Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) clinched the Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup overall title in the most dramatic of circumstances in his home country at Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com. Meanwhile, Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) took her 11th career UCI World Cup victory following an enthralling end to the women’s Elite category. Coming into the weekend Goldstone was locked in a battle for overall honours with quickest qualifier Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). However, a crash for Bruni in a training run resulted in the Frenchman suffering a thigh injury and not taking to the track for finals. In front of his home crowd Goldstone rose to the pressure and put down a winning run, putting Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) into second and early starter Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) into third. The women’s Elite event was equally as dramatic after the top three riders overall all had issues on the Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) course. Valentina Höll (YT Mob) suffered a flat tyre in the finals, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) crashed out, and Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) pulled out of qualifying with a back injury. Cabirou had no such problems narrowly beating Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) into second, while fastest qualifier Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) finished third. American riders Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) and Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) replicated their quickest qualifying runs to win the men’s and women’s Junior categories respectively. Vermette also finished in the quickest time of the weekend of 3:29.7 – over three tenths quicker than Goldstone. Proving their consistency Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) also held their nerves to seal the junior overall victories. GOLDSTONE RISKS EVERYTHING AND MASTERS HOME COURSE Youngster Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) completed the perfect season as he wrapped up the overall UCI Downhill World Cup series. The 21-year-old also matched the record of five Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup wins in the same season of Aaron Gwin. The previous day Bruni set the quickest qualifying time of 3:33.5 and had to finish on the podium to seal the overall title. However, after Goldstone flew down the slope in 3:30 and took the lead. Bruni then opted not to start due to a thigh injury sustained in practice, stunning his rival and handing him the overall honours. After qualifying through Q2 the previous day, Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) had a point to prove early in the field. The young American set a benchmark time of 3:33.05, which was quicker than Bruni’s quickest qualifying time the previous day and earned him a fifth placed finish. Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) crashed in the previous day’s Q1 and had to book his final spot through Q2. The Austrian showed no fear with huge jumps into the rock garden and was one second faster than Pinkerton in a new benchmark time of 3:32.3. The rock gardens caused havoc all weekend, with Martin Maes (Orbea/FMD Racing) suffering a flat tyre before Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory Racing DH) crashed out. Kolb’s blistering time stood the test of time until Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) made his mark on the course. The Irish rider led by seven tenths before his tyre exploded on a rock following a heavy landing to end his run. American Dakotah Norton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) was next to challenge the time of Kolb, but despite gaining time on the final rock garden with his high-rise bars he finished just three tenths slower to finish fourth. All the pressure was on young UCI Downhill World Champion, Goldstone, who flew out of the starting gate on his home course and was in contention from the opening turns. Fighting through the trees Goldstone maintained his speed with huge jumps as he tripled over the difficult rock garden to maintain his speed. Goldstone mastered the final sector to finish two seconds faster than Kolb to go quickest and send the Mont-Sainte-Anne crowd wild. Penultimate starter Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) showed his experience with a controlled performance and was a second slower than Goldstone in the top sectors. Shaw gained momentum and charged through the rock garden to finish runner-up just two seconds behind Goldstone. The drama then unfolded as all eyes were on the starting gate for the final competitor of this year’s series. However, Bruni did not appear, and his team later announced the earlier injury suffered in practice. The result gave Goldstone the overall series victory by 178 points ahead of Bruni in second and Shaw in third. Following his victory Goldstone said: “I’m completely speechless. That was the run of my life. I knew I had to give it absolutely everything, it wasn’t pretty, I was making so many mistakes and getting super sketchy. The crowd were so amazing and cheered me on every step of the way. It didn’t feel quite right not battling with Loïc (Bruni) and I have no clue what happened. It’s not the way I wanted to win. I was hoping it to be a good fight right to the bottom, but we got it done at the end of the day. “I hardly got any sleep last night, it was staring at the roof for two hours as my mind was racing. I just had to try and focus on myself. It was quite testing for me. “I hope Loïc (Bruni) is alright. It was such a good battle with him this year, he’s someone I’ve looked up to my whole career and what an amazing rival to compete with. “It’s such a cool and friendly rivalry we’ve got and we’ll be battling again next year.” CABIROU FINISHES SEASON IN STYLE WITH VICTORY Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) repeated her win at Mont-Sainte-Anne from 12 months earlier by building her speed through the lower sections of the Canadian course and finishing her season in style. Young New Zealander Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing Downhill) has overcome several injuries this season. The youngster showed her talent to set a blistering opening two sections and posted an early benchmark time of 4:08.8 which was good enough for fifth overall. Last weekend, UCI Downhill World Champion, Valentina Höll (YT Mob) won her first UCI World Cup of the season and with it, the overall series. Höll looked determined for more success and put down an impressive top two sections which were four seconds faster than Earnest. The Austrian continued to build her speed down the track and led by 6.5 seconds, until suffering a punctured front wheel and had to walk the remainder of the track. Meanwhile, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) was looking for her first victory in Mont-Sainte-Anne after finishing runner-up last year. The Canadian started on the front foot and was 2.4 seconds faster than the quickest time before crashing out at the bottom. Like 12 months earlier Cabirou mastered the Canadian course and built speed throughout her run to post a winning time of 4:01.6. Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) won in La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta (Italy) earlier this season and was also bidding to sign off the campaign in style. The German competitor matched the time of Cabirou through the opening sections before finishing just seven tenths of a second slower. Meanwhile, Camille Balanche (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was in the thick of the podium battle in the final ride of her career, before crashing. Final starter Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) was quickest qualifier and was hoping to end an indifferent season with victory. The French woman showed aggression through the technical section as she looked to repeat her UCI World Cup win at the same venue in 2019. Nicole was four tenths behind after the second sector and had everything to do in the second rock garden. However, the Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction rider finished 2.2 seconds behind in third. Following her victory Cabirou said: “I’m happy to take the win today, it’s incredible. “I tried my best the whole week to have a good result today, as last week was not very good for me. I have had some good races today and some really bad. “I’m happy to take the win. I couldn’t have hoped for a better race to end the season. I made some mistakes during my qualification run and I wasn’t too happy with my qualification. “Today I knew I had more in the bag so I just focused on myself and tried to give the best I could. I’m really happy to get my 11th win here, I love this track and this crowd.” Höll topped the UCI World Cup overall standings followed by Hemstreet in second and Seagrave in third. VERMETTE SIGNS OFF JUNIOR RANKS WITH VICTORY, WHILE ALRAN CLINCHES OVERALL Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) clinched the North American victory he desired and won the men’s junior category by over four seconds. The 18-year-old, who also took victory in Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), will move up to the Elite ranks next season and his winning time of 3:29.7 was faster than all the men. After finishing runner-up in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York last weekend the American was fired up to go one better in Canada. Jonty Williamson (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) set a benchmark time but left time on in the bottom two sections as he eventually finished third. Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team teammate Tyler Waite then put pressure on the later starters by going three seconds faster, and was runner-up. The precarious nature of the course was evident when Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) crashed on the last section and placed 14th. Before the finals session, Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) had suffered a crash in the rock garden during his last practice. However, the Frenchman had the overall title at stake and needed a top five finish to secure it. Max Alran held his nerve and despite placing fourth his time was enough to secure the overall series title. Final starter Vermette was not to be denied and posted an impressive winning time. Following his win Vermette said: “I didn’t think it was going to be a that good of a run, I didn’t feel any quicker than yesterday (in qualifying). “I was off-line in a few bits. I’ll have to watch my GoPro back, but it felt pretty good. I really wanted to get the win after not getting it last weekend at basically home in Lake Placid. “It felt great. In the start gate my mindset was just to win. I wasn’t that worried about the overall as I knew it was going to be hard. “I just tried to put down my best run. I’m stoked to go and battle with the elites next year.” Max Alran took the overall series, finishing 12 points ahead of Vermette, while Waite placed third. After winning the overall series Alran said: “This morning was pretty bad. “On the last run of practice I crashed in the rock garden and dislocated my finger on the left hand, but it was not the worst. “My wrist was already sore after crashing in Lenzerheide and it was just feeling better at Lake Placid and all the week. I crashed again and it hurt. “I’m super stoked to make it to the bottom. We did it pretty good with fourth and to keep the overall. I just had to keep riding as I know and try to be safe.” OSTGAARD FINISHES WITH DOUBLE AS ZIERL SEALS CROWN Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) secured back-to-back victories in North America to finish the season on a high. Quickest qualifier Ostgaard also took victory in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last weekend and was again triumphant following a well-paced run. Meanwhile, Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) did enough to secure the overall series title with a third placed finish. Zierl qualified fourth quickest and knew that a top eight finish world secure the UCI Downhill World Champion the UCI World Cup series overall. The title was never in doubt for the 16-year-old who was quicker than those before her at every split and her time was enough for another podium finish. Penultimate starter Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) threw down the gauntlet to her rivals with an aggressive top section in a search for her first UCI World Cup win of the campaign. The New Zealander held on to her early advantage and finished one second quicker than Zierl. Final starter Ostgaard was in touch with Hulsebosch on the first two sections before building pace throughout her run. The American carried her speed and finished over a second clear of Hulsebosch in a winning time of 4:04.2. Following her victory Ostgaard said: “I just gave it everything I had. “This course is easy to make mistakes, but there is a lot of time to make it up. I just gave it everything, even though I had a scary moment. “I kept pushing as hard I could. It was about pacing myself and not killing myself on the top section. Ellie (Hulsebosch) is so strong on the top section and she could muscle her way through it, that was really impressive. “I know I can’t do that quite yet, I’m going to try. I just had to pace myself at the beginning and get faster during the run.” With eight podium finishes in 10 rounds the consistency of Zierl was enough for her to clinch the overall UCI World Cup by 35 points, ahead of Ostgaard in second and Hulsebosch in third. Women Junior UCI Downhill World Champion, Zierl said: “I just enjoyed riding my bike so much this season. “With the wins, I was quite often on the podium. It was perfect. It’s even more of a confidence boost to know that I’m fast, but I still have to work a lot to get even faster. “I’ll enjoy the first few weeks of the off-season before we start training again. It’s good to know how consistent I was. “Also, for the World Championships that I could deliver on that one race too. I’m just super happy.” The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series concludes on Sunday in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) with Cross-country Olympic action.
Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) made UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup history at Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com, while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) sprinted to the men’s Elite victory.Swedish rider Rissveds powered away from her women’s Elite rivals with three laps remaining and pulled out a XCC record 18-second win. Meanwhile, Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) controlled the chasing pack and her second position was enough to seal her maiden UCI XCC World Cup overall victory.The men’s Elite race was a closer affair with Martin escaping on the last lap and Cannondale Factory Racing teammate Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) fended off Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) for second.The short and sharp XCC course featured a power climb before descending back down and a decisive short rise on loose terrain rising into the finishing straight.Isabella Holmgren took victory for hosting nation Canada in the women’s Under 23 category, while Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his winning run in the men’s Under 23 event.RISSVEDS POWERS TO GLORY, WHILE RICHARDS CELEBRATES TITLE Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) took her fourth consecutive Women Elite UCI XCC World Cup victory with a commanding performance. The Swedish rider showed her dominant form as her rivals were unable to follow as she rode away to win by 18 seconds.Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) came into the event knowing that a top eight finish would be enough to seal her maiden Women Elite UCI XCC overall crown. Overall points leader Richards got off to the perfect start and pushed the pace on the opening climb as Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) was pushed further back.Canadian rider Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) was looking for a good performance on her home turf and took over the early pace setting.On the third of nine laps Rissveds forced the pace and was followed by Richards, before the front group came back together. Rissveds continued her pace and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) joined Richards but once more the chasing pack rejoined the front.After 13 minutes of racing Rissveds attacked again on the climb and was initially joined by Frei and Richards. However, the Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider had power to burn and used the final mound before the finish to pull out a sizeable advantage.Rissveds was untouchable as she pulled out a 24-second advantage heading into the penultimate lap over a 13-rider chasing group. Taking the last lap bell Rissveds led by 25 seconds as Richards was powering at the front of the chasing group.Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) used the climb to challenge Richards for second position, and the pair had a slender gap descending down to the finish for the final time.Rissveds celebrated a clear win and finished 18 seconds ahead of a delighted Richards, while Blöchlinger finished third.Afterwards Rissveds said: “I just felt really strong today, I didn’t have to wait so I just went earlier than I normally would do.“I learnt so much this year as an athlete and how to race as fast as possible. I feel like I improve every race and try new things every race. It’s scary sometimes to try new things and new challenges.“When you face it, trust and believe then you should be proud of that. I really like this course in Mont-Sainte-Anne, I feel really strong at the moment, it’s a good feeling.”Richards won the overall series by 110 points from Rissveds in second and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) in third.Following her overall victory Richards said: “I’m so happy. It has been such a turbulent year. When I didn’t race in Italy [Val Di Sole – Trentino], I didn’t care about the overall. I just wanted to get healthy and once I’m healthy I could then fight again. The fact I missed that, got healthy and still got it is just amazing. I’m very excited. Under 23“I was really nervous, I wanted to win but also didn’t want to finish outside of the top eight.“I know how strong Jenny [Rissveds] is and when she went, I had to make the call, I just couldn’t sacrifice trying to chase her down and risk losing it. I had to think quite a lot today.”MARTIN LEADS ONE-TWO FOR CANNONDALE FACTORY RACINGLuca Martin and Charlie Aldridge were perfect teammates as they fended off their rivals to complete a one-two for Cannondale Factory Racing in the men’s Elite category.The pair were involved in a last lap battle with Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and refused to let their rival by, as the Frenchman had to settle for third.Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) powered from the front row and set a blistering first lap pace on the dry and fast course. Fellow Specialized Factory Racing rider Boichis finished runner-up in the previous two XCC UCI World Cup events and was close on the wheel of his teammate. Series winner Christopher Blevins was also keen to join his team-mates in the podium battle and used the climb to move himself up the front pack.Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) took the race on from the front and at the midway point was leading a long string of riders. Cannondale Factory Racing were also keen to take the fight to their rivals as Aldridge, Martin and Canadian rider Cole Punchard massed at the front on the sixth of 10 laps.UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) was one of those who felt the fast pace being driven by Schwarzbauer and dropped outside the top-20 heading into the penultimate lap.British rider Aldridge looked to repeat his victory from Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and took the front on the penultimate lap, taking teammate Martin and Boichis with him. On the climb for the final lap the three leaders went alongside each other in a drag race for the front. Martin held first place and Aldridge allowed his team-mate a gap as Boichis was unable to come around his rival on the descent. Rising to the finish Martin held on for a slender win ahead of Aldridge and Boichis rounded off the podium.Blevins had already secured the overall series and was joined on the overall XCC podium by Martin and Aldridge in second and third respectively.Following his race victory Martin said: “It’s so nice to win here in Mont-Sainte-Anne because it’s very special.“The people speak French here and it’s so nice to ride here. Charlie [Aldridge] helped me a lot, he rode on the front and today we played for the win.“We worked super-well together. I think the sport is changing and we need to ride with a team-mate for the win. I think we did it perfectly today.”HOLMGREN RETURNS WITH HOME VICTORYUnder 23 UCI XCC World Champion Isabella Holmgren took victory following an impressive penultimate lap attack. The multi-discipline rider has combined her mountain bike aspirations with road racing for Lidl-Trek. Holmgren had won two of her three XCC outings this season coming into the event and finished runner-up in the other.Anina Hutter (Nexetis) led the charge behind in second nine seconds back, while Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) finished third.Following her victory Holmgren said: “It feels really nice to back on the mountain bike, especially here in Canada. It feels so nice to have a home crowd and family cheering.“It’s super-hard to hold a good position on this course, so I wanted to stay as close to the front as much as possible and make it a hard race.A third place for Sadnik was enough for her to clinch the overall series ahead of Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) in second and Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) in third.Following her overall victory Sadnik added: “I can’t imagine what I’ve done this year, it’s unbelievable.“I’m more than happy and it will take a bit of time to get over it. Sometimes when I look down, I thought ‘I want to keep this jersey so I need to push’.TREUDLER TAKES SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE WINFinn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his domination of the men’s Under 23 category with his seventh win in a row. The 22-year-old had already wrapped up both the XCC and XCO overall series titles coming into the final round in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada).Despite his persistent efforts throughout the race Treudler was unable to gap a string of leading riders. That was until the penultimate lap when the Swiss rider pulled out a slender margin and fended off his rivals to the line.Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) had to settle for runner-up position just two seconds behind and Swedish rider Nils Johansson was third.Treudler won the overall by 281 points ahead of Pedersen in second, while Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountain Bike Team) finished third overall.Following his victory Treudler said: “It was a super-tough battle today. I tried to break away a few times, but I just couldn’t make a decisive gap so it was a sprint finish again.“I’m super-happy to take my seventh win in a row, it sounds pretty insane. I’m extremely proud of my season so far, I feel like I’ve come such a long way and it’s really nice to have such a great season with so many victories.”The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) with the downhill finals on Saturday before the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup rounds of proceedings on Sunday.
Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) will start the final downhill of this season last off the ramp after qualifying quickest in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com. Super Bruni is bidding for his fifth overall series victory in Canada on Saturday and needs to finish on the podium to secure the crown. The Frenchman sent a huge message to series rival Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) by setting a time which was three seconds quicker than the Canadian. The legendary Canadian bike park at Mont-Sainte-Anne welcomed downhill athletes for a record 30th UCI World Cup and the final round of this year’s 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Meanwhile, Nicole will be bidding for her first Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season after qualifying quickest. However, she faces a tough battle after the top five qualifier were separated by just three tenths of a second. The Mont-Sainte-Anne course provided drama in women’s qualifying as series winner Valentina Höll (YT Mob) finished seventh. Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) showed her talent again in women’s Junior category by qualifying quickest and she was also faster than any Elite woman. Meanwhile, fellow American rider Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) was the quickest qualifier in the men’s Junior category. BRUNI LANDS PSYCHOLOGICAL BLOW ON RIVALS Jackson Goldstone’s dream of sealing a home overall victory this weekend was dealt an early blow in qualifying by Loïc Bruni. Newly crowned UCI World Champion, Goldstone, has to win and hope Bruni finishes off the podium in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) to leapfrog his rival and take the crown. However, the experienced Bruni responded in style by setting the quickest qualifying time of the day (3:33.5). Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) is up for the battle for third overall and also landed a psychological blow on his challengers by finishing second in qualifying, while Goldstone was third. Shaw's rivals for third place overall Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) qualified in fourth and seventh respectively. Meanwhile, Antoine Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) failed to finish the first qualifying session and did not start Q2 as a result. Youngster Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) and Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) were amongst those who had to book their finals spot through Q2. Oisin O’Callaghan (YT Mob) and Richard Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) were some of those competitors who missed out on a Q2 qualifying spot through to the finals. NICOLE SNATCHES POLL BY NARROWEST OF MARGINS The experienced Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) will be the last women’s elite starter in the finals after qualifying fastest by just seven hundredths of a second. The 35-year-old has had an illustrious career in downhill with two UCI World Championship titles and 10 UCI World Cup wins. After finishing a season’s best runner-up at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last weekend Nicole will look to go one better in Mont-Sainte-Anne on Saturday. Camille Balanche (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) came into the final round in fourth position overall following a consistent season. The Swiss rider looks set for another good weekend of racing after qualifying second just seventh hundredths of a second further back. Fellow Swiss competitor Lisa Baumann completed an excellent qualifying session for Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction by finishing third in Q1 and just two tenths slower than the quickest time. UCI World Champion Valentina Höll (YT Mob) recorded the perfect weekend in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last week. The Austrian completed a solid Q1 run to place seventh just 1.79 off the quickest pace. In the battle for second overall Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) qualified in sixth fastest in her home country. Her challenger for second Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) struggled in Q1 to finish 13th and did not start Q2, marking an end to her weekend. Meanwhile, youngster Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) qualified in eighth, despite finishing with a flat tyre. AMERICANS OSTGAARD AND VERMETTE TOP JUNIOR QUALIFIERS Aletha Ostgaard took a home victory in the women Junior category at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, last weekend and looks just as comfortable on the Canadian course. The American has an outside chance of overall victory if she wins a fourth UCI World Cup win of the season and Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) fails to finish in the top-eight. However, Zierl showed the credentials she has shown all season and placed fourth in qualifying. Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Lina Frener (Norco Race Division) qualified second and third quickest. The men’s Junior overall series is going down to the wire with quickest qualifier Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5DEV) throwing down the gauntlet to his rivals. Vermette came into the weekend just 32 points behind Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and they qualified first and second respectively. Frenchman Alran is also looking for a fifth UCI World Cup win of the season and was just eight tenths off the pace in qualifying, while Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) qualified third quickest. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) on Saturday with the downhill finals.
While three out of six titles were decided last time out in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA), there are still three series on the line in the Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Downhill. It couldn’t be in a more fitting location either – Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) hosting its record 30th UCI World Cup. We look at everything you need to know about the Mont-Sainte-Anne round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, presented by Events.com, including when the Cross-Country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing and how to watch. WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Mont-Sainte-Anne starts with the Women Under 23 UCI XCC World Cup at 09:45 (UTC-4) on Friday, October 10 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup at 15:30 (UTC-4) on Sunday, October 12. Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC-4 (BST+5/CEST +6): Friday, October 10 12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite 14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior 14:20 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior 15:05 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men Elite 9:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 10:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 16:20 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite 17:00 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite Saturday, October 11 11:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior 12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite 14:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite Sunday, October 12 09:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 13:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite WHERE CAN I WATCH? There will be several ways to watch the action unfold at Canada’s only Cross-country and Downhill UCI World Cups of the 2025 season. The UCI Downhill World Cup Qualification day can be followed on live timing and across social media. For the tenth and final UCI Cross-country Olympic, UCI Cross-country Short Track and UCI Downhill World Cups of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on discovery+ (in front of paywall), HBO Max* (in front of the sports add-on) and MTBWS TV (included in subscription), while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports, RDS USA – HBO Max South & Central America All Central and South American territories – MTBWS TV Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport China - Zhibo.TV (Only Elite Downhill races live) All other Asian territories – MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa Angola, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cape Verde, Cote d'lvoire, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Reunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, São Tome and Principe, St Helena and Ascension, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Socotra, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia - Supersport All African territories – MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport Austria – discovery+, Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport Czechia – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (only Elite XCO and XCC races live) Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport Faroe Islands – HBO Max, Eurosport France – HBO Max, Eurosport, L’Equipe (Only Elite DHI and XCO races live) Germany – discovery+, Eurosport Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport Ireland – TNT Sports Italy – discovery+, Eurosport Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport North Macedonia – HBO Max, Eurosport Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport Switzerland – MTBWS TV , SRF/RSI (Only Elite XCC and XCO races live) Türkiye – HBO Max, Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+, TNT Sports All other European territories – MTBWS TV RIDERS TO WATCH In Downhill, just 72 points separate Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) in the overall, and whoever comes out on top has a good chance of securing the title. It’s advantage Super Bruni in terms of points and experience, but the Canadian closed the gap on the Frenchman with a higher finish in Lake Placid Olympic Region (fourth vs sixth), has home advantage, and has a 100% record at Mont-Sainte-Anne as an elite rider – winning his last race at the venue at the end of 2023. Even if Goldstone wins on Sunday, Bruni can still be a heartbreaker and deny the 21-year-old a debut title by finishing on the podium to claim his fifth overall title. The showdown also has the chance to be the closest overall title battle in history, which is currently 2010 when Gee Atheron beat Greg Minnaar by just seven points. In terms of recent form, Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) will be targeting a follow up to his first-ever UCI World Cup win last Saturday, Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) recovered from a two-second deficit at intermediate split two to finish runner-up just 0.7 seconds back on Meier-Smith, Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) has recorded back-to-back podiums at the last two rounds, and Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland) winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) appeared to be onto a flyer on Whiteface Mountain before a mistake in the second sector cost him a shot at back-to-back wins. Shaw, Pierron and Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) are all in the running for third in the series, too. The women’s overall might have been decided in Lake Placid Olympic Region, but there’s still plenty at stake. Valentina Höll (YT Mob) recorded the first perfect weekend of 2025 in the women’s field to clinch her fourth series. The Austrian will be looking to add UCI World Cup win number 13 to her collection in Mont-Sainte-Anne and sign off a turbulent year in style. Her closest rival in the rankings, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division), will be looking to bounce back in front of a home crowd after a poor showing south of the US-Canada border, while Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) can leapfrog the 20-year-old in the standings if results go her way. Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) is another rider to look out for. The Frenchwoman was best of the rest in Lake Placid Olympic Region and has been unfortunate with some big crashes in qualifying and finals this year, but the 35-year-old clearly has good race pace as she searches for her first win of the year. Either side of the Downhill action is the Friday’s XCC and Sunday’s XCO, with both of the women’s series still to be decided. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) is in control of the short track series, but both Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) can overhaul the Brit if results go their way. All three have been in scintillating form of late, so expect them to go tyre-to-tyre until the finish line in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Rissveds will also be a favourite in Sunday’s Women Elite UCI XCO World Cup – the Swede winning four of her last five Olympic-distance races, including the UCI XCO World Championship and last Sunday’s final in New York state. But the 31-year-old has most probably left it too late to catch Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Factory Racing) in the overall series – the New Zealander’s 183-point advantage almost unassailable unless disaster strikes. Maxwell herself is also a favourite to record her third UCI XCO World Cup win of 2025, while Richards and Keller are likely to contend for the podium places. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), meanwhile, wrapped up both the men’s XCO and XCC overall titles last weekend with two sprint victories over teammate Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing). The American can afford to take it easy north of the border, but few would bet against him attempting a fourth XCO-XCC double of the series. Boichis will also be in the frame in Mont-Sainte-Anne, while Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) and Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) are currently sitting in second place in the XCC and XCO standings, respectively. Looking to spoil Specialized’s party, though, is Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) who able to contest for the first runner-up in both series. The Frenchman hasn’t hit the same heights as in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) and Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) after being forced to miss the UCI MTB World Championships with Covid, but an eighth-place finish on Sunday shows he’s heading in the right direction. Racing gets underway on Friday, October 10 in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Full schedule and event details are available HERE.
The legendary Canadian bike park welcomes Endurance and Gravity athletes for a record 30th UCI World Cup, and with titles still on the line in Cross-country and Downhill, fans can expect a nail-biting conclusion to the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series on the slopes of Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), presented by Events.com. The dust hasn’t even settled after an attritional and fast-paced Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) race weekend, but the best mountain bikers on the planet are gearing up to do it all again north of the border. And with three out of six series titles still yet to be decided –Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) clinching the Men’s Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC), and Valentina Höll (YT Mob) defending her Downhill overall title last time out – expect the racing to be bar-to-bar from the off. The venue – Mont-Sainte-Anne’s world-famous bike park, with more than 165km of trails and runs for all disciplines from Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Downhill (DHI) and freeride – is a fitting location for the season finale too. The Laurentian Mountains spot will be hosting its 30th UCI World Cup since it made its debut in 1991, and it has also held the UCI World Championship three times – 1998, 2010 and 2019 – in that period. BRUNI V GOLDSTONE GOES TO THE WIRE, WHILE HEMSTREET AND SEAGRAVE BATTLE IT OUT FOR SECOND PLACE After nine rounds of racing, Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) can only be separated by 72 points. While Goldstone has more wins to his name – four consecutive, record-equaling victories – and clinched the UCI Downhill World Championship too, it’s Bruni who is in the driving seat. The Frenchman has been here before, having won the overall series four times, including 2023 and 2024. But unlike last year, Super Bruni still has a lot to do to be sure of completing a hat-trick of consecutive titles. The 31-year-old has experience on his side and needs to finish on the podium if Goldstone wins to guarantee the overall, but the Canadian will be racing on home soil and will benefit from the boost of a partisan crowd. The 21-year-old will also have fond memories of the last time he raced at Mont-Sainte-Anne, when he won in his first Elite season in 2023. He also took a Junior UCI World Cup win at the venue in 2022. After being forced to sit out most of 2024 with an injury, it would be a Hollywood ending for the Santa Cruz Syndicate rider. Elsewhere, the fight for third is between Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), while Lake Placid Olympic Region victor Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) will be extra buoyed after his debut UCI World Cup win last weekend. The other Downhill winner on Whiteface Mountain was Vali Höll (YT Mob). The Austrian had a perfect weekend, winning Q1 and finals to score maximum points and seal her fourth overall series, and third in a row. The 23-year-old’s victory also broke a UCI World Cup winless streak that stretched back to June 2024, although she has been remarkably consistent this campaign – Lake Placid Olympic Region her eighth consecutive podium. Her main title rival, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) had a weekend to forget and was forced into Q2 before placing 10th in finals. But the 20-year-old Canadian will have to dust herself down and go again in Mont-Sainte-Anne if she’s to hold on to second place in the series. Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) is only 123 points behind and will be keen to cap off a strong first season with new outfit Orbea/FMD Racing. WOMEN'S TITLES GO DOWN TO THE WIRE IN CROSS-COUNTRY FORMATS There are titles to be decided on all three days of the UCI World Cup in Mont-Sainte-Anne, with it still all to play for in the women’s XCO and XCC contests. On Friday, all eyes will be on Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) and whether she can hold off Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) to take her first UCI XCC World Cup overall series. The Brit has a 150- and 160-point lead over her respective competitors and lines up in Canada in great form – finishing second behind Rissveds in her last two UCI XCC World Cups after a mid-season wobble that threatened to let Keller in. She can afford to finish eighth on Friday, but Keller and Rissveds will be ready to pounce if Richards does make a mistake. Of the two, it’s Rissveds who appears to be the most likely – the Swede is in the form of her life and coming off the back of her second XCO-XCC double of the season in Lake Placid Olympic Region. The Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider is also in contention for the XCO overall in Sunday’s final, but would require Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) to effectively DNF to have a serious shot at the title. The New Zealander has a 183-point advantage over Rissveds and could even tie up her and her country’s first-ever UCI World Cup overall title if she wins Friday’s XCC and Rissveds finishes 31st. The most likely scenario is that the overall won’t be decided until Sunday, and with Maxwell only finishing off the podium once this series – when she finished fifth in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) – the 23-year-old already has one hand on the trophy. In the men’s field, Christopher Blevins will be able to enjoy a victory procession in Mont-Sainte-Anne in his red series leader jersey and number one plate – the American tying up both overall series in style on home soil in Lake Placid Olympic Region by doing his third XCO-XCC double of the series. The 27-year-old had dominated the early stages of the season, but appeared to be grinding his way to the titles after disappointing results in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. Class is permanent, though, and Blevins answered his critics by dominating on the fast and frenetic Mt Van Hoevenberg course. Although top spot is settled, second place is still the play for in both series, with Blevins’ teammates currently occupying the runners-up rankings. In XCC, Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) has a narrow, 36-point advantage over Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing), while Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) is 99 points back in fourth. The UCI XCC World Champion had a disappointing race in Lake Placid Olympic Region, crashing on the unforgiving rock garden before getting caught up behind another incident to finish 31st. The Cannondale Factory Racing duo will sense their opportunity, but will need the Frenchman to have another bad day at the office to have the best chance. In the XCO standings, Martin is again the underdog and sits 74 points in arrears of Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing). The Chilean had the edge over the Frenchman last Sunday, finishing fourth to his eighth, and the Cannondale Factory Racing rider will need to secure his second-ever UCI XCO World Cup win to give himself the best chance at second in the standings. Racing gets underway in Mont-Sainte-Anne on Friday, October 10 with the Men U23 and Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.
Grit and Glory: Enduro Mountain Bike Racing is set to premiere this October, offering fans an exciting and intimate glimpse into the world of professional enduro racing. The eight-part docuseries follows a group of elite athletes through the highs and lows of the 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup, capturing the intensity of race days and the personal stories that unfolded behind the scenes. Episode 1 will air on Eurosport (across mainland Europe) at 21:30 CEST on Friday, 10 October and on TNT Sports (in the UK and Ireland) at 23:00 BST as well as its streaming platforms HBO Max and discovery+*. The episode will become available on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel from Sunday, 13 October at 17:00 BST. The opening episode introduces viewers to the world of enduro racing—an intense format that blends endurance, technical skill, and strategy across varied terrain. It sets the stage for the season’s journey, spotlighting a diverse lineup of international riders as they prepare for the first major race. With sweeping landscapes, high-stakes competition, and intimate access to the athletes, the series begins with a powerful mix of action and emotion. Following the premiere, new episodes will be released weekly every Monday at 17:00 BST/GMT on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel. Each instalment will revisit key moments from the season, offering fans a deeper look at the rivalries, setbacks, and triumphs that shaped the championship from the season opener in Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) to the finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). The series will also be available on MTBWS TV. *HBO Max is available in Europe in France, Greece, Iberia, the Nordics, Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe, Belgium and the Netherlands; discovery+ is the streaming platform for Germany, Austria, Italy and the United Kingdom ahead of HBO Max launching in 2026.
Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) recorded weekend doubles as they won the Cross-country Olympic (XCO) disciplines at the UCI World Cup in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Both riders won the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) on Friday and won the XCO in very different styles. American rider Blevins secured the overall XCC title earlier in the weekend and knew victory would also secure him the XCO honours. The men’s Elite category saw a large leading group dominate proceedings and eight riders come into the final lap together. Blevins escaped with teammate Adrien Boichis and had to enough power to beat the youngster in a sprint finish. With it Bevins became the first American male Elite since 1991 to win the overall XCO title. Meanwhile, Rissveds produced a dominant performance in the women’s Elite category after pulling clear on the first lap and establishing an unassailable margin. Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) hosted XCO riders for the second season with a varied course which tested physical and technical abilities. The shorter climbs and fast descents made for exciting racing in the penultimate round of this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. In the Under 23 categories, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) also achieved a weekend double after riding clear of the men’s field, while Vida Lopez De San Roman (Trinity Racing) clinched an exciting victory in the women’s race. BLEVINS SHOWS POWER TO BEAT TEAMMATE BOICHIS Christopher Blevins led a one-two for Specialized Factory Racing as he rose to the occasion to wrap up the overall XCO standings. The American was without a UCI XCO World Cup win since the third round in Nové Město na Moravě (Czechia) in May and pressure was mounting on him coming into the penultimate round. However, Blevins thrived on the fast course and controlled the front positions before matching the last lap attack of teammate Adrien Boichis and sprinted to victory. Racing up the gravel start, competitors were keen to get into the uphill rock garden first. Those outside the top 20 positions were held up as some riders were forced to get off and run. Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) was one of the biggest losers as he slipped back from a front row start to 24th on the opening start loop. After returning to form in Friday’s XCC, Blevins led the Specialized Factory Racing challenge in the opening lap, along with teammates Boichis and Victor Koretzky. The short climbs of the Lake Placid Olympic Region course resulted in tight racing early on as 24 riders were closely grouped on the second lap. Specialized Factory Racing used their XCC expertise to hold the front positions and put their rivals under pressure in the opening 20 minutes. The pace rose in the third lap and Luca Schatti (BIXS Performance Race Team) suffered an untimely puncture, resulting in going from the lead to out of contention. After 30 minutes of racing, Fabio Püntener (Scott-Scram MTB Racing Team) charged clear at the front and took with him Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), Boichis, Blevins, and Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing). After getting caught in a close pack on the opening lap, British rider Aldridge missed the front split and led a large chasing group just 11 seconds back. Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) was also thriving on the powerful course and had enough ability on the fast descent to bridge across to the leading group. As the pace slowed, the leading group swelled to nine riders with three laps remaining and Azzaro slid out on the loose terrain but maintained his position. Blevins was at the forefront throughout the race and exposed weaknesses in his opponents with a penultimate lap attack which reduced the leading group to five riders – including three Specialized Factory Racing teammates. However, the race pace slowed again as riders took the bell, allowing several riders to get back into contention. Looking for a home victory, Blevins again powered up the climb and was closely followed by teammate Boichis. The youngster made his move going into the single-track wooded climb and distanced Azzaro in third. Specialized Factory Racing dominated the final proceedings and Martin Vidaurre Kossmann controlled the chasing group’s pace in third. Coming into the finish, Boichis and Blevins prepared for a sprint as the chasing group closed in. Blevins led out the sprint and had enough power to fend off Boichis, while Azzaro finished just two seconds behind in third after coming around Vidaurre. “I love this sport and everything about it,” said Blevins. “It was a beautiful race. Adrien [Boichis] and I for the sprint. I looked back and smiled. It has been an amazing year with the team.” “It was all on instinct, it was very narrow and each lap I was in a good space. I controlled the race from the front. I knew Adrien (Boichis) would make that attack on the last lap and it would be really hard.” “I just had to stick on his wheel and try and go for the sprint.” Talking about his return to form for the weekend, Blevins added: “I had to believe in myself again. You have to show up with what you have every weekend, regardless of if you think you have it or not. You have got to come back to ground zero and start a fresh. I’ve had a big dip in the middle of the year and I’m just grateful to be finishing strong.” RISSVEDS IN FAULTLESS FORM TO TAKE CLEAR VICTORY Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) was the most convincing winner of the weekend as she led the women’s Elite event from the first lap to finish. The UCI XCO World Champion has hit formidable form and was quickly out of sight of her rivals before riding away to victory. The Swedish rider was lapping faster than any of her rivals throughout the event before sitting up on the last lap to enjoy her victory by over two minutes. A chaotic start to the women’s Elite saw a collision in the rock garden which resulted in riders outside the top 20 being held up and early gaps created. Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) stayed out of the mayhem and charged into a slender lead on the starting loop. The asphalt finish allowed the field behind to condense, and riders jostled for position before Rissveds closed the gap. The Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider then took advantage of hesitation through the rock garden and the following technical section to edge out a small margin. After gaining the advantage and being out of sight, Rissveds continued to grow out her margin on the opening lap. Following the first full lap, Rissveds had an advantage of 24 seconds from nine riders chasing and she would not look back. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) finished runner-up in Friday’s XCC and pushed the early pace for the chasers. Behind, overall leader Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) slid out on the dusty and loose terrain, resulting in her losing some time. Meanwhile, American Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) sensed an opportunity to grab a home podium position and took over the pace setting from Richards before pulling out a small margin in second. Ronja Blöchlinger (Liv Factory Racing) was also thriving on the short climb and fast descent to join Richards in the medal battle. British rider Richards paced her ride well to pull back Blunk to form a three-rider chasing group 1:17 behind the lone leader. By the end of the third lap, Rissveds was given a psychological boost by being able to see the chasing trio descending into the finishing area as she climbed out – such was her 1:38 margin. After pacing their early effort well in the hot conditions, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Maxwell pulled their way back into contention in the closing stages. As the battle for the podium position hotted up, Blochlinger fell away, while Keller and Maxwell joined Richards and Blunk to form a chasing quartet. Keller was the first rider to be distanced as Richards forced the pace with the three riders competing for two medals. Taking the last lap bell, Rissveds had maintained her consistent pace to lead by 2:40 from the trio behind. No.1 plate Maxwell had kept out of trouble during the middle section of the race and came through strong on the final lap. However, Richards was in determined form and responded on the short and punchy climb to dispatch Blunk from the medal fight. The British rider continued her last lap effort on the final ascent and also gapped series leader Maxwell. UCI XCO World Champion, Rissveds, had time to celebrate the victory with her team as she finished 2:16 ahead of fast-finishing Richards, while Maxwell held on for third. Ahead of the final round next weekend, Maxwell leads overall by 183 points ahead of Rissveds. Following her victory, Rissveds said: “The most important thing is to be healthy, I’ve realised it’s very important to enjoy the journey. You’re going to have hard moments too, but it’s okay. Trying to do sport in a sustainable way is important.” TREUDLER PROVES TOO STRONG FOR MEN’S UNDER 23 COMPETITORS Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his domination of the men’s Under 23 category and took another UCI World Cup win to add to his growing collection. Treudler had already sewn up the overall standings coming into Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York, and was in the mood for more success as he added the XCO to his XCC win on Friday. The Swiss rider made his move on the first full lap and took with him Spanish rider Thibaut Francois Baudry (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountain Bike Team). However, a third lap crash for Schehl ended his hopes of victory. Not daunted by his companion, Baudry took the race to the series winner and had a slender lead through the third lap. Treudler responded in style by passing his rival and recording the fastest lap of the race to pull out an advantage of over 10 seconds. The Cube Factory Racing rider continued to grow out his advantage over the following lap and came home victor by 28 seconds. Ren Teunissen van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) narrowly missed a podium in Friday’s XCC event. The Dutch rider again had a battle on his hands for bronze from Canadian Owen Clark and Dane Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team). Pedersen flew out of the starting blocks before suffering for his early effort, allowing Van Manen to edge clear of Clark for third. Following his win, Treudler said: “I’m pretty tired from the season, it has been a really long season and I’m feeling the efforts from this year.” “I had to be smart with my energy today. I managed it quite good so I’m pretty happy about the win. I just went with the flow and saw where the others were at with their speed today. Paul [Schehl] was really pushing in the beginning and then he crashed. Then we were two riders left at the front so I tried to focus on my speed. I struggled a bit in the downhills and Thibaut [Francois Baudry] was really fast there. I really had to manage my effort today.” LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN TAKES DRAMATIC VICTORY FOR HOME FANS Vida Lopez De San Roman (Trinity Racing) recorded back-to-back UCI XCO World Cup wins after a last lap showdown in the women’s under-23 category. The American took her maiden under-23 UCI XCO World Cup victory the previous week in Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide in Switzerland last month. On her home turf, Lopez De San Roman was locked into a close contest with Italian pair Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing). Overall series leader Corvi was the first rider to crack, losing a few seconds taking the ball and slipping away to finish third. Spurred on by her home fans, Lopez De San Roman attacked on the last lap and pulled out a winning margin of 15 seconds from Cortinovis. A third place for Corvi gives her an unassailable 178-point lead heading into the final round. Following her win, Lopez De San Roman said: “It was a really exciting race which pretty quickly came down to three of us at the front.” “It was super-dynamic back and forth and came down to the last lap. I put a really big attack in, I wasn’t sure if it was going to hold and just left it all out there on the last lap.” “It means so much. I definitely had some extra speed on the course today by hearing so many people cheering my name. It was a really special day. It has been a really great season and a lot of learning throughout the season to get to this point. I’m hoping to finish on a high note.” Tickets for next year's WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York are now on sale here. Meanwhile, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series concludes in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada next weekend with gravity and endurance riders in action between 9-12 October.
Valentina Höll (YT Mob) rose to the occasion and took her first UCI Downhill World Cup of the season and with it the overall title at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Meanwhile, Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team DH) took an emotional first Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup victory of his career and denied American Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) a home celebration.Höll became the UCI Downhill World Champion last month but had been waiting 474 days for her 12th UCI World Cup win. The Austrian had a perfect weekend, and victory earnt her a fourth overall UCI World Cup title and third consecutive success – with a round remaining.Meanwhile, the men’s Elite overall title will go down to the final round with Loic Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) locked in an enthralling battle after both finishing off the podium.Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York hosted the penultimate round of this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The American venue first hosted a UCI World Cup last year and 12 months later have introduced downhill to their programme.The two-kilometre course of Whiteface Mountain greeted competitors in the majestic Adirondack Mountains, containing a technical terrain full of loose ground, large holes and rocks. The terrain required precise bike handling and fearless determination.In the junior categories, Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) sent another warning to his Elite rivals next season with a dominant display in the men’s Junior category. The Junior UCI World Champion set a winning time of 3:06.5 which was only beaten by men’s Elite winner Meier-Smith. Meanwhile, Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) gave America a victory to celebrate in the women’s junior category.MEIER-SMITH MASTERS DIFFICULT TERRAIN TO TAKE MAIDEN WINLuke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team DH) marked his switch from enduro back to downhill with a well-earned victory. The 23-year-old had not finished on the podium this season coming into Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York. However, the new course on Whiteface Mountain suited the Australian who qualified second fastest and then went one better in the final.The early lead exchanged hands various times with Luke Wayman (Continental Atherton) and Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) setting benchmark times. The unpredictable and loose nature of the course favoured those with an Enduro background but Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) suffered a crash in practice and was unable to start the finals.All eyes were on UCI Downhill World Champion, Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), who was forced to push hard in the technical section due to his small physic. The Canadian replied going two seconds faster than his nearest opponent into the fast open terrain. Goldstone was full of confidence as he flew over the jumps on the bottom section and posted a quickest time of 3:07 to add further pressure to his rivals.Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) was looking to consolidate his third place overall but lost valuable time and points in the standings after crashing. Goldstone’s time was vulnerable and Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) kept in contention with the Canadian’s time on the technical section. The German then used his strength to gain speed and lowered the leading mark to 3:06.Loic Bruni (Specialized Gravity) was also under pressure in his bid for overall victory. The Frenchman picked quick lines through the technical top section to stay in contention and matched the splits of rival Goldstone. Bruni mis-timed a jump coming into the finish and lose valuable time as he finished in sixth and two positions behind Goldstone.With little to separate the fastest competitors Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) was next to test the time of Kiefer and despite finishing strongly he had to settle for fifth. Winner at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) led by over a second through the first split before crashing on a berm to end his challenge.After qualifying second fastest the previous day, Meier-Smith led from the first split and produced a perfect top half of the course. The Giant Factory Off-Road Team DH rider, who had switched from an enduro to downhill focus this season, led by over a second in the bottom half to post 3:05.Quickest qualifier Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was the only rider who could deny Meier-Smith but made an early mistake and lost two seconds on the top section. The American home favourite finished strongly to finish just seven hundredths back in second.Bruni leads the overall standings heading into next weekend's final round by 72 points ahead of Goldstone.Following the first Men Elite UCI World Cup win of his career, Meier-Smith said: “It means everything, I’ve worked my whole life for this, to pull it off is amazing.“I didn’t think I could win today, but I was hopeful of a top five. To come away with the win is massive. I tried to keep the top pretty clean as I knew a mistake up there could cost you quite a lot, I tried to keep it smooth.“Once I got past the second split I really tried to drill the pedals and give it all I had from there. The track suited me pretty well with the physical bottom half and pedalling.“It’s cool to have a track a bit more suited to what I ride in Australia, that really helped me to come away on top.HÖLL COMPLETES PERFECT WEEKEND TO SEAL TITLEAfter seven podium positions this UCI Downhill World Cup series, Vali Höll finally got the win she desired and with it the overall series. Coming into the penultimate round, the women’s elite series standings was still in the balance.The overall title race had hotted up the previous day when an error-strewn Q1 resulted in Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) being forced to book her final place through Q2. Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) also needed the extra ride in Q2 but used her experience on the technical course to set an early finals benchmark time of 3:34.After her drama the previous day, Canadian Hemstreet was an early starter and set a good pace off the rocky start through the trees. The 20-year-old was under pressure after struggling for pace on the open section and then nearly crashed, resulting in losing more time, eventually finishing 10th and losing valuable points to Höll.Anna Newkirk was the only American in the final as she continues her recovery from a broken hand. The Frameworks Racing/5DEV rider was put under pressure early and had to unclip on the first corner before losing small amounts of time throughout to place 13th.Tahnee Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) was also in overall contention coming into the weekend and flew out of the starting blocks as she rose to the occasion. The British rider also struggled to match the speed of Cabirou in the middle section and struggled to regain the lost time to finish sixth.Meanwhile, Swiss competitor Camille Ballanche (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) pulled out the performance of her season as she carried fast speed through the bottom half of the course to better Cabirou by just three tenths for fourth position.Winner at La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta (Italy), Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate), was another rider who struggled on the loose course. After crashing in the final practice session, she lost confidence and went off course to end her challenge.Experienced Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) has struggled in the UCI World Cup this season. Searching for her first UCI World Cup win in 414 days, the French woman mastered the technical section and held her form to post the quickest time, which would only be bettered by Höll.Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) had a career-best second place in qualifying and, despite losing time on the technical section, the New Zealander came roaring back to finish just three hundredths of a second behind Nicole in third.At the start, final starter Höll knew she had to finish in the top four positions to seal the overall title. The UCI Downhill World Champion had a lightning start and carried impressive speed from the loose terrain to lead by over a second after the second sector. Höll continued to increase her lead through the fastest sections to post a winning time of 3:30 – two seconds faster than her nearest opponent.Speaking about her win, Höll said: “It took me way too long to win again.“It has been a long year, many downs and a few ups which have been pretty amazing. I’m so happy that I could finally pull it off.“Wrapping up the overall is pretty insane, Mont-Sainte-Anne is going to be a real holiday. I’m happy.”OSTGAARD GIVES HOME FANS VICTORY TO CELEBRATEAletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) strengthened her bid for the overall series title with her third win of the season. The 17-year-old American also won at La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta and Pal Arinsal (Andorra), putting her in overall contention.Ostgaard put a flawless performance down and posted the quickest first and second sector times to win by over three seconds. There was little between the women juniors during the previous day’s qualifying, with the top three riders separated by under two seconds.Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was quickest in a time of 3:43 ahead of Marie Rosa Jensen (Specialized Gravity) and Lina Frener (Norco Race Division). Meanwhile, overall contenders Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) and Ostgaard could only qualify in fifth and sixth respectively.Looking to keep her overall chances alive, Ostgaard was first on course and put down a fearless ride and a winning time of 3:34. Junior UCI Downhill World Champion, Zierl, struggled to match her overall rival as small mistakes lost her speed on the technical section, finishing five seconds behind in fifth.Matilda Melton (Commencal Schwalbe By Les Orres) boosted her fellow American countrywoman’s overall efforts with a fine performance in second. Jensen also backed up her ride in qualifying with another consistent effort which placed her fourth.Final starter Hulsebosch displayed the same fearlessness and technique as the previous day but lost vital time in the third and fourth sectors to finish third. A home victory for Ostgaard pulls her within 50 points of leader Zierl heading into the final round next weekend.“It was super loose, but we’re in the USA which is a really special place for me, I was feeling really hungry this morning,” said Ostgaard.“Just having a clean run means the world for me. I’m really excited as there aren’t many US races, having one in America is amazing.”ALRAN HOLDS NERVE TO EXTEND OVERALL LEADMax Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) had another perfect weekend in the men’s junior event and his winning time put many of the men elite competitors to shame. The UCI Junior World Downhill Champion qualified fastest and then showed his skill to take a fourth UCI World Cup win of the season.The junior qualifying format saw overall contender Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction) falter and lose 15 seconds on his brother to finish in 25th position. With no Q2 sessions in the juniors, Alran’s qualifying time ended his overall hopes.Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5Dev) was the home favourite, and his run was full of risk and reward as he gained speed on the top half of the course. After winning the previous round in Lenzerheide, the American was on stellar form and posted a time of 3:07 to smash the quickest junior or elite qualifying times and finish second.New Zealander Tyler Waite (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was hoping to rekindle his overall hopes and matched Vermette in the top two sectors. However, the smallest of errors would prove critical as he finished two seconds behind the American in third.Men Junior UCI Downhill World Champion, Max Alran, was the final starter following an impressive qualification session. The Frenchman was full of confidence on the technical top sections and carried epic speed through the midpoint speed-trap as he led by two seconds. However, Alran lost time on the bottom section and had to give it everything to post a winning time of 3:06 to win by a single second.The win was Alran’s fourth UCI Downhill World Cup victory of the season and he leads the overall standings by 32 points from Vermette heading into the final round.Alran said: “It was really tough, a really rough track, deep holes and really loose.I kept a flow and got to the bottom without a mistake. It was a good run, I was feeling good. I’m stoked.”With his win, Alran matched Jackson Goldstone’s benchmark of eight UCI Junior World Cup wins.“It’s great,” added Alran. “I’m still leading (overall). It’s so cool.”The Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region continues on Sunday with Cross-country Olympic action.Tickets for next year's WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York have gone on sale.Meanwhile, the UCI Downhill World Cup concludes next week as part of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada between 9-12 October.
The penultimate round of the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup returned to Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA), and if last year’s UCI World Cup debut was anything to go by, fans at home and on trackside were in for a fast, frenetic treat. The racing didn’t disappoint, with the wins going to UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and the new UCI XCC World Cup overall winner Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing). Rissveds continues her amazing form in the format, clinching her third consecutive UCI XCC World Cup in a row. The UCI XCO World Champion battled with series leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) and UCI XCC World Champion Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) throughout, but showed that she had the edge with an attack from range on the last lap. In the Men’s Elite, Blevins effectively led from the off – a sight we haven’t seen in recent times. Despite dominating the overall series and winning the first five rounds, the American has been out of sorts since his streak came to an end in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), finishing down in 26th two weeks ago in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland). But Blevins looked back to his best, putting on a show for his home fans and outsprinting teammate Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) on the line to clinch his sixth UCI XCC World Cup win of 2025. Blevins' superiority in the overall meant he only needed to finish within the top 30 to confirm the title with one round still to go, but his victory in Lake Placid Olympic Region saw him secure his first series in emphatic style. Before the Elites, it was the turn of the Under 23s on Mt Van. Hoevenberg’s technical and testing course, and it witnessed the sixth-consecutive win for Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) and a first U23 UCI XCC World Cup victory for Tyler Jacobs (Liv Factory Racing). RISSVEDS MAKES IT A HATTRICK IN SHORT TRACK The focus ahead of the penultimate UCI XCC World Cup of the season was the battle between Richards and Keller – the Brit looking back to her best in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide to seize the initiative in the overall. But Jenny Rissveds doesn’t know when she’s beaten. The Swede had already shown her superiority, winning in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and in Switzerland to propel herself up to third in the standings. And with two races to go, she was mathematically in the running. The race was combative from the off, Jolanda Neff (Cannondale Factory Racing) taking an early lead ahead of old teammate Richards, while Keller sank like a stone off the line. Richards soon led proceedings, with Rissveds firmly on her wheel. By lap two, Keller had recovered and was back in the fold as Rissveds hit the front for the first time. She seemed to be operating on a different plane to everyone else though, making riding look effortless while others laboured to keep up. Last year’s winner in Lake Placid Olympic Region, Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) was also in the mix, with a big bunch forming each time the race passed the start/finish straight before stringing out again on the first tight, technical section. By lap six, there was still a lead group of 12 with everyone having their own digs but unable to make them stick. But it would be Keller who would blink first. At the start of lap seven, the Swiss rider was out of the saddle and employing her signature swinging style on the handlebars, squeezing every watt out of her Thömus mountain bike. Rissveds soon took up the mantle, leading into the rock garden before the lead changed hands a few more times. The penultimate lap saw Keller winding it up again, but she was unable to shake Richards, who was glued firmly to her back wheel. Finally, it was Rissveds whose move stuck – the Swede going long on the final lap, exploding into the rock garden and creating a gap to Keller and Richards. The Brit would overtake her main title rival coming into the finish line drag, but didn’t have enough to catch Rissveds, who recorded her sixth UCI XCC World Cup of her career. The results mean that Richards still leads the overall by 150 points to Keller, with Rissveds only another 10 points back in third. And with one round to go in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), everything is still to play for. Speaking at the end of the race, Rissveds said: “This [course] is pretty hectic because it’s so fast. It’s a flat course and high speed. So I tried to be smart and I didn’t just ride with force. I rode with my head. That’s something I’ve been learning this year. Trying to think more and analyse, even when I’m not succeeding, I’m trying to analyse what I did wrong. The cross-country course is actually similar to the short track course but just a little longer. I think it’s going to be fast as well as tactical and I think we’re going to be a big group racing.” BLEVINS CLINCHES SIXTH XCC WIN OF THE SERIES AND OVERALL Christopher Blevins has had a summer to forget after a spring where he couldn’t stop winning. The American had been in dominant form, winning five UCI XCC World Cups in a row, breaking records as he went. But his season looked at risk of petering out, even if he could afford to finish 30th at his home race to claim the UCI XCC World Cup overall title. The Specialized Factory Racing rider had different ideas in Lake Placid Olympic Region. He looked ominous from the off, and back to his race-winning best rather than the rider we’ve seen in recent rounds. The 10-lap race was a cagey affair, with dusty conditions and slippery surfaces causing chaos throughout as the lead group set a ferocious pace. It looked like it could be a Specialized shut out though, with Boichis and Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) joining Blevins at the front of the race. That was until lap five, when Koretzky had a crash on the rock garden – the rainbow jersey sent flying into the air, and the Frenchman fortunate not to hurt himself. He dusted himself down and remounted, but his chances of adding a second consecutive win were over. Boichis was showing that he is a worthy rival to Blevins though, and the pair exchanged the lead numerous times. Another big crash on lap 8 – this time Luca Braidot (Willier Vittoria Factory Team) – finally split the lead group, and it was Blevins, Boichis and Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) who looked most likely. Things started getting punchy at the front with Azzaro happy to sit in Blevins wheel, but as the race entered its final lap, it was Boichis who launched first. The young Frenchman overtook Blevins up the course’s first hill, and appeared to have got a gap as they exited the rock garden. Blevins managed to close him down, but brought Azzaro with him, and as the trio reached the final corner, it was going to be a three-up sprint for the line. Boichis led them out, but Blevins had just enough to edge him on the line, Azzaro settling for third. His sixth win of the season was enough to secure Blevins the UCI XCC World Cup overall series. Speaking after the race, Blevins said: “Thank you everyone that’s here. My family’s here. The last world cup my sister watched was 2021 Snowshoe, which was a magical day for me. It's a beautiful thing. I definitely get a bit of a boost racing here, and that was the most I’ve ever led a short track. My coach was probably wondering what I was doing. But it worked out. Adrien [Boichis], he was phenomenal on the last lap, so it’s a beautiful feeling. I love doing this, and I love doing it in the US. “You have to be present each moment. Come back to your process. I just stuck with it. This sport is extremely hard. We always talk about how fun it is, and it absolutely is, but it is so hard and you have to embrace that. I had those hard times in the middle of this season but it’s amazing to finish strongly. “This has felt like such a magical year for Specialized. People throw around the word family a lot, but it is a family. I spend so much time with everyone. We love each other. There’s so much that goes into a performance – my coach, my strength coach, my family.” JACOBS CLAIMS DEBUT WIN WHILE TREUDLER MAKES IT SIX IN A ROW IN U23 Tyler Jacobs (Liv Factory Racing) recorded her debut win in the U23 UCI XCC World Cup in a four-strong sprint finish. Overall U23 UCI XCO World Cup series leader Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) had led proceedings from the off, and would stay in control until a lap from the finish, but the Italian had an eight-strong group for company to make it back-to-back wins. Jacobs had been part of the pack from the off, and had enough left in the tank to outsprint Line Burquier (Trinity Racing) – who had recovered from 33rd place after the first lap – and Anina Hutter on the line. Corvi meanwhile would have to settle for fourth. The men’s U23 race also had a large lead group until late, when Finn Treudler and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) attacked on the final lap. No one could handle the pair’s pace, and it would be decided in a sprint for the line. Treudler came out on top as he so often has this year, the Swiss rider recording his sixth consecutive XCC win. Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) completed the podium, outsprinting Ren Teunissen van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) for third. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action continues in New York tomorrow as the Downhill riders take to the Whiteface Mountain track for the ninth UCI Downhill World Cup of the season.
The UCI Downhill World Cup’s penultimate round is upon us in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA), and with two more races before the curtain closes on a nail-biting 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, every point from qualifying and finals takes on even more importance in the race for the overall title. It was a sunny day on the Whiteface Mountain course as riders laid down the venue’s first Downhill qualifying runs on what is a brand new 2.2km course. All eyes were on Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity), Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) – the foursome the most mathematically likely winners of the overall next weekend. HÖLL LAYS DOWN A MARKER Vali Höll is still without a UCI World Cup win this season, but the Austrian isn’t letting that impact her qualifying, going fastest again in Q1 by almost six seconds to show that she was already up to speed on the New York State track. The 23-year-old was fastest in each intermediate split and dominated the hill from the start hut to the finish line. Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing DH) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) were the only two riders to get within six seconds of the UCI Downhill World Champion, who is looking likely to break her winless streak tomorrow. Höll’s closest competitor in the overall series, Hemstreet, was forced to go again in Q2 after an error-strewn first attempt. The Canadian dusted herself down though to go fastest at the second time of asking – although her qualifying time was still nine seconds down on Höll’s. Other riders who scraped through in Q2 include Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Louise-Anne Ferguson (Axess Intense Factory Racing). Jess Blewitt’s (Cube Factory Racing) weekend meanwhile is over, and the New Zealander will have to wait another week before going between the race tape. Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz Syndicate) qualified in first for the women’s Junior Downhill finals. SHAW PUTS ON A SHOW FOR HOME FANS Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) might not have picked up a win year this series, but the American gave himself the best chance yet, crushing the Whiteface Mountain course in 3:09.29. The 28-year-old was fastest at the first intermediate split, but recovered after a slightly slower middle section to edge Luke Meier-Smith (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH) by 0.176 seconds. The Australian was the only rider to get within a second of Shaw, and would have probably edged it if the course had been slightly longer, recovering from 21st at the first intermediate split and setting the fastest speed on the speed check – 64.655km/h. Benoit Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) edged compatriot Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) to go third fastest in Q1, but the Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland) winner from two weeks ago shouldn’t be overlooked tomorrow. Another worth keeping your eye on is Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) – the legendary American multi-time UCI World Cup overall winner and wildcard entrant qualifying ninth. In the title race, both Bruni and Goldstone made it through in Q1 – Bruni remaining the only rider to have a 100% Q1 record this series. Both will have a long wait in the hot seat on their hands if they put in fast runs – Bruni qualifying 11th while UCI Downhill World Champion Goldstone was down in 18th. Elsewhere, Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing), Reece Wilson (Aon Racing-Tourne Campervans) and Bernard Kerr (Pivot Factory Racing) were amongst the 10 riders who made it through in Q2. Some of the big names missing out on finals though include Laurie Greenland (Santa Cruz Syndicate), Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) and Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity). Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) will be last off the ramp in tomorrow’s men’s Junior finals. Racing gets underway tomorrow (Saturday, October 4) in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York from 11:30 EST with the women’s Junior finals. Find out how to watch here.
After the season’s final European round in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland), the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has crossed the Atlantic for its last two UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups of 2025. The back-to-back weekenders kick off Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) this Friday (October 3), before crossing the border into Canada for Mont-Sainte-Anne’s landmark 30th UCI World Cup and the final round of the series. We look at everything you need to know about the Lake Placid Olympic Region round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, including when the Cross-county Short Track (XCC), Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing, and how to watch. WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Lake Placid Olympic Region (USA) starts with the Women Under 23 Cross-country Short Track at 09:45 (UTC-4) on Friday, 3 October and concludes with the Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup at 15:30 (UTC-4) on Sunday, 5 October. Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC-4 (BST+5/CEST +6): Friday, October 3 · 9:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 · 10:35 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 · 16:20 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite · 17:00 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite · 12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Women Elite · 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 1 Men Elite · 14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior · 14:20 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior · 15:05 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Women Elite · 15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification 2 Men Elite Saturday, October 4 · 11:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior · 12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior · 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite · 14:10 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite Sunday, October 5 · 09:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 · 11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 · 13:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite · 15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite WHERE CAN I WATCH? There will be several ways to watch the action unfold at the USA’s only Cross-country and Downhill UCI World Cups of the 2025 season. The UCI Downhill World Cup Qualification day can be followed on live timing and across social media. For the ninth UCI Cross-country Olympic, UCI Cross-country Short Track and UCI Downhill World Cups of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on discovery+ (in front of paywall), HBO Max* (in front of the sports add-on) and MTBWS TV (included in subscription), while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports USA – HBO Max South & Central America All Central and South American territories – MTBWS TV Carribean – Rushsports (Only Elite XCC and Elite Women’s Downhill races live) Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport China - Zhibo.TV (Only Elite Downhill races live) All other Asian territories – MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa All African territories – MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport Austria – discovery+, Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport Czechia – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (only Elite XCO and XCC races live) Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport Faroe Islands – HBO Max, Eurosport France – HBO Max, Eurosport, L’Equipe (Only Elite DHI and XCO races live) Germany – discovery+, Eurosport Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport Ireland – TNT Sports Italy – discovery+, Eurosport Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport North Macedonia – HBO Max, Eurosport Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport Switzerland – MTBWS TV , SRG (Only Elite XCC and XCO races live) Türkiye – HBO Max, Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+, TNT Sports All other European territories – MTBWS TV RIDERS TO WATCH In Downhill, the battle between Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) is set to go to the wire after the series’ top spot changed hands in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. While neither rider came away with the spoils – the win going to Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) – Bruni’s fifth to Goldstone’s 25th was enough to propel the Frenchman to the top of the standings with two rounds to go. Super Bruni knows what it takes to close out an overall series from here, but UCI Downhill World Champion Goldstone will be hoping to bounce back and reduce the 100-point deficit ahead of a final showdown on home soil in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). The women’s overall also hangs finely in the balance, with Valentina Höll (YT Mob) boosting her advantage over Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) to 137 points in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. Like the men’s contest, neither title contender won in Switzerland – Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) picking up her third UCI World Cup win of the season and narrowly edging Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate) by six-hundreths of a second. The Brit sits in third place in the overall and is now up to fifth in the all-time race winners standings, but her inconsistencies this year and her 300-point deficit to Höll leaves it as a two-horse race with two rounds to go. Either side of the Downhill action is the Friday’s XCC and Sunday’s XCO, with both series still to be decided. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) lead the respective UCI XCC series, but both riders had very different weekends in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. Blevins’ season has been one of two halves – the American literally unbeatable for the first five rounds, while in his last three races, he has finished 2nd, 17th and 26th. He only needs to finish in the top 30 to secure the overall series, but will be targeting a strong performance in front of a partisan home crowd. Teammate and back-to-back UCI XCC World Champion Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) won last time out and is the rider most likely to spoil Blevins’ party. Richards meanwhile appears to have overcome a mid-series wobble and reaffirmed her position at the top of the table with second in Bike-Kingdom Lenzerheide. The 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Champion in XCC now has a 110-point lead over the current rainbow jersey, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), while the winner in Switzerland, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), is a further 100-points back in third. The Brit could clinch the overall on Friday, but needs to win and for other results to go her way. Victory on Sunday could also wrap-up the title for Blevins in the XCO, but he needs a 330-point margin over teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) going into Mont-Sainte-Anne to make it definite – his lead currently stands at 290 points. Like in the XCC, the American’s season appears to have gone off the boil, and his 27th place in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide was his second-worst performance of the series. Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) is currently the rider in form, having followed up his UCI XCO World Championship victory in Crans-Montana, Valais (Switzerland) with a win in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. However, he will not be participating in the last two rounds, ruling him out of contention. In the women’s field, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) could also mathematically wrap things up if she does the XCO-XCC double, but the New Zealander will have to get the better of the UCI XCO Mountain Bike World Champion Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide UCI XCO World Cup winner Keller to have any chance of securing her country’s first-ever overall series. Racing gets underway on Friday, October 3 in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York. Full schedule and event details are available HERE.
After a barnstorming UCI World Cup debut in 2024, Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) became a firm favourite of riders and fans alike in the Cross-Country formats. But the New York state venue wasn’t content with hosting only Endurance events and has added a UCI World Cup-worthy Downhill course, welcoming Gravity athletes for the first time this weekend. The venue’s relatively unknown nature and its timing in the series makes it an interesting proposition, particularly in Downhill, where both overall leaders currently have narrow advantages with only two rounds to go. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW After a summer of European trails, this weekend will be the first time that a lot of riders have gone between the race tape on North American soil this season. Located 285 miles north of downtown Manhattan and a stone’s throw from the Canadian border, the Lake Placid Olympic Region might be best known for winter sports, but the site has a growing network of off-road trails perfect for mountain biking, centred around Mt Van Hoevenberg and Whiteface Mountain. The former is the location of the Cross-country course, featuring rock gardens, a dual slalom course and a section that mimics the venue’s Olympic bobsled run. Whiteface Mountain, meanwhile, is the setting of the new downhill track. Roughly 2km in length, the crafted course is packed full of steep, technical terrain and requires precise bike handling and fearless determination to come out on top. MATHEMATICALLY POSSIBLE FOR MAXWELL 330 points is the big target for Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) as this is the advantage that the New Zealander needs by the end of Sunday to clinch her and her country’s first-ever overall series. The 23-year-old currently sits 323 points ahead of Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), so a career-first Cross-country Olympic (XCO)-Cross-country Short Track (XCC) double is the easiest way of securing her crown before Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). But given the form of Rissveds, that will be easier said than done. The Swede is experiencing a purple patch, adding second place in the XCO to her UCI XCC World Cup win in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide (Switzerland), and the UCI XCO World Champion will push Maxwell all the way to the line. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) is another worth keeping tabs on – the 2024 UCI XCO World Cup overall winner victorious in Lenzerheide and not out of contention in the title yet. BLEVINS ON THE CUSP Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) is another rider with 330 points on his mind this weekend, as he looks to confirm his first UCI XCO overall series. The American’s 290-point lead over teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossmann (Specialized Factory Racing) means the XCO-XCC double is also a must, but unlike Maxwell, it’s something he’s managed twice this year. His recent form would suggest it’s beyond him, though, with it looking like he will stumble over the line to his title next week rather than seal things in style on home soil. RICHARDS HOLDS FIRM, BLEVINS ALL-BUT CONFIRMED The overall UCI XCC series are also still to be decided, but one is a lot tighter than the other. The women’s competition is currently separated by 110 points – Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) extending her advantage over the 2025 UCI XCC World Champion Alessandra Keller with a podium finish in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. The latter had been showing the consistency that propelled her to last year’s XCO-XCC overall double, but it looks like she might have left her title push too late, with the Brit arresting her mid-season dip in results. The men’s meanwhile is effectively a foregone conclusion. Blevins missed the chance to take the title in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide, but only needs to finish within the top 30 to be crowned UCI XCC World Cup overall winner. Even with his recent poor form – with a 26th-place finish last time out in Lenzerheide – he can afford to ride conservatively to claim the overall. Victor Koretkzy (Specialized Factory Racing) has looked imperious in his last two outings – defending his UCI XCC World Championship title and winning in Lenzerheide – while Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) are favourites to spoil the Specialized party. HÖLL GRINDING HER WAY TO ANOTHER OVERALL On Saturday, it will have been 474 days since Valentina Höll (YT Mob) last won a UCI World Cup. The Austrian has won two UCI Downhill World Championships in that time – most recently in Champéry, Switzerland, at the start of September – but it’s a record that the 23-year-old won't want hanging over her during the off-season. Despite her winless streak, her consistent performances have left her top of the pile with two rounds to go, and the US has historically been a happy hunting ground, with Höll recording three wins at Snowshoe. Her lead over second-place Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) was extended to 137 points after Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide, and she can clinch a fourth overall title in five years if she wins both qualifying and finals and Hemstreet fails to earn less than 177 points in Lake Placid Olympic Region. The Canadian – who has already won three UCI World Cups this season – isn’t one to go down without a fight, and will be extra motivated to take the title race to next week in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide winner Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) is the only other rider who can still mathematically win the overall series, and while the title is a distant prospect, the Brit is another favourite for Saturday’s finals. ADVANTAGE BRUNI IN TWO-WAY TITLE TUSTLE Just 100 points separate Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), with the Frenchman leapfrogging the new UCI Downhill World Champion with a superior points haul in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide. Like Höll, Bruni has also claimed the overall title three times and has experience on his side when it comes to the pointy end of the season. Goldstone, meanwhile, showed a potential chink in his armour in Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide with his 25th-place finish, but will be targeting a return to the top of the podium to take the title to his backyard in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Outside of the title race, other contenders for this Saturday’s finals include Bike Kingdom-Lenzerheide winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) and home favourite Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team). Racing gets underway in Lake Placid Olympic Region on Friday with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.
Trentino, a staple region on the WHOOP UCI MTB World Series calendar, has been awarded hosting rights for the 2031 Cycling Super World Championships.Announced in Kigali, Rwanda following a vote during the UCI’s annual congress, the event will follow a series of world-class events to grace the region over the next six years that also includes the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games and the 2028 Winter Youth Olympics.The 2031 edition of the UCI Super World Championships will span two weeks and unite all major cycling disciplines in one location, including road, track, mountain bike, gravel, BMX, trials, enduro, granfondo, indoor cycling, cycling e-sports, pump track, and bike polo. More than 10,000 athletes are expected to participate across 20 disciplines, with over 200 rainbow jerseys on the line in elite, youth, para-cycling, and masters categories.“This result rewards Trentino’s proven ability to host world-class events,” said Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Autonomous Province of Trento. “We are extremely proud that the UCI has entrusted us with organizing the 2031 Super World Championships.”Andrea Abodi, Italian Minister for Sport and Youth“The awarding of this ‘World of Worlds’ to Italy for 2031 – said Minister Andrea Abodi – is another wonderful international recognition of our ability to present a bid rich in content and opportunities, capable of combining an excellent project with the credibility of a team of institutions that have worked together over time for a common goal. Trentino, together with Veneto for the velodrome being built in Spresiano, confirms itself as a land of sport, the land of cycling par excellence, with all the requirements needed to guarantee a fantastic world-class event, both technically and in terms of the emotions this land can offer. These will be six years of joint work with the Autonomous Province of Trento, Trentino Marketing, all the municipalities involved, and the Italian Cycling Federation, aiming to add many other cultural and social contents to the sporting dimension, making the world cycling festival unforgettable. The Government will work to ensure a positive legacy in three areas: promoting cycling in schools, developing infrastructure for the various cycling disciplines, and improving safety for those who ride bikes for sport or leisure. I wish good work to everyone from now on for this exciting new chapter in Italian sport, congratulating President Fugatti and his team for achieving this prestigious goal and thanking UCI President David Lappartient for the trust he has placed in us.”Luciano Buonfiglio, CONI President“With pride and satisfaction, I welcome the awarding of the 2031 UCI World Championships to Trentino. Today a unique territory has been rewarded, and once again Italy’s ability to organize major sporting events has been recognized. This is the result of fantastic teamwork between institutions, the Federation, and local organizations. This ‘Super Worlds,’ which brings together all disciplines, will provide an extraordinary showcase for our country and its sporting and cultural heritage, fueling the passion for two-wheeled sports that has always inspired Italians.”Cordiano Dagnoni, President of the Italian Cycling Federation“We are particularly pleased with the awarding of the 2031 UCI Super World Championships to Trentino, which rewards the ability of a region that has demonstrated in recent years that it can welcome and organize every cycling discipline in the best possible way, consistently achieving excellent participation levels. At this point, we just need the new velodrome, which the Federation is working on together with the UCI: it will be a facility worthy of a world-class event. As a country and as the Italian Cycling Federation, we are particularly proud because this confirms our reliability as organizers and our high-quality standards, now universally recognized.”
Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) rose to the occasion and gave her home fans a victory to celebrate at the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup in Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère, while newly crowned UCI XCO World Champion Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC) survived a last lap scare to win the Men Elite category. The Swiss crowd also said an emotional farewell to Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) who retired following a stellar career. The dry and dusty conditions at the Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide provided dramatic races which were impacted by mechanicals and punctures. While her rivals faded away, Keller kept calm before launching her bid for glory on the penultimate lap. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) was just seven seconds behind the lead on the final lap before puncturing and finishing fourth. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) finished second following a determined performance, while Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) recovered from a crash while leading to take third. In the men's Elite, Hatherly re-produced his commanding display from Valais the previous weekend as nobody could follow his mid-race attack. That was until the last lap when the Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC rider saw his one-minute advantage halved due to mechanical trouble with his chain. Meanwhile, Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) led a four-man chasing group home for a personal best second XCO result, and Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) placed third. In the men’s U23 category, Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) continued his domination by winning both the Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and XCO events in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide. Meanwhile, American Vida Lopez de San Roman (Trinity Racing) powered away from rival Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) to win the women’s U23. KELLER ENDS LONG WAIT FOR SECOND WORLD CUP WIN Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) ended a long wait to clinch the second UCI XCO World Cup win of her career. The Swiss rider was crowned UCI XCC World Champion in Valais but had been without a UCI XCO World Cup victory since winning at Snowshoe in July 2022 – a total of 1,144 days earlier. In an intense women’s Elite battle, Keller proved strongest as she took a stellar victory. Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) won Friday’s UCI XCC World Cup and was targeting a weekend double. Overall series leader Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) initially joined Rissveds before also being distanced as the course tracked back on itself with short and sharp climbs. Meanwhile, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) suffered an opening lap crash which almost halted Keller. Pieterse was forced to get off her bike to fix a mechanical, before later suffering more problems and pulling out. The asphalt at the end of the first lap allowed Maxwell, Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) to regroup at the front with a clear 12-second gap over the chasers. Rissveds continued her pressure at the front and Blunk followed, as Keller also bridged across to the leaders. Decathlon Ford Racing Team rider Blunk was targeting her first UCI World Cup win and used her technical ability to put her rivals under pressure as Richards and Maxwell were distanced. Disaster struck for Blunk after 40 minutes of racing when she went to adjust her sunglasses and crashed. The American rider dropped back to the chasers, 33 seconds behind the leaders. After recovering from her earlier effort, Richards looked to power across the gap to the leaders with over two laps remaining. Heading into the penultimate lap, the British rider had drawn back to within 15 seconds of the leading duo, and Blunk was also chasing 21 seconds behind. Keller sensed opponent Rissveds was weakening and used the long climb and switchbacks early in the lap to pull out a slender lead. Taking the last lap bell, Keller led by 14 seconds from Richards, who had joined Rissveds in the podium battle. The British rider was on the charge, and she powered away from Rissveds and had Keller and the victory in her sights at seven seconds. However, disaster also struck for Richards and she stopped in the technical zone to change a rear wheel puncture, falling back to fourth after losing 25 seconds. The incident allowed Keller to enjoy her home victory. A chasing Rissveds was rewarded for her efforts by taking second, 16 seconds behind, and Blunk third at 25 seconds. Following her victory Keller said: “It was a tough one, but I had everyone cheering. I gave it my all, I had a gap in the second-from-last lap and went all in. I tried to go as fast as I could with everyone cheering.” “It’s amazing with everyone here, the family and the team. The race was crazy, first Puck crashed in front of me and I basically rode over her, I couldn’t do anything. “Savilia was so strong, but she somehow crashed and then there was two of us. Jenny made such a strong effort. I tried to go into the long uphill first and I had a little gap. “I just suffered until the finish line. It was totally worth it.” HATHERLY ENDS SEASON ON HIGH AS SCHURTER BOWS OUT Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC) completed his mountain bike campaign with a first UCI World Cup victory of the year. The South African has been riding a mixture of road and mountain bike races this campaign and showed his form to ride away from his rivals. Meanwhile, the Swiss fans turned out to say goodbye to Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) who retired following a career of nine UCI World Cup overall titles, 10 UCI World Championship titles, and 36 World Cup race wins. The narrow start loop at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide saw the men’s Elite field tightly grouped with little room to move. At the front it was Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team) who led, while Schurter moved up to 15th from 33rd on the starting grid. Overall series leader Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) had another day to forget as a snapped chain on the second lap saw him lose a host of time and positions. Following the conclusion of the second lap, a group of nine riders had gathered in the front group. Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) had made the front group before puncturing and ripping his back tyre off its rim, ending his challenge. As the race started to explode, Hatherly attacked on the lap’s main climb and pulled out 12 seconds. Behind the lone leader, British competitor Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) led the chasing pack with Andreassen. A cagey race unfolded behind for the remaining podium positions, as Hatherly pulled out his advantage to 54 seconds on the penultimate lap. Taking the bell, Hatherly had extended his lead to a minute over a four-rider chasing group who battled out the remaining podium positions. Aldridge pushed the pace in pursuit of a second-place finish, while Andreassen suffered a puncture to end his hopes. There was one last twist as Hatherly had mechanical trouble with his chain and had to dismount on two occasions. However, the South African was able to nurse his bike home to take victory, with celebrating Aldridge second 32 seconds behind and Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) rewarded for his persistence with third. Following his own mechanical issues, Blevins finished 27th and saw his overall lead reduced to 290 points with two rounds remaining. After taking victory, Hatherly said: “This is a really special venue for me, I’ve only won once here, my Under 23 world title. I was really hungry to get a win. This is my final World Cup of the season, unfortunately, so I wanted to do the jersey justice and go out on top. “I’m at a high again. I finished last season on a similar high, I’m really happy to be back at my normal level now.” “The whole purpose of this season has been to combine road and mountain bike racing, the road is really a big challenge for me but I’m enjoying every step of the way.” Talking about his last lap mechanical problem, the Giant Factory Off-Road Team – XC rider added: “I dropped a chain, it’s never happened before but was one of those fluke things that happens.” “Fortunately the gap was big enough and I was able to seal the deal.” Schurter came over the line to a massive ovation as he finished 24th on the day, 3 minutes 27 seconds behind the winner. He added:“It’s super-cool. I’m so thankful for everything, it was an amazing career and it feels so good.” “It’s better than I could ever imagine. Today was a beautiful day, it was again hard for me. I was scared of the 80% rule, so I had to push hard to get through the race.” LOPEZ DE SAN ROMAN CELEBRATES FIRST U23 XCO WORLD CUP SUCCESS American Vida Lopez de San Roman timed her last lap attack perfectly to win her first Women U23 UCI XCO World Cup. The 19-year-old finished runner-up in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships last weekend. In Friday’s UCI XCC World Cup, she was joined at the front of proceedings by series leader Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO). Once again, the duo pulled away from their competitors on the opening lap as they were evenly matched on the tough course. After a slower start fellow Italian Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing) came through strongly to join the bronze medal fight. On the last lap Lopez de San Roman powered away from Corvi to take victory by 24 seconds. Meanwhile, Cortinovis beat Marta Cano Espinosa (Trek Future Racing) and Ella Maclean-Howell (Cube Factory Racing) into fourth and fifth respectively. Heading into the final two rounds Corvi has a healthy 123-point overall lead and could seal the title at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA). Following her victory Lopez de San Roman said: “It honestly came down to the very last lap on the first climb, we were super evenly matched the whole race up until that point. “I decided to put an acceleration on the switchbacks and a got a few seconds, so I just went all in and didn’t look back once and it seemed to stick. Lopez de San Roman will return to America when the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns to Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York next month. TREUDLER COMPLETES WEEKEND DOUBLE AT HOME Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) produced a show of strength for his home Swiss supporters to win the Men U23 UCI XCO World Cup and extend his overall series lead. The newly crowned U23 UCI XCO World Champion has dominated both Cross-country formats this year and won the XCC event on Friday with a devastating attack on the penultimate lap. The 22-year-old provided another dominant display for his home fans and attacked on the second lap to pull out an advantage. Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) won the XCO round in Val Di Sole – Trentino (Italy) and led the battle behind in second. Despite pulling time back on the fifth lap Teunissen Van Manen had to settle for the runner-up position finishing 34 seconds behind. Meanwhile, Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) was locked in a battle for third position with fellow Danish rider Mikkel Lose – with the former finishing just six seconds ahead of his countryman. Treudler increased his overall advantage to 422 points and has sealed the series with two rounds remaining. Following his victory Treudler said: “It was such a special moment lining up, the crowd were going nuts. “I had to really push today to win, and I’m just really happy with the performance today. “I’ll have some quiet weeks at home now, it has been two hectic weeks so I look forward to some rest.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series takes a week break before continuing for its penultimate round in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) between 3-5 October.
Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) bounced back from a collarbone injury to clinch his 13th Men Elite UCI World Cup race victory, while Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) added another win to her collection following an eventful day at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère. Pierron’s win equalled the Frenchman with Australian Sam Hill in fifth position of all-time UCI Downhill World Cup event winners. Meanwhile, Seagrave took her third Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup victory by the narrowest of margins. The final European round of this year's series saw riders descend on Bike Kingdom in search of the event victory and overall points. Conditions were dry and sunny once again with the dusty track encouraging fast runs and risk-taking. With only two races remaining next month in North America the tension was rising on the Swiss slopes as riders risked everything. Both Pierron and Seagrave surprised themselves with victories after coming through Q2 and feeling that they left time on the Swiss course. The Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide course also had an impact in the overall standings as Jackson Goldstone crashed in the men’s Elite category and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) finished fifth. After finishing runner-up in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships two weeks ago Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was second, while Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory Racing DH) finished third. Meanwhile, the Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup overall standings remain in the balance as Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) placed third and fourth respectively – behind runner-up Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) who was just six hundredths of a second slower than Seagrave. The men’s Junior competitors continue to set times that also challenge their Elite counterparts in an enthralling battle for overall honours. Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / 5DEV) had a perfect weekend after qualifying quickest and then taking his first UCI World Cup victory of the campaign. Meanwhile, Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) continues to take the women’s Junior category by storm as the 16-year-old extended her overall lead with a fourth World Cup success of the year. PIERRON TAKES RECORD WIN AS OVERALL RIVALS FALTER Amaury Pierron kept his calm to take his first men’s Elite UCI World Cup victory of the season. The two-time overall UCI World Cup winner finished runner-up in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) before suffering a collarbone injury. It looked to be another tough weekend for the Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction rider who was forced to go through Q2 into the finals, alongside Andreas Kolb (YT Mob) and Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing DH). The trio dominated the early starters with Pierron, two-time winner in Lenzerheide, setting his winning time of 2-44.6. Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) winner Dunne was also in contention just a second behind, while Kolb posted 2-46.4. The big jumps and hard landings on course resulted in a host of flat tyres which ruined the hopes of several finalists. After finishing runner-up at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships two weeks ago, Henri Kiefer (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was closest challenger and finished just four tenths behind Pierron in runner-up. New Zealander Lachlan Stevens-McNab finished quickly, but the young Trek Factory Racing DH competitor was eight tenths behind in third. Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) had a fairytale victory last year in Lenzerheide but suffered a crash in practice and finished down in 26th. The Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide course provided challenges throughout, and Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) crashed into the starting gate which ended his challenge. Coming into the event five-time UCI Downhill World Champion Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) is competing for overall honours with the newly crowned UCI World Champion Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate). After qualifying fifth fastest Goldstone threw caution to the wind and had the lead through the top section. However, after losing time in the second sector Goldstone pushed his limits too far and crashed out off the course. The Santa Cruz Syndicate rider got back on the course and finished 25th in 2-53.3. Penultimate starter Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) showed his pure speed and smooth riding as he challenged the time of Pierron into the bottom section. However, after hitting a shallow rut Shaw lost control of his bike wheel and lost a second of time to finish ninth. Final starter Bruni had the opportunity to gain advantage in the overall standings and deny fellow Frenchman Pierron the victory. The Specialized Gravity rider found himself over a second behind into the middle and technical section of the course. Despite giving everything in a bid to take victory Bruni had to settle for fifth position after finishing 1.6 seconds behind countryman Pierron. With two rounds remaining Bruni leads the overall standings by 100 points ahead of Goldstone. Following his victory Pierron said: “I really didn’t expect that one. It was quite a nightmare weekend for me, a lot of problems with mechanicals. Everything looked like it was going wrong, I had no expectations and gave everything I had today and it was enough for the win. I didn’t expect it as my run was not so good, at the bottom it was super-slow but it was enough today. I’m super-stoked. I injured myself at the end of last year so all winter was tough and then I was injured again in mid-season with my collarbone. It has been a hell of a season, it’s not over yet. If I can keep going this way then hopefully we can have more success.” SEAGRAVE TURNS WEEKEND AROUND TO TAKE THIRD WIN British rider Tahnée Seagrave took her third Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season. The 30-year-old had to progress through Q2 for the first time to book her finals position. After overcoming an early error in her finals run, Seagrave mastered the rest of her ride to post a winning time of 3-11.5 – eight seconds quicker than her fellow early starters. The Orbea/FMD Racing rider also went nine seconds quicker than her qualifying time the previous day but had a long time to wait for victory to be confirmed. Overall series challenger Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) had a crash in practice earlier in the week. The Canadian qualified eighth fastest the previous day and maintained her UCI World Cup overall challenge with a fourth-place finish. Winner at La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta (Italy), Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) qualified second fastest following a mixed season and brought the challenge to her rivals. The 29-year-old stayed in contention with the fastest time of Seagrave before taking a slender lead during the steep wooded section. However, the German lost out by six hundredths of a second and had to settle for runner-up spot. Final starter and Women Elite UCI Downhill World Champion, Valentina Höll (YT Mob), was looking for her first UCI Downhill World Cup win of the campaign. The Austrian rode an aggressive top section but found herself over a second behind Seagrave. Höll regained ground through the technical wooded part and led by four tenths into the final part. However, the UCI World Champion lost speed on the steps and important time as she finished third just eight tenths of a second back. With two rounds remaining Höll leads the overall standings by 127 points ahead of Hemstreet, while Seagrave remains in contention following her victory. “I was not feeling good all week, I just wanted to be kind to myself and make myself feel better,” said Seagrave. “I really didn’t expect to win today. I tried to avoid Q2 all year and we were successful until yesterday. I really can’t believe how stressful it was, I really don’t envy anyone who does Q2. “The track was super different, the nerves and you start picturing every bad scenario, that was new to me. “I did what I had to do to get into today and an extra run was probably quite nice. The run to me didn’t feel very good. I was surprised when I saw my time and I definitely thought that it would get beaten.” Talking about her slight mistake in the top section of the course, Seagrave added: “It was in a horrible spot. I just pushed down on my cranks as hard as I could. It was a nice spot afterwards to re-settle and get back into the flow. I was good.” VERMETTE BOOSTS OVERALL HOPES WITH VICTORY Asa Vermette mastered the slopes of Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide and took his first Men Junior UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season. The 18-year-old has been consistent this season with four UCI Downhill World Cup podium finishes this season, but a win had eluded him prior to this weekend. The Frameworks Racing / 5DEV was flawless after qualifying quickest and was 4.7 seconds clear of his nearest rival in the final. Newly crowned UCI Downhill World Champion for the age category and UCI Downhill World Cup series leader Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-off by Riding Addiction) crashed the previous day and only qualified eighth fastest. The Frenchman pushed the Swiss course to its limits resulting in a few small mistakes. Alran then suffered a rear-wheel puncture in the final sector and lost vital time to stop the clock in 2-51.0, narrowly beating his brother Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-off by Riding Addiction) – with pair finishing fourth and fifth respectively. Alran’s time was quickly beaten as Oli Clark (MS-Racing) stopped the clock in a 2-50.4. He was overtaken by fellow New Zealander Jonty Williamson (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) as the podium battle hotted up. Penultimate starter Tyler Waite (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) was also in the podium battle until a puncture on the top section of the course ended his hopes. Final starter Vermette made no mistake as he mastered the course and went quickest in every sector to stop the clock in an impressive 2-44.7 to win by 4.7 seconds. The win takes Vermette to 22 points behind series leader Max Alran with two rounds remaining. After taking his long-awaited first UCI World Cup win of 2025, Vermette said: “It was the exact run I wanted to put down, I hit all my marks, didn’t go off line and it was pretty perfect. I’m stoked. “I got first yesterday, so to back it up today feels insane. I’ll try not to think about the overall. I’ll just try and be in the moment, and for the next races. "I’m stoked that I’m getting close [to the overall], I definitely want to try and get that.” ZIERL CONTINUES DOMINATION WITH FOURTH WORLD CUP WIN After qualifying in second the previous day, 16-year-old Rosa Zierl found her rhythm and took a fourth Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup victory of the 2025 campaign. The Cube Factory Racing rider was crowned Junior UCI World Champion for the first time two weeks ago in Champéry and produced another memorable performance under pressure at Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide. Denmark’s Rosa Marie Jensen narrowly beat Zierl in qualifying as the two prepared for a head-to-head battle in the finals. Meanwhile, Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) came into the weekend looking for a second UCI World Cup win of the season, following her success in La Thuile - Valle d'Aosta. The American was third-from-last out of the starting gate and posted the quickest women’s Junior time of the weekend in 3-14.5 – almost eight seconds quicker than her qualifying run. Wearing her rainbow stripes Zierl put down a fluent run and led by seven tenth of a second at the opening split. The Austrian continued to increase her advantage during a flawless ride and stopped the clock in a winning time of 3-11.4 – three seconds quicker than Ostgaard. SFR Specialized Factory Racing rider Jensen was last out of the starting gate in a bid for her second UCI World Cup victory. Despite losing time to Zierl in the top section Jensen produced a stylish run and clinched a podium finish with third place in 3-16.7. Zierl now leads the overall Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup standings by 75 points and could seal the title at penultimate round in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York next month. Following her victory Zierl said: “It’s crazy. I was enjoying this track, but struggling a bit. I just wanted to come down safely and be consistent. After winning the UCI World Championship title, another win is more than I expected. “I’m so happy. Racing in this [the World Champion jersey] still feels unreal. To do a good run now, I’m so happy.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues at Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland) on Sunday with Cross-country Olympic action. Meanwhile, the UCI Downhill World Cup moves to its penultimate round at Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) from 3-5 October
