UCI Enduro World Cup: Colonaci and Conolly Head Leaderboard After Opening Day in Val Di Fassa

French duo Adrien Dailly (Speed Project) and Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) delivered masterclasses in technical riding across two demanding days to claim victory at the UCI Enduro World Cup finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France).For Dailly, the triumph carried even greater significance, as it propelled him past Lief Rodgers to snatch the Men’s Elite overall title in a dramatic conclusion to the UCI Enduro World Cup season.In the Women’s Elite competition, there was reason for double celebration. Charre delighted the home crowd with the race win, while Ella Conolly secured back-to-back overall series titles after another outstanding season.In the Junior categories, Hugo Marti Montessinos and Nežka Libnik capped remarkable seasons by securing both the race victories in Morillon and the overall UCI Enduro Junior World Cup titles.The four overall winners were presented with newly unveiled trophies, designed to reflect the prestige and significance of The Globe, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ ultimate symbol of achievement. Crafted from metal and recycled carbon fibre, the awards made their debut in Morillon.Speed Project also celebrated another milestone, becoming the inaugural winners of The Summit, the new UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Team Trophy. Having already wrapped up the team title at the previous round in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald (Switzerland), the squad underlined its dominance by finishing the season with yet another victory.DAILLY SEIZES THE CROWN AS MORILLON DELIVERS A DRAMATIC TITLE DECIDERNestled in the heart of France’s Haute-Savoie region, Morillon returned as the host of the UCI Enduro World Cup finale following its successful debut as the overall title decider in 2025. The pine-clad slopes of the Grand Massif’s renowned Enduro Bike Park provided the perfect stage for a thrilling weekend of racing. Eight stages spread across two days, covering 84.4km and 4,110m of descent, ensured the battle remained finely poised until the very end, with a decisive five-kilometre final stage ultimately determining the overall winners.Adrien Dailly delivered a composed and relentlessly consistent performance across the weekend to claim victory in the Men’s Elite race and, with it, the overall UCI Enduro World Cup title. Arriving in Morillon, Lief Rodgers held an 82-point advantage over Dailly in the overall standings. Behind them, Raphaël Giambi (Speed Project), Alex Rudeau, Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and reigning overall champion Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) all remained mathematically in contention for the crown.Rodgers endured a difficult opening day, with a series of costly mistakes leaving the Canadian down in seventh place after the first four stages. Meanwhile, defending champion Łukasik kept his slim title hopes alive by drawing on his experience to win two of the opening four tests. Yet Dailly remained firmly in the hunt, ending day one just 1.5 seconds off the lead and, crucially, in a strong position to collect valuable points.The race took a decisive turn on stage 5 when disaster struck Łukasik. A puncture near the top of the brand-new stage cost the Pole around 30 seconds and effectively ended his challenge. Dailly capitalised immediately, taking the stage win by three seconds from teammate Giambi, while Finland’s Tarmo Ryynänen set the third-fastest time.Giambi then showcased his technical skills on the demanding Reverse River stage, mastering the rutted terrain and dense forest sections to take victory by two seconds over Marius Tenet Berrat. Dailly’s measured ride to third further strengthened his position, extending his overall advantage to almost 30 seconds.The penultimate Morillon Village stage, though only 1.3 kilometres in length, provided an intense test featuring a short climb and 209 metres of descent. Ryan Gilchrist and teammate Jt Fisher powered to first and second respectively, while Dailly opted for a more conservative approach. His ninth-place finish was enough to carry a 27-second cushion into the decisive final stage, ahead of Ryynänen and Tenet Berrat.Attention then turned to the overall title battle. Rodgers needed to recover 16 seconds over the final five-kilometre test to secure a crucial podium result in the overall standings. Ryynänen produced a stunning run to win the stage, but Dailly was just four tenths of a second slower, comfortably sealing both the race victory and the overall title. Further behind, Belgian rider Gabriel Sainthuile climbed onto the Morillon podium after gaining enough time on the final stage to secure third overall.Dailly ultimately secured the series title by 43 points from Rodgers, with Gilchrist completing the overall podium in third. Reflecting on his achievement, the Frenchman said: “I’m super happy. It wasn’t my goal at the beginning of the season, it’s crazy. I’ve improved a lot this year and adapted better to my bike. At the start of the season I was struggling to feel comfortable and fast, but now I’m feeling much better and having more fun on the bike.“I wasn’t feeling in amazing shape coming into this weekend, so I had to manage my energy and save something for the final run. The heat made it really tough, probably the hardest conditions of the season for me. The liaisons were tight as well, so it was a demanding weekend, and I’m really happy to have pulled it off.”CHARRE CLAIMS THE WIN, CONOLLY CLAIMS THE CROWNMorgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) held her nerve on a dramatic final stage to secure victory in the Women’s Elite race, while Ella Conolly did exactly what was required to retain her UCI Enduro World Cup crown.Conolly arrived in Morillon brimming with confidence after claiming her third victory of the season in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald (Switzerland). The defending champion held a commanding 170-point lead over Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) and knew that a top-six finish would be enough to secure back-to-back overall titles. Further down the standings, Elly Hoskin, Raphaela Richter and Winnifred Goldsbury were locked in a battle for third place overall.However, the opening day did not go entirely to plan for Conolly. Struggling in the intense heat, the Briton ended day one in seventh place, nearly 40 seconds adrift of the race lead. Pugin also found the opening stages difficult and sat just one position ahead of her rival overnight.The surprise story of the first day came from German privateer Helen Weber, whose consistency across the opening four stages earned her the overall lead. Charre, winner of the opening test, sat just 1.5 seconds behind, while Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team) completed a tightly packed top three.Weber continued her impressive form on day two, expertly navigating the dusty and demanding terrain to extend her advantage. Yet Conolly responded like a true champion. On the technical Reverse River stage, the British rider delivered a crucial performance, claiming victory by just one tenth of a second over Weber. The result lifted her to fifth overall and, more importantly, gave her an 11-second buffer over Pugin in the title battle.Isabeau Courdurier prevailed on the penultimate stage, while Weber carried a 10-second lead into the decisive final test. But the gruelling five-kilometre finale turned the race on its head. A crash cost Weber around 30 seconds, dropping her to ninth on the stage and from first to third in the overall classification.Charre seized the opportunity in front of her home crowd. The French rider set the fastest time on the final stage, eight seconds quicker than her nearest rival, to secure victory in Morillon. Ellecosta completed a breakthrough weekend by finishing second overall.Reflecting on her win, Charre said: “This race is really special for me. I live here, so I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. I missed it last year because of injury, and after crashing in Loudenvielle at the start of the season I also had to sit out a few races. It’s been a tough year, which makes this result even more meaningful.“To race here, feeling fit and ready, and to take the win in front of a home crowd is incredible. The stages were fantastic, really physical and with a great mix of terrain. I pushed hard all weekend and I’m so happy it paid off.”Conolly’s fifth-place finish proved more than enough to secure the overall title for a second consecutive season. She ended the year 220 points clear of Pugin, while Elly Hoskin rounded out the overall podium in third.Speaking after securing the title, Conolly said: “It’s such a relief. Honestly, it hasn’t been my best race weekend, but it feels amazing to have done enough to take the overall title. Enduro is about showing up at every round and making the most of what you have on that day. Nobody has a perfect race every weekend. You have to stay mentally focused, adapt to what the race throws at you and give absolutely everything you’ve got. That’s what I tried to do, and I’m really proud to come away with the overall.”LIBNIK AND MONTESSINOS CAP OFF TITLE-WINNING SEASONS IN MORILLONNežka Libnik capped a dominant season in style, claiming both the Women’s Junior victory in Morillon and the overall UCI Enduro World Cup title. The Slovenian was untouchable throughout the weekend, winning all eight stages and crossing the line an astonishing 3 minutes and 47 seconds ahead of her nearest rival.Libnik arrived in Haute-Savoie with just a 25-point cushion over Romy Williams (Speed Project) in the overall standings, but quickly erased any doubts about the destination of the title. By the end of the opening day, she had won all four stages and established a commanding 32-second lead over Bélinda Baudet.Williams faced an uphill battle heading into day two, sitting third overall and nearly two minutes off the lead at the halfway mark. Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished as Libnik continued her flawless run, completing a clean sweep of all eight stages to secure a memorable victory.British rider Katie Allsop emerged as her closest challenger on the second day, finishing runner-up on stages 5 and 6. In the battle for the remaining podium places, however, Williams fought back strongly to claim second, while French rider Julia Gay secured third after strong performances on the final two stages.Libnik ultimately secured the overall UCI Enduro World Cup title by 35 points ahead of Williams, with Alice Farinelli completing the season podium in third.Reflecting on her achievement, Libnik said: “It’s my first time here in Morillon. The two days were quite demanding and the heat definitely didn’t make things easier. But the organisation was great and I really enjoyed the tracks. They felt quite similar to what I’m used to riding in Slovenia, so I felt at home. It’s really special to win here and to secure the overall title.”Meanwhile, Hugo Marti Montessinos arrived in Morillon having already wrapped up the Men’s Junior overall title at the previous round in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald (Switzerland). However, he still had one final challenge ahead of him as he looked to end the season with another race victory.The Frenchman’s task was far from straightforward. Two crashes on the opening day allowed Jules Janniaud to edge ahead by just three-tenths of a second overnight, setting up an intriguing battle for the round victory.Montessinos responded emphatically on day two, overturning the deficit by beating Janniaud by 11 seconds on the opening stage. Although the Frenchman struck back with a stage win of his own later in the day, Montessinos maintained control to secure the overall victory by 14 seconds. Lorenzo Cesari rounded out the podium in third.The result underlined Montessinos’ dominance throughout the season. He finished the season 130 points clear at the top of the standings, ahead of Janniaud in second and Cesari in third.After taking the win, Montessinos said: “I had a lot of fun this weekend. The two training days were pretty intense with the heat and we were already quite tired before racing started. The first day wasn’t easy because I crashed on stages 1 and 3, which left me just behind Jules [Janniaud]. Today I rode well, stayed consistent throughout the day and managed to secure the win with a bit of a margin.”While the UCI Enduro World Cup season has now drawn to a close, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues next weekend (20-23 August) with the UCI Cross-country World Cup and UCI Downhill World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France).

A dramatic opening day at the UCI Enduro World Cup finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) turned the Elite Men’s overall standings on their head, setting up a thrilling final-day showdown between Lief Rodgers and Adrien Dailly (Speed Project) in the battle for the title.In the Elite Women’s competition, overall leader Ella Conolly endured one of her toughest performances of the season. Despite the setback, the Briton remains firmly on course to secure the overall crown on Sunday. Helen Weber topped the timesheets on a scorching day in the French Alps, where soaring temperatures and demanding conditions produced a host of surprise results across all categories.Hugo Marti Montessinos arrived in Morillon with the Men’s Junior title already wrapped up after claiming victory in four of the five UCI Enduro World Cup rounds contested so far this season. However, he faces an unusual challenge this weekend, with compatriot Jules Janniaud holding a narrow advantage heading into the second race day.In the Women’s Junior category, overall leader Nežka Libnik remains in complete control of the title race. The Slovenian enjoys a commanding margin over closest rival Romy Williams (Speed Project) and is well positioned to seal the title on Sunday.ELITE MEN’S TITLE FIGHT SET FOR BLOCKBUSTER CONCLUSIONSix riders arrived in the French Alps with a mathematical chance of securing the overall title, while several others were still in contention for a coveted place on the season-ending podium. After an action-packed opening day, the battle took a dramatic turn.Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Adrien Dailly are separated by just 1.6 seconds at the top of the Morillon standings. While the Pole leads the race heading into Sunday, Dailly will be the more satisfied of the two after moving ahead of Lief Rodgers in the live overall ranking.Rodgers, meanwhile, endured a difficult day on the trails. The Canadian failed to finish higher than sixth on any of the four stages and capped off the afternoon with an error-filled run down Paddock Express, dropping him to seventh overall. As a result, he will be hoping Łukasik can hold off Dailly in the final showdown.The title permutations are finely balanced. Should Dailly overhaul Łukasik and take the victory, Rodgers would need to finish inside the top three to secure the overall crown. If the Pole hangs on to win the round, a top-five result would be enough for the Canadian.Everything points to a gripping finale. Łukasik and Dailly were virtually inseparable throughout the day, finishing within a second of each other on all four stages.Behind them, Gabriel Sainthuile and Tarmo Ryynänen are on track for career-best performances this season, while Evan Wall and Marius Tenet-Barrat also impressed, with the Frenchman claiming victory on the opening stage.Rodgers heads into the final day 7.4 seconds adrift of Tenet-Barrat and the crucial fifth position, with a further four seconds separating him from Sainthuile in third. Regardless of what unfolds at the front of the race, the Canadian faces a significant challenge if he is to climb back into title-winning territory.Elsewhere, the battle for the overall podium was turned upside down before racing had even begun. Third-placed Raphaël Giambi received a five-minute penalty ahead of Stage 1 for riding the special stages after the official course release and outside the designated training periods.Alex Rudeau inherited the provisional podium position, but a disappointing opening day all but ended his hopes of a top-three finish. The Frenchman sits almost a minute behind Łukasik, leaving the fight for the final podium place as a straight duel between the Pole and his Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team teammate Ryan Gilchrist.Gilchrist lost 24 seconds on Montagnes du Giffre and managed just one top-10 stage result on Saturday. He will need something special on the final day if he is to overturn the deficit and deny his teammate a place on the overall podium.TITLE WITHIN SIGHT DESPITE RARE OFF DAY FOR CONOLLY Ella Conolly has defended her UCI Enduro World Cup title with remarkable consistency throughout the season and arrived in Morillon knowing that a top-six finish would be enough to secure a second consecutive overall crown. Given that the Brit has not finished outside the top three in more than two years, another dominant display looked almost inevitable. Yet Saturday served as a reminder that nothing comes easy in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.Conolly struggled to cope with the relentless heat, losing more than 30 seconds on the two longest stages of the day, Montagnes du Giffre and Dre dan l’Pentu. The damage left her down in seventh place by the close of racing.Despite the setback, the overall remains firmly in her hands. Conolly only needs a top-six finish if her sole remaining title rival wins the round, and Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) also endured a difficult opening day. The French rider sits just one position ahead of the reigning champion, 32 seconds behind surprise leader Helen Weber.Weber may have won only one of the four stages, but her consistency proved unmatched as she emerged at the top of the standings heading into Sunday's finale. However, she is far from secure, with Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) just 1.5 seconds adrift and Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team) only 4.3 seconds further back in what promises to be a tightly contested battle for victory.The leading contenders will be hoping for a shift in conditions on Sunday, with cooler temperatures and cloud cover forecast after Saturday’s punishing heat.Ellecosta showed impressive pace by claiming victories on stages three and four, but her hopes were dented by a costly run on Montagnes du Giffre. That performance may ultimately prove decisive in her pursuit of an overall podium finish.Elly Hoskin also found the demanding conditions difficult to master and heads into the final day under pressure. Should she lose ground on Sunday, Ellecosta could leapfrog her into third place in the overall standings with a strong result and a victory in Morillon.LIBNIK CLOSES IN ON THE CROWN AS JANNIAUD EYES A MAIDEN VICTORYJules Janniaud produced one of the standout performances of the day to unsettle newly crowned Junior Men’s UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner Hugo Marti Montessinos, taking a razor-thin 0.3-second lead into the night in Morillon. With one day of racing remaining, the Frenchman finds himself in contention for a maiden victory at the very last opportunity of the season.The pair were in a class of their own on Saturday. Trading stage wins throughout the day, both Janniaud and Marti Montessinos posted times that would have comfortably placed them inside the top 25 of the Elite Men’s standings, setting the stage for a fascinating head-to-head battle on Sunday.If Janniaud and Marti Montessinos delivered one of the closest contests of the day, Nežka Libnik produced the most commanding display. The Slovenian put herself in a position of complete control in the Junior Women’s title race, delivering a performance that mirrored the winning consistency displayed throughout the season.Arriving in France with just a 25-point advantage to defend, Libnik left little to chance. She claimed victory on all four stages and opened up a commanding 32-second lead over Bélinda Baudet, while closest title challenger Romy Williams finished almost two minutes adrift.Barring an extraordinary turnaround, Libnik looks destined to secure the overall crown on Sunday as Morillon prepares to crown three UCI Enduro World Cup champions.The final day promises drama from start to finish. Riders will tackle a course of extremes, from the explosive Reverse River stage, which packs 490 metres of descent into just 2.02 kilometres, to a brutal 5.03-kilometre finale where everything could still be won or lost. With overall titles, race victories and podium places all hanging in the balance, the stage is set for a spectacular conclusion in the French Alps.

Four weeks after an explosive round in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald, Switzerland, the 2026 UCI Enduro World Cup is set for a fitting finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). While two of the five overall titles have already been decided, there is still plenty at stake as the UCI World Cup reaches its climax.Hugo Marti Montessinos secured the Men Junior crown and Speed Project wrapped up the Teams title in Switzerland, but three overall titles remain up for grabs heading into two days of demanding, all-mountain racing.At the top of the standings, Ella Conolly and Lief Rodgers lead the way in the Elite categories. Yet, if the last round proved anything, it is that nothing can be taken for granted until the final rider crosses the finish line of the final stage. With the titles still hanging in the balance, Morillon is set to provide a dramatic conclusion to the UCI Enduro World Cup season.THE FINAL SHOWDOWNNestled in the heart of France’s Haute-Savoie region, Morillon returns as the venue for the UCI Enduro World Cup finale following its standout debut as the overall title decider in 2025.Set among the pine-covered slopes of the Grand Massif’s renowned Enduro Bike Park, this year’s showdown combines the return of several fan-favourite stages with a few brand-new challenges designed to test the world’s best enduro riders.As an Enduro-only round, competitors will tackle eight stages across two days of racing, covering a total of 84.4km and 4,110m of descent.Day one opens with two stages making their UCI Enduro World Cup debut. Among them is Montagnes du Giffre, a demanding 3.08km test featuring 669m of descent, the biggest drop of the opening day. Riders will then take on Dre dan l’pentu, the longest stage of the day, before wrapping up with Paddock Express, last year’s dramatic final stage and a fitting end to the first day of competition.Day two blends familiar territory with fresh challenges. The returning Reverse River and Morillon Village stages are sandwiched between two new additions. Red Line gets the action underway with an adrenaline-filled 2.93km descent dropping 456m, while the finale, Haute-Savoie, could prove decisive in the fight for the title. Stretching over 5.03km and plunging more than 912m downhill, its relentless mix of technical and twisting terrain may ultimately determine who leaves Morillon as the overall winner of the 2026 UCI Enduro World Cup.TITLES ON THE LINE Ella Conolly and Lief Rodgers arrive in Morillon at the top of their respective standings, but while one has a firm hand on the trophy, the other still has work to do before he can celebrate.In the Women Elite category, Conolly has delivered a commanding defence of her 2025 overall crown. The British privateer secured her third victory of the season in Switzerland and heads into the finale with a 170-point advantage over Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project). Barring an extraordinary turn of events, a second consecutive overall title looks all but assured. Conolly needs only a sixth-place finish in Morillon to seal it, and given that she has not finished outside the top three in more than two years, it would likely take a DNF to deny her the title.Pugin, meanwhile, has already guaranteed second place overall regardless of the outcome in France. The battle for the final podium position remains very much alive, with Elly Hoskin, Raphaela Richter and Winnifred Goldsbury all still in contention for third.The Men Elite title race is considerably tighter. Lief Rodgers holds an 82-point lead over Adrien Dailly (Speed Project), half the advantage enjoyed by Conolly in the women’s standings, and the Canadian privateer still needs a podium finish to guarantee his maiden overall title.Adding further intrigue, Rodgers is also chasing his first-ever UCI Enduro World Cup victory. A breakthrough win on the trails of Morillon would provide the perfect conclusion to what has already been an outstanding second season in the Elite ranks.Unlike the women’s competition, where Conolly has established clear control, the Men Elite overall title race remains remarkably open. Mathematically, each of the top six riders can still claim the overall title. Alongside Rodgers and Dailly, the contenders include Raphäel Giambi (Speed Project), Alex Rudeau, Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and defending overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team), ensuring that the fight for the title will go down to the wire.In the junior categories, Montessinos has already wrapped up the Men Junior overall title. The Women Junior category, however, is still finely balanced, with just 25 points separating leader Nežka Libnik and Romy Williams (Speed Project) heading into the final round of the season.HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTIONRace content will be available across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ official platforms, including:A detailed course preview highlighting the route and its key sections and video highlights from both practice and race days on the official YouTube channel.Key moments shared on social media (@uci_mtbworldseries)Live timing on the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website and via the official app, which will also feature live blogging with key updates throughout the event.A highlights programme will be broadcast on Eurosport and TNT Sports next week and available on streaming platform HBO Max on demand.ENDURO OPEN RETURNSShimano Enduro Open riders will also take on the trails of the Grand Massif, experiencing first-hand what it takes to compete on a UCI Enduro World Cup course.The Enduro Open gives amateur riders the unique opportunity to race the very same stages, on the very same weekend, as the sport’s elite athletes, setting off just hours before the professionals. After crossing the finish line, participants can stay on to watch the world’s best in action and see how their own times compare against those at the very top of the sport.Racing gets underway in Morillon, Haute Savoie on Saturday – full schedule and event details are available here.