“It was crazy” : THE B LINE from La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta

Andorra has become a familiar fixture on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series circuit, with Pal Arinsal featuring every year since 2022, aside from 2024 when it hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Before that, under its previous name, Vallnord, the venue had been ever-present since 2016, having also hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 2015.Located in the heart of the Pyrenees and a short journey from the Andorran border with Spain, both formats take place at the Pal Arinsal bike park. The park has more than 60km of trails across 30 different lines and five ski lifts to help riders experience the more than 1,000m of elevation drop on offer.Downhill takes place on the venue’s third UCI World Cup track, with riders dropping from Pic del Cubil down to Fontanals on a rowdy 2.1km course.The UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup races, meanwhile, take on some of the hardest terrain that the riders will face all season, thanks to the addition of altitude. The XCO course is 4km long (160m elevation gain), while the XCC course is 1km long.WILDCARD ENTRIESThe following wildcard teams have been confirmed to compete in Pal Arinsal - Andorra:UCI Downhill World Cup: Crestline Speed Shop, Outlaw Intense Racing, Pivot Factory Racing, Team High Country, The Alliance, Stoic Racing.UCI Cross-country World Cup: Cabtech Racing Team, KTM Factory Team, Lexware Mountainbike Team, Massi, Scott Creuse Oxygene Gueret, SUNN Factory Racing, Thömus Akros - Youngstars, UNNO Factory Racing.Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) continues to be the leading wild card entrant – the German on seven-win streak across the Men U23 UCI XCO and XCC World Cups.RISSVEDS LOSES PODIUM RECORD BUT STILL IN CHARGEJenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) was on an incredible run of form that stretched back to Val di Sole - Trentino (Italy) on 20 June last year that saw the Swede finish within the top three of a UCI XCO World Cup for more than a calendar year. Her record came to an end, again in Italy, as she had to settle for fourth place in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) last Sunday, but the reigning UCI XCO World Champion retains a colossal lead in the overall that will be hard to overthrow. She finished third in Pal Arinsal - Andorra in 2025 behind Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) and Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon), and with Maxwell taking a sabbatical this season and Keller yet to hit her stride, she will be confident of getting back to winning ways.Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) is amongst the favourites to prevent Rissveds from returning to the top spot. The Italian finished fourth in Andorra 12 months ago and will line up in the Pyrenees bursting with confidence after winning her debut UCI XCO World Cup in front of a passionate home crowd last weekend.Others knocking on the door include Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing), who is having her best season yet and is improving every round; Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech), who clinched her UCI XCO World Championship rainbow jersey at the venue in 2024; and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing), who sits 212 points behind Rissveds in the overall, and as the only rider within 350 points of the Swede, is the last realistic challenger for the title.MARTIN ON THE MARCHLuca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) extended his extraordinary record in 2026 of not finishing outside the top two in the XCO by winning his second consecutive round in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta following his victory in Lenzerheide (Switzerland). His lead in the overall standings is even more impressive than Rissveds’, and even if Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) does the XCO-XCC double this weekend and Martin fails to score a single point, the Cannondale rider has such an advantage (343 points) that he will enter the summer break in the top spot. A likely scenario is that Martin will extend his lead in Andorra – the 24-year-old finished second at the venue behind Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Team Cycling) 12 months ago, and with the Brit absent at the Tour de France, Martin will be confident of going one better on Sunday.Boichis will also look to stand on the top step in Pal Arinsal - Andorra, while another Frenchman, Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), showed he can compete in the longer Olympic-distance format by finishing second in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta. Bjorn Riley (Scott SRAM MTB Race Team) is another to watch – the American sitting third in the overall and the third most consistent rider (behind Martin and Boichis) in this packed block of racing since round three in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria).ALL TO PLAY FOR IN THE SHORT TRACKWith some steaming ahead in the XCO overall standings, there are battles being fought in the XCC. In the men’s contest, any of the top six in the standings could mathematically go into the summer break in the lead, although series leader Mathis Azzaro and second-place Adrien Boichis are the most likely – only 55 points separating the pair.Meanwhile, Sina Frei is the clear frontrunner in the women’s contest, and only Jenny Rissveds can catch the Swiss star this weekend (and would need a 170-point swing to do so). Frei is the only rider to win multiple UCI XCC World Cups in 2026, while Rissveds added a record-extending win in the short track in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta to take her career total to nine. But while both will fancy their chances in Friday’s race, Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) will be the favourite – the Swiss rider holding a 100%-win record at Pal Arinsal - Andorra, clinching three UCI XCC World Cup wins in 2022, 2023 and 2025.HÖLL CHASES BEST EVER SEASONWhile the competition has come on leaps and bounds in the women’s field, when you’re as good as Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres), your closest competition is yourself. The Austrian returned to winning ways in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta, putting a disappointing 10th-place finish in Lenzerheide behind her to make it four victories from five rounds. The reigning overall series winner has already amassed a 363-point lead over second place Lisa Baumann (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres), and with four rounds still to go, she can be expected to clinch a fifth overall title before the series finale in Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA). Now, the 24-year-old can target personal records, starting with a career-best fifth win of the season in Pal Arinsal - Andorra. Victory would also be the 16th of her career, taking her level with Tracy Moseley in joint-fourth place in the overall, one shy of Sabrina Jonnier.Höll isn’t the only rider taking to the start hut this weekend, and there are a number of riders ready to pounce if she makes an uncharacteristic mistake. Teammate Baumann has finished second best in the last two rounds, Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP) is the only rider other than Höll to have won in 2026, and Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) has tasted success in Pal Arinsal - Andorra before back in 2023. Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing) won’t be there to defend her top spot 12 months on from her 2025 win though – the Brit taking a break from racing to recover from injuries and focus on the UCI Downhill World Championships.PIERRON LEADS A FOUR-WAY BATTLE FOR THE OVERALL TITLEWhile the women’s contest is all-but decided, there’s a four-way fight for the men’s competition with four rounds to go. Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) leads the way, and having the experience of two overall title wins already in his career (2018 and 2022) will be confident of closing things out with his consistent performances.The Frenchman’s advantage is only 12 points over Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) though, and with the Canadian recording two wins in 2026 to Pierron’s zero, the Commencal rider will need to do something he hasn’t managed since Lenzerheide last September if he is to put more breathing space between himself and second place.La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta winner Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) is next in line after his perfect score in Italy propelled him up the leaderboard, while Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) looks likely to join Williams in the two UCI World Cup wins club sooner rather than later.One other rider you can’t rule out is Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate). The rainbow jersey hasn’t been kind to the Canadian in 2026, but he is gradually starting to show the race pace that rocketed him to his first overall title last year. Scoring a win on Saturday would put him firmly in the title conversation with three rounds to play.Racing gets underway in Pal Arinsal - Andorra on Friday 10th July with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here. Find out where to watch here.

Set high in the spectacular Alps on the Italy–France border, La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta provided the backdrop for one of the most physically demanding rounds of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Perched at 1,500 metres above sea level, the brand-new 3.2-kilometre UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup course combined relentless climbing with technical descents, pushing riders to their limits.The challenge began almost immediately with a punishing 652-metre ascent from the start line, before competitors were tested further by rutted downhill sections and a steep rock garden that demanded unwavering focus and precision throughout.The efforts of the La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta organisers were rewarded with a weekend of thrilling racing from the world’s best athletes. Racing in her Italian National Champion jersey, Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) delighted the home fans by securing her maiden Women’s Elite UCI XCO World Cup victory. In the Men’s Elite race, overall series leader Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) delivered a composed and clinical performance, capitalising on a rare error from his rivals before riding clear to victory.In the Under-23 categories, Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) and Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) completed a perfect weekend, backing up their UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup victories on Friday evening with equally dominant displays in Sunday’s XCO races.Strong performances across the weekend saw Specialized Factory Racing extend their advantage at the top of the team standings. However, with just 76 points separating the next five teams, the battle behind remains fiercely contested as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads into the second half of the season.A DREAM COME TRUE: BERTA CLAIMS FIRST UCI XCO WORLD CUP WIN ON HOME SOILMartina Berta delivered a dream performance in front of her home fans to claim her maiden Women’s Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup victory. Racing just a short distance from her hometown and wearing the Italian National Champion jersey, the 28-year-old rose to the occasion on one of the most demanding courses of the season. However, victory did not come easily, as she was forced to fend off a relentless late challenge from Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) before sparking scenes of celebration in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta.Fast starter Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) set a fierce early pace, opening up a 10-second advantage on the opening lap. Behind her, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) led the chase before being joined by Berta and Blunk. Roared on by the home crowd, Berta steadily reeled in Blöchlinger before making her move at the front, with only Blunk able to match the Italian’s pace.As the race unfolded, the altitude and relentless nature of the course began to take their toll. Blunk lost precious seconds through a series of small mistakes, while Blöchlinger also faded from contention and was eventually caught by a charging Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing).Yet the battle for victory was far from over. Blunk mounted a determined comeback and steadily closed the gap to the leader. As the riders crossed the line to begin the final lap, Berta held a slender four-second advantage, while Stigger sat 36 seconds adrift in third. Sensing the pressure, the Italian dug deep and responded in emphatic style, producing her fastest lap of the race to finally shake off Blunk and secure a memorable victory on home soil.Blunk was forced to settle for second place, finishing 12 seconds back as she continues her search for a first UCI XCO World Cup win, while Stigger completed the podium 55 seconds behind the winner.Rissveds strengthened her overall series lead with a fourth-place finish, one spot ahead of fellow title contender Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon). Returning to competition after recovering from concussion, Evie Richards (Trek – Unbroken XC) impressed with a solid seventh-place finish.In victory, Berta became the first Italian Elite woman to win a UCI XCO World Cup on home soil. Reflecting on her achievement, she said: “I’ve dreamed about this day since last year when the calendar came out. I saw La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta on the calendar and told my coach I wanted to win here, it was a dream. From dreaming it to actually doing it is a long journey. It’s just amazing. I’m so grateful for all the support. In the final part of the race I was really suffering because Savilia [Blunk] was coming back. I couldn’t disappoint all the people here. I still can’t believe what I did today, and it will probably take a few days to fully realise it.”MARTIN MASTERS LA THUILE TO EXTEND UCI XCO WORLD CUP LEADLuca Martin delivered another statement performance as the Frenchman secured back-to-back UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup victories. After narrowly losing out to long-time rival Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) in Friday’s UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup, the Cannondale Factory Racing rider proved untouchable over the longer distance, capitalising on a key mistake from his rivals before powering clear to a dominant victory.The start list was notably missing two major contenders. Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) remained sidelined after fracturing his fibula in a recent training accident, while Martín Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) was unable to start after crashing during practice earlier in the weekend.Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team), winner of the UCI XCC World Cup round in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland last month, set the early pace on La Thuile’s demanding opening climb. Riding high after team-mate Martina Berta’s victory in the Women’s Elite race, Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) looked eager to animate the race and launched an early attack, with Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) joining him at the front.Neither Boichis nor Martin showed any signs of fatigue from their XCC battle two days earlier and quickly responded to the move. The lead group was eventually reduced when Avondetto crashed on an off-camber section through the woods, bringing down Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and causing both riders to lose contact with the leaders.What followed was a fascinating tactical battle, with Martin, Boichis and Azzaro repeatedly testing one another across the punishing climbs and technical descents of the Alpine course. The decisive move came midway through the race when Martin sensed an opportunity on one of La Thuile’s technical downhill sections. A small error from Azzaro was all the overall series leader needed to launch his attack, opening a gap that neither Azzaro nor Boichis could close as the pair made further mistakes while trying to respond.From there, Martin never looked back. The Frenchman steadily extended his advantage to take victory by more than a minute, while Azzaro dropped Boichis over the closing laps to secure second place.Riley recovered strongly from his earlier setback to continue his impressive season in fourth, while United States National Champion Riley Amos (Trek – Unbroken XC) celebrated a career-best fifth-place finish.Elsewhere, reigning UCI XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team XC) made his return to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series following a spell racing on the UCI WorldTour road circuit, crossing the line in 16th place.Martin’s victory extended his lead in the overall UCI XCO World Cup standings to 343 points after five rounds. Reflecting on his triumph, he said: “It is so special. I’m so happy to have raced here. This track was a real mountain bike track, with incredibly technical and dusty descents. When we reached around 45 minutes into the race, I felt it was the right moment to attack because I was feeling really good. I live in Nice and the terrain is quite similar, with the same type of dirt and descents, so I felt very comfortable riding this course.”CORVI AND SCHEHL DOMINATE UNDER-23 RACING IN LA THUILEValentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) delivered the most commanding performance of the day in the Women’s Under-23 race. The Italian has established herself as the rider to beat in the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup this season and strengthened her grip on the overall standings with a fourth victory in five rounds.In front of her home crowd, Corvi wasted no time asserting her dominance, opening up a 45-second advantage on the opening lap and steadily extending her lead throughout the race before crossing the line an emphatic 2 minutes and 42 seconds clear of her nearest challenger.Monique Halter (Thömus Akros – Youngstars) rode a lonely race in second for much of the day, but a slower penultimate lap allowed the chasing riders to close the gap. Despite a determined final-lap effort from Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Racing), Halter held on to secure second place by just two seconds, with the Canadian completing the podium in third.Corvi’s latest success extended her lead in the overall standings to an impressive 320 points after five rounds. Reflecting on her performance, she said: “I’m almost speechless. I knew my shape was good, so I just tried to race as well as I could. From the start, my goal was to enter the second part of the track in front because I felt that was the key section. Lap after lap I gained a few more seconds and managed my effort. It’s such a demanding course, with tough climbs and technical descents. To win both races here in Italy, in front of my home crowd, makes it even more special.”In the Men’s Under-23 race, Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) also completed a perfect double after backing up his UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup victory with a commanding XCO triumph. Much like Corvi earlier in the day, the German took control from the front on La Thuile’s gruelling course, distancing his rivals from the opening lap and quickly establishing a decisive lead.Nicolas Halter (Thömus Akros–Youngstars) emerged as Schehl’s closest challenger but was unable to match the German’s pace, eventually finishing 1 minute and 32 seconds adrift in second place. Behind him, Lucas Teste (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) timed his race to perfection to secure third, while Friday’s XCC runner-up Thibaut François Baudry (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) finished fourth.Three consecutive UCI XCO World Cup victories have helped Schehl extend his lead at the top of the overall standings to 68 points. Following his latest win, he said: “It’s unbelievable. I’m in the shape of my life at the moment and everything is coming together perfectly. I’m so happy. This track is amazing. I absolutely love it. We need more courses like this.”The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues at a relentless pace, with another iconic mountain destination awaiting next weekend. The series heads to Pal Arinsal – Andorra, where riders will once again face the challenges of high-altitude racing. Action begins on Friday with the UCI XCC World Cup and UCI Downhill World Cup qualifying, before the downhill finals take centre stage on Saturday and the UCI XCO World Cup concludes the weekend on Sunday.

Raphaël Giambi (Speed Project) and privateer Ella Conolly delivered standout performances to claim UCI Enduro World Cup victories in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta, following a spectacular day of racing in one of Enduro’s iconic destinations. Nestled in the Alps, La Thuile Bike World once again lived up to its reputation as a rider favourite, providing a dramatic backdrop for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.Set on the Italy–France border, the challenging Alpine venue featured 28.4 kilometres of racing across four stages, with almost 3,000 metres of descending. The day concluded with a unique spectacle: a 600-metre night stage, illuminated by 23 floodlights and featuring the fan-favourite rock garden, creating a memorable finale for riders and spectators alike.Giambi secured the first Men’s Elite UCI Enduro World Cup victory of his career thanks to a composed and consistent performance across the venue’s dusty, technically demanding trails. In the Women’s Elite competition, Conolly claimed her fifth UCI Enduro World Cup win, strengthening her bid for the overall title.The Junior races followed a familiar script, with overall series leaders Nežka Libnik and Hugo Marti Montessinos once again standing on the top step of the podium. In the teams classification, Speed Project continued their dominant season, securing a fourth consecutive victory to remain the benchmark squad in the series.GIAMBI MASTERS LA THUILE’S CHALLENGE TO TAKE MAIDEN UCI WORLD CUP VICTORYRaphaël Giambi claimed the first Men’s Elite UCI Enduro World Cup victory of his career with a masterclass in consistency and technical precision on the demanding trails of La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta.Defending overall champion Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) took to the start despite suffering a crash during practice the previous day, setting the stage for a fiercely contested race. Even on the opening stage, a near nine-minute test across exposed alpine terrain, the margins remained remarkably tight at the front of the field.Adrien Dailly (Speed Project) laid down an early marker, finishing 2.3 seconds quicker than Jt Fisher (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team), with Giambi a further two seconds adrift. Having finished runner-up in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes earlier this season, Giambi arrived determined to go one step better. He found his opportunity on the steep and technical 1.43-kilometre Belface stage, where he showcased his descending prowess to claim the stage win on a challenging mix of bike park features and wooded singletrack.Joe Millington posted the second-fastest time on the stage, with Łukasik third. Meanwhile, overall contenders Fisher and Alex Rudeau remained firmly in the hunt as the battle intensified. Dailly’s challenge, however, suffered a major setback when a puncture cost him 19 seconds and valuable ground in the overall standings.The notoriously demanding Cambogia test, a 3.58-kilometre stage packed with technical sections and little margin for error, proved decisive. Dailly responded impressively to his earlier misfortune, setting the benchmark time and finishing eight seconds clear of his nearest rival to reignite his podium hopes.Canadian rider Lief Rodgers clocked the second-fastest time, while Giambi limited his losses with the third-best stage result, 10 seconds back. Fisher conceded 15 seconds, while Łukasik dropped a further 23 seconds to his rivals in the overall battle.Giambi ensured there would be no late drama by also taking victory on the final stage, ahead of Dailly, who finished second, and William Bordie, who completed the stage podium a year after crashing out on La Thuile’s iconic night test.At the end of four demanding stages, Giambi secured the overall victory by five seconds over team-mate Dailly, delivering a one-two finish for Speed Project. Alex Rudeau rounded out the podium in third and strengthened his position at the top of the overall standings, where he now holds an 85-point advantage after four rounds.Following his victory, Giambi said: “It was a dream day for me. I was consistent from start to finish, avoided mistakes, and led after the first three stages. Heading into the night stage as the last rider on course was an incredible experience. It felt unreal, almost like I wasn’t riding anymore, just floating down the track.”CONOLLY STRENGTHENS TITLE BID WITH DOMINANT VICTORY IN LA THUILEElla Conolly claimed her second Women’s Elite UCI Enduro World Cup victory of the season with a commanding performance in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta, pairing outright speed with remarkable consistency across the demanding Alpine terrain. The race was missing two of its expected contenders before it had even begun, with both Winnifred Goldsbury and Simona Kuchyňková (Cube Action Team) ruled out following crashes during practice.After finishing runner-up in Val di Fassa–Trentino a week earlier, where severe weather forced the cancellation of two key stages, Conolly arrived determined to make amends. The Briton wasted no time asserting herself, producing a dominant ride on the opening 4.42-kilometre Touraisse stage. Her aggressive yet controlled run through the loose, open terrain earned her a stunning stage victory by 13 seconds, immediately putting her rivals on the back foot.Fresh from her win in Val di Fassa–Trentino, Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) recovered well from an early mistake to finish second on the opening test, although she conceded valuable time to the race leader. Raphaela Richter completed the top three, keeping herself firmly in contention heading into the more technical stages.Reigning UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskin found herself on the defensive after losing 18 seconds on the opening stage. Determined to respond, she attacked the steep and highly technical Belface stage, a 1.43-kilometre descent packed with 525 metres of vertical drop. The short but intense test rewarded both precision and commitment, and Hoskins delivered exactly that, edging out Conolly for the stage victory by just one second. Pugin remained within striking distance in third as the battle for the podium tightened.Pugin showcased her technical skill once again on the infamous Cambogia stage, a 3.58-kilometre test featuring steep rock gardens, wooded sections and high-speed descents. The French rider set the fastest time to reignite her challenge, but crucially managed to claw back only four seconds on overall leader Conolly.New Zealander George Swift impressed with the third-fastest stage time, while Hoskins endured a difficult run and lost 26 seconds, reopening the fight for the final podium place and allowing Richter to move back into contention.Hoskins bounced back by claiming victory on the spectacular floodlit final stage, but Richter stayed close, finishing just 1.8 seconds behind. Rebecca Baraona completed the stage podium in third as the crowd-lined night test delivered a dramatic conclusion to the weekend.Despite the late pressure, Conolly held firm to secure overall victory by seven seconds over Pugin. Richter completed the overall podium after edging Hoskins by a razor-thin one-tenth of a second. The result also strengthened Conolly’s grip on the UCI Enduro World Cup standings, extending her series lead to 70 points over Pugin as the two riders continue to emerge as the main protagonists in the fight for the overall title.Following her victory, Conolly said: “Nightfall is such a cool stage. Having such a huge crowd up there really gets you pumped up. I rode quite cautiously because I knew I had a small advantage, maybe even a little too cautiously as it ended up being pretty close. But it was an amazing way to finish the weekend. I’m taking it one round at a time and just focusing on giving everything every race weekend. My goal is simple: I want to fight for the win every time I line up.”LIBNIK AND MARTI MONTESSINOS EXTEND THEIR JUNIOR DOMINANCE IN LA THUILENežka Libnik continued her remarkable run of form by extending her winning streak in the Women’s Junior category. Fresh from a dominant victory in Val di Fassa–Trentino (Italy), where she claimed every stage win, the Slovenian once again set the benchmark in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta.Libnik laid the foundations for victory on the opening 4.42-kilometre Touraisse stage, where she immediately opened up an advantage of more than 30 seconds over her rivals. The championship leader further strengthened her position on the demanding Cambogia test, extending her lead as the battle for the remaining podium places intensified. Bélinda Baudet established herself in second after gaining 26 seconds on Romy Williams (Speed Project), creating a clear gap in the fight for the runner-up spot.The final floodlit Nightfall stage saw the podium order remain unchanged, with Libnik completing a flawless weekend to secure overall victory by an impressive 1 minute 48 seconds over Baudet, while Williams finished a further minute adrift in third.Despite missing the opening round of the season, three consecutive victories have propelled Libnik to the top of the overall standings, where she now holds a 30-point lead.Following her victory in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta, Libnik said: “It’s so special to come to places like this and be able to win. My goal is to race the remaining rounds and do my best to secure the overall title. The night stage was incredible, the atmosphere in the rock garden was amazing, with so many people cheering us on.”In the Men’s Junior race, overall leader Hugo Marti Montessinos arrived in La Thuile determined to bounce back after a crash last weekend denied him victory in Val di Fassa-Trentino. The French rider immediately signalled his intent by winning the opening Touraisse stage and carving out an advantage of almost five seconds over his rivals.Fellow French riders Tommy Bougon and Jules Janniaud emerged as his closest challengers, while the second stage produced one of the tightest battles of the weekend. Marti Montessinos edged out Guillaume Marmillon by a mere two hundredths of a second, with Bougon once again completing the top three.There was no stopping the championship leader on the demanding Cambogia stage, where he added another five seconds to his advantage. Janniaud mounted the strongest challenge, while Harper Nelmes recovered from a difficult start to the day to secure third on the stage.Bougon finally earned a stage victory on the spectacular Nightfall test, finishing ahead of Marmillon and Matej Šrail. With a comfortable advantage in hand, Marti Montessinos was able to manage his effort through the floodlit finale and seal overall victory by 15 seconds, with Janniaud finishing second and Bougon rounding out the podium in third.After claiming three victories in the opening four rounds, Marti Montessinos has strengthened his grip on the championship and now leads the overall standings by 80 points. Following his victory, he said: “The final stage at night was really exciting. There were so many spectators around the rock garden, which is one of the toughest sections of the course. Racing at night is something completely different, and we had a lot of fun out there.”The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues on Sunday in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta, where UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup riders will tackle the venue’s demanding course for the first time. The series then heads to Pal Arinsal, Andorra (10–12 July), where both endurance and downhill racing return to centre stage. Enduro competitors will resume their campaign the following weekend with a two-day challenge at Aletsch Arena–Bellwald, Switzerland (17–19 July).