Tight racing and a raft of different winners means that with just two rounds of seven to go in the UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup, nothing can be taken for granted.

In the women’s field, the top five are separated by 647 points where the men’s is tighter as just 474 between first and fifth.

With 400 points for a win, 350 for second and 310, 280 and 250 for third, fourth and fifth - plus associated stage points - there are still around 1,000 points up for grabs so there is scope for everything to change.

The spread across the women’s overall is greater than the men’s and the top two riders - the French pair of Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) and Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) -  have a significant margin of 439 points to third-placed Bex Baraona (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team). 

Courdurier - with three wins - and Charre - with one win and two seconds - are separated by only 144 points so that battle promises to be as intense as ever going into the sixth round at Loudenvielle-Peyragudes where Charre won last year.

If the battle for the lead is tight then the scramble for third place is even harder fought. Britain’s Baraona is only seven points ahead of her compatriot Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity). Italy’s Gloria Scarsi (Canyon CLLCTV Dainese) is only 57 points further back in fifth.

The men have a more even spread with five different winners across the five rounds so far and the higher placings in each race much more spread across the field than in the women’s.

Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) comes to Loudenvielle - Peyragudes wearing the points leader’s jersey. The American is some 173 points ahead of Canada’s Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis Team) but Verner’s countryman Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Enduro Team) is nipping at his heels just 79 back. And last year’s Loudenvielle winner Alex Rudeau (Commencal Enduro Project) is only 65 behind the 2022 EWS champ in fourth. Charlie Murray (Specialized Enduro Team) is in fifth after fourth places in the last two rounds pushed him up the rankings.
In the U21 rankings and the e-enduro fields (EDR-E), there are roughly half the points of the standard enduro races available - 200 points for a win and 10 for a stage win. That means there are some 500 points up for grabs from the last two races in U21 and around 560 in the EDR-E with the extra stages.

Canadian Emmy Lan (Forbidden Synthesis Team) leads the women’s overall by a significant margin after winning four out of five rounds. Lan’s compatriot Elly Hoskin is some 398 points back in second and UCI Junior Downhill World champion Erice Van Leuven (Commencal Les Orres) is 207 points back from Hoskin having only competed in two rounds.

In the men’s, it’s very tight at the sharp end with the top two in the rankings having won two races apiece. France’s Lisandru Bertini leads the way with 964 points but Aussie Sascha Kim (Raw Racing Team) is just 34 points back in second. France’s Alexis Icardo (Canyon CLLCTV Dainese) is in third some 202 points further back.

In the EDR-E races, after three rounds from five, the spoils have been shared relatively widely and consequently the series rankings are tight.

In the women’s, it’s Flo Espineira Herreros (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) whose consistency has left her in front with a win and two seconds under her belt. Espineira is on 708 points just 49 ahead of France’s Laura Charles (Miranda Factory Team) who has two wins and a fourth to her name. Germany’s Ines Thoma is 158 points further back in third.

Former UCI Downhill World Champion Fabien Barel leads the men’s EDR-E field after winning the first two rounds of the season. Barel with 546 points is just 13 ahead of his fellow-Frenchman Kevin Marry (Lapierre Zipp Collective) who won the last round at Val Di Fassa Trentino. Spain’s Alex Marin (GasGas SRAM Racing) is in third just 69 points further back.

To follow all the racing live from Loudenvielle, be sure to tune into GCN+. More information about the event is available here.