The opening round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series delivered a race weekend to remember, as athletes battled contrasting conditions on new courses in South Korea’s MONA YongPyong.
For the likes of Asa Vermette (Frameworks/TRP), Vali Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres), Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC) and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing), Asia’s first UCI World Cup in 25 years will live long in the memory, as the quintet all got their respective 2026 seasons off to the strongest possible start.
But the stories of the round run much deeper than who came out on top in the Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Downhill (DH) finals, with events in MONA YongPyong shaping the narrative of the rest of the series.
To get the inside line from the athletes themselves, TNT Sport’s The B Line returns for 2026, and features interviews with some of the round’s leading protagonists, getting their opinions and insights on the weekend’s action once the dust has finally settled.
HÖLL IN POLE AND PIERRON’S PODIUM
In the opening episode of the series, Emma Stewart headed to the Downhill pits to get the unfiltered reaction after an explosive start to the series that saw first-year Elite Asa Vermette win on his debut race in the class and Vali Höll prove that, regardless of the bike she’s on, she remains the clear favourite for 2026.
Vermette’s teammate and five-time UCI Downhill World Cup overall winner Aaron Gwin (Frameworks/TRP) shared his thoughts on his young compatriot’s rise up the ranks and his first memories of going head-to-head with the precocious talent.
The rise in competition isn’t just in the men’s field either, but Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) and Sacha Earnest (Trek - Unbroken DH) revealed that there is a level of support between riders that goes beyond the race tape.
Stewart also caught up with Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) and got the inside scoop on how he managed to crash in his race run yet still finish on the podium – something the Frenchman said he wouldn’t have believed possible a few years ago.
CROSS COUNTRY’S US BOOM
In the Cross-country focus, presenter Ashleigh Wilmot sat down with Gwen Gibson (Trek - Unbroken XC) and Madigan Munro (Liv Factory Racing) to discuss Munro’s first UCI XCO World Cup podium, the contrasting racing experienced between the XCC and XCO in South Korea, and the rise of US riding more generally.
“The huge difference between the short track and the cross country is short track is a packed race,” explained Gibson. “You’re constantly around a lot of people. You’re navigating. It’s first lap chaos but for the entire race.
The Trek - Unbroken XC rider added that the muddy nature of the XCO meant other strengths beyond pure power shone through. “Your [bike handling] skills really showed through too. It was nice that it showed all sorts of strengths. In [XCO] days like this, it’s who is mentally on it and present and makes the most out of the muddy conditions.”
The pair also shared how their history as former teammates at Trek and as part of the national set-up means they have a unique bond that transcends their current teams – with Munro moving to Liv Factory Racing in the off-season.
“It’s definitely different to not be spending so much time together but it makes it even more fun when we get back to the races and get to race with each other,” said Gibson. “When I came across the line and was told where [Munro] had finished, I was like ‘no way’. [It’s nice] when you see one of your friends and their trajectory and all the battles.”
“We’ve both been through some highs and lows together being teammates,” added Munro. “Even [Gibson’s] short track and coming sixth. It was incredible to see her back in the fight again. We had some tough races last year.”
