The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are well underway in Valais, Switzerland, and it was the Gravity formats that were getting in on the action first.
For the second-ever UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Enduro, Aletsch Arena/Bellwald was chosen as the venue, with racing split over two days – three stages on day one, and three stages on day two.
The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Downhill, meanwhile, returned to the canton’s iconic Champéry track – scene of the Downhill 2011 UCI World Championship and Danny Hart’s (Great Britain) wet and wild ride.
RUDE AND LUKASIK GO TO THE WIRE
Richard Rude Jr (USA) might be a legend of Enduro riding, but his impressive collection of honours lacked a rainbow jersey after he missed out on the debut UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Enduro to Alex Rudeau (France) last year.
While the American might have switched his focus this to Downhill season, the 30-year-old wasn’t going to let the opportunity to right the wrongs of last year pass him by, and lined up in Aletsch Arena/Bellwald, Valais with a point to prove.
There was one man who would attempt to stand in his way, though –Yeti/Fox Factory Racing Team teammate Sławomir Łukasik (Poland). The Pole had already clinched this year’s overall series, which included his first three UCI Enduro World Cup wins, and had his own goal to become the first ride to win the overall UCI World Cup and UCI World Championship in the same year.
Initially, the advantage went to Lukasik, who led after the first day’s three stages, even with a 25th place finish in stage three. Rude was his consistent self, though, remaining within the top four on the first three stages to sit second.
After stage four, Łukasik extended his advantage, but Rude had other ideas. The American smoked the field, using all of his race-winning experience to claw back five seconds on Łukasik on stage five, before edging him in the final stage to win by 2.5 seconds.
Image: SWpix
Stage one winner Elliot Jamieson (Canada) would round out the podium, recording his best Elite Enduro result to date.
2025 UCI Enduro World Cup winner Melvin Almueis (France) also took the men’s Junior UCI World Championship title.
HOSKIN OVERCOMES CONOLLY IN FINAL STAGE SHOWDOWN
The battle was almost as tight in the women’s field, albeit with four riders within 10 seconds of the winning time.
Elly Hoskins (Canada) set the early pace, winning stage one and stage three. But it was Ella Conolly (Great Britain), who led at the halfway point – the UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner fastest on stage two and still showing strong form despite skipping the final UCI Enduro World Cup round of the season in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France).
Image: SWpix
Stage four saw last year’s overall winner, Harriet Harnden (Great Britain), come to the fore, but it was too little too late for the Brit, who like Rude, has also been focusing on Downhill this year.
Stage five witnessed a big swing in the lead, Hoskin taking 20 seconds from Conolly. And it would ultimately set up the win for the Canadian, who took another nine seconds from the Brit on the final stage to win by 4.53 seconds. Mélanie Pugin (France) would take the final podium spot, pipping Harnden in the final stage.
Nežka Libnik (Slovenia) claimed the women’s Junior top spot.
GOLDSTONE BLITZES THE FIELD
Jackson Goldstone (Canada) is making up for lost time. After sitting out last season with injury, the 21-year-old has been the in-form rider of 2025, equaling Aaron Gwin’s record by winning four consecutive UCI Downhill World Cups, and finds himself at the top of the UCI Downhill World Cup rankings.
A firm favourite ahead of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, it was interesting to see how the Canadian reacted after a disappointing result last time out in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) the week before. It didn’t seem to phase him, and he piloted his Santa Cruz V10 down the bone dry course in his signature smooth style. He led from the first intermediate split and didn’t look back, piecing together an insanely fast run that no one could get close to.
Henri Kiefer (Germany) was the surprise package and had a long wait in the hot seat until Goldstone finally shaved almost two seconds off of his 2:56.099 time. Ronan Dunne (Ireland) meanwhile continued his strong form, adding a bronze medal to his second UCI Downhill World Cup win in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie.
Frenchman and five-time World Champion Loïc Bruni was the last rider down the hill but crashed out before posting a time, handing the rainbow jersey to the Canadian and adding another dramatic chapter to their season-long battle in the UCI Downhill World Cup.
Frances’s Max Alran took the Men Junior UCI World Championship title.
HÖLL EDGES NICOLE TO WIN HER FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TITLE
Valentina Höll (Austria) hasn’t won a bike race since the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Andorra last August. The 23-year-old has been close to the top spot since, and even leads the UCI Downhill World Cup rankings thanks to her consistency, but a win has seemingly alluded her at every turn.
When it comes to the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, though, she can raise her game to another level – as shown in her three consecutive rainbow jerseys coming into Champéry.
Image: SWpix
After the first split, it was looking like it might be the end of her winning streak – Tahnée Seagrave (Great Britain) recording the fastest first section. But Höll was just getting into her groove, and set about dominating the rest of the mountain.
By split two, she was in the green, and she gradually started to increase her lead thanks to her consistent and calculated way of riding.
The last rider other than Höll to wear the rainbow jersey – Myriam Nicole (France) – was the only athlete within a second of the Austrian’s time, stopping the clock 0.667 seconds down. Marine Cabirou (France) made it a French 2-3.
In the junior category, Rosa Zierl (Austria) took the win.
