Conolly and Łukasik conquer heat and rivals at Val di Fassa - Trentino

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 Cross-country and UCI Downhill World Cups) Round 11 / August 21-23: Haute-Savoie, France (UCI Enduro World Cup) 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)

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.