The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has already witnessed the opening rounds of the cross-country and enduro formats, with three race weekends full of nail-biting, unpredictable racing in Araxá – Minas Gerais (Brazil) and Pietra Ligure, Finale Outdoor Region (Italy). This weekend, downhill joins the action alongside the second round of the UCI Enduro World Cup in the Enduro Trails of Bielsko-Biała (Poland), and fans can expect more of the same in the gravity-fuelled formats.

A MODERN CLASSIC

The Beskid Mountains venue in southern Poland hosted rounds of the UCI Downhill World Cup and UCI Enduro World Cup for the first time last year, and instantly became a modern classic. Its Enduro Trails network was already renowned in this corner of Europe for its steep, technical and natural terrain, while its new downhill course delivered on its pro debut with its blend of jumps, technical features and wood sections. Riders were also treated to a warm welcome from the thriving local mountain bike community, with passionate Polish fans stationed on every jump, berm, rock garden and drop.

The downhill course is broadly the same, while the UCI Enduro World Cup features a new stage from last year – the final 2.31km Stary Zielony – with the remaining stages reshuffled in order. In total, athletes will take on five stages during a 37km course featuring 1,320m pedal ascent (and 440m gondola) and 1,609m of descent.

FIRST-ROUND FORM FINDER

The opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup is always difficult to predict, with riders coming off a long off-season that could have included a switch in team and bike set-up, recovery from injury or operation, or simply seven months without racing.

Reigning overall series champions Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Valentina Höll (YT Mob) will line up as favourites with points to prove – both having missed out on the top spot last year in Bielsko-Biała. But Bruni and Höll face stiff competition from a chasing pack of riders that’s more competitive than ever.

For Höll, Harriet Harnden (AON Racing - Tourne Campervans) is the most intriguing opposition in Poland. The reigning UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner has switched formats for 2025 and is focusing on downhill, but still found time to dominate the first UCI Enduro World Cup round of the season in Pietra Ligure, Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) last weekend.

Other likely challengers for Höll include last year’s victor in Bielsko-Biała, Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing).

Bruni meanwhile hasn’t gone between the race tape since Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) last October, but few would bet against the Frenchman being in contention for the win on Sunday. Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing) was the only rider to get the better of Super Bruni in Poland last year, but a resurgent Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off By Riding Addiction), format-switcher Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) and wildcard qualifier Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) could all stand between the Frenchman and the top spot this time out.

A POTENTIAL HOME WINNER

Before Sunday’s Downhill final, there’s the small matter of the second UCI Enduro World Cup to be decided on Saturday. Slawomir Lukasik’s (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) wait for a debut win goes on – the Pole missing out by an agonising 0.374 seconds to Daniel Booker in Pietra Ligure, Finale Outdoor Region – but he will be hoping home advantage can help give him the edge in the Beskid Mountains. Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) spoiled the Polish party in 2024, but with Richie Rude focused on downhill, that’s one less challenger for Lukasik to contend with.

In the women’s field, there will definitely be a different winner from last year – Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) having retired from full-time racing at the end of 2024. With first-round winner Harriet Harnden also switching formats to downhill in Poland, the competition is wide open. Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) has UCI World Cup-winning experience on her side, but Ella Conolly showed consistency in Pietra Ligure to put herself into contention, while fourth-placed finisher Raphaela Richter was the only rider other than Harnden to win a stage in Enduro’s heartlands.

Racing gets underway in Enduro Trails Bielsko-Biała on Saturday with the UCI Enduro World Cup – full schedule and events details are available here.