Blevins blitzes the men’s field while consistency key to Maxwell’s overall XCO title

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.

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.