The UCI Enduro World Cup fires back into life this weekend among the towering peaks of Val di Fassa Trentino, Italy. Nestled high in the Dolomites, Val di Fassa Trentino needs little introduction, this stunning venue has hosted enduro racing since 2019 and remains a firm rider and fan favourite. As famous for its breathtaking views as its extensive trail network, these iconic tracks will once more welcome the world’s best to battle it out on an epic single day of racing. In the women’s competition, series leader Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) remains the rider to beat. The Frenchwoman has won three of her four races there and will be looking for more of the same this weekend. Among those trying their best to stop her will be the top-five title contenders after four of seven rounds. These are Courdurier’s compatriot Pivot Factory Racing’s Morgane Charre, Brits Bex Baraona (Yeti/Fox Factory Team) and Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing) and Italy’s Gloria Scarsi (Canyon CLLCTV Dainese) . In the men’s battle, the USA’s Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Team) will wear the green and white leader’s jersey in Val Di Fassa Trentino. Rude is just 33 points ahead of Canadian Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis Team) in the overall and former champ Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Enduro Team) is hot on his heels. Nukeproof SRAM Factory Racing’s Dan Booker is still in the chase in fourth and France’s Alex Rudeau (Commencal Enduro Project) is gaining traction as the season moves forward in fifth. E-enduro athletes will also be getting back between the tapes for the third race of five. Chilean Florencia Espineira Herreros (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) will be aiming to defend their lead in the women’s series after winning at Leogang and coming second to France’s Laura Charles (Miranda Factory Team) in Finale Outdoor Region. In the men’s, it’s a battle of the former downhill stars with two-time UCI Downhill World Champion Fabien Barel leading after winning both of the first two rounds and former UCI World Cup Downhill winner Mick Hannah (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) in second. The World Cup races will take place on Sunday, July 25 but amateurs will get their chance to race in both formats the day before thanks to the Enduro of Val Di Fassa Trentino. To follow all the action from the UCI Enduro World Cup, tune in to the UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel for the official race highlights, bike checks and exclusive athlete interviews. Recaps and highlights from the racing are also available on Eurosport and globally on GCN+. More information on the weekend’s races in Val Di Fassa Trentino can be found here.
Read the U23 Women's results here. Read the U23 Men's results here. Missed any of the action? Full replays from the UCI Mountain Bike World Series races in Leogang are available here.
Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon) was peerless on an incredibly-tough Leogang course where he powered away from the field in a final-lap attack to win the UCI Mountain Bike Cross-country Olympic World Cup in Austria. Forster’s Thömus Maxon team mate Mathias Flückiger looked impressive earlier in the third-round race after working his way to the front of a leading group including Luca Schwazbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) and Ondrej Cink (Primaflor Mondraker Genuins Race Team). But as Flückiger’s bid for glory was ended by a rear puncture, Forster moved up to Schwarzbauer and Cink before timing a devastating attack to perfection. Schwarzbauer of Germany crossed the line some 14s back in second place and Czech rider Cink was third. In the women’s race, series leader Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) proved she was in a league of her own when she took command of the race straight from the start line. She made an early break and maintained it from start to finish - crossing the line in stifling heat with an unassailable lead of 38 seconds. After yesterday’s double win in the UCI Downhill World Cup, Austria continued to display its mountain biking pedigree when Mona Mitterwallner (Cannondale Factory Racing) took second place and Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory Racing) third. Earlier in the day Sofie Heby Pederson (Wilier-Pirelli Factory Team XCO) destroyed the rest of the U23 Women’s field when she won by 1:08 minute. It was a closer affair in the U23 Men’s race, when Adrien Boichis (Trinity Racing MTB) won his race by a still impressive 12 seconds. Missed any of the action? Full replays from today’s race are available on GCN+. Full results are posted here. The UCI Downhill World Cup returns in two weeks time when it will be back in action in Val di Sole, Italy on June 29 - July 2.
Overnight rain did little to dampen the dust on course and even less to the spirit of the spectators who turned out in their droves to see hometown heroes Vali Holl (RockShox Trek Race Team) and Andreas Kolb (Continental Atherton). And they were richly rewarded for their support as the Austrian took first place in qualification, first place in the semi-final and turned the clock green at every split on her way to a historic win in front of her friends and family. Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal) came in second place while Rachel Atherton (Continental Atherton) backed up her Lenzerheide win on the third step of the podium. Anticipation was running high in the Austrian crowd when Kolb put down a heater of a run and was duly rewarded with the hot seat. However, with another eight riders yet to drop, the tension was palpable - but as Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) crossed the line the crowd erupted as it became clear Kolb had done it - taking the win on home soil. Reigning UCI World Champ Loic Bruni (Specialized) took second, while Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) took third. So after two rounds, it’s Camille Balanche who now leads the standings ahead of Rachel Atherton in second, with Vali Holl in third place. Kolb from nearby Schladming wins his first World Cup In the men’s standings, it’s Loic Bruni who’s out front, Finn Iles in second and Loris Vergier (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) in third. The racing continues in Leogang on Sunday with the third round of the UCI Cross-Country World Cup. Watch live on GCN+ globally, on the Eurosport App and discovery+ across Europe. Missed any of the action? Full replays from today’s race are available on GCN+. Full results are posted here. The UCI Downhill World Cup returns in two weeks time when it will be back in action in Val di Sole, Italy on June 29 - July 2.
Hop on board with Andreas Kolb as he takes the win in the UCI Downhill World Cup in front of his home crowd in Leogang, Austria! The racing continues in Leogang on Sunday with the third round of the UCI Cross-Country World Cup. Watch live on GCN+ globally, on the Eurosport App and discovery+ across Europe. Missed any of the action? Full replays from today’s race are available on GCN+. Full results are posted here. The UCI Downhill World Cup returns in two weeks time when it will be back in action in Val di Sole, Italy on June 29 - July 2.
With four of seven UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup rounds (EDR) already raced, the fight for the overall is hotting up. Last year’s champ Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) leads the pro-series standings going into round five as does the USA’s Richie Rude (Yeti / Fox Factory Team). In the pro men, the battle for the title has been ferocious with the lead changing hands at every round but with Rude emerging as the most consistent so far. The American goes into the Val Di Fassa Trentino, Italy round wearing the green and white leader’s jersey having also worn it at Finale after coming out of the Tasmanian opening rounds in front. Last year’s champ Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Enduro Team) was the leader coming into round four at Leogang but a crash on one stage and a broken chain on another cost him precious time and left him in 10th on the day. Rude on the other hand finished the Austrian race in second only bettered by Melamed’s countryman Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis). Former champ Rude has led the rankings twice this season In the overall that meant that Melamed was leapfrogged by both riders to end up in third as the series heads due south to the Dolomites. Rude and Verner though are separated currently by just 33 points. After his strong showing on home soil at rounds one and two, Nukeproof Sram Factory Racing’s Dan Booker is still in fourth and France’s flat-pedal charger Alex Rudeau (Commencal Enduro Project) is in fifth. Pro Men’s ranking after round four - Leogang Salzburgerland Richie Rude 1485 Rhys Verner 1452 Jesse Melamed 1308 Daniel Booker 1145 Alex Rudeau 1130 The pro women’s jersey has followed a similar trajectory, swapping shoulders at every round. Again, only one rider has worn it twice. Courdurier’s win at round one in Maydena, Tasmania meant she was leading going into the second of the back-to-back rounds in Tasmania. Now, she’s back in green for Val di Fassa Trentino after her convincing win In Leogang. In fact, Courdurier shared the top points tally going into round four with compatriot Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) but Charre wore the jersey in Leogang having won in Finale Outdoor Region. Bex Baraona (Yeti/Fox Factory Team) is still in third after her strong showing in Tasmania which included the round two win in Derby. Courdurier leads Charre by 83 points going into Val Di Fassa Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing) is in fourth after a ninth place finish in Finale Outdoor Region pulled her tally down despite not being outside the top five at any of the other rounds. After two second-place finishes at the last two rounds, Italy’s Gloria Scarsi (Canyon CLLCTV Dainese) heads back to round five on home soil in fifth place. Pro Women’s ranking after round four - Leogang Salzburgerland Isabeau Courdurier 1723 Morgane Charre 1640 Bex Baraona 1344 Harriet Harnden 1322 Gloria Scarsi 1226 In the U21 women’s field, three women have battled it out through the first four rounds and Canada’s Emmy Lan (Forbidden Synthesis) will wear the leader’s jersey for a third time in Val Di Fassa. Lan is in green and white again in Val Di Fassa Her compatriot Elly Hoskin is second in the rankings after not being outside the top five all season. New Zealand’s Erice Van Leuven is in third after missing the last two rounds to concentrate on downhill having notched up a win and a second in Tasmania. U21 Women’s ranking after round four - Leogang Salzburgerland Emmy Lan 839 Elly Hoskin 537 Erice Van Leuven 462 Australian Sascha Kim has dominated the U21 men’s standings in 2023. Having taken the green jersey at the first round he’s held on to it despite a strong challenge from Frenchman Lisandru Bertini (Lapierre Zipp Collective) who currently lies in second. Canada’s Johnathan Helly is in third. Kim took both home wins in Tasmania Kim started the season with two wins and backed it up with a second in Leogang. Bertini, on the other hand, had a slower start with a third and fourth in Tasmania and a seventh in Finale but has momentum after taking the win in Austria. U21 Men’s ranking after round four - Leogang Salzburgerland Sascha Kim 814 Lisandru Bertini 712 Johnathan Helly 555 So, all to race for in the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup season, as the fastest riders in the world set their sights on Italy and the Val Di Fassa Trentino round, the fifth stop on the calendar next weekend: June 24 - 25. Keep up with the action via our social channels and check out enduro race day highlights on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel, alongside in-depth bike checks, course previews and exclusive behind the scenes content.
Preview the UCI Downhill World Cup course with Santa Cruz Syndicate rider Jackson Goldstone. The downhill racing gets underway today with the junior finals, make sure you’re watching the nail-biting action LIVE on YouTube at 1310 CEST. Friday 16 June Live on UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel:12.40 CEST UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup - Junior Women, Final13.10 CEST UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup - Junior Men, Final For the full schedule and more information on this week’s races click here. For more information on where to watch click here.
Rachel Atherton reckons living next to Dyfi Bike Park has been absolutely key to regaining some of her stunning speed. The 35-year-old sent the mountain bike world into a frenzy when she won her 40th World Cup at the first round of the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup at Lenzerheide last weekend. Her first victory since Andorra in 2019, Atherton only started training two months ago and has juggled her quest for fitness on the bike with looking after her 22-month-old daughter Arna. Initially she planned to spend a couple of extra days holidaying in Switzerland with the family before returning home to Wales to focus on training ahead of August’s World Championships at Fort William. Atherton won at Lenzerheide by half a second from Camille Balanche But the temptation to race again proved strong and Atherton announced earlier in the week she’d ride at round two in Leogang, Austria. The six-time World Champion says getting in shape has been a proper balancing act. “I’ve been training for about two months, I’ve been doing as much as I can, no way near the level I used to but as much as I can while Arna’s napping and still having energy left over to be there for her all day,” she said. “But I think people are surprised because I’m saying this and the results are different “I live at Dyfi Bike Park, I literally live next door and I ride there every weekend and two or three days a week. That has got to be good for you, lapping the bike park all day. Big runs, it’s over five minutes, it’s amazing training and you’re not really realising you’re training.” Dyfi Bike Park Pic: Facebook The 650-acre park in north-west Wales is an Atherton-family affair featuring enduro and downhill tracks which have been designed by brother Dan - himself a legend of the sport. Representing her family’s Continental Atherton team, six-time overall World Cup winner Rachel says that she has thrilled to her progression in a new way. “Other racers come up, Brendan [Fairclough] and Danny [Hart} and Jordan Williams is there a lot and Bernard [Kerr] has moved to our local town so there’s a good crew to ride with. It’s been a real natural progression…. She explained that she’d mastered a technical section in the bike park that she had walked initially. “Just to see that progression it’s mind blowing, “ she said. “It’s so cool to go through that and it not to have been an injury… so you don’t have that fear of hurting yourself because it’s not been an injury but you’ve been off the bike.” Atherton originally planned to go home after round one Atherton says that whatever happens in Leogang, her goal is the World Champs in Fort William, Scotland. “For me this year, the goal is not to win World Champs but that’s the goal I know I’ve got a solid few months of training before that so I can be a lot stronger and fitter and these races were all about that, “ she said. “Now I won last weekend and I’m just here to have fun still. I really missed it being at home and being a new mum it’s so different, it couldn’t be more different to this adrenaline-fuelled extreme, testosterone-driven lifestyle and I’m just so stoked to be back here ….”
Abella and Bouladou clinch junior World Cup Downhill wins while World Champion Höll and Palazzari qualify fastest for Saturday’s elite race The French pair tamed the super-fast track in Leogang, Austria at the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup. The women’s junior final took place in sunshine and warm temperatures but the junior men had to cope with a race suspension due to some heavy showers and high winds. Bouladou nailed every section of the Leogang track France's Lisa Bouladou put down a hugely-impressive run to win the women’s junior race by more than five seconds and was the only rider to best the fastest qualifying time. The Commencal rider was inch perfect as she came down to take the lead from Britain’s Aimi Kenyon (Pinkbike Racing). USA’s Riley Miller was third another 2.5s back. Fastest qualifier and round one winner New Zealand’s Erice Van Leuven (Commencal Les Orres) crashed dramatically near the top of the track and didn’t finish. The rain-affected men’s junior race saw a win for Van Leuven’s team mate Leo Abella. The French rider came down in the wet just before the race suspension and held on in the hotseat after the restart despite some courageous wet runs by the faster qualifiers. One of those riders, Trek Factory Racing Gravity’s Bodhi Kuhn ended up second and Spain’s Daniel Castellanos Liberal was third. Abella came down in the wet and held on In the women’s elite qualifying held after the junior finals, World Champion Valentina Höll went fastest in the wet in front of her home crowd. Switzerland’s Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal) qualified in second some 2s behind 21-year-old Höll. Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Nina Hoffman came down in third. Round-one winner Britain’s Rachel Atherton (Continental Atherton) was 7.5s off Höll’s pace in sixth. Höll is hoping for a big result just a few miles from her family home The men’s elite qualifying was interrupted for some 40 minutes by more heavy rain after just 13 riders of a field of 180 riders had started. The downpour left the track considerably more tricky with later riders struggling to match the earlier times. Canada’s Finn Iles was the best of the later starters managing to get within 5s of the fastest early qualifier. In the end, almost the whole top 10 came from those who started ahead of the rain with Italy’s Davide Palazzari of the Rogue Racing After Skull Team qualifying fastest, quarter of a second ahead of Britain’s Matt Walker of the Madison Saracen Factory Team. Palazzari will be the last down the hill in Saturday's semi-final France’s Ian Guionnet was third. Britain’s Charlie Hatton (Continental Atherton Racing) is protected so will qualify despite missing out on the top 60 as will Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Greg Minaar. The elites will be back in action on Saturday for semi-final and final races. Full results and the schedule for the weekend are available here
The women took to the famously steep course after a storm blew through, creating difficult conditions as the dry, dusty course they’d practised earlier in the day gave way to a slick, rain drenched course. It proved no match for the power of Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) though, who muscled her way to the front of the pack to take her first win of the season. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) would cross the line five seconds back in second place, with Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing XC) rounding out the podium in third. Next up were the Elite Men and it was Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC) who romped to victory, with Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CCLTV) just two seconds back in second place. Martin Blums (KMC MTB Racing Team) took third place. Very different conditions on course between Thursday's U23 XCC and Friday's Elite's. The U23 XCC riders got between the tapes on Thursday and enjoyed dry conditions that the elites could only dream of. In the women’s race Ronja Blochlinger (Liv Factory Racing) came out on top, while in the men’s it was Adrien Boichis (Trinity Racing MTB) who secured top honours. The cross-country athletes will be back in action on Sunday when they line up for the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup. Full results from today’s race are available here. Missed any of the action? Full replays from the UCI Mountain Bike World Series races in Leogang are available here.
Leogang is no stranger to UCI World Cup racing, but it’s the first time the venue hosts a UCI Enduro World Cup on these famous trails. It was a massive day on the hill which saw riders covering 55km with 1,090m of climbing and a massive 4,800m of descending over the six stages but the racing was tight! Missed any of the action? Full replays from the UCI Mountain Bike World Series races in Leogang are available here.
Take a look at Rachel Atherton's own named downhill race bike that took her to victory as she returned to racing in Lenzerheide! The Atherton AM.200.M frame, made in Wales, is made using additive manufacturing technology to 3D print titanium lugs which are then bonded to carbon tubes. Rachel gets back between the tape this weekend in Leogang, could we see this bike take another top step?
RAW action from practice day in Leogang ahead of the UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup tomorrow. A massive day on the bike spanning 71km lie ahead of the riders! A mixture of flat-out bike park trails and alpine, super enduro, rough and ready stages create the course which will make way for some incredible racing. With close battles between the front runners, it's all to play for, but only one rider can come out on top. Who will take the win in Austria? You can watch the UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup highlights and behind the scenes content on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel
The perfect mixture of flat-out bike park trails and alpine, super enduro, rough and ready stages! With close battles between the front runners, it's all to play for, but only one rider can come out on top... For the full schedule and more information on this week’s races click here. Fans will be able to watch the UCI Enduro World Cup highlights and behinds the scenes content on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel For Mountain Bike Cross-country and Downhill fans, you can watch live on GCN+ globally, on the Eurosport App and discovery+ across Europe.
France’s Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) and Canadian Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis Team) emerged victorious at the fourth round of the UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup in Leogang-Salzburgerland, Austria. The pair were consistently fast on a big, burly day around Leogang which saw riders covering 55km with 1,090m of climbing and a massive 4,800m of descending over the six stages. Leogang is no stranger to UCI World Cup racing, but it’s the first time the EDR and E-EDR racers have taken on these famous trails. Courdurier won three stages to see her triumph by a relatively comfortable 14s from Italy’s Gloria Scarsi (Canyon CLLCTV Dainese). France’s Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) finished the day in third after taking the day’s final stage. The win for Courdurier is her second of the season after she triumphed at the opening round in Maydena, Australia and will see her take the series leader’s jersey from compatriot Charre. Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) took her second win of the 2023 season. In the men’s race Verner was right up there all day - not outside the top five on any stage - and with three stage wins. But the Canadian was pushed hard by Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and the pair were separated by just two seconds going into the final DH-focussed stage. Canadian Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis Team) fought hard against Richie Rude on the final stage. But Verner took more time on the last test of the day - winning the stage - and ending up nearly 3s ahead of the USA’s Rude. Commencal Enduro Project’s Alex Rudeau of France came out third and 8.7s back. Rude leads the series going into round five in Italy next weekend. In the U21 Men it was a win for France’s Lisandru Bertini of Lapierre Zipp Collective and in the U21 Women was a second victory of 2023 for Canada’s Emmy Lan of Forbidden Synthesis Team. Team of the day were Forbidden Synthesis Team and Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team are leading the series. In round two of the UCI Mountain Bike E-Enduro World Cup, Chilean Flo Espineira (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) took her first win of the season. Espineira won by a substantial 31-second margin taking five of the 10 stages on a day when after taking the lead on S2 Pro-Line, she didn’t let it go. In the men’s e-enduro it was a second win in a row for French DH legend Fabien Barel on the Canyon. Barel won round one in Pietra Ligure and made it two out of two in Austria. The 42-year-old two-time elite UCI World Downhill Champion won three stages on his way to victory. Barel made it two out of two Full results are here. For the full schedule and more information on this week’s races click here. For more information on where to watch click here.
