The dust hasn’t even settled from the Endurance excitement in Nové Mesto Na Morave (Czechia) and the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is back with the return of the UCI Downhill and Enduro World Cups in Loudenvielle – Peyragudes. presented by FACOM, the fourth of five back-to-back race weekends.

France’s Loudenvielle - Peyragudes is the location, and riders will be hoping its revised early summer spot in the calendar means better conditions than 2024’s wet and wild trails. The Louron Valley spot made its UCI World Cup debut in 2023, having hosted events of the former Enduro World Series in 2021 and 2022. It’s easy to see why it’s become a staple of the season. Located within the French Pyrenees’ top riding spot, Loudenvielle - Peyragudes is a year-round riding heaven, offering more than 500km of trails and a fast and furious pro-line downhill track that descends 540m in 2.4km.

PEARL OF THE FRENCH PYRENEES

Loudenvielle - Peyragudes is the premier location for mountain biking in the whole of the French Pyrenees. Located near the border with Spain and a stone’s throw from Andorra, its tight and tree-lined trails have become a favourite of the world’s Gravity-leaning riders.

The UCI ‘DH World Cup’ trail was created especially for the 2023 UCI Downhill World Cup by the local Lourdon Bike and Trail Park team and French downhill icon Romain Paulhan. Melding man-made features with the hillside’s natural contours, the result is one of the most exciting courses on the whole UCI Downhill World Cup circuit.

The venue’s Enduro stages meanwhile take in the best trails of the Louron Valley. The UCI Enduro World Cup will see athletes take on five stages as part of a 43km course featuring 2,410m of descent during the race stages and 1,470m of ascent during liaisons. Only two stages remain from last year’s edition (although Privilege – 4.28km with 640m descent – was cancelled due to high winds), with Porticou and Kern returning from the 2023 edition, and a UCI Enduro World Cup debut for Six Pack.

BRUNI AND SEAGRAVE IN CONTROL

Reigning UCI Downhill World Cup overall champion Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and 10-time UCI Downhill World Cup winner Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) are the riders leading the downhill charge but have points to prove this weekend with both failing to convert their fastest qualifying times into winning runs at Loudenvielle - Peyragudes in 2024.

Benoît Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) assured it was a red, white and blue celebration in front of a partisan home crowd last September, although the pair also have work to do if they are to secure repeat results, with both finishing 10th in the Enduro Trails of Bielsko-Biała (Poland) two weeks ago.

In the Men Elite racing, Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Oisin O’Callaghan (YT Mob) and wild card qualifier Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour) started the season strongly in Poland, while Richard Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) showed that he’s fast regardless of the format – the reigning UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner sat fourth in the Downhill standings.

For Seagrave, Valentina Höll (YT Mob) is sure to want to make amends for her fifth-place last time out, while Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing/5Dev) and Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) are the two other in-form riders. Harriet Harnden (Aon Racing - Tourne Campervans) shouldn’t be written off, either – last year’s UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner qualified third fastest in Bielsko-Biała before an incident-packed final’s run saw her slump to 14th. The Brit will also have fond memories of the venue, as it was where she clinched her 2024 title on the very last stage.

LUKASIK TARGETS BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES WHILE CONOLLY SEARCHING FOR FIRST WIN

Loudenvielle - Peyragudes delivered plenty of drama as host of the 2024 UCI Enduro World Cup’s final round. While the stakes aren’t as high this weekend, results and points scored this Saturday will still prove pivotal come the series’ end in August.

In the men’s field, Richard Rude’s absence hasn’t dampened proceedings so far this season, and the American’s winning ways appear to have rubbed off on team-mate Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) – the Polish rider finally winning his first UCI Enduro World Cup in front of an adoring home crowd in Bielsko-Biala.

The 31-year-old also finished second in the Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) season opener and leads Jack Moir (YT Mob) in the rankings by 120 points. Lukasik will be hoping that his debut victory opens the floodgates in the Pyrenees, although he has never finished higher than seventh in the south of France. Moir meanwhile won both Enduro World Series rounds at the venue in 2021, so knows what it takes to pull together a winning ride in Loudenvielle - Peyragudes.

Privateer Ella Conolly meanwhile currently leads the women’s field after securing back-to-back second places at this season’s opening two rounds. The Brit is still seeking her debut UCI Enduro World Cup win, and only Harnden and Elly Hoskin have stood between her and the top spot in 2025.

Her closest rival in the overall, Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing), won at the venue in 2024 and is the most likely to push Conolly all the way on Saturday. Estelle Charles is another rider worth keeping an eye on – the Frenchwoman finished 10th in Bielsko-Biala and knows what it takes to tame Loudenvielle - Peyragudes’ trails having won the venue’s UCI E-enduro World Cup in 2024.

Racing gets underway in Loudenvielle - Peyragudes on Saturday with the UCI Enduro World Cup

 Full schedule and events details are available here