La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta delivered a weekend of firsts and unforgettable moments, from Martina Berta’s maiden UCI XCO World Cup victory on home soil and Jordan Williams’ long-awaited return to the top step, to candid insights from the sport’s biggest stars as they reflected on breakthrough performances, fierce rivalries, injury setbacks and their ambitions for the races ahead.
Martina Berta (Origine Racing Division) thrilled the home crowd with a breakthrough Women’s Elite victory on one of the most demanding courses of the season, while overall leader Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) extended his advantage with a commanding second consecutive UCI XCO World Cup win. In the Under-23 categories, Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) completed dominant weekend doubles in La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta (Italy)
Raphaël Giambi (Speed Project) claimed his first-ever UCI Enduro World Cup victory and Ella Conolly extended her overall lead. Junior series leaders Nežka Libnik and Hugo Marti Montessinos continued their winning form on four demanding Alpine stages culminating in La Thuile’s iconic night race.
Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) ended a 1,107-day wait for a UCI Downhill World Cup victory with a daring ride down La Thuile’s unforgiving LTHell course, while reigning UCI World Champion Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) edged team-mate Lisa Baumann in a dramatic Women’s Elite showdown. On a dusty and highly technical track, Kasper Hickman (Cube Factory Racing) made history as the first Finnish rider to win a Men’s Junior UCI Downhill World Cup, and Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) delivered a dominant performance to claim victory in the Women’s Junior race.
Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) emerged victorious after thrilling Elite races on La Thuile–Valle d’Aosta’s debut UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup course. Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) further strengthened their grip on the U23 overall standings with commanding victories.
The dusty and loose terrain on the steep slopes resulted in some major qualification upsets as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series hots up in the Italian Alps.
Copilot said: La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta hosts the second four-format round of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series this weekend, bringing together Cross-country, Enduro and Downhill competition for the first time at the Italian Alps venue.
The Italian Alps venue returns with an expanded programme that now includes the UCI Cross-country World Cup, bringing all WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series formats together for the second time this season.
Storm-hit racing in the Dolomites reshaped the third round of the UCI Enduro World Cup. Mélanie Pugin claimed a long-awaited maiden victory with a standout technical performance. Tristan Botteram sealed a dramatic win by less than a second. Harper Nelmes and Nežka Libnik added to the weekend’s drama in the Junior races. Speed Project also extended their dominance in the team standings.
Tommaso Calonaci and Ella Conolly take narrow leads into the second day of action at the UCI Enduro World Cup in Val di Fassa, Trentino.
La Thuile returns to the UCI Enduro World Cup after a successful debut in 2025, and with it the spectacle of a night-time stage.
Italy hosts round three of the UCI Enduro World Cup this weekend, with the first two-day race format of the season on a demanding seven-stage course set in the spectacular Dolomites. As Lukašík looks to close the gap to series leader Rudeau, Conolly faces renewed pressure in the women’s field from in-form challengers and the returning Courdurier.
New annual WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series awards gala will honour teams, organisations and individuals across several categories.
From debut wins to back-to-back triumphs, Lenzerheide showcased a sport in full flow, where rising stars and established names shared the spotlight across a tightly contested weekend.
Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) overcame a gruelling course and hot conditions to take wins at the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup in Lenzerheide (Switzerland).
