The third round of the UCI Enduro World Cup marked the season’s first two-day race. However, wet weather and stormy conditions in the Dolomites forced the cancellation of two physically demanding tests scheduled for day two, setting the stage for some unexpected results.
Experienced rider Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) delivered a technical masterclass to overturn a 16-second deficit and claim her maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory. In the men’s race, Tristan Botteram pushed to the limit on the final stage to edge out Tommaso Calonaci by less than a second in a thrilling finish.
The Junior categories were equally dramatic: Harper Nelmes stormed to victory in the Men’s Junior race with a decisive final stage performance, while Nežka Libnik enjoyed a flawless weekend to take top honours in the Women’s Junior event.
In the team standings, Speed Project secured their third consecutive round win, further extending their overall lead.
BOTTERAM PRODUCES PERFECT RUN TO CLINCH SLENDER VICTORY
Coming into the second race day Italian rider Tommaso Calonaci was a surprise leader by three seconds in the Men’s Elite event, as he looked to secure a first UCI Enduro World Cup podium of his career. UCI Enduro World Champion, Alex Rudeau, was just three seconds behind and Tristan Botteram also in contention five seconds back. Last year’s UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was also well placed for charge at victory just seven seconds from the lead.
A storm before the day’s first stage resulted in stages four, five and six being cancelled for the Men’s Elite riders. Riders were left to battle for victory over the final 1.32-kilomete long Ciasates “EDR”.
The short and powerful stage following the earlier storm resulted in some difficult conditions for riders. Botteram produced the ride of his career to win the stage by just eight tenths of a second from Lief Rogers, with Vojtech Bláha in third. Importantly Botteram’s time was 6.5 seconds faster than Calonaci to clinch the overall victory from the Italian by just six tenths of a second.
After winning Saturday’s first stage Tommaso Francardo (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team) did enough to place third overall. Meanwhile, Rudeau was pushed down to fifth, while Łukasik had issues on the final stage and placed 11th. After three rounds Rudeau keeps the lead in the overall standings ahead of Rodgers in second and Francardo.
Speaking following his first UCI Enduro World Cup victory, Botteram said: “It was a special day for sure. With a lot of stages being cancelled and having to re-group and then put everything into one run, it was very difficult to regain all the time to win. To deliver under the pressure when I knew that I could win the race was really good.
“It was big build-up to this race for me since November. I worked really hard and it’s been a long journey to get here. This is my first World Cup win and podium at the first time.”
PUGIN PRODUCES TECHNICAL MASTERCLASS TO OVERTURN RIVALS
Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project) started the second day in sixth overall, having lost 13 seconds on the opening day, most of it on the demanding Tutti Frutti physical test. However, the French rider turned things around in emphatic style, mastering the steep and highly technical 2.51km Titans stage.
Rain during the stage added another layer of difficulty, making the wooded and rocky terrain, capped by a challenging rock garden, particularly treacherous. Pugin handled the conditions to perfection, setting a benchmark time an impressive 12 seconds clear of her nearest rival.
Winnifred Goldsbury, who claimed her maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland, also had ground to make up, starting the day in third overall, 12 seconds off the lead. The 19-year-old New Zealander delivered under pressure, finishing second on Titans, just seven seconds behind Pugin.
Overnight leader Ella Conolly opted for a more measured approach on the opening stage, anticipating the physical tests later in the day. She placed third on Titans, conceding 27 seconds to Pugin but remaining firmly in contention, just 10 seconds behind the new race leader.
The demanding conditions took their toll, with several riders losing ground, including UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskins, who finished 52 seconds down on the stage, effectively ending her challenge for overall victory. Shortly after, worsening weather forced the cancellation of stages five and six, leaving only the final Ciasates “EDR” stage to decide the race.
The 1.3km test combined high-speed sections, a short climb and a technical wooded descent, setting up a decisive finale. Pugin once again excelled in the technical terrain, winning the stage to secure overall victory.
Hoskins bounced back to finish second on the stage, less than two seconds behind, while Conolly came home over six seconds adrift. In the final standings, Pugin sealed a commanding overall win by 17 seconds ahead of Conolly, with Goldsbury continuing her strong form in third.
Reflecting on her victory, Pugin said: “I’m so proud of myself and my team. It’s been five years since my last win, so it feels incredible to be back on top. I had a difficult start to the weekend after a crash before training, so I took it easy at first, and yesterday I struggled to find my rhythm on the physical stages. With the weather today, we didn’t know how many stages we would even get. I gave everything on that first stage, and it paid off. I love this place. I think it’s the most beautiful place in Europe to ride a bike.”
After three rounds, Conolly retains the overall series lead, holding a 30-point advantage over Pugin, with Goldsbury in third.
NELMES AND LIBNIK TAKE JUNIOR HONOURS
Overnight, Hugo Marti Montessinos led the Men’s Junior race by 11 seconds after breaking clear on the opening two stages. However, a crash in the Titans rock garden cost the youngster valuable time, dropping eight seconds on the stage. Fellow French rider Jules Janniaud kept his composure to take the stage win, while Harper Nelmes finished a close runner-up, just four tenths of a second back, moving to within three seconds of the lead heading into the final stage.
On the decisive 1.7km finale, Tommy Bougon laid down the fastest time of the day, going four seconds quicker than his rivals to secure fourth overall. Behind him, Nelmes delivered when it mattered most, finishing third on the stage to overturn the deficit and claim the overall victory, as Marti Montessinos conceded five crucial seconds.
Reflecting on his win, Nelmes said: “That was probably one of the toughest races I’ve ever competed in. It was a great weekend battling with Hugo [Marti Montessinos] and some of the Italian guys. They were fast and right there all weekend. Kudos to them.”
After three rounds, Marti Montessinos still leads the overall standings, holding a 60-point advantage over Nelmes.
In the Women’s Junior race, Nežka Libnik completed a flawless weekend, winning all five stages. The Slovenian rider continued her dominance on Titans, extending her advantage by a further 40 seconds.
Elena Frei once again proved her closest challenger in second, while Romy Williams (Speed Project) strengthened her grip on third overall. Libnik then capped off a perfect performance by claiming victory on the final Ciasates “EDR” stage, sealing the overall by an emphatic margin of 2 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of Frei, with Williams in third.
After back-to-back dominant rounds, Libnik leads the overall standings, ahead of Williams. Speaking after her victory, she said: “It was a very tough and physical weekend. The stages were great, technical and a bit slippery, but I managed to stay upright and put down some good times”.
There is no let-up for the world’s best riders, as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads to La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta next weekend for a blockbuster quadruple-header. The event will feature Downhill and Enduro alongside the addition of the UCI Cross-country World Cup for 2026.
The action gets underway on Friday (July 3) with UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup racing and UCI Downhill World Cup qualifications. Saturday (July 4) brings the Downhill finals and UCI Enduro World Cup, including a special night stage, before the weekend concludes on Sunday (July 5) with the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup.
