO CATCH RICHARDS, BLEVINS ALL-BUT CONFIRMED The overall UCI XCC World Cups meanwhile are very contrasting. The women’s competition is currently separated by 40 points – Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) holding an advantage over the 2025 UCI World Champion Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon). The latter is showing the consistency that propelled her to last year’s XCO-XCC overall double, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her overthrow the Brit at the Bike Kingdom. Meanwhile, the men’s is effectively a foregone conclusion. Blevins leads the series by 645 points to Les Gets, Haute-Savoie winner Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing), and only needs to finish 8th or better to clinch the title in Switzerland.  HEMSTREET PROVIDING PROPER TEST FOR HÖLL Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) have put on a title race for the ages, with Höll on top despite no wins thanks to consistent podium performances while Hemstreet is 59 points behind courtesy of three UCI Downhill World Cup wins. Höll was back to her best at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, taking her fourth consecutive rainbow jersey in style. But she will have to do something she has never managed as an Elite to break her winless UCI World Cup run – win at Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. Hemstreet, meanwhile, is on a hot streak of her own and will be looking to get back to winning ways after settling for fourth at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. One rider who can’t be overlooked in Lenzerheide is Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction). Although the Frenchwoman hasn’t been her best this season, she has three wins at the venue so knows what it takes to tame the Straightline. TITLE ON A KNIFE EDGE BETWEEN BRUNI AND GOLDSTONE The men’s overall series is even tighter, with just 25 points separating Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). While Bruni closed the gap slightly after a better performance in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, Goldstone will be buoyed by his UCI Mountain Bike World Championships win, and will be hoping his new rainbow jersey leads to even more success in 2025. The Canadian’s best performance at Lenzerheide in Elite was sixth place back in 2023, while Bruni has only won once at the venue – during the 2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Both will be aware that any slip now could have huge consequences in the overall series, so expect cagey, tight racing from the pair. Others in contention in Saturday’s final include Les Gets, Haute-Savoie winner Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH), two-time winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), and 2023 victor Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity). Racing gets underway in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide on Friday with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.

First up was the fast and furious Cross-country Short Track (XCC) race, which has awarded its own rainbow bands since 2021 and favours the riders blessed with buckets of fast-twitch muscle fibres. This was then followed by the traditional Cross-country Olympic (XCO) race, which would be crowning its 36th world champion since the inaugural event in 1990 in Durango, USA. KELLER WINS HER FIRST RAINBOW JERSEY Alessandra Keller (Switzerland) has been one of the most consistent riders of the last few seasons, clinching both the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series titles for XCC and XCO in 2024. The rainbow jersey has always eluded the Swiss star, though, who appears to excel at placing well even when she doesn’t win across a whole season rather than dominating one-off events. Credit: SWpix She came into her home UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in XCC in good form, having won in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) and finished second in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) last time out. In Crans-Montana, she would resume her rivalry from Les Gets with Jenny Rissveds (Sweden), but would reverse the last Elite UCI XCC World Cup’s result to win by four seconds in front of a passionate home crowd. Canada’s Jennifer Jackson completed the Elite podium to win bronze whilst fellow countrywoman Isabella Holmgren took Under 23 world title. KORETZKY GOES BACK-TO-BACK  Victor Koretzky (France) has yet to hit the form that saw him crowned the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Champion in XCC, and the rainbow jersey has had to settle for second best behind Specialized Factory Racing teammate Christopher Blevins (USA) this season – the American winning the series’ first five rounds. Credit: SWpix The Frenchman even skipped his home race in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie to keep his powder dry for defending his title, and it was a tactic that appeared to work. Koretzky’s stars aligned and he outsprinted 2021 winner Blevins to claim a narrow, one-second victory. Compatriot Mathis Azzaro (France) finished just behind the Specialized pair to become the final rider on the Elite podium. Adrien Boichis (France) meanwhile took the Under 23 gold. RISSVEDS PROVES THAT CLASS IS PERMANENT After narrowly missing out on the UCI Mountain Bike World Championship in XCC, Rissveds brushed herself down to clinch the rainbow jersey in the main XCO event. Nine years on since the Swede’s first major victory at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the result in Crans-Montana and the recent XCC-XCO double at the UCI World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie proves that she’s still at the top of her game. Credit: SWpix She almost didn’t have it her own way though. The 31-year-old went solo on the first lap and appeared content to rely on her early lead as the race progressed through its seven laps. This year’s UCI XCO World Cup overall leader Samara Maxwell (New Zealand) and Keller kept Rissveds’ lead in check though and seemed the most likely to mount a threat.  Keller faded in the final lap to add bronze to her XCC win, while Maxwell could only reduce the gap to 18 seconds to take silver. Isabella Holmgren (Canada) did the double by securing the Under 23 crown. HATHERLY WINS CONSECUTIVE CROWNS WHILE VAN DER POEL’S TITLE TILT FADES  Coming into the final race of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, all eyes were on the multi-discipline master, Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands). The Dutchman has already clinched rainbow jerseys in road, gravel and cyclocross, and was looking to become the first male rider to complete the an unprecedented quartet. But it was to be another dual-discipline rider who would come away with the spoils – Alan Hatherly (South Africa) defending his UCI Mountain Bike World Championship in XCO despite spending a large proportion of this season on the road.  Credit: SWpix The South African resumed his 2024 season-long battle with Koretkzy from the off before surging into an unassailable lead on lap two. Van der Poel meanwhile overcame his five-row starting place before ultimately fading to 29th. Simone Avondetto’s (Italy) last lap break was enough to secure the 2024 European Champion a silver medal, while Koretzky recovered to overtake home favourites Luca Schatti (Switzerland) and Mathias Flückiger on the line to clinch bronze. Men U23 UCI XCO World Cup leader Finn Treudler (Switzerland) took the Under 23 gold in front of his home crowd.

The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are well underway in Valais, Switzerland, and it was the Gravity formats that were getting in on the action first. For the second-ever UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Enduro, Aletsch Arena/Bellwald was chosen as the venue, with racing split over two days – three stages on day one, and three stages on day two. The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Downhill, meanwhile, returned to the canton’s iconic Champéry track – scene of the Downhill 2011 UCI World Championship and Danny Hart’s (Great Britain) wet and wild ride. RUDE AND LUKASIK GO TO THE WIRE Richard Rude Jr (USA) might be a legend of Enduro riding, but his impressive collection of honours lacked a rainbow jersey after he missed out on the debut UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Enduro to Alex Rudeau (France) last year.  While the American might have switched his focus this to Downhill season, the 30-year-old wasn’t going to let the opportunity to right the wrongs of last year pass him by, and lined up in Aletsch Arena/Bellwald, Valais with a point to prove. There was one man who would attempt to stand in his way, though –Yeti/Fox Factory Racing Team teammate Sławomir Łukasik (Poland). The Pole had already clinched this year’s overall series, which included his first three UCI Enduro World Cup wins, and had his own goal to become the first ride to win the overall UCI World Cup and UCI World Championship in the same year. Initially, the advantage went to Lukasik, who led after the first day’s three stages, even with a 25th place finish in stage three. Rude was his consistent self, though, remaining within the top four on the first three stages to sit second. After stage four, Łukasik extended his advantage, but Rude had other ideas. The American smoked the field, using all of his race-winning experience to claw back five seconds on Łukasik on stage five, before edging him in the final stage to win by 2.5 seconds. Image: SWpix Stage one winner Elliot Jamieson (Canada) would round out the podium, recording his best Elite Enduro result to date. 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup winner Melvin Almueis (France) also took the men’s Junior UCI World Championship title. HOSKIN OVERCOMES CONOLLY IN FINAL STAGE SHOWDOWN The battle was almost as tight in the women’s field, albeit with four riders within 10 seconds of the winning time. Elly Hoskins (Canada) set the early pace, winning stage one and stage three. But it was Ella Conolly (Great Britain), who led at the halfway point – the UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner fastest on stage two and still showing strong form despite skipping the final UCI Enduro World Cup round of the season in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). Image: SWpix Stage four saw last year’s overall winner, Harriet Harnden (Great Britain), come to the fore, but it was too little too late for the Brit, who like Rude, has also been focusing on Downhill this year. Stage five witnessed a big swing in the lead, Hoskin taking 20 seconds from Conolly. And it would ultimately set up the win for the Canadian, who took another nine seconds from the Brit on the final stage to win by 4.53 seconds. Mélanie Pugin (France) would take the final podium spot, pipping Harnden in the final stage. Nežka Libnik (Slovenia) claimed the women’s Junior top spot. GOLDSTONE BLITZES THE FIELD Jackson Goldstone (Canada) is making up for lost time. After sitting out last season with injury, the 21-year-old has been the in-form rider of 2025, equaling Aaron Gwin’s record by winning four consecutive UCI Downhill World Cups, and finds himself at the top of the UCI Downhill World Cup rankings. A firm favourite ahead of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, it was interesting to see how the Canadian reacted after a disappointing result last time out in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) the week before. It didn’t seem to phase him, and he piloted his Santa Cruz V10 down the bone dry course in his signature smooth style. He led from the first intermediate split and didn’t look back, piecing together an insanely fast run that no one could get close to. Henri Kiefer (Germany) was the surprise package and had a long wait in the hot seat until Goldstone finally shaved almost two seconds off of his 2:56.099 time. Ronan Dunne (Ireland) meanwhile continued his strong form, adding a bronze medal to his second UCI Downhill World Cup win in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. Frenchman and five-time World Champion Loïc Bruni was the last rider down the hill but crashed out before posting a time, handing the rainbow jersey to the Canadian and adding another dramatic chapter to their season-long battle in the UCI Downhill World Cup. Frances’s Max Alran took the Men Junior UCI World Championship title. HÖLL EDGES NICOLE TO WIN HER FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TITLE Valentina Höll (Austria) hasn’t won a bike race since the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Andorra last August. The 23-year-old has been close to the top spot since, and even leads the UCI Downhill World Cup rankings thanks to her consistency, but a win has seemingly alluded her at every turn. When it comes to the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, though, she can raise her game to another level – as shown in her three consecutive rainbow jerseys coming into Champéry. Image: SWpix After the first split, it was looking like it might be the end of her winning streak – Tahnée Seagrave (Great Britain) recording the fastest first section. But Höll was just getting into her groove, and set about dominating the rest of the mountain. By split two, she was in the green, and she gradually started to increase her lead thanks to her consistent and calculated way of riding. The last rider other than Höll to wear the rainbow jersey – Myriam Nicole (France) – was the only athlete within a second of the Austrian’s time, stopping the clock 0.667 seconds down. Marine Cabirou (France) made it a French 2-3. In the junior category, Rosa Zierl (Austria) took the win.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that 16 wildcard teams – eight cross-country and eight downhill – have been selected for rounds 15 and 16 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) on October 3-5 and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) on October 9-12. While all eight teams that applied for a downhill spot secured a wildcard, it was another competitive selection process in cross-country, with only eight of the 13 applicants selected. The majority of qualifying teams have already featured in the 2025 series, but there will be a first appearance for Canadian outfit Forbidden Dunbar Racing Team. The eight-strong Downhill and Enduro team is supported by British Columbia-based manufacturer Forbidden Bike Co. and bike shop Dunbar Cycles, and is predominantly a Canadian-focused team with Australian Connor Fearon and Brit Alex Storr also part of the ranks. While the majority of its racing has taken place in North America this year, including Ryder Wilson’s win in the Crankworx Silver Star Canada Cup and Emmy Lan’s back-to-back second places at Crankworx Silver Star and Crankworx Whistler, the pair have also featured once in the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series at the UCI Downhill World Cup in La Thuile – Valle D’Aosta (Italy). Elsewhere, Lexware Mountainbike Team will be the only Endurance team to have a 100% wildcard qualification record for the whole of 2025, while Goodman Santacruz, Rogue Racing - SR Suntour, Team High Country and Kenda NS Bikes UR will manage the same in downhill. Finally, the return of Gwin Racing to the wildcard fold gives Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) the chance to become the joint-most successful downhill athlete at Mont-Sainte-Anne in the venue’s 27th UCI Downhill World Cup. The legendary American rider has three wins (2011, 2012 and 2017) at the iconic Canadian spot, and needs one more to equal Steve Peat’s record. The 16 wildcard teams for rounds 15 and 16 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York and Mont-Sainte-Anne are: UCI Cross-country World Cup: BIXS Performance Race Team Bike Team Solothurn Lexware Mountainbike Team KTM Factory MTB Team Thömus Akros - Youngstars Cabtech Racing Team Trinity Racing Massi  UCI Downhill World Cup: Kenda NS Bikes UR Team Rogue Racing - SR Suntour Goodman Santacruz Team High Country Future Frameworks The Alliance Forbidden Dunbar Gwin Racing

Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) delivered a victory for his home crowd, while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) completed her first-ever Cross-country Short Track (XCC) – Cross-country Olympic (XCO) double with a dominant performance in a thrilling UCI XCO World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France). Riders faced hot, sunny conditions on a track left slick and punishing by the previous day’s rain. Martin and Rissveds adapted best, with Martin becoming the eighth Frenchman to claim an Elite UCI XCO World Cup win and only the fourth to do it on home soil, in a tense, hard fought race. In contrast, Rissveds proved untouchable, securing her first XCC-XCO double after an emphatic victory on Saturday. Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) took his fourth XCO win this season in the men’s U23 category, while Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) continued her dominance in the women’s U23 field. RISSVEDS MAKES IT A FIRST-EVER XCC-XCO DOUBLE Rissveds delivered a masterclass, claiming a commanding UCI XCO World Cup victory. After ending a 26-month drought on Saturday, the Swede confirmed her return to top form with another stellar performance. Rissveds adapted quickest to the conditions, bursting out of the gates and taking the lead immediately, steadily extending her advantage over the technical terrain. By the end of the opening lap, she was 12 seconds clear. A brief excursion off course in the second lap - possibly due to a technical issue - did little to slow her, and she kept her rivals at bay. Her lead was further boosted when Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), who had been leading the chase group, stumbled on the third lap, triggering a chain reaction among the other contenders. Behind her, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) and Keller battled fiercely for second, with Keller ultimately prevailing in a dramatic last-lap effort. Meanwhile, Rissveds made the merciless course look effortless, crossing the finish line in 1:12:01 - 1 minute and 12 seconds ahead of the rest. Maxwell retains her hold on first place in the overall standings, though Rissveds has reduced the deficit to 435 points. “I didn’t have an attack planned for today,” said Rissveds. “I had just planned to do my own race, and I think that’s the key to cross-country racing, and don’t think about the others so much.” “I thought I had a rear flat,” Rissveds said, explaining her wobble mid-race. “It felt soft, but I don’t know. It was just tricky conditions today with the rain over the past few days. “There was so much back and forth regarding tyre choices and material. I ended up finding a good option. I’m happy with the material for the day.” MARTIN DELIVERS JOY TO HOME CROWD WITH FIRST UCI XCO WORLD CUP WIN Home favourite Martin thrilled the crowd with a landmark win on home soil, adding to his UCI XCC World Cup victory at the most recent Cross-country round in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) in July. The national champion struck on one of the steepest climbs to overhaul Luca Braidot (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) before crossing the line with a wheelie, 12 seconds ahead of the Italian. It was a fitting climax to an unforgettable race, fiercely contested from start to finish. Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon), Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) rounded out the top five, while Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) fought back to sixth after starting 33rd on the grid left him 45 seconds adrift of the leaders. Braidot attacked at the start of the final lap, but Martin timed his move to perfection, sealing his first UCI XCO World Cup victory in 1:22:03. “It’s just incredible. I don’t understand how [I did it], said Braidot. It’s crazy on the track, like some people are on fire, and some people say my name. It’s very special. “I think I win because I take some pleasure on the bike. I just ride my bike. “I stay focused and I put the last one [an attack] at the top of the second climb and the last climb.” Martin is third in the standings, 396 points behind leader Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing). TREUDLER AND CORVI ASSERT DOMINANCE IN U23 EVENTS The men’s U23 event was won by overall leader Finn Treudler in a rapid time of 1:16:54. Germany’s Benjamin Krüger and Swiss rider Treudler established an early gap over the rest of the competition on the opening lap, but Kruger was no match for his rival. Treudler finished 45 seconds ahead of the runner-up, with France’s Alix Andre Gallis (Sunn Factory Racing) in third. “I felt really strong,” Treudler said. “I had the race under control. At the beginning I tried to do too much so I could see where the other guys were and their shape after the break. I made the gap and kept it to the finish.” It marked a fourth straight victory for Treudler and extends his lead to 375 points over his nearest competitor, Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team). Meanwhile, European champion Valentina Corvi asserted her dominance and stretched her overall lead with victory in the women’s U23 race. “I felt strong today. I am proud and happy, especially about my shape one week before the Worlds,” she said. The Italian underlined her superiority on the day with an emphatic win, finishing 56 seconds ahead of her closest rival Vida Lopez de San Roman and one minute 17 seconds ahead of third-placed Isabella Holmgren. “I tried to manage my energy in the climbs. I took a little bit of a gap from the beginning and I just pushed on,” Corvi added. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads next to Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland) for cross-country and downhill rounds from 18-21 September.

Filthy conditions greeted the riders, alongside one of the biggest crowds of the season, and Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) responded in the women’s Elite race with a morale-boosting run to the hotseat. However, on a course where every corner offered the chance to gain or lose seconds, the contest came down to the familiar battle between Hemstreet and Valentina Höll (YT MOB). Meanwhile, Dunne celebrated his return to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in the best way possible while Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) gained on overall leader Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) but failed to land a knockout blow following the Canadian’s crash. And facing the worst conditions of the day, Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Rosa Zierl (CUBE Factory Racing) won the men’s and women’s Junior races to boost their UCI Downhill World Cup leads.   DUNNE CLAIMS COMEBACK WIN FOR THE AGES IN LES GETS Goldstone felt the total crushing pressure of a UCI World Cup title fight for the first time in France after a tough Friday where he was forced to reach the final through Q2 after hitting the deck in his opening run, and his crash in exactly the same place in the final meaning he fell to sixteenth overall.    Loris Revelli the first down the ramp and attacked the course aggressively, taking both feet off the pedals to steady himself at one stage, but it was Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) who set the first real benchmark, celebrating a century of UCI Downhill World Cup appearances. Wearing a bold all-white outfit, Brosnan needed a big performance to offset the wrath of the team kit manager and he produced one - beating the best time by nine seconds to go straight into the hot seat. Several riders crashed attempting to beat Brosnan’s time including Goldstone, who hopped over the root that brought him down in Q1 but caught another one as he landed and was on the floor before he could react, looking animated in his debrief with mud still caking his face. Andreas Kolb (YT MOB) was the first serious challenge to the centurion and made it count, flying down the opening section then holding that advantage all the way to the line to put well over a second into Brosnan and spark tearful celebrations from team staff.  It looked like that joy would be short-lived when Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) made a rapid start to his run but he was undone in a somersault crash, and it wasn’t until Martin Maes (Orbea/FMD Racing) rolled off the ramp with only five more riders to go that the Austrian was beaten. Over 1.5 seconds back at the last intermediate split, Maes produced the best finish of the day to stun Kolb by a tenth of a second, and Bruni had no answer to the Belgian.  Dunne did though, lighting up the timing screens from the very first split as he scorched his way to a second UCI World Cup win - the first time an Irishman has achieved that feat.  “Words can’t describe how this feels, it’s been such a rough season and all I’ve been thinking about for the past weeks has been doing well at this race and showing everyone I can still win a race,” Dunne said. “I go by the motto ‘helicopter or win’, or ‘helicopter or podium’ and I lived up to the name in La Thuile, and here we took a win.”  Meanwhile Bruni’s fifth-place finish means he’s slashed 112 points from Goldstone now but failed to wrestle the leader’s jersey from the Canadian. “That was the toughest race I’ve ever done for sure,” Goldstone said. “It was rowdy the whole way down and I couldn’t even stay on the bike. “Somehow still clinged onto the green jersey which is pretty cool so the fact I’m in it with a crash and two bad races is really positive. We’ve just got to go full beans from here and try and beat Loïc.” HEMSTREET HOLDS NERVE TO DOWN HӦLL ONCE AGAIN Cabirou needed the repechage to qualify for the Finals in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie but made it count, maximising the conditions she received as one of the first women’s Elite riders off the ramp before the run had been churned up by subsequent competitors. Despite the sun slowly pushing its way up the valley, that drying was offset by riders beating through the mud every minute and only Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) came seriously close to challenging the Frenchwoman before the final runs. In similar conditions to the Bielsko-Biała (Poland) 2025 season opener won by Seagrave, the Brit pushed hard through the early section and was three seconds ahead with just one intermediate split to go. However, Seagrave was riding through treacle once she left the forest behind and lost almost five seconds from there to the line. Jess Blewitt (CUBE Factory Racing) went down within a couple of corners, while Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Nina Hoffmann hit the deck on the very next run and crossed the line 18 seconds down yet still finished provisionally fifth with only four riders to go - illustrating the massive gaps created by the muddy conditions. Both riders had better luck than Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing) though, the New Zealander crashed in training ahead of the final and suffered a separated AC joint. Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) brought green fleetingly back to the timing screen but as has been the case so often this season, Hemstreet and Höll took centre stage on the final two runs. Like Seagrave, Höll was up all the way through the trees, not as aggressive as her rival but carrying more speed on corner exit and she looked set to finally break her 2025 UCI World Cup drought. But the UCI World Champion looked in disbelief as she slid to a stop after the finish line, having gone behind by tenths of a second at the final split, then slipping to third behind Cabirou and Hemstreet who takes her fourth win of the season. “I don’t even know, I can’t believe that,” Hemstreet said. “I’m actually not a mud rider. I felt super slow up top so I thought ‘I’d rather just crash’ and go in as hot as I can rather than bring it back a bit. It was really tough.” Hemstreet now sits just 59 points behind Höll at the top of the UCI World Cup standings and the overall leader was downbeat afterwards.  JUNIORS LEADERS TAKE VICTORY IN CONTRASTING STYLES Zierl pulled off a nail-biting victory in a women’s Junior race that took a host of casualties, most importantly Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) on the penultimate run. Zierl had gone fastest by 22 seconds, but Ostgaard looked set to immediately knock her off that perch, going fastest at every intermediate split. But her three-second evaporated when she took a wrong turn navigating the final jumps, skewing to the left of a gate meaning the American needed to dismount to get herself back on course and dropped to second. And with fastest qualifier Cassandre Peizerat unable to match Zierl, that 20-point swing means the Austrian now holds a 65-point lead in the standings. “I don’t know how I came down here, that was probably the wildest run of my life! I nearly crashed five times or even more,” Zierl said. “Unfortunately, most of the other girls crashed, I just rode down. I stayed in the ruts, tried to go as slowly as possible.” Max Alran didn’t have anything like those issues as he extended his lead in the men’s Junior standings with a run faster than Dunne’s winning time. The last rider off the ramp immediately went green in his home race and finished the run four seconds ahead of Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5Dev) having been first at every split. Almost as impressive as the last run of the final was the first though. Tyler Waite (Yeti/FOX Factory Race Team) had a disappointing qualifying and this looked like it could be the round that derailed the Kiwi’s overall ambitions as he trailed home 20th at 23 seconds back. Yet he set the tone on a drying course and only Vermette and Alran would beat him, meaning Waite leaves France only 29 points behind the UCI World Cup leader. “It feels insane, I’m cooked right because it was super super physical”, Alran said. “Just battling to the end, I made it to the bottom without too many mistakes and had a good run, just super happy. "My friends are here, my parents are here, to win here is just incredible. We have an insane crowd.” The action continues in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie with the UCI Cross-county Olympic World Cup rounding out the weekend’s action on Sunday. Hemstreet, Zierl, Alran and the rest of the downhill pack will next feature in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Switzerland’s Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide in three weeks’ time, after the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais.

The UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup served up two gripping races and a pair of fairytale victors in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) as Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) claimed his first elite WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series triumph on a thrilling final lap and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) ended a 26-month drought with a swashbuckling performance. Rissveds claimed her first UCI XCC World Cup round since June 2023 years by decisively splintering the field with two laps to go and outkicking Alessandra Keller (Thӧmus Maxon) on the brutally iconic Les Gets climb while the runner-up made major gains on overall leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli). And with all the men’s Elite pre-race focus on Christopher Blevins’ chance to claim the UCI XCC World Cup for Specialized Factory Racing with three rounds to go, Aldridge outduelled teammate Luca Martin and Luca Braidot (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) to take a famous win. Meanwhile there were contrasting victors in the Under 23 ranks - Finn Treudler (CUBE Factory Racing) won his fourth consecutive round to put him on the verge of clinching the overall title while Vida Lopez de San Roman joined Aldridge in taking her first ever win. RISSVEDS STARS IN LONG-AWAITED RETURN TO CENTRE STAGE With all eyes on the tight top four of Keller, Richards, Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Decuninck), Rissveds stole the show looking resplendent on her first WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series outing in the UEC European Champion’s jersey. Yet it was UCI Cross-country World Champion Richards who set the tone early on, after catching COVID-19 following Rissved’s victory in Portugal she seemed keen to banish any questions over her fitness and went clear with Rissveds and Keller on the opening lap before sitting up and letting the five-second lead go. Richards was first across the line on four out of the nine laps while Pieterse, after her road racing exploits this summer including completing the Tour de France Femmes, immediately dropped out of the top 10 and eventually finished 11th after a long recovery ride. Despite leading the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) is yet to taste XCC victory and appeared determined to change that when she pushed the pace on lap five reducing the pack to only Richards, Keller, Rissveds, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing). Richards was consistently the strongest downhill rider, though not the smoothest she attacked the descent with more aggression than anyone else on the slick surface but eventually those early exertions caught up with her and she was dropped with two laps to go as Rissveds and Keller were the only riders who could live with Maxwell. That meant it all came down to the final climb and it was Rissveds who took the initiative, kicking clear early and holding off the indomitable Keller to the line. “I felt quite cool, calm and collected,” Rissveds said. “It was a really good race, I was calm and I tried to play it smart. I keep on learning things every race which is super cool since I’m pretty old in the game now and I feel like I still have a lot to work on and many things I can improve, it’s really nice to learn every time and I’m happy it paid off today.” Though she missed out on the win, Keller had the consolation of a 60-point gain on Richards in the overall standings meaning she now trails by just 40 but Pieterse and Koller both finishing outside the top 10 means more breathing room from the top two to the rest of the pack. CANNONDALE IN DREAMLAND AFTER NAIL-BITING 1-2 Blevins arrived in France knowing victory would assure him of the UCI XCC World Cup title and he asserted himself early alongside new German national champion Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), before his challenge was halted by a dropped chain. But, with the American’s record of surging to victory on the final lap this season, the pack focused on sapping his legs on the tough climb to start the lap with Simon Andreassen (Orbea FOX Factory Racing), Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Martin pushed the pace on early. It looked like the race had opened up for the Cannondale Factory Racing pair on lap seven when Thomas Litscher (Cabtech Racing Team) misjudged a steep uphill hairpin and held up the rest of the pack allowing them to build a nine-second lead across the line, but they couldn’t hold it and the bloated lead group re-formed and stuck together entering the final lap. It was there that Braidot made his move, dive-bombing Aldridge and Martin on the ascent only for the Brit to repay the favour turning to the top of the climb and the short descent to the finishing straight meant the home favourite had to bide his time for the sprint. Exiting the final corner, Martin was closing on Aldridge all the way to the line in the final sprint and got alongside his teammate but couldn’t nudge his wheel in front, finishing on the same time as the British national champion who celebrated a milestone win in his career. “I’m absolutely buzzing, crazy race it went so fast I was at the front with Luca [Martin] and the last lap was a bit of a battle,” Aldridge said. “I wasn’t sure if Luca was going to be faster or me but you kind of work together in these races and 1-2 is a really good way to end. “Had a little battle on the last few corners which made the heart rate go even higher than it was already but I’m over the moon. You’re so focused on trying to pull it off [on the final lap] then something like that comes, Luca [Braidot] flying down my inside and I went ‘I’m going to get him in the next corner’.” A rare off-day for Blevins saw the overall leader finish 17th as Aldridge jumps up to second in the standings due to Victor Koretzky’s absence for Specialized Factory Racing, but the American must only pick up 105 points next time out to guarantee UCI World Cup victory next time out. “When you’re a bit off, short track’s a different kind of pain,” Blevins said. “I was suffering, you go all out on the last climb and you get to the top and you can barely hold onto the bars. “But first effort in Europe sometimes can go either way, I didn’t really get a good ‘open up’ day this week on the bike so I think my body really needed that to open up after such a long break from racing, it’s like shaking off the cobwebs and jetlag and everything and hopefully Sunday I’m opened up now.” TREUDLER CONSISTENCY CONTRASTS WITH U23 WOMEN SURPRISE Vida Lopez de San Roman was unshakable on the way to her maiden victory. Having missed the first part of the season the American had finished 13th and 15th in her last two rounds but was a constant presence at the front of the first race of the day and outkicked Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) who closed to within 100 points of absent overall leader Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) alongside Ella McPhee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) and Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing). “I’m definitely in a lot of shock and disbelief,”  Lopez de San Roman said. “I don’t think it’s fully processed yet but it definitely means a lot, especially being a first year and spending the whole season getting a lot of experience and learning from every race, I’m in a lot of disbelief but really excited and definitely a big confidence booster one week out from Worlds.” Treudler could seal the Men U23 UCI XCC World Cup overall title next time out in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) after holding off Benjamin Krüger to win yet another WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round. Treudler hit the front when he countered Nicolas Halter’s move on the climb and produced a controlled performance from there to extend his overall lead to 234 points. “It was a pretty smart move [from Halter] to come from behind and pass us with speed, I had to kick to keep up and then went over the top, saw the gap and continued to the finish,” Treudler said. “I had a super good training period sleeping at high altitude, and I think I saw that today. It’s a really good season so far and I’m really looking forward to the World Championships in two weeks.” The action is only just getting started in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie with the UCI Downhill World Cup Finals coming up on Saturday before the Cross-country riders take centre stage again on Sunday with the cross-country Olympic (XCO) races.

Valentina Höll (YT MOB) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) kicked off the final stretches of their WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series title defences in fine style in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) as the UCI Downhill World Cup returned from a seven-week holiday with a bang in Qualifications.  The top two riders in the women’s Elite standings will be the last pair off the ramp in the Les Gets, Haute-Savoie Finals as Höll and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) were a class above the rest of the field, with the Canadian trailing by two seconds and no other riders within 10 seconds of the UCI World Champion. Rémi Thirion (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) was the surprise face delighting home fans as the fastest elite male qualifier ahead of Mondraker Factory Racing DH’s Ronan Dunne, but third-placed Bruni could be happier than either of them. With overall leader Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) 30th on his first run, over 10 seconds behind his main rival in Q1, Bruni closed his gap to just 107 points ahead of the main event tomorrow. But it could’ve been much worse for the Canadian. GOLDSTONE LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY WITH WORK TO DO Goldstone had a nightmare first run and was forced to ride again in Q2 to reach the Les Gets Finals, as the UCI Downhill World Cup leader returned from the summer break looking a shadow of the rider who lit up the first half of the season. On a run of four victories and a second place in his last five rounds, Goldstone did at least survive Q2 but was almost seven seconds behind CUBE Factory Racing’s pacesetter Max Harternstern, indicating improvement is needed if he’s to head to Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) next time out as still the man to beat. While Thirion was comfortably ahead of Dunne who enjoyed a similar advantage to Bruni, the field was impossibly tight behind that with the entire top 20 in Q1 separated by a meagre eight seconds. DAUNTLESS HӦLL REMAINS IN CONTROL  Höll was fastest through three of the four immediate time checks as only Lisa Baumann (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) could interrupt her dominances - the 24-year-old crashed further down the course but came through Q2. Meanwhile Hemstreet started sluggishly but got faster and faster as she surged down the mountainside to clinch second and now trails Höll by 129 points, while Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) was best of the rest in third. Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea / FMD Racing), the only other elite woman on four figures overall, had a more difficult afternoon. Without any major incidents, Seagrave crossed the finish line 21 seconds behind Höll and saw her deficit in the standings stretch to 230 points.   Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) will also take to the startline on Saturday after the home favourite survived a Q2 scare. She was third in the repecharge, finishing with an almost identical time to Höll while Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) was seven seconds quicker on her second run. JUNIOR FAVOURITES TUMBLE DOWN ORDER The men’s Junior picture is as it were last time out in Pal Arinsal - Andorra, with Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction’s Max Alran leading the pack ahead of Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5Dev). On home trails, Alran was almost five seconds ahead of the American while his main title rival had a nightmare.   Tyler Waite was down in 20th for Yeti/FOX Factory Race Team, while women’s Junior overall leader didn’t have a smooth qualifying either - Rosa Zierl (CUBE Factory Racing) finished fourth but was 10 seconds behind Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), her main rival. However, it was France’s Cassandre Peizerat who qualified in first. The final French round of the season continues tomorrow with the UCI Downhill World Cup Finals, as the junior action kicks off at 10:50 CEST and the elite racing gets underway just after midday.

After an Enduro series finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stays in the French Alps with the UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups taking to the nearby trails of Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. We look at everything you need to know about the Les Gets, Haute-Savoie round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, including when the Cross-county Short Track (XCC), Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing, and how to watch. WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) starts with the Women Under 23 Cross-country Short Track at 09:45 (UTC+2) on Friday, August 29 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup at 15:00 (UTC+2) on Sunday, August 31. Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC+2 (EST+6/BST+1/CEST): Friday, August 29 09:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 10:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 18:00 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite 18:40 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite 12:45 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite 13:15 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite 14:25 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior 14:50 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior 15:45 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite 16:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men Elite Saturday, August 30 10:50 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior 11:15 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior 12:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite 13:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite        Sunday, August 31 09:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 13:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite 15:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite WHERE CAN I WATCH? There will be several ways to watch the action unfold at the last French rounds of the 2025 season.   The UCI Downhill World Cup Qualification day can be followed on live timing and across social media. For the seventh UCI Cross-country Olympic, Cross-country Short Track and Downhill World Cups of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the Men Junior and Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup races will be broadcast live on discovery+ (in front of paywall), HBO Max* (in front of the sports add-on) and MTBWS TV (included in subscription), while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports USA – HBO Max South & Central America All Central and South American territories – MTBWS TV Caribbean – Rushsports Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport China - Zhibo.TV (Only Elite Downhill races live) All other Asian territories – MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa All African territories – MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport, ATV Austria – discovery+, Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport, LN24 (Only Elite XCO races live) Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport Czechia – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (only Elite XCO and XCC races live) Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport Faroe Islands – HBO Max, Eurosport France – HBO Max, Eurosport and La Chaine L’Equipe (only Elite XCC and XCO races live) Germany – discovery+, Eurosport Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport Ireland – TNT Sports Italy – discovery+, Eurosport Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport North Macedonia – HBO Max, Eurosport Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport Switzerland – MTBWS TV , SRF/RSI (only Elite XCO and XCC races live online) Türkiye – HBO Max, Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+, TNT Sports All other European territories – MTBWS TV RIDERS TO WATCH In Downhill, all eyes are on the battle between Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). The pair have shared the spoils so far this season – Goldstone leading Bruni four wins to two – but the Frenchman’s victory in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) last time out brought an end to the Canadian’s record winning streak. With four rounds remaining in the series, every point and place takes on even greater importance in the title race. Whatever happens, it’s likely to be an all-French affair with the last non-native to win at Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, Steve Peat back in 2002. Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour), Bruni and Benoît Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) have all won at the venue since it rejoined the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit in 2019, and are all in with a shot during Saturday’s finale. While the home riders haven’t been as dominant in the women’s field, expect Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) to give the partisan crowd something to cheer about. Elsewhere, series leader Valentina Höll’s (YT Mob) search for a win continues but with four second-places this year it’s only a matter of time for the Austrian, while Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) look the most likely to challenge the reigning UCI Downhill World Champion for top spot. Either side of the Downhill action is the Friday’s XCC and Sunday’s XCO, with both series getting interesting as they near their conclusion. Previously, it was hard to look beyond Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in the XCC, but both riders’ winning streaks came to an end at altitude in Pal Arinsal. While the pair will be aiming to bounce back, they’ve shown that they’re not infallible. In the men’s field, Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) became the only rider to get the better of Blevins all year, and he’ll be fired up to repeat the feat in front of a home crowd. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) meanwhile showed that she shouldn’t be overlooked in the overall series, and will be aiming to catch series leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli) on a course where she won in 2024. On Sunday, Martin and Blevins will once again be in contention, while the American’s teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossman (Specialized Factory Racing) will be targeting a return to the XCO podium. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is another likely to be contesting the win as the Dutchman switches to mountain bike ahead of his tilt at next weekend’s XCO race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. The race will also be Nino Schurter’s (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) penultimate UCI XCO World Cup – the Swiss G.O.A.T announcing that he plans to retire at the next round in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland). The 39-year-old has won at Les Gets, Haute-Savoie twice in his storied career, including at the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, and few would bet against him making it a fairytale ending with a third this year. In the women’s field, attention falls to a rider at the other end of her career – Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team). The New Zealander is enjoying her breakthrough year with two wins and four second places so far and appears to be unassailable in the overall series. A result in France would make the title a foregone conclusion. The rider with the best shot at stopping her is Pieterse. The Dutchwoman returns to mountain biking after a quiet Tour de France Femmes by her own standards, and will be hoping to get back to winning ways after a disappointing weekend in Pal Arinsal.  Racing gets underway on Friday, August 29 in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. Full schedule and event details are available HERE.  

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports confirm the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar for the 2026 season. The fourth year of the revamped format for mountain bike’s different UCI World Cups - launched in 2023 to unite almost all of mountain bike’s major formats under a single brand for the first time - will visit three continents and nine countries across 14 events between May and October and will feature the best athletes in the sport’s Endurance (Cross-country Olympic, XCO and Cross-country Short Track, XCC) and Gravity (Downhill, DHI and Enduro, EDR) formats.The series kicks off with a landmark weekend of Cross-country and Downhill racing at the Race of South Korea in MONA YongPyong – the first-ever Asian UCI XCO and XCC World Cup rounds and first UCI Downhill World Cup round on the continent in 25 years. After this, the action moves to Europe for the summer, with Nové Město Na Moravě (Czechia) welcoming the Endurance formats and Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) welcoming the Gravity formats – the UCI Enduro World Cup starting outside of Italy for the first time since 2023.The following weekend sees the first of two XCO/XCC/DHI/EDR quadruple-headers at long-term partner venue Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria), before riders get a week’s break leading into the start of five back-to-back WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series race weekends.Lenzerheide (Switzerland) and Pal Arinsal (Andorra) welcome both the Cross-country and Downhill contingent, while Val di Fassa - Trentino (Italy) and the 2025 UCI Enduro World Championships venue Aletsch Arena-Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland) are the proving grounds for Enduro. In the middle of the five-week run is La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy), which hosts the second quadruple header of the series. Cross-country has also been added to the schedule following a successful debut for the venue in 2025 which saw the steepest Downhill track in the series’ history as well as the world’s first Enduro night stage.After a summer break, the European leg of the season concludes with back-to-back race weekends in Haute-Savoie (France) – one Cross-country and Downhill, the other the Enduro finale – before the Series jets off to North America for three rounds and two new venues. The first will see Cross-country contested on the trails of Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) – a venue hosted by the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, home to the USA Olympic biathlon team training centre and a regular on the IBU Biathlon World Cup circuit. With the region preparing to co-host the Olympic Winter Games in 2034, Soldier Hollow brings Olympic pedigree and world-class credentials to the closing stages of the season.Downhill will then take to its spiritual home in Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia (Canada), delivering on decades of anticipation with a stage set for unforgettable racing. The iconic venue, which hosted the Olympic Winter Games 15 years ago, will welcome the world’s best downhill riders for a UCI World Cup for the first time. The final weekend will see both the UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups decided in Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA).Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series was always going to be about bedding in the major reforms that we introduced at the start of this year, and the competitiveness and excitement of each format shows that the changes are working. For 2026, we’re doubling down on our successes and pushing the sport even further into new territories. “The 2026 calendar will witness 14 gripping events that take in the world’s best destinations, including four proven Olympic venues, with half returning under multi-year agreements reflecting our sustained investment in the sport’s growth. Every venue we've introduced since 2023 has quickly become a favourite among athletes, highlighting WBD’s commitment to pushing the limits of performance while prioritising safety and expanding a world-class, global calendar. We’re continuing to expand the reach of the sport by bringing Cross-country Olympic racing to Asia for the first time, growing our footprint in the USA, and will fulfil a long-term wish from fans, teams and athletes alike by adding Whistler – one of the world’s most iconic mountain bike destinations - to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar from next year.” UCI President David Lappartient said: “Bringing together three different UCI World Cups, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will see many stories unfold in 2026 as the weekends of competition progress. The succession of races throughout the season means athletes must strive for consistency, and logically there will be ups and downs along the way. The experience of seasoned riders and the sheer audacity of younger athletes always makes for thrilling competition across the different rounds."In 2026, the UCI World Cups for cross-country Olympic, cross-country short track, downhill and enduro will span 14 weekends in the space of six months with exciting new hosts joining some of the series’ favourite venues. I am particularly pleased that the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will expand into Asia in 2026, adding a new dimension to the series and providing a prestigious opening to the season.”WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES 2026 CALENDAR:Round 1 / May 1-3: Race of South Korea, South Korea (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups)Round 2 / May 22-24: Nové Město Na Moravě, Czechia (UCI Cross-country World Cup)Round 3 / May 28-31: Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France (UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups)Round 4 / June 11-14: Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland, Austria (UCI Cross-country, UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups)Round 5 / June 19-21: Lenzerheide, Switzerland (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups)Round 6 / June 26-28: Val di Fassa - Trentino, Italy (UCI Enduro World Cup)Round 7 / July 3-5: La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta, Italy (UCI Cross-country, UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups)Round 8 / July 8-12: Pal Arinsal, Andorra (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups)Round 9 / July 17-19: Aletsch Arena - Bellwald, Valais, Switzerland (UCI Enduro World Cup)Round 10 / August 14-16: Haute-Savoie, France (UCI Enduro World Cup)Round 11 / August 21-23: Haute-Savoie, France (UCI Cross-country and UCI Downhill World Cups)Round 12 / September 19-20: Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah, USA (UCI Cross-country World Cup)Round 13 / September 25-27: Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia, Canada (UCI Downhill World Cup)Round 14 / October 2-4: Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York, USA (UCI Cross-country and UCI Downhill World Cups)

After a seven-week summer break since Pal Arinsal (Andorra), the Cross-country and Downhill athletes of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series are heading back between the race tape in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and the start of the season’s second half.  The Alpine venue is a legendary location and has been welcoming the Gravity format on and off since 1996. A staple of the UCI World Cups for both cross-country and downhill since 2019, and host of the 20024 and 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, it is renowned for its passionate, partisan French crowd. Located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, close to the Swiss border, Les Gets bike park will host action for both formats. The park has 128km of trails across 23 different tracks and three ski lifts to help riders experience everything the park has to offer.  The Downhill takes place on the venue’s Mont-Chéry UCI World Cup track – a 2.2km course that features 571m of descent and a maximum gradient of 43.8 %. The Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) races, meanwhile, take on a custom trail that has its start/finish straight at the resort’s main hub. The XCO course is 3.55km long (140m elevation gain), while the XCC course is 1km long (43m elevation gain). CAN ANYONE CATCH MAXWELL? Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) is having the season of her young life. The 23-year-old New Zealander has been incredibly consistent in the first six rounds of the UCI XCO World Cup, and hasn’t finished outside the top two all year. Her win in Pal Arinsal in July showed that her victory in the opening round in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) wasn’t a fluke, and she has built a seemingly unassailable lead in the overall series with Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) second and 445 points behind. Although Koller sits second, it’s fifth-placed Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who is the most likely challenger to Maxwell’s crown. The Dutchwoman was in searing form, winning five out of six races (including XCC) entered in 2025, although she came unstuck at altitude with 10th place in Pal Arinsal. A confirmed starter for Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, she will be targeting a return to the podium on a course where she won last year. IS BLEVINS’ XCO SEASON A BUST?Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) might lead the men’s series but his last three results (17th, 8th and 29th) suggest that the wheels might be falling off his bid for a first overall title. The American hasn’t raced since Pal Arinsal and will be hoping that the seven-week break can act as a reset for his season. Second and third spots in the overall are occupied by Blevins’ teammates Martin Vidaurre Kossmann and Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing). The Chilean looks most likely to challenge Blevins for the top spot, with Koretzky yet to reach the same highs as last season and skipping Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, to focus on the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Crans-Montana (Switzerland). Riders who look like they could break up the American factory team’s dominance include Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing), who finished second behind Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) in Pal Arinsal; fourth-placed Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) and the relative wild card Fabio Püntener (Bike Team Soloturn). Finally, multi-discipline master Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is always a favourite whenever he lines up off-road but the Dutchman will be hoping for a smoother ride than he had in his only other mountain bike race this year, where he DNFd and fractured his wrist in Nové Město Na Moravě (Czechia). PREPARE FOR A BOUNCE BACK AND THE RISE OF KELLER IN SHORT-TRACK The men’s and women’s XCC standings couldn’t be more different. In the men’s, Blevins has dominated all year, and his record-breaking five-strong winning streak was only halted by Martin in Pal Arinsal, with the American having to settle for second. His 578-point cushion over second-placed Koretzky in the rankings means he could wrap the series up as early as this weekend if other results go his way, and expect him to be targeting the podium top spot and get back to winning ways. The women’s field, meanwhile, is tightly poised with only 130 points separating the top four. Reigning UCI XCC World Champion Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli) leads the way but Pieterse has the most wins (three) this series. While both will be in contention in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, it’s worth keeping tabs on Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon). The 2024 UCI XCC World Cup overall series winner has gone under the radar this season but has displayed her signature consistency – finishing inside the top seven all year – to find herself tied in second on 930 points. The Swiss rider won in Pal Arinsal and knows what it takes to win an overall title as the series nears its conclusion. WOMEN’S DOWNHILL CONTEST IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT The women’s downhill series has never been more competitive, with four different winners from the opening six rounds. Valentina Höll (YT Mob) still leads the series despite failing to record a win all year – her second place in Pal Arinsal her fourth of 2025 – but knows what it takes to win on the Les Gets, Haute-Savoie course, having won the UCI World Championships at the venue in 2022. Others in contention are Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division), the Canadian currently sitting in second and aiming to get back on the podium after a fifth in Pal Arinsal; Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing), who won in Pal Arinsal and is having her best season in recent memory; and home favourites Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction). BRUNI AND GOLDSTONE SET TO BATTLE IT OUTJackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) might have missed out on securing the overall winning streak record in Pal Arinsal, but the Canadian’s second place means he still leads the series as the most consistent winner. With four rounds remaining, including a season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne in front of a home crowd, the 21-year-old will be targeting a few more wins to start in Quebec as the nailed-on favourite. The one rider who can realistically spoil the Canadian party is Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). The reigning UCI Downhill World Cup overall series winner clinched his second UCI World Cup of the season in Pal Arinsal and will be confident he can make up the 137-point gap to Goldstone over four rounds – starting in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. Like Höll, he has only won at the venue once, but it was when it mattered most: at the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Others in contention in Saturday’s final include 2024’s winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), reigning rainbow band wearer Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and wild card entrant Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour). Racing gets underway in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie on Friday with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.

A leader in mountain bike suspension since 1989, RockShox confirmed as Official Suspension Partner Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe and RockShox are proud to announce a new long-term partnership, naming RockShox the Official Suspension Partner of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. An innovative leader in mountain bike suspension since 1989, RockShox has been at the forefront of the sport for nearly four decades. From introducing the first production suspension fork to pioneering advanced technologies like Flight Attendant, RockShox continues to shape the future of racing and riding alike. Part of the SRAM family since 2002, RockShox empowers riders across all disciplines with suspension that responds seamlessly to changing conditions, enhances control, and inspires confidence on every ride. This new partnership builds on RockShox’s longstanding commitment to racing. A constant presence at Endurance and Gravity UCI World Cups since the sport’s formative years, RockShox and WBD Sports share a deep legacy within the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series—one rooted in performance, progression, and the relentless pursuit of pushing boundaries. Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “RockShox is renowned in the world of mountain biking for being at the pinnacle of suspension technology, and its products have helped propel countless athletes to the top of the podium in cross-country, downhill and enduro. “This new five-year partnership builds on WBD Sports and RockShox’s solid foundations in mountain bike and will encourage even greater integration in the Series to come.” Sander Rigney, VP of RockShox, said: “UCI World Cup racing has shaped the DNA of RockShox from the beginning. It’s where we develop, test, and prove the innovations that drive the sport forward. Partnering with the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series reinforces our commitment to racing and to the next generation of riders – those who are defining the trajectory of the sport and culture for the future.” After 12 rounds of world-class racing, the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads next to Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) for Cross-country and Downhill from 28-31 August. One final European stop remains in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) before the series crosses the Atlantic for the final two rounds in Lake Placid Olympic Region (USA) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). Live and on-demand coverage of every race is available through WBD’s channels and platforms including Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) with streaming on HBO Max and discovery+, as well as around the world through WBD’s broadcast partners.

Alex Rudeau came from behind to win the men’s Elite race at the final UCI Enduro (EDR) World Cup round of the 2025 season while Elly Hoskin underlined her superiority at the Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) with a crushing 23-second women’s Elite triumph. Rudeau was five seconds behind after a gravity-intense Saturday that contrasted with the lung-busting nature of day two that featured several tough ascents against the clock, notably on stages five and seven, but it didn’t take long for Rudeau to overhaul the Canadian and despite Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory) taking the penultimate stage, Rudeau held on. However, Melamed also had cause to celebrate at the finish line as he clinched second overall in the UCI Enduro World Cup ahead of Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) while Simona Kuchynková (CUBE Action Team)’s third place in the round confirmed her status as women’s Elite runner-up. Hoskin’s procession to victory in France was ultimately more comfortable despite an early scare, she entered day two with a 13-second advantage and almost doubled it by the finish while Elise Porta (Lapierre Gravity Collective) and Melvin Almueis were triumphant in the juniors. INEVITABLE RUDEAU OUTDUELS MELAMED Rudeau immediately hit back against Melamed on the breathless stage five, wiping out his overnight lead before Murray piled further pressure on the Canadian with a daring stage win, proving he’d put a disappointing Saturday well behind him. And things got even worse for Melamed on stage seven which featured a surprise top five led by Elliot Jamieson while Rudeau put five more seconds into his rival, meaning he led by seven overall. The penultimate stage was the longest of the weekend with the most potential to separate the pack, and it was there that Melamed finally responded, wiping out Rudeau’s gains from the previous run and firing himself back into contention for the Morillon win while ensuring Murray remained out of the picture. But Rudeau had saved his best for last and on the same trail that closed day one, he won by a second to clinch his first win of the season at the final opportunity. Afterwards, he said: “Feeling good, it’s my 22nd victory and the last one was in 2023 in France also, so I think the vibe in France is good for me. I really like this kind of format, two days of racing.” Meanwhile Melamed acknowledged mountain biking 101 of “If I didn’t hit so many trees, I would’ve maybe won the race”though added he was ‘super happy’ to accomplish “my main goal was to stay on the podium.” Downbeat Murray said: “I’m stoked to be on the overall podium but it’s a little bit tough because I was in second, I had a turbulent weekend - some really good riding and stages, then some crashes and mistakes. It’s mentally pretty hard because I’ve given everything this season and third overall is still an incredible result but I was third last year, so my goal was to be second or first and we’re going to have to come back and try again.” Overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/FOX Factory Team) arrived in France with one eye on next weekend’s UCI World Championships and he rode like it, finishing over two minutes back in 24th and then admitting he was “riding for fun”ahead of attempting to complete a prestigious double in Aletsch Arena/Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland). HOSKIN WINS RICHTER STARE-OFF After Hoskin was the undoubted story of the women’s Elite race on Saturday, Raphaela Richter countered straight away on day two by scorching to stage five victory, five seconds ahead of Hoskin and Kuchynková. Hoskin’s slide continued on stages six and seven when she first hemorrhaged four seconds to the Slovakian, then Richter’s win at Morillon Village cut the Canadian’s overall advantage to just a second. However, she produced a fine return on stage eight, finishing over 16 seconds ahead of Kuchynková and Richter meaning she could coast in third on the last run of the day and celebrate her second win of the season after Bielsko-Biała (Poland). “I’m just really happy, it was a long, long week and I’m really glad I got to back up that first win at the last stop, I was itching for that,” Hoskin said. “My mum was texting me all day, telling me via emojis how good I was doing. Rafa [Richter] was really on my ass for a bit and then I had a good stage eight and just had to keep it together on the last one.” Nadine Ellecosta’s late charge for Abetone Ancillotti Vittoria Factory Team wasn’t enough to challenge Kuchynková for second place overall, with champion Ella Conolly electing to sit out the round ahead of the UCI World Championships.  Kuchynková said afterwards: “It’s so crazy, my first Elite season, I’m just a rookie and I’m already second place and World Championships are next so all eyes on there.” ONLY ONE FAIRYTALE ENDING IN JUNIORS AS PORTA SPOILS ADAMS PARTY Porta completed her superior victory in the women’s junior race, continuing her dominance by winning every stage apart from Morillon Village following her Saturday sweep, and she crossed the line on the final run of the day holding a victory margin of over three and a half minutes. Chloe Bear (Yeti/FOX Factory Race Team) was the only rider to break the streak, winning stage seven by five seconds en route to finishing second in the round and third overall behind Lucile Metge, who wasn’t at the day two roll-out, and Kuchynková’s successor as women’s junior champion Lacey Adams (Yeti/FOX Factory Race Team) who had an off weekend in France. “The first day was super cool, I’m super happy to have two minutes in front of the other girls and I just tried to keep my advantage and stay on my bike, riding with flow,” Porta said. Adams was crowned overall winner before the summer break and though her victory lap wasn’t as flawless as she’d have liked, she still looked back on the weekend and the year with pride: “Big two days of racing, I really enjoyed them. I spent more time on the ground than I should’ve, a bit of a slow race for me but I’m stoked to take the overall.” Things went more smoothly for men’s junior overall champion Almueis after a difficult day one. Starting Sunday six seconds behind compatriot Hugo Marti Montessinos, Almueis immediately annihilated that gap with a daring Sairon Trail run that put him in the driving seat for the rest of the event. Though Marti closed the gap slightly with victory on stage seven, Almueis responded in style by putting eight seconds into the rest of the pack on the penultimate stage and holding firm on Paddock Express, which was won by Gabriel Santhuile. “Really good weekend for me, the first day was pretty hard with a slippery stage and I wasn’t confident on my bike, but second day I succeeded and I’m really happy to win the last of the season” Almueis said. The weekend also marked the final Open EDR and Open E-EDR events of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series season, as 192 riders took on four stages ridden by the pros. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stays in the Haute-Savoie region of France for seven more days but relocates five miles north to Les Gets for the return of the Cross-country Short Track, Cross-country Olympic and Downhill competitions with all six Elite titles still up for grabs.

Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) is in the perfect position to win the final round of the men’s Elite UCI Enduro (EDR) World Cup after day one in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) and clinch second overall in the standings, while Simona Kuchynková (CUBE Action Team) and Elly Hoskin are the women Elite celebrating at the halfway stage in the finale.  BRACE OF STAGE WINS PUTS MELAMED IN THE DRIVING SEAT After a couple of gloomy training days, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returned from its six-week hiatus to glorious sunshine in the French Alps, and Melamed was the shining star of the show on the trails.  With overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/FOX Factory Race Team) present in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (unlike women’s champion Ella Connolly) Melamed showed the Pole won’t have things all his own way at the UCI Enduro World Championships event next weekend by winning the opening two stages and leading by five seconds at the end of day one. In a straight winner-takes-all shootout with Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) for second place in the overall standings, Melamed was over 20 seconds ahead of his rival by the finish line on stage four with the Kiwi only finishing inside the top eight on one stage. Gregory Callaghan and Tommaso Calonaci were surprise victors on Dre dans l’pentu and Paddock Express respectively to round out a Saturday that leaves Alex Rudeau as Melamed’s closest challenger. HOSKIN RULES THE ROOST ON RIVETING SATURDAY Hoskin announced herself to the pro ranks by cutting through mud and slush to take her maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory in Bielsko-Biała (Poland) earlier this season and though the conditions couldn’t have been more different in France, the Canadian surged back to the front of the pack. Third on a tight opening stage, Hoskin laid down her marker at the next opportunity on La Char by conquering an unpredictable and slick clay surface as only Raphaela Richter could get within 10 seconds, and the 20-year-old backed that up with second win of the day on stage three. That was much closer as only a second separated Hoskin and revelation Delia Da Mocogno (YT Racing Development) who’s yet to finish on an Elite UCI Enduro World Cup round podium but will start Sunday in second after winning stage four. Kuchynkova described her day as “3.6, not great not terrible” but she arrived in France knowing only a Chernobyl-scale meltdown could prevent the 2024 U21 World Cup winner from taking second place overall in her first season of Elite racing. The Slovakian ended the day in fourth, nine seconds ahead of her only overall rival Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Ancillotti Vittoria Factory Team). SURPRISE PACKAGES SHINE IN UNPREDICTABLE JUNIORS Like in the women’s Elite competition, with the men’s junior title being wrapped up ahead of the finale, new faces pushed themselves to the fore as Hugo Marti Montessinos led the rest of the field - including champion Melvin Almueis by almost six seconds - at the close of play. Cooper Millwood also starred with two stage wins but started off very slowly so has over nine seconds to make up.  And Elise Porta (Lapierre Gravity Collective) was the junior woman to beat, finishing the day a giant two minutes ahead of Chloe Bear (Yeti/FOX Factory Race Team) on debut in the competition. That capped a successful return to WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series racing that also saw 192 riders enter the Open EDR and Open E-EDR competitions that took on four stages ridden by the pros. Tristan Borel took a nailbiting 0.3-second victory in the men’s Open Enduro category while Sarah Chamaillard was the women’s champion and Ludovic Erima and Alejandra López Sánchez triumphed in the Masters. Meanwhile Maks Struna was the man to beat in a very competitive junior field and Paul Renaudin and Christine Soprano celebrated electrified wins. The action resumes tomorrow with the Elite and junior riders taking on five more stages that offer a more gruelling challenge and feature some tough uphill slogs, compared to the fast-paced races to the bottom of day one.

After a six-week summer break, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns with its first finale of the 2025 season. And while both the men’s and women’s UCI Enduro World Cup overall titles were wrapped up at the last round in La Thuile – Valle D’Aosta (Italy), there’s still plenty on the line in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). The French venue is not only a new addition to the UCI Enduro World Cup, but with only Enduro on the cards, riders and fans will get to enjoy two back-to-back days of racing. NEW TESTS AND OLD FAVOURITES While Haute-Savoie in the east of France has been a staple of Cross-country and Downhill for decades, the town of Morillon presents a new test for the stars of Enduro. The French Alps spot unveiled a brand new Enduro Bike Park last year, and the world’s best riders will now be put through their paces on the venue’s pine-lined trails. Home to challenging trails, natural features, fast flows and plenty of roots, and with the mountains of the Grand Massif as a backdrop, it’s already a classic in the making. For the UCI Enduro World Cup, athletes will take on nine stages during an 81.6km course featuring 4,778m of descent and 4,871m of pedal ascent. The first four stages take place on day one, and are all downhill-only affairs with the opener Reverse River (3.0km with 530m descent) sure to create some big splits in the field from the off. The second day, meanwhile, includes another five favourites from the region, with the penultimate stage Grand Cret (3.8km with 660m descent) the longest of the whole race. Riders will be familiar with the final stage though, with Paddock Express (2.6km with 410m descent) concluding both days’ racing. ALL EYES ON BATTLE FOR SECOND The 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup has been dominated by two riders – Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Brit Ella Conolly – and the pair built unassailable leads in the overall series to clinch the first titles in La Thuile – Valle D’Aosta (Italy). Łukasik will be on the start line in Morillon, Haute-Savoie using the final round as a springboard into the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships Enduro event in Aletsch Arena/Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland) on September 1, where he’ll chase a rare UCI World Cup–UCI World Championships double. Conolly, opting to sit out the final round, is expected to be focusing fully on her preparations for the rainbow jersey race, taking the time to rest and recover as she also eyes the opportunity to complete the prestigious double. With form and momentum on the line, expect Łukasik to keep the intensity high in Morillon. While the titles might have been decided, there’s still all to play for to finish best of the rest in both the men’s and women’s series. In the men’s field, five riders can still mathematically clinch second spot, although the most likely are Kiwi Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) and Canadian Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) – Murray leading Melamed by just 20 points. The contest is set to come down to the wire with the Canadian needing to beat the New Zealander to be in with a chance of leapfrogging him – something he has managed at four of the five races he’s started in 2025. Elsewhere, two-time UCI Enduro World Cup round winner Daniel Booker, William Brodie and Greg Callaghan have outside shots at second-place, but require a lot of different permutations to go their way to fly up the overall standings. In the women’s field, there are three riders in contention to finish runner up to Conolly, but Simona Kuchyňková (Cube Action Team) is firmly in the driving seat. If the Slovakian slips, Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Ancillotti Vittoria Factory Team) is waiting in the wings to pounce, although needs to win and for Kuchyňková to finish eighth to steal second spot. Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) will no longer be able to challenge due to injury.  HOW TO WATCH Race content will be available across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ official platforms, including the YouTube channel, website, and social media profiles. Fans can catch up with the action from Morillon, Haute-Savoie with: A course preview featuring the route and its key sections Practice day and race day video highlights Key race moments on social media Real-time race updates via live timing on the official website There are dedicated viewing areas for spectators, along with entertainment and evening events open to everyone. The top 10 men’s and women’s riders will be officially presented on Friday at 5:30 pm, setting the tone for an exciting weekend of racing. Racing gets underway in Morillon, Haute-Savoie on Saturday – full schedule and event details are available here.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that 14 wildcard teams (eight cross-country and six downhill) have been selected for round 14 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère, on September 18-21. While all six teams that applied for a downhill spot secured a wildcard, it was another competitive selection process in cross-country, with only eight of the 19 applicants selected. The majority of qualifying teams have already featured in the 2025 series, but there will be a first appearance for Swiss Endurance outfit Thömus Akros - Youngstars. The nine-strong cross-country team is the development arm of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team Thömus Maxon and has a strong focus on supporting the future stars of Swiss cross-country mountain biking. A number of its riders have already lit up this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series too, having qualified based on their UCI ranking points. Monique Halter has recorded two second place finishes in the Under 23 UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup, most recently in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), and sits in 10th place in the overall series standings, while her younger brother Nicolas Halter has also recorded two podium finishes this year to find himself in eighth. Elsewhere, Lexware Mountainbike Team is the only Endurance team to continue its 100% wildcard qualification record, while Goodman Santacruz, Rogue Racing - SR Suntour, Team High Country and Kenda NS Bikes UR Team do the same in downhill. As we enter the final three rounds of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, there will start to be greater focus on teams’ UCI points (a combination of the four highest scoring team riders’ points) which determine whether a team is offered UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status for two years (teams ranked 1-10) or one year (teams ranked 11-15). At the time of writing, BIXS Performance Race Team occupies 12th place in the Endurance teams rankings and would therefore earn itself UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status for 2026. The 14 wildcard teams for round 14 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide are: UCI Cross-country World Cup: BIXS Performance Race Team Bike Team Solothurn Lexware Mountainbike Team KTM Factory MTB Team Thömus Akros - Youngstars Cabtech Racing Team Trek Future Racing Massi UCI Downhill World Cup: Kenda NS Bikes UR Team Rogue Racing - SR Suntour Goodman Santacruz Team High Country Future Frameworks The Alliance

The Swiss UCI World Cup round will be the record-breaker's last after 17 seasons.  Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) has announced that he will be lining up at a UCI World Cup for the last time in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) on September 19 and 21.  The 39-year-old shared his retirement news on a post on social media, adding “it’s been one hell of a ride”.  In the video, Nino Schurter said: “Dear mountain bike family and beyond. For the past two decades, I've given my body, my mind and my soul to mountain biking. A beautiful sport, but also brutal at pro level. You either win races, you are a contender, or you're gone. There's no place for passengers. It's all or nothing. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “When I raced my first World Championships, I was just a kid chasing a dream in Lugano 2003 and I left with my first international medal. What I didn't know then: that dream would carry me through countless unforgettable moments and let me win more than half of all of those championships along the way. “It's been one hell of a ride. But now it's time. Time to let my mind breathe and to spend more moments with the people who have supported me through it all. This year gives me the perfect goodbye. Crans-Montana will be my final XCO World Championships and Lenzerheide, my favourite race, will be my last World Cup. Two home races. I couldn't have scripted it better. “I want to thank everyone of you teammates, competitors, fans and the entire mountain bike community. You made this journey unforgettable. You were the reason I pushed harder. And you were the magic behind the medals. “I'm not disappearing. I'll still be riding, even racing (just not between the World Cup tape) and diving into new projects I can't wait to share soon. But for now, I'm giving it everything one last time. See you in Crans-Montana. See you in Lenzerheide. Let's make it legendary.” The Swiss rider is widely regarded as the greatest of all time, claiming 10 UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Championships, nine UCI XCO World Cup overall titles, 36 UCI XCO World Cups and bronze, silver and gold medals at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 respectively.  Not only will Lenzerheide give him a home send-off on his record-extending 132nd UCI XCO World Cup start, but with three wins at the venue (2016, 2017 and 2023), it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Schurter going out at the top with win number 37 – another record. The retiring star added: “I’m incredibly thankful for everything I achieved in my life as a professional mountain bike racer. Now it's time to take all this experience into a new chapter of my life. I'm sure what comes from here is going to be just as exciting. Yes, I'm saying goodbye to cross-country World Cup racing but I will remain in the exciting world of cycling with all the great people involved.” We wish Nino the best in retirement from the UCI World Cup race tape!

While the UCI Enduro World Cup overall titles have already been wrapped up, it’s still all to play for in the battle to be best of the rest. The 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup has been a series for the ages with the return of two-day rounds, new venues, a first night stage, debut wins, and privateers going toe-to-toe with factory-funded teams. The main story of the season has been the dominance of two riders – Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Ella Conolly. The former has managed to step out of the shadows of teammate Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team), winning half of the series’ six rounds to date and podiuming in the three to clinch his first overall series in La Thuile, Valle D’Aosta (Italy). Connolly, meanwhile, has been even more clinical, finishing in the top two all year and picking up a hat-trick of consecutive wins in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France), Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria) and Val di Fassa - Trentino (Italy) to claim the women’s title – all without the support of a factory team. But while the overall series might be wrapped up before a rider even takes on the final round’s first stage, the battle for second place will go to the wire, with five riders mathematically in contention in the men’s field, and three in the women’s. MURRAY AND MELAMED FAVOURITES While five riders can still finish runner-up in the men’s series, the focus is on Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) and Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team). The pair are separated by just 20 points, with the New Zealander holding the marginal advantage over his Canadian rival. For Murray to stand the best chance of staying in second, he has to win in Morillon – something he hasn’t managed all year – or place higher than Melamed. But there are still scenarios where he can remain second if the Canyon CLLCTV rider finishes higher in the round. For Melamed to leapfrog the Specialized Gravity rider, he has to win for the second time this series or finish with a points gap that is greater than 20 – for example, Melamed comes 2nd (350 points) and Murray 4th (280 points). Although these are the more likely scenarios, there are also some outsiders, starting with two-time UCI Enduro World Cup winner Daniel Booker. The Australian privateer is 165 points behind Murray, and must be ruing his 90th and 95th place finishes in Val di Fassa – Trentino and Loudenvielle – Peyragudes. To finish second, he needs to win his third round of the series, for Murray to finish 9th or lower and for Melamed to finish third or lower. And then we get to highly unlikely but mathematically possible. Fifth-placed William Brodie has to win, and for Murray to finish 31st or worse, while sixth-placed Greg Callaghan needs to score maximum points and for Murray to finish 97th. Although both are feasible, neither has won a UCI Enduro World Cup before, so there would need to be a lot of firsts for the stars to align. KUCHYNKOVÁ IN DRIVING SEAT The contest in the women’s overall isn’t as tight as the men’s, with Simona Kuchynková (Cube Action Team) holding a 180-point lead over third-place Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Ancillotti Vittoria Factory Team), but the Slovakian isn’t a shoo-in for second, with Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) also in contention. To guarantee the runner-up spot, Kuchynková can afford to finish as low as seventh, with 230 points enough to give her an unassailable lead. For Ellecosta, she needs to win and Kuchynková to finish eighth or below, or to outscore the Slovakian by 240 points – a scenario that hasn’t occurred all year. Things are even tougher for Charre, who has to win and hope Kuchynková finishes ninth or lower. JUNIOR TOP TWOS EFFECTIVELY TIED UP In the Juniors, the men’s top two can’t change regardless of what happens in Morillon, with Melvin Almueis dominating the series with four wins to take the overall and Cooper Millwood the best of the rest despite missing a round in Val di Fassa – Trentino.   Lacey Adams (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) just needs to score one point to mathematically secure the junior women’s overall title, with Lucile Metge needing to win and for Adams to effectively not start. While Adams’ teammate Chloe Bear (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) can’t contest for the overall series, she can still make it a one-two for the American factory outfit but needs to outscore Metge and for the Frenchwoman to have a bad weekend in front of a partisan home crowd.

Reigning UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Champion to compete in penultimate European round of 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) has confirmed that she will be competing at the next UCI Cross-country World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) later this month.  The 23-year-old has been a dominant force in the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series since her first off-road race of the season at round three in Nové Město Na Moravě (Czechia), winning five out of the eight races that she’s entered. In that time, she has secured a UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) win in Nové Město Na Moravě, and two XCO-XCC doubles in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria) and Val di Sole - Trentino (Italy). She didn’t manage to repeat that feat in her most recent performances in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) but still secured fourth and 10th in the XCC and XCO, respectively. The multi-discipline rider switched her attention to the road in July, where she led Women’s WorldTour team Fenix-Alpecin at her second Le Tour de France Femmes. She had a strong race and was in the top 10 with two days to go, although lost time as the race entered the mountains and slipping down the general classification leaderboard to finish 24th, 49’17” down on the winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot – the mountain bike legend and Paris 2024 Olympic champion making the switch to road in the off-season and winning the sport’s biggest race at her first attempt. Pieterse will stay in France to compete at round 13 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, although she is yet to confirm if she will line-up at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais (Switzerland) or in the series’ final three rounds in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland), Lake Placid (USA) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). Pieterse, who sits fifth in the XCO rankings and fourth in the XCC, will have fond memories of Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, and hasn’t finished outside the top two at the venue in her two previous Elite UCI World Cups – winning 2023’s XCC and 2024’s XCO.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that 16 wildcard teams – eight cross-country and eight downhill – have been selected for round 13 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) on August 28-31.While all eight teams that applied for a downhill spot secured a wildcard, it was the most competitive selection in cross-country yet, with only eight of the 21 applicants selected.The majority of qualifying teams have already featured in the 2025 series, but there will be a first appearance for French Endurance outfit Sunn Factory Racing.The seven-strong all-French Cross-country team has a strong UCI World Cup history and focuses on youth and development. Some of its riders have already lit up this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series too, having qualified based on their UCI Ranking points. Yannis Musy and Flavie Guille are Sunn Factory Racing’s highest profile riders and have made their Elite debuts at this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, while 19-year-old Alix Andre Gallis has recorded sixth-place finishes in the U23 UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at Pal Arinsal (Andorra) and Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria).Elsewhere, Lexware Mountainbike Team is the only Endurance team to continue its 100% wildcard qualification record, while Goodman Santacruz, Rogue Racing - SR Suntour, Team High Country and Kenda NS Bikes UR Team do the same in downhill.The 16 wildcard teams for round 13 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie are:UCI Cross-country World Cup:Scott Creuse Oxygene GueretBIXS Performance Race TeamBike Team SolothurnLexware Mountainbike TeamKTM Factory MTB TeamSunn Factory RacingCabtech Racing TeamMassiUCI Downhill World Cup:Rogue Racing - SR SuntourGoodman SantacruzKenda NS Bike UR TeamGwin RacingTeam High CountryThe AllianceFuture FrameworksYT Racing Development

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has so far attracted 56 million cumulative views and 15 million watch hours across WBD channels, supported by strong digital, on-site, and content engagement.  Record-breaking broadcast performances, significant digital engagement, and over 250,000 passionate fans attending in person have marked the first 11 rounds of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series* — powered by a reimagined promotional and coverage strategy from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports. Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “All the successes we’ve seen so far this season have truly justified our work in partnership with the Union Cycliste Internationale, riders, teams, venues and partners. The radical changes to the racing in 2025, including the new, high drama Q1 and Q2 format in downhill, combined with an entirely new approach to mountain bike professional team structure and the creation of the new UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams is proving successful across the board.  “When we became the first global promoters of the discipline, our ambition was clear — to harness the scale of our global broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms to engage millions and elevate mountain bike to new heights all the way from on-ground operations to live broadcast innovations. Now in our third season of taking control of the promotion and organisation of the Series, we are thrilled to see that the significant changes we’ve made are working and resonating with fans, athletes and teams around the world.” RECORD-BREAKING VIEWERSHIP Innovation has been central to WBD’s ambition in attracting new audiences to mountain bike. WBD has focused on making broadcasts more accessible and engaging, introducing features like heart-rate zones and strain gauges that demonstrate just how physically demanding the races are. It has also added visual elements such as athlete headshots, race bike images, team logos and colours, national flags, and career stats for past UCI World Cup winners to additionally increase awareness and enhance team and athlete exposure. So far this season, millions of viewers across the globe have enjoyed live and on-demand coverage of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series on linear and streaming on WBD’s channels and platforms (HBO Max, Eurosport, discovery+ and TNT Sports), with 56 million cumulative views and 15 million watch hours. This includes WBD’s most-watched WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round to date, with Val di Sole – Trentino (Italy) amassing nearly 15 million cumulative views on WBD channels— surpassing the previous record set in Nové Město Na Moravě (Czechia) in 2023 (+15.4 per cent). CONNECTING WITH FANS BEYOND THE LIVE WBD’s 360-degree ecosystem expands storytelling beyond the live broadcast, telling every story on and off the track through extensive digital and social coverage and the creation of new, non-live mountain bike content. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series social media channels have continued to bring fans closer to the action and riders, and at the same time attract new fans to the discipline. This season, there have been 225 million total video views and 11 million total engagements across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, with the social media teams posting more content to more fans than ever before.   The official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website has also continued to play an integral role, providing news, updates and event information to users from across the world. It has received 1.7 million total page views since the start of the 2025 series, and the live timing feature on race weekends has continued to be one of the largest drivers of traffic throughout the season – particularly during UCI Enduro World Cup rounds. WBD has demonstrated its commitment to off-road cycling content with the launch of two new, original WBD-produced programmes – Grit and Glory: Enduro Mountain Bike Racing and Race Bikes. The first is an eight-part, behind-the-scenes docuseries that follows all seven rounds of the 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup, giving viewers an exciting and intimate glimpse into the world of professional Enduro mountain bike racing. Race Bikes meanwhile takes a deep dive into the sport’s fastest machines, focusing on the mountain bikes that redefined what was possible, brought the whole sport forward and allowed the world’s best riders to achieve the seemingly impossible. STRONG ON-SITE ATTENDANCE At the heart of it all though of course are the UCI World Cup rounds themselves and the unparalleled race-day experience. From the opening rounds in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) to Pal Arinsal (Andorra), over 250,000 fans have lined the courses of iconic and new venues alike, creating a vibrant and electric atmosphere that’s been felt both trackside and by viewers around the world. Thanks to a ground-breaking long-term partnership between WBD Sports and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) initiated in 2023 almost all major mountain bike formats were unified under a single brand for the first-time, creating the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The action continues in Haute-Savoie (France) with the UCI Enduro World Cup in Morillon (22-24 August) and Cross-country and Downhill racing in Les Gets (28-31 August). *Figures from January 1st – August 1st 2025

New world-class venues with Olympic pedigree across Asia and the USA will stage thrilling Gravity and Endurance races during the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and beyond.  Multi-format racing will kickstart the 2026 season at the Race of South Korea (KOR) at the Olympic venue in MONA YongPyong, PyeongChang; Cross-country visits Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) as part of the North American leg. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports today reveal that two new world-class venues have signed multi-year partnerships to host events beginning with the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The fourth year of the revamped UCI World Cups format, launched in 2023 to unite nearly all mountain bike’s major formats under a single brand for the first time, will begin with a landmark weekend of Cross-country and Downhill racing at the Race of South Korea in MONA YongPyong – the first-ever Asian UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cups and first UCI Downhill (DHI) World Cup on the continent for 25 years. The opening round of racing will take place at a venue with proven Olympic credentials, having previously hosted the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. With its challenging terrain and elite-level infrastructure, the venue promises a thrilling start to the new season. Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) will stage XCC and XCO races as part of the North American leg of the 2026 series. The site demonstrated its mountain bike pedigree by hosting the 2024 Pan American Mountain Bike Championships and is also a highly regarded winter sports venue, set to stage events during the Olympic Winter Games Salt Lake City-Utah 2034. The addition of this venue brings another world-class location with a proven track record of hosting elite competition to the calendar. Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “Today marks an exciting step in the continued development of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series with iconic new venues set to join the calendar from next season, signifying our commitment to growing the sport while delivering the best possible race experiences for riders, teams and fans alike.  “For the first time ever, we’re bringing the Cross-country Olympic format to Asia - hosted at a venue with proven Olympic credentials – which will kickstart the new season by connecting new fans to the sport. Additionally, bringing on board one of the world’s premier Cross-country destinations in Utah reinforces our commitment to delivering the sport at its highest level, and I am incredibly proud to bring these partnerships to life. We can’t wait to reveal the full calendar soon which we know will excite fans all around the world.” The dates for the UCI World Cup events set to be held at new venues in South Korea and USA will be announced as part of the full 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar in the coming weeks. 

The high-end holiday rental specialist will support the series during the two Haute-Savoie (France) rounds – Morillon and Les Gets.Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports and Emerald Stay are proud to confirm a three-year agreement for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.The high-end holiday rental specialist will support the Haute-Savoie rounds of the next three series, starting with the back-to-back weekends (August 22-24 and 28-31) of racing in Morillon (UCI Enduro World Cup) and Les Gets (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups).Emerald Stay, which is part of the Eterniti Group, is a hospitality company specialising in the management of high-end holiday rentals in top lifestyle destinations, both in the mountains and by the sea. It has developed a unique hybrid model that combines a proprietary digital infrastructure with an on-the-ground presence in all locations – and has had strong roots in the Haute-Savoie’s Portes du Soleil resorts since its inception in 2018.As part of this three-year partnership, Emerald Stay is providing exclusive properties in Les Gets to host key stakeholders, including organisers, professional teams, and sponsors. Just like any Emerald Stay guest, they’ll enjoy the privacy and comfort of a premium home elevated by hotel-level services, including exceptional bedding and amenities, personalised attention, a dedicated concierge team, and à la carte extra experiences such as private transfers, breakfast delivery, in-house massages, and more.Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “The Haute-Savoie region is a part of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ heritage and will continue to deliver on the international stage as it builds towards its hosting of the 2027 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Emerald Stay is an integral part of the Portes du Soleil’s hospitality offering and will be a valued official supplier over the next three years.”Laurent Lacourt, CEO of Emerald Stay, said: “Partnering with the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Les Gets is deeply meaningful for us. The Portes du Soleil resorts were the very first destinations where Emerald Stay began managing properties in 2018, and Les Gets stands as a global icon for mountain biking. Like the athletes who redefine limits on these trails, we aim to redefine how people experience the mountains, with innovation, excellence, and deep respect for the places that inspire us.”After a six-week break, the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will return in Haute-Savoie (France) with Enduro racing in Morillon (22-24 August) and Cross-country and Downhill action in Les Gets (28-31 August).Live and on-demand coverage of every race is available through WBD’s channels and platforms including Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) with streaming on HBO Max and discovery+, as well as around the world through WBD’s broadcast partners.