The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series headed deep into the heart of the Pyrenees for a spectacular stop at the Pal Arinsal Bike Park, home to the highest-altitude race venue on this year’s calendar and one of its toughest endurance tests. The four-kilometre course featured 119 metres of climbing per lap, with three punchy ascents steadily wearing down the world’s best cross-country riders.
The weekend also marked the conclusion of an intense racing block that saw four UCI Cross-country World Cup rounds contested in just five weeks. With a six-week summer break looming, riders left nothing on the course in the battle for crucial overall points.
Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) further extended her lead in the overall standings and became the first Women Elite rider to complete the Pal Arinsal double, following up her UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup victory with success in the XCO race. Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) continued her impressive run of form to finish second, while Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) secured third place on the podium.
In the Men Elite race, Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) turned Friday’s narrow XCC defeat into a dominant XCO victory, crossing the line ahead of Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) and Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon XC Racing). Despite battling illness throughout the weekend, Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) retained the overall series lead after finishing 22nd.
The Under-23 categories saw Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) both complete perfect weekends, claiming XCC-XCO doubles and carrying commanding leads in the overall standings into the summer break.
It was also a highly successful weekend for Specialized Factory Racing, which topped the team standings and further strengthened its lead in the overall team classification.
BOICHIS CONQUERS THE PYRENEES WITH MASTERCLASS PERFORMANCE IN PAL ARINSAL
Adrien Boichis put in a commanding performance to claim the second Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup victory of his career. The Frenchman dictated the pace from the front, steadily increasing the pressure with each lap before launching a decisive attack to ride clear of the field.
After crashing in Friday’s XCC race, Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) was forced to start from 26th on the grid. Undeterred, the Frenchman produced a stunning opening lap, using the course’s demanding climbs to surge through the field and quickly rejoin the fight for the podium.
By the second lap, a lead group of four had formed, with Boichis and Luca Martin joined by German National Champion Luca Schwarzbauer and Azzaro. Sensing an opportunity, Boichis maintained a relentless tempo that proved too much for Martin, who was eventually dropped from the front group.
Fresh from a podium finish in Friday’s XCC race, Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) continued his impressive comeback from a broken collarbone suffered earlier in the season. The American led the chase behind his teammate, while Boichis kept the pressure high at the front, gradually distancing Schwarzbauer. Only Azzaro was able to match the Frenchman’s pace as they approached the halfway mark.
Elsewhere, reigning UCI XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team XC) saw his challenge hampered by a wheel change after suffering a puncture, one of several riders affected by the demanding conditions throughout the day.
As Andorra resident Boichis continued to drive the pace on home trails, he and Azzaro built a comfortable advantage over Schwarzbauer in third. Azzaro briefly tested his rival with an attack when Boichis reached for an energy gel, but the Specialized Factory Racing rider responded immediately and regained control of the race.
Having weathered the challenge, Boichis took a moment to recover before launching a decisive attack on the penultimate lap. He quickly opened a gap over Azzaro and never looked back, extending his advantage to cross the finish line 19 seconds clear of his compatriot. Schwarzbauer secured third place, marking his first UCI XCO World Cup podium since 2022 and the third of his career.
Meanwhile, Luca Martin, still battling illness, faded through the field to finish 22nd. Despite the difficult day, the Cannondale Factory Racing rider retained the overall series lead, carrying a 130-point advantage into the summer break.
Following his victory, Boichis said: “It feels super special. It’s a magical day. Mike Sinyard, the founder of Specialized, is here, so to have such a good race in front of him is incredibly special. I felt amazing on the S-Works Epic 9 today, it was like the bike was flying both up and down the course.
Cycling doesn’t get much more enjoyable than days like this. My plan was to ride at a steady pace and not go over my limit. I felt comfortable, and when I saw riders starting to drop, I just kept pushing. When Mathis [Azzaro] attacked, I knew I could respond straight away. I focused on riding the final two laps as fast as possible while staying in control. I live in Andorra now, so winning here at altitude, on such a demanding track, makes this result even more special.”
RISSVEDS RIDES SOLO TO COMPLETE PAL ARINSAL DOUBLE
Jenny Rissveds once again showcased her exceptional form with a commanding solo victory in the Women Elite race. The reigning UCI XCO World Champion seized control on the second lap and quickly established a lead that she never relinquished, riding alone to a convincing win in front of her adopted home crowd in Andorra.
The race began with early drama as a coming together on the opening gravel climb forced both Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) and Alessandra Keller (Thömus maxon) down the order, costing them valuable positions and time. Meanwhile, Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing), renowned for her explosive starts, once again hit the front from the gun. However, Rissveds was quick to capitalize, taking over the pace-setting duties before dropping the Swiss rider and moving clear at the head of the race.
The demanding Pal Arinsal course continued to take its toll on the field. The venue’s sharp rocks and technical root-filled descents caused mechanical issues for several riders, with Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) suffering a puncture and Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) seeing her race come to an end after a blown tyre.
Fresh from her victory in La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy) the previous weekend, Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) led the chase alongside Specialized Factory Racing teammates Laura Stigger and Sina Frei. As the effects of the altitude and relentless climbing began to show, Blöchlinger was first reeled in and then dropped by the pursuing trio. Although Rissveds remained firmly in control, her advantage fluctuated between 25 and 30 seconds for much of the race, preventing her from completely disappearing into the distance.
After her difficult start, Blunk produced an impressive comeback ride, using her climbing strength to bridge across to the chase group on the penultimate lap. As the riders took the bell for the final lap, Rissveds held a comfortable 44-second lead. Behind her, Berta launched a decisive move on the course’s longest climb in an attempt to secure second place. Only Frei could respond, while Blunk and Stigger were left behind.
Frei repeatedly attacked throughout the final lap in a bid to shake off her Italian rival, but Berta matched every acceleration. In the closing kilometres, the Origine Racing Division rider found another gear, moving ahead and holding firm to secure second place, with Frei completing the podium in third.
Although her winning margin was reduced during the final lap, Rissveds remained in complete control to claim another dominant victory. The result strengthened the Andorra-based rider’s grip on the overall standings, extending her lead to 347 points over Frei heading into the summer break.
Following her victory, Rissveds said: “It feels really good. It’s amazing to be racing at home. I love the course here and the spectators are great. It’s just a nice place and I’m enjoying it. I’m in a really good place at the moment. I made some big changes in my life last year and moved to Andorra. I’m just enjoying life, and I think that happiness helps me go fast as well.”
SCHEHL AND CORVI COMPLETE PERFECT WEEKENDS WITH DOMINANT UNDER-23 VICTORIES
Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) continued his remarkable run of form by securing a fourth consecutive Men Under-23 UCI XCO World Cup victory. The German rider wasted no time asserting his authority, establishing a small advantage on the opening lap before gradually extending it into an unassailable lead.
Behind him, Thibaut François Baudry (Canyon XC Racing) led the chase throughout much of the race but ultimately crossed the line 1:17 adrift of the dominant Schehl. The battle for the final podium position went down to the wire, with Nicolas Halter (Thömus Akros-Youngstars) producing a blistering penultimate lap to break clear of a four-rider group and secure third place.
Having also claimed victory in Friday’s UCI XCC World Cup, Schehl completed a perfect weekend in Pal Arinsal and heads into the summer break with a commanding 103-point lead in the overall standings. Following his victory, he said: “It was a hard race, but I found a really good flow and enjoyed every moment out there. I was able to maintain a high pace while still feeling comfortable. The biggest challenge was carrying speed through the sharp rocks and avoiding a puncture. This result is really special because I’ve struggled here in the past, so to come away with a perfect weekend is absolutely phenomenal. I enjoyed every second of it.”
In the Women Under-23 race, Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) further cemented her status as the category’s dominant force, claiming her fifth victory in six UCI XCO World Cup rounds this season. Following a runaway success in Friday’s XCC race, the Italian once again rode away from the field to claim another emphatic solo win.
Corvi immediately took control of the race, opening a 21-second lead by the end of the first lap before steadily increasing her advantage to 1:19 by the finish. Elina Benoit (Lexware Mountainbike Team) initially led the chase behind Corvi but paid for her early efforts and eventually slipped to fourth. Instead, it was Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Racing) who delivered a perfectly judged race, conserving energy before launching a powerful late charge that secured second place. Fiona Schibler completed the podium just seven seconds further back in third.
Corvi now holds a remarkable 403-point advantage in the overall standings as the series heads into its six-week summer break. Reflecting on her latest victory, Corvi said: “It was super hard today. After this racing block I was feeling a little tired, so I focused on riding my own race. I struggled a bit in the middle of the race because the course is so demanding, with tough climbs and technical descents. I just tried to stay focused on my body and my sensations. The last three laps felt much better and I’m really happy to finish this race block with another win”.
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues next weekend with the UCI Enduro World Cup in Aletsch Arena–Bellwald, Switzerland, from 17–19 July. Meanwhile, the cross-country athletes now head into a six-week summer break before returning to action in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, from 20–23 August.
