Trek Factory Racing go all-out at the last UCI World Cups of 2023

The 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are well underway in Valais, Switzerland, and it was the Gravity formats that were getting in on the action first. For the second-ever UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Enduro, Aletsch Arena/Bellwald was chosen as the venue, with racing split over two days – three stages on day one, and three stages on day two. The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Downhill, meanwhile, returned to the canton’s iconic Champéry track – scene of the Downhill 2011 UCI World Championship and Danny Hart’s (Great Britain) wet and wild ride. RUDE AND LUKASIK GO TO THE WIRE Richard Rude Jr (USA) might be a legend of Enduro riding, but his impressive collection of honours lacked a rainbow jersey after he missed out on the debut UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Enduro to Alex Rudeau (France) last year.  While the American might have switched his focus this to Downhill season, the 30-year-old wasn’t going to let the opportunity to right the wrongs of last year pass him by, and lined up in Aletsch Arena/Bellwald, Valais with a point to prove. There was one man who would attempt to stand in his way, though –Yeti/Fox Factory Racing Team teammate Sławomir Łukasik (Poland). The Pole had already clinched this year’s overall series, which included his first three UCI Enduro World Cup wins, and had his own goal to become the first ride to win the overall UCI World Cup and UCI World Championship in the same year. Initially, the advantage went to Lukasik, who led after the first day’s three stages, even with a 25th place finish in stage three. Rude was his consistent self, though, remaining within the top four on the first three stages to sit second. After stage four, Łukasik extended his advantage, but Rude had other ideas. The American smoked the field, using all of his race-winning experience to claw back five seconds on Łukasik on stage five, before edging him in the final stage to win by 2.5 seconds. Image: SWpix Stage one winner Elliot Jamieson (Canada) would round out the podium, recording his best Elite Enduro result to date. 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup winner Melvin Almueis (France) also took the men’s Junior UCI World Championship title. HOSKIN OVERCOMES CONOLLY IN FINAL STAGE SHOWDOWN The battle was almost as tight in the women’s field, albeit with four riders within 10 seconds of the winning time. Elly Hoskins (Canada) set the early pace, winning stage one and stage three. But it was Ella Conolly (Great Britain), who led at the halfway point – the UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner fastest on stage two and still showing strong form despite skipping the final UCI Enduro World Cup round of the season in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France). Image: SWpix Stage four saw last year’s overall winner, Harriet Harnden (Great Britain), come to the fore, but it was too little too late for the Brit, who like Rude, has also been focusing on Downhill this year. Stage five witnessed a big swing in the lead, Hoskin taking 20 seconds from Conolly. And it would ultimately set up the win for the Canadian, who took another nine seconds from the Brit on the final stage to win by 4.53 seconds. Mélanie Pugin (France) would take the final podium spot, pipping Harnden in the final stage. Nežka Libnik (Slovenia) claimed the women’s Junior top spot. GOLDSTONE BLITZES THE FIELD Jackson Goldstone (Canada) is making up for lost time. After sitting out last season with injury, the 21-year-old has been the in-form rider of 2025, equaling Aaron Gwin’s record by winning four consecutive UCI Downhill World Cups, and finds himself at the top of the UCI Downhill World Cup rankings. A firm favourite ahead of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, it was interesting to see how the Canadian reacted after a disappointing result last time out in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) the week before. It didn’t seem to phase him, and he piloted his Santa Cruz V10 down the bone dry course in his signature smooth style. He led from the first intermediate split and didn’t look back, piecing together an insanely fast run that no one could get close to. Henri Kiefer (Germany) was the surprise package and had a long wait in the hot seat until Goldstone finally shaved almost two seconds off of his 2:56.099 time. Ronan Dunne (Ireland) meanwhile continued his strong form, adding a bronze medal to his second UCI Downhill World Cup win in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. Frenchman and five-time World Champion Loïc Bruni was the last rider down the hill but crashed out before posting a time, handing the rainbow jersey to the Canadian and adding another dramatic chapter to their season-long battle in the UCI Downhill World Cup. Frances’s Max Alran took the Men Junior UCI World Championship title. HÖLL EDGES NICOLE TO WIN HER FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TITLE Valentina Höll (Austria) hasn’t won a bike race since the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Andorra last August. The 23-year-old has been close to the top spot since, and even leads the UCI Downhill World Cup rankings thanks to her consistency, but a win has seemingly alluded her at every turn. When it comes to the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, though, she can raise her game to another level – as shown in her three consecutive rainbow jerseys coming into Champéry. Image: SWpix After the first split, it was looking like it might be the end of her winning streak – Tahnée Seagrave (Great Britain) recording the fastest first section. But Höll was just getting into her groove, and set about dominating the rest of the mountain. By split two, she was in the green, and she gradually started to increase her lead thanks to her consistent and calculated way of riding. The last rider other than Höll to wear the rainbow jersey – Myriam Nicole (France) – was the only athlete within a second of the Austrian’s time, stopping the clock 0.667 seconds down. Marine Cabirou (France) made it a French 2-3. In the junior category, Rosa Zierl (Austria) took the win.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that 16 wildcard teams – eight cross-country and eight downhill – have been selected for rounds 15 and 16 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York (USA) on October 3-5 and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada) on October 9-12. While all eight teams that applied for a downhill spot secured a wildcard, it was another competitive selection process in cross-country, with only eight of the 13 applicants selected. The majority of qualifying teams have already featured in the 2025 series, but there will be a first appearance for Canadian outfit Forbidden Dunbar Racing Team. The eight-strong Downhill and Enduro team is supported by British Columbia-based manufacturer Forbidden Bike Co. and bike shop Dunbar Cycles, and is predominantly a Canadian-focused team with Australian Connor Fearon and Brit Alex Storr also part of the ranks. While the majority of its racing has taken place in North America this year, including Ryder Wilson’s win in the Crankworx Silver Star Canada Cup and Emmy Lan’s back-to-back second places at Crankworx Silver Star and Crankworx Whistler, the pair have also featured once in the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series at the UCI Downhill World Cup in La Thuile – Valle D’Aosta (Italy). Elsewhere, Lexware Mountainbike Team will be the only Endurance team to have a 100% wildcard qualification record for the whole of 2025, while Goodman Santacruz, Rogue Racing - SR Suntour, Team High Country and Kenda NS Bikes UR will manage the same in downhill. Finally, the return of Gwin Racing to the wildcard fold gives Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) the chance to become the joint-most successful downhill athlete at Mont-Sainte-Anne in the venue’s 27th UCI Downhill World Cup. The legendary American rider has three wins (2011, 2012 and 2017) at the iconic Canadian spot, and needs one more to equal Steve Peat’s record. The 16 wildcard teams for rounds 15 and 16 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid Olympic Region, New York and Mont-Sainte-Anne are: UCI Cross-country World Cup: BIXS Performance Race Team Bike Team Solothurn Lexware Mountainbike Team KTM Factory MTB Team Thömus Akros - Youngstars Cabtech Racing Team Trinity Racing Massi  UCI Downhill World Cup: Kenda NS Bikes UR Team Rogue Racing - SR Suntour Goodman Santacruz Team High Country Future Frameworks The Alliance Forbidden Dunbar Gwin Racing

Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) delivered a victory for his home crowd, while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) completed her first-ever Cross-country Short Track (XCC) – Cross-country Olympic (XCO) double with a dominant performance in a thrilling UCI XCO World Cup in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France). Riders faced hot, sunny conditions on a track left slick and punishing by the previous day’s rain. Martin and Rissveds adapted best, with Martin becoming the eighth Frenchman to claim an Elite UCI XCO World Cup win and only the fourth to do it on home soil, in a tense, hard fought race. In contrast, Rissveds proved untouchable, securing her first XCC-XCO double after an emphatic victory on Saturday. Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) took his fourth XCO win this season in the men’s U23 category, while Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) continued her dominance in the women’s U23 field. RISSVEDS MAKES IT A FIRST-EVER XCC-XCO DOUBLE Rissveds delivered a masterclass, claiming a commanding UCI XCO World Cup victory. After ending a 26-month drought on Saturday, the Swede confirmed her return to top form with another stellar performance. Rissveds adapted quickest to the conditions, bursting out of the gates and taking the lead immediately, steadily extending her advantage over the technical terrain. By the end of the opening lap, she was 12 seconds clear. A brief excursion off course in the second lap - possibly due to a technical issue - did little to slow her, and she kept her rivals at bay. Her lead was further boosted when Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), who had been leading the chase group, stumbled on the third lap, triggering a chain reaction among the other contenders. Behind her, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) and Keller battled fiercely for second, with Keller ultimately prevailing in a dramatic last-lap effort. Meanwhile, Rissveds made the merciless course look effortless, crossing the finish line in 1:12:01 - 1 minute and 12 seconds ahead of the rest. Maxwell retains her hold on first place in the overall standings, though Rissveds has reduced the deficit to 435 points. “I didn’t have an attack planned for today,” said Rissveds. “I had just planned to do my own race, and I think that’s the key to cross-country racing, and don’t think about the others so much.” “I thought I had a rear flat,” Rissveds said, explaining her wobble mid-race. “It felt soft, but I don’t know. It was just tricky conditions today with the rain over the past few days. “There was so much back and forth regarding tyre choices and material. I ended up finding a good option. I’m happy with the material for the day.” MARTIN DELIVERS JOY TO HOME CROWD WITH FIRST UCI XCO WORLD CUP WIN Home favourite Martin thrilled the crowd with a landmark win on home soil, adding to his UCI XCC World Cup victory at the most recent Cross-country round in Pal Arinsal (Andorra) in July. The national champion struck on one of the steepest climbs to overhaul Luca Braidot (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) before crossing the line with a wheelie, 12 seconds ahead of the Italian. It was a fitting climax to an unforgettable race, fiercely contested from start to finish. Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon), Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team) and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) rounded out the top five, while Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) fought back to sixth after starting 33rd on the grid left him 45 seconds adrift of the leaders. Braidot attacked at the start of the final lap, but Martin timed his move to perfection, sealing his first UCI XCO World Cup victory in 1:22:03. “It’s just incredible. I don’t understand how [I did it], said Braidot. It’s crazy on the track, like some people are on fire, and some people say my name. It’s very special. “I think I win because I take some pleasure on the bike. I just ride my bike. “I stay focused and I put the last one [an attack] at the top of the second climb and the last climb.” Martin is third in the standings, 396 points behind leader Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing). TREUDLER AND CORVI ASSERT DOMINANCE IN U23 EVENTS The men’s U23 event was won by overall leader Finn Treudler in a rapid time of 1:16:54. Germany’s Benjamin Krüger and Swiss rider Treudler established an early gap over the rest of the competition on the opening lap, but Kruger was no match for his rival. Treudler finished 45 seconds ahead of the runner-up, with France’s Alix Andre Gallis (Sunn Factory Racing) in third. “I felt really strong,” Treudler said. “I had the race under control. At the beginning I tried to do too much so I could see where the other guys were and their shape after the break. I made the gap and kept it to the finish.” It marked a fourth straight victory for Treudler and extends his lead to 375 points over his nearest competitor, Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team). Meanwhile, European champion Valentina Corvi asserted her dominance and stretched her overall lead with victory in the women’s U23 race. “I felt strong today. I am proud and happy, especially about my shape one week before the Worlds,” she said. The Italian underlined her superiority on the day with an emphatic win, finishing 56 seconds ahead of her closest rival Vida Lopez de San Roman and one minute 17 seconds ahead of third-placed Isabella Holmgren. “I tried to manage my energy in the climbs. I took a little bit of a gap from the beginning and I just pushed on,” Corvi added. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads next to Bike Kingdom – Lenzerheide (Switzerland) for cross-country and downhill rounds from 18-21 September.