After two fast and furious weekends of racing in Val di Sole -Trentino and Val di Fassa - Trentino, the Italian WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series triple header comes to a conclusion in the Alps and a new UCI World Cup venue – La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta.
The Gravity-only affair will be familiar to fans of Enduro – the location featuring in the UCI Enduro World Cup’s predecessor (Enduro World Series) five times between 2014 and 2021 – but the Valle d’Aosta spot is making its Downhill debut courtesy of a brand new race track.
THE BIRTH OF AN ITALIAN ICON
La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta is a high alpine ski town in the northwest of Italy that’s nestled in the Alps on the Italy-France border. A stone’s throw from Chamonix, France, and Mont Blanc, the town’s 1,450m elevation guarantees amazing views of the surrounding mountain range and down into the valley below.
La Thuile Bike Park is home to 170km of routes, featuring some challenging, black-diamond trails packed with long, steep descents. Above the treeline, riders are treated to mellow, meadow fields, but on dropping into the woods the lines become rocky, rooty, and natural, creating a demanding test for both rider and bike.
Its latest addition for the UCI Downhill World Cup has been created especially for this weekend by track manager Enrico Martello and Swiss specialists, Trailworks (whose work includes Bike Kingdom, Lenzerheide, Switzerland) and numerous local trailbuilders. The technical, steep and fast 2.3km course has an average gradient of -27% as it drops 641m in elevation. A mix of 40% machined and 60% natural terrain, it represents La Thuile’s character as it passes through dense alpine forests before opening up into a fast, flowing white-knuckle ride down towards the finish line. Standout section Shanghai is bound to become a fan favourite courtesy of a series of banked berms, while a 13.5m road gap will test even the most committed riders.
The venue’s Enduro stages meanwhile take in the best trails of the Aosta Valley. Known globally as a natural trail area, La Thuile has become a reference point in the enduro world thanks to its raw character and deep connection to the mountain landscape. The UCI Enduro World Cup will see athletes take on four stages as part of a 48.21km course featuring 2,732m of descent during the race stages and 1,330m of pedal ascent during liaisons. The first three stages are drawn out affairs – the 6km with 988m descent Chaz Dura Express the longest of the lot – while the venue is pulling out all the stops for the final stage, Nightfall. For the UCI World Cup’s first-ever night stage, riders won’t start dropping in until 8:30pm, and will navigate the 600m-long stage lit by 23 floodlights that utilise the same technology as those used in Formula 1’s night races to ensure there are no shadows.
GOLDSTONE ON FIRE AND CONSISTENT HÖLL IN CONTROL
Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Valentina Höll (YT Mob) are the riders leading the downhill charge as we approach the season’s halfway point, but both have got to the top of their respective standings in different fashions.
Goldstone is in a red-hot streak with three back-to-back wins that have rocketed him above Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) in the overall. The Canadian seems to be making up for lost time having missed last season due to injury, and is a win away from equaling Aaron Gwin’s (Gwin Racing) record for wins in a row (four) from 2012.
To do so, the 21-year-old will have to do something he’s never done before – win on a brand-new UCI Downhill World Cup track. Second in the standings Bruni is one rider who has done this, plus with experience testing La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta’s course in the off-season, the reigning overall Series champion has the upper hand on his competitors.
Third-placed Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) was the other rider present that day, and the UCI Downhill World Champion is edging closer to a podium finish – fifth place in Val di Sole – Trentino (Italy) his best result of the season.
Others to look out for include wild card entrant Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour) and second place in Val di Sole Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), while one rider who won’t be competing is Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) – the Frenchman injuring his collarbone in practice last time out.
For Höll, she finds herself in first despite not winning all year – the reigning UCI Downhill World Champion and overall series winner in the top spot through consistency. Her second place in Val di Sole was her third podium of the season, but her UCI Downhill World Cup winless streak goes back to Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria) in June 2024. If the Austrian fails to win this weekend, it will be her first Elite season where she hasn’t won one of the opening five rounds – a record that highlights her dominance since 2021.
Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) is breathing down Höll’s neck, 49-points in arrears, and will be looking to secure her third win of the season in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta. Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) is another rider looking to bounce back after a disappointing time in Trentino – the Brit and round one winner finishing down in 15th place.
Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) meanwhile became the third different rider to win in 2025 in Val di Sole, highlighting the competitiveness in this year’s competition, and with six rounds to go, she won’t have written off her chances in the overall just yet.
LUKASIK AND CONOLLY COULD BE CROWNED THIS WEEKEND
While the downhill series is only approaching its halfway point, the Enduro contest is nearing its conclusion with La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta hosting the penultimate round. And with Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Ella Conolly continuing their dominant form in Val di Fassa, the pair could wrap up the overall before August’s finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France).
Lukasik secured his second UCI Enduro World Cup in the Dolomites, winning two stages over the two-day race to outgun all others including teammate Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team). With Rude Jr back to Downhill racing this weekend, he’ll have one less rival to contend with in the Alps. The Pole only needs to finish fourth or better to clinch his first overall series win and given he hasn’t finished outside the top three all year, has a good chance of doing so.
Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) is the only rider who can realistically stop Lukasik from winning the overall – the Canadian needing to add a second UCI Enduro World Cup win to take this season’s Series to the final round.
Privateer Dan Booker meanwhile will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 90th place in Val di Fassa – the two-time UCI Enduro World Cup winner’s David vs Golliath bid ultimately undone by his low-scoring results in Trentino and Enduro Trails - Bielsko-Biała (Poland).
One privateer who hasn’t had this issue is Ella Conolly. The Brit has finished within the top two all year and made it a hattrick of wins in Val di Fassa. She only needs to come seventh or better in La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta to ensure her first overall series win.
The women’s competition may therefore become a battle for second, and with Simona Kuchynkova (Cube Action Team) and Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Ancillotti Vittoria Factory Team) tied on 1320 points and Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) not far behind on 1250, things are nicely poised with two rounds remaining.
Racing gets underway in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) on Saturday with the UCI Enduro World Cup – full schedule and events details are available here.
