The Gravity riders were back in action this weekend, as the UCI Downhill World Cup returned a month on from the series opener in MONA YongPyong (South Korea) and the UCI Enduro World Cup kicked off its 2026 season.
The French Pyrenees provided the backdrop for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, presented by FACOM, and riders were treated to fast and flowing trails that had benefitted from plenty of dry weather in the build-up.
There was a second win of the 2026 UCI Downhill World Cup for Vali Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) and first of his Elite career for Luca Shaw (Canyon DH Racing), while in the first UCI Enduro World Cup of 2026, Ella Conolly and Alex Rudeau got their seasons off to the strongest possible starts.
But the winning riders weren’t the only stories from the weekend’s action. From a disappointing final run in front of a passionate home crowd to signs of progress after a 2025 to forget, here are some of the highlights from this week’s THE B LINE.
BAUMANN BREAKS ONTO PODIUM
Lisa Baumann (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) might be the double UCI Snow Bike World Champion, but the Swiss star has proven she is just as good in the dry, recording her first Elite Women’s podium this weekend.
“It’s crazy. I felt really good on this track. [Qualifying] was harder for me. I felt really good during training, and I know I can be good on this track,” she said. “I’m so happy I got this podium. It’s really cool. All the work that the team is doing is crazy.”
PIERRON IN THE PITS
After a miraculous, mid-race recovery to finish on the podium in South Korea, Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC OFF by Riding Addiction) wasn’t able to repeat the feat in the French Pyrenees – the home favourite and second-fastest qualifier coming down hard in his finals run and settling for 20th.
“I’m pretty happy with my riding, but I got smoked,” he said. “I knew that section was tricky. I don’t understand – I need to watch the GoPro footage. When you can’t deliver what you want it’s frustrating. The weekend was going well until that point.”
ILES LIVING THE DREAM
One rider looking close to their best in 2026 is Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity). The Canadian had a rocky 2025 by his high standards, but his fourth-place in the Elite Men’s finals was his best result in almost two years.
“Last year was such a tough journey but something I had to come through. The sport has changed with no protections and how the qualifying works, and just the overall level. There’s no middle ground anymore – you’re either fast or you’re not making it through Q1,” he said.
“I felt like I had a win in me. After the tough sections of races I’ve had, it felt really good. It’s confidence building heading to Leogang.”
Outside of racing, Iles also says that he benefits from the support of his partner, fellow rider Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing). “Life is great. I’m living the dream. I get to race my bike with my girlfriend. She’s incredibly supportive. I think we both have a lot of determination and grit.”
HARDEN HAPPY TO PUT TOGETHER A SOLID WEEKEND
Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) continued her strong start to the year, adding sixth place in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes to her fourth-place finish in MONA YongPyong. The British multi-discipline rider was grateful to get through a whole weekend of racing, having failed to qualify for the Elite Women’s finals at the French venue in 2025.
“It’s been a great week after a bit of a slow start,” she said. “I wasn’t sure I was going to qualify but I got there eventually. I felt like I was breaking too much but when I saw the time, I went really quick. Vali [Höll] was something else but the rest of us were really close. After going so well in Korea, I wanted to back it up.”
HÖLL ON A ROLL
After only winning one UCI Downhill World Cup in 2025, Vali Höll has doubled her tally already in 2026 to retain a 100% record. While the Austrian makes it look easy – winning by more than three seconds – doubts still creep in.
“I was quite scared in the start hut because I knew how fast we had to go on this race track. I checked the time of the Juniors and they all improved a little bit, so I thought I need to improve.
“I’m definitely not lacking motivation. It helps a lot with the environment I’m in and the people around me. We are all here to chase one goal and that’s riding the bikes fast. I’m only 24, it’s hard for me to stop now and think of something else because I don’t know what else I’d do to be honest, so I just stick around and ride my bike as fast as I can until the juniors come up who have a bit more competition. We are on a roll right now.”
SHAW CELEBRATES DEBUT WIN
While Höll recorded her 14th UCI Downhill World Cup win, Luca Shaw was picking up his first – the American rider finally standing on the top step of the podium after 79 starts, which included three second-place near-misses.
“It’s so special to have this kind of support,” he said. “I felt like people were waiting on me to do this for years. I couldn’t do it without everyone of these guys in here and it feels so good that we can celebrate together.
“[I feel] relief but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve been working my ass off for a long time and to finally do it in a fair race, in fair conditions, in France on a sick track. It was meant to happen today. This is amazing.
“I love my team. They’re behind me. They’re like family to me. They support me through thick and thin. They’re here when it doesn’t go well. It means the world and I’m so happy to celebrate with them.”
