After a two-week break, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns this weekend with a double delight of Gravity action as the UCI Downhill (DHI) and Enduro (EDR) & E-Enduro (E-EDR) World Cups take to the bike park of Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland, Austria. 

We look at everything you need to know about the Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, including when the Enduro, E-Enduro and Downhill events are scheduled to take place, who is racing and how to follow the action.

WHEN?

The 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland, Austria, starts with the UCI Enduro World Cup at 8:30 (UTC+2) on Friday, June 7 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup at 15:00 (UTC+2) on Sunday, June 9.

Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC+2 (EST+6/BST+1/CEST):

Friday, June 7 

08:30 – UCI Enduro World Cup

Saturday, June 8

• 08:30 – UCI E-Enduro World Cup
• 12:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Elite
• 12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Elite
• 14:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Women Junior
• 14:15 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Qualification Men Junior
• 15:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Semi Finals Women Elite
• 15:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Semi Finals Men Elite

 Sunday, June 9

• 12:30 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Junior
• 13:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Junior
• 14:15 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Women Elite
• 15:00 – UCI Downhill World Cup | Finals Men Elite

WHERE CAN I WATCH?

There will be several ways to follow the action at Austria’s only UCI World Cup round of the 2024 Series. For Friday and Saturday’s Enduro and E-Enduro racing, there will be live timings on the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website and highlights on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ Instagram and Facebook channels, with top stories from the race weekend to be published on the YouTube channel on Sunday, June 9 and broadcast on Eurosport 1 at 17:15 (UTC+2) on Thursday, June 13.For the third UCI Downhill World Cup of the season, you can watch the finals live anywhere in the world. Both the men’s and women's Junior UCI Downhill World Cup races will be broadcast live and for free on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel, while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services. Pre-show starts at 13:45 UTC+2, so set a reminder to join Ric McLaughlin and Aaron Gwin live from Austria:

NORTH AMERICA

• Canada – Flosports
• USA  – Max

SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA

• Puerto Rico – Max
• All other territories – Staylive

ASIA

• Azerbaijan – Staylive
• Bangladesh – Staylive
• Bhutan – Staylive
• Cambodia – Staylive
• China – Zhibo.tv
• Hong Kong – Staylive
• India – Staylive
• Indonesia – Eurosport
• Japan – Staylive
• Kazakhstan – Staylive
• Kyrgyzstan – Staylive
• Laos – Staylive
• Macao – Eurosport
• Malaysia – Eurosport
• Maldives – Staylive
• Mongolia – Eurosport
• Myanmar – Staylive
• Nepal – Staylive
• Pakistan – Staylive
• Palau – Staylive
• Philippines – Staylive
• Singapore – Eurosport
• South Korea – Eurosport
• Sri Lanka – Staylive
• Taiwan – Eurosport
• Tajikistan – Staylive
• Thailand – Eurosport
• Turkmenistan – Staylive
• Uzbekistan – Staylive

OCEANIA

• Australia – Stan
• New Zealand – Staylive

 AFRICA: Staylive

 EUROPE

• Austria – discovery+, Eurosport 2, Redbull TV, ServusTV (digital)
• Belgium – Eurosport app, Eurosport 2
• Czechia – Max, Eurosport 2
• Denmark – Max, Eurosport 2
• France – Eurosport app, Eurosport 2, La chaine L’Équipe
• Germany – discovery+, Eurosport 2
• Hungary – Max, Eurosport 2
• Ireland – discovery+, Eurosport 2
• Italy – discovery+, Eurosport 2
• Netherlands – discovery+, Eurosport 2
• Norway – Max, Eurosport 2
• Poland – Player.pl, Eurosport 2
• Portugal – Max, Eurosport 2
• Romania – Max, Eurosport 2
• Slovenia – Max, Eurosport 2
• Spain – Max, Eurosport 2
• Sweden – Max, Eurosport 2
• Switzerland – Eurosport Plauer
• United Kingdom – discovery+, Eurosport 2

 Rest of world – Staylive

 RIDERS TO WATCH

The Epic Bike Park is home to some well-trodden paths for most Gravity competitors – the Saalfelden Leogang venue has been a mainstay on the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit since 2010, while it also hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 2012 and 2020.

Although it only made its debut in the UCI Enduro and E-Enduro World Cups last year, the recently awarded UCI Bike Region of Saalfelden Leogang is sure to put on a show once more, with riders pushed to their limits on the testing, handcrafted trails.

RUDE AND COURDURIER THE ENDURO RIDERS TO BEAT

In the Men’s Enduro competition, last year’s winner Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis Team) has had a disappointing start to the season – 19th last time out being his best result of the opening two rounds. Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) finished second at this venue in 2023, and it’s hard to rule out the 2023 UCI Enduro World Cup overall series winner going one better this weekend.

One rider who will be trying to stop him is teammate Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) – the 31-year-old Polish rider narrowly missed out on his debut win at his home race in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, three weeks ago. Charles Murray (Specialized Enduro Team) spoilt the Polish party, and the current series leader will be looking to cement his position at the top of the table with another consistent performance in Austria. 

Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) remains the rider to beat in the women’s Enduro – the Frenchwoman returning to winning ways in Poland after having to settle for second in Finale Ligure, Italy. Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) is pushing the 2023 UCI Enduro World Cup overall series winner to her limits though, while Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) is overdue a race-winning performance.

GILCHRIST, BORGES, AND ESPIÑEIRA THE E-ENDURO FAVOURITES

In the E-Enduro, it won’t be back-to-back wins in Saalfelden Leogang for Fabien Barel – the French rider has yet to start a race this season. Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) has seized the initiative in his absence, the 22-year-old Australian is the most consistent rider so far with a win and third place in the first two rounds. Manuel Soares José Borges (Canyon Collective Factory Enduro Team) has also looked strong this season, scoring back-to-back second places, while we can’t rule out Mick Hannah (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) – the veteran finishing second in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland last year and podiuming last time out in Poland.

For the women’s E-Enduro, it’s hard to look beyond Florencia Espiñeira Herreros (Orbea Fox Enduro Team). The Chilean has taken maximum points from the first two rounds of the 2024 Series, and with her closest rival Tracy Moseley opting not to race in Saalfelden Leogang, expect Herreros to dominate proceedings on Saturday.

DUNNE TO DUEL WITH BRUNI, WHILE HÖLL AIMS TO RETURN TO WINNING WAYS AT HOME

In Downhill, the reigning UCI World Cup overall winners Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) didn’t have it their own way in Bielsko-Biała – Höll crashed on her finals run to finish sixth and Bruni settled for second with Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing) taking his first UCI Downhill World Cup win.

It’s hard to look beyond Höll though on her home course. The 22-year-old won at the venue last season and will be looking to make amends for her slip in Poland. Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal) and Tahnée Seagrave (Canyon CLLCTV FMD) have both tasted success in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland though, while Marine Cabirou’s (Scott Downhill Factory) win in Bielsko-Biała shows that the Frenchwoman is back to her best.

In the men’s, local favourite Andreas Kolb (Continental Atherton) gave the partisan crowd a double victory to cheer last year, but the Austrian will have his work cut out to repeat the feat. Dunne looks to be in imperious form, winning Red Bull Hardline in between UCI DHI World Cup rounds, while Bruni will be looking to get back on the top spot and repeat his win from 2019. 

WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series DHI Ambassador, commentator, and four-time winner in Saalfelden Leogang, Aaron Gwin said: “The first two rounds of the UCI Downhill World Cup have been incredibly close and show the racing at this elite level is as competitive as it has ever been. The course in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland has historically provided some of the tightest racing our sport has seen, and I predict more of the same this year. The course here is an all-out sprint, there’s no room to rest and you have to maintain that level of intensity from your first pedal out of the start hut to the finish. We had a first-time winner here last year and with the depth of talent that we’ve seen already this season, I wouldn’t be surprised if we have another one this weekend”.

Racing gets underway on Friday, June 7 in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland.

Full schedule and event details are available HERE.

You can find where to watch all the racing action in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland HERE.