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Article - 25 May 25

UCI Cross-Country Olympic World Cup: Mona Mitterwallner and Christopher Blevins secure wins in Nové Mĕsto Na Moravĕ

Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC) benefited from a mechanical issue for Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to win the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at Nové Mĕsto Na Moravĕ (Czechia), as Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) took glory in the elite men’s race. Across the weekend, the event welcomed 24,000 spectators, adding to the electric atmosphere on site.

Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC) benefited from a mechanical issue for Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to win the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup at Nové Mĕsto Na Moravĕ (Czechia), as Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) took glory in the elite men’s race. Across the weekend, the event welcomed 24,000 spectators, adding to the electric atmosphere on site.  

Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) made a brilliant return from her road campaign to win the UCI Cross-country Short-Track (XCC) World Cup on Saturday. The UCI XCO World Champion looked determined to double up on the weekend when taking an early lead and pressing the pace. But she suffered a puncture on lap three to drop back down the field. She made a charge back through the pack but could not sustain the effort and came home in 13th, 1:59 behind Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC). 

In the Elite Men’s race, all eyes were on Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Deceuninck) on his return to mountain bike action, but the Dutch star crashed twice on the start loop before pulling out. With no Van der Poel to worry about, Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) showed his class as he kept himself towards the front of the race before stepping on the gas on the penultimate lap. The American celebrated with low fives with the crowd on the home straight, such was his dominance, as he doubled up after taking UCI XCC World Cup glory on Saturday. 

In the U23 action, Ella MacPhee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) emerged victorious in the Women’s UCI XCO World Cup, as Isabella Holmgren suffered a crash and there was a dramatic finish to the Men's race, as Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) beat Rens Teunissen van Manen (KMC MTB Racing Team) in a sprint finish. 

MITTERWALLNER RETURNS TO FORM AS PIETERSE’S DREAM OF WEEKEND DOUBLE DASHED 

Puck Pieterse’s dream return to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action on Saturday turned to a nightmare 24 hours later, as a puncture ruined her chances of a weekend double. The Dutch star produced a blistering finish to win the elite women’s UCI XCC World Cup on Saturday, and looked good when taking an early lead in the XCO race, but things went wrong for her on the third lap of the Vysočina Arena, as a rear puncture sent her back through the pack. She was unable to make up the lost ground and came home in 13th behind Mona Mitterwallner (Mondraker Factory Racing XC). 

Pieterse blasted off the line to secure a prominent position going into the first corner. Nina Graf (Lapierre Racing Unity) led her into the tech zone for the first time and held that position down the Visit Czechia Steps. 12 months ago, the roots were wet and treacherous, but the women’s race took place under a cloudless sky in 2025, and it was a smoother passage for the riders. 

Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) led a group of seven at the end of the start loop, as she stopped the clock at 6:24. Pieterse lifted the pace heading into the first lap and went to the front, followed by Rissveds and Graf. Reigning UCI XCO World champion found the ideal line through the Rock Garden section for the first time to put daylight between herself and the chasers entering the WHOOP Wall, but the gradient was so steep that even her was forced sideways on occasions during the ascent. 

Pieterse’s early attack caused time gaps further back, and the advantage afforded her the luxury of being able to pick the best lines through the technical sections. 

At the end of the opening lap, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Candice Lill were the only riders in touch with Pieterse.

The pattern of the race quickly developed, as Pieterse laid down the power on the climbs to gap her rivals. She got out of shape on the Rock Garden for the second time, but her strength rescued the situation, and it did not check her momentum. 

At the end of the second lap, Pieterse, Keller and Lill stopped the clock at 30:03, with over 10 seconds back to Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) and Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team). Rissveds, who was sick and missed Saturday’s XCC race, dropped through the field and stepped off her bike at the end of the second lap as the winner of the second race in Araxá failed to pick up any points. 

There was drama on the third lap, as Pieterse suffered a rear puncture in the Rock Garden shortly before the WHOOP Wall and she shipped 1:33 and 23 places after limping to the tech zone. At the end of the third lap, Keller, Lill and Maxwell formed a three-rider group at the head of the race, as Pieterse cut the gap to 1:16. 

Henderson and Mitterwallner joined the front three at the head of the race on the climb up the WHOOP Wall on the fourth lap. Pieterse made up ground and places rapidly after her tyre change, but her momentum stalled on the fourth lap and she stopped the clock one minute behind Maxwell’s leading time of 54:11. 

Mitterwallner pushed the pace towards the end of the fifth lap and crossed the line at 1:05.55, five seconds ahead of Maxwell, Lill and Keller. Pieterse missed a couple of bottles in the feed zone after her tyre change, and went backwards in the later stages to finish in 13th. 

Series leader Maxwell made her move on the final lap and gapped Mitterwallner but an error on a climb saw her bike get tangled in a piece of meshing marking the edge of the course. She had to unclip and lost the lead to Mitterwallner. 

Maxwell made a big effort to get back to the wheel of Mitterwallner on the WHOOP Wall, but was gapped again as the latter produced a brilliant final descent. Mitterwallner hit the home straight with a two-second lead and although Maxwell was closing all the way to the line, Mitterwallner held on in a time of 1:29.32 for her first win since 2023. Lill completed the podium, 25 seconds adrift of the top two. 

"I can’t really describe it," Mitterwallner said of her win, the first for Mondraker. "It has been a long time to be on the top of the UCI World Cup podium, and to do it in Nové Mĕsto Na Moravě, the most original place of cross-country. I have always dreamed of it, and I really can’t believe it.  

"The team worked super hard. It is never easy to start a new project, but everyone was super motivated. We are having a good time too." 

Maxwell came through from 25th for second and was delighted with her effort but rued the error on the final lap: "We got up to the climb and my pedal got wrapped in the meshing barrier, so I came off," she said. "It would have been alright, but I could not mount my bike quickly, so that was a bit of a shame”. 

I am just super proud with the way I’ve been racing this year, super composed and knowing when to burn matches and when to sit back. I am really proud." 

BLEVINS ASSERTS DOMINANCE AS VAN DER POEL FAILS TO FINISH 

Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) continued his sizzling start to the season with his second UCI XCO World Cup win of the year. 

After a win and a second place in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil), the American extended his lead in the overall standings with a powerful display in Czechia. 

While it was a day in which Blevins celebrated up the home straight to highlight his dominance, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin–Deceuninck) had an afternoon to forget. The Dutch star returned to mountain bike action following a stunning spring campaign on the road that yielded wins at Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix. 

Arriving at Nové Mĕsto Na Moravĕ, Van der Poel’s stated aim was to work his way into top shape for a crack at the UCI World Championships. But his first dip in the water in 2025 did not go to plan as he crashed twice on the start loop before abandoning on the third lap. 

Starting in 32nd, Van Der Poel clipped handlebars when trying to pick his way through traffic and went into the netting. Things got worse for the Dutchman a short time later, as he hit the lip of a jump and went over the front of his handlebars. Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) led at the end of the start loop, while Van der Poel’s tumble left him down in 88th position. 

Aside from Van Der Poel, the favourites got through relatively unscathed as Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing), Blevins and Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team-XC) joined Schwarzbauer in a lead group, but Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) suffered a mechanical shortly after the tech zone and dropped through the field to come home in 40th place. 

Hatherly pushed on at the end of the first lap and took Schwarzbauer with him, with the duo stopping the clock at 15:26 - eight seconds ahead of a chase group led by Blevins and Koretzky - with Van der Poel down in 72nd, 88 seconds adrift of the leaders. 

A group of seven - Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division), Koretzky, Blevins, Hatherly, Schwarzbauer, Filippo Colombo (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon) came together at the end of the second lap. Van der Poel was unable to make any inroads on the leaders and elected to pull out of the race on the third lap. 

The leaders’ pace dipped heading into the fourth lap, and it brought a host of riders into the picture, as Blevins, Koretzky and Martín Vidaurre formed a threatening three-man fighting force for Specialized. But defending overall champion Hatherly, in his first race of the season after a spell on the road, was in no mood to let Specialized control things and upped the pace on the fifth lap. 

Overall leader Blevins had a serious moment on the fifth lap, as he got out of shape, unclipped and did superbly to stay on his bike. After a spell of riders looking at each other, Vital Albin (Thömus Maxon) lit up the race on the sixth lap - taking Blevins with him, as Hatherly, Koretzky, Azzaro and Fabio Puntener worked hard to get back in touch going into the final couple of laps. 

Up the WHOOP Wall on the seventh lap, Blevins put down the hammer and the turn of pace opened up the race as no other rider could fashion a response. The American produced a supreme descent and entered the finishing straight for the penultimate time with an eight-second advantage. Taking the bell in a time of 1:16.09, Blevins led a chase group of six by 10 seconds, and there was no unity in those behind. 

Blevins took a number of looks over his shoulder but had a nine-second lead up the WHOOP Wall for the final time. A huge final effort was enough to sniff out the threat from behind and it enabled him to celebrate on the finishing straight, low fiving with the crowd, as he did the double at Nové Mĕsto Na Moravĕ. A superb three-man sprint for the podium saw Azzaro take second from Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon) - with Koretzky the man to miss out. 

"I have to say Nové Mĕsto means so much to me, means so much to the sport," Blevins said. "I’ve been here 11 years now, cried in the woods after bad races at Junior, cried after bad races at U23. I felt all the emotions after winning my first European World Cup in this iconic stadium. It is a beautiful day and I am really grateful." 

On his issue on lap five when he unclipped and almost came down, Blevins said: "That hurt in a spot you don’t want to hurt. I looked at Victor and he kind of shook his head at me as he saw the sketchy moment. These roots are pretty slick even when they are dry, and when I am on the limit I sometimes make mistakes. I am working on that. Thankfully I kept it up today, but had to just regroup and be as perfect as I can be every lap." 

MACPHEE SECURES BREAKTHROUGH WIN AFTER HOLMGREN CRASH 

Ella MacPhee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) won the Women’s U23 UCI XCO World Cup race, after series leader Isabella Holmgren suffered a crash in the Rock Garden. The Canadian rider took some time to get to her feet but was seen walking away - albeit holding her arm. With Holmgren out of the race, the door was open for a new name in top spot - and it was MacPhee who secured her maiden win. 

MacPhee and Fiona Schibler were towards the front throughout, and the former pushed the pace on the fourth lap. There was drama on the final lap as MacPhee unclipped on a climb after losing momentum. But she was ahead at the time and her error impacted Schibler who also had to get off and run up the remainder of the climb. 

MacPhee regrouped, pushed on up the WHOOP Wall for the final time, and got to the top with a three-second advantage. From there, MacPhee stormed away and stopped the clock 17 seconds ahead of Schibler, with Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing) completing the podium. 

Victory coupled with Holmgren's failure to finish enabled MacPhee to move to the top of the standings.

"I don’t have any words, it’s just crazy," MacPhee said. Asked for her thoughts on Holmgren’s crash, she explained: "I did not know Bella was out until I came through the feed. I don’t know what happened. I am really sorry and it is too bad to see her out and I hope she is okay." 

SCHEHL BEATS TEUNISSEN VAN MANEN IN SPRINT FOR FIRST UCI WORLD CUP WIN 

Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) went into the race as the rider to beat after taking both legs in Araxá. He led over the line after the start loop, albeit at a relatively sedate pace. It was a similar scenario to how his race played out in Brazil, and he adopted a similar gameplan by pushing the pace on the second lap. 

Rens Teunissen van Manen (KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team) went with Treudler, with a chunky gap to the chasers. While in Araxá, Treudler was able to ride away for wide-margin wins, he never looked comfortable and had no answer when Teunissen van Manen pushed the power. 

Blue sky from earlier in the day gave way to clouds and rain, which made the conditions far more difficult than during the earlier races. With conditions deteriorating, there were a series of tumbles - Alexander Woodford suffered a spectacular fall over his handlebars in the Rock Garden. 

Owen Clark had a tough day, as he dropped a chain when coming down near the feed zone and later suffered a crash through the rocks, while there was the sight of Alexandre Martins running to the tech zone with his tyre separated from his wheel. 

Treudler appeared to have an issue with his gears and was forced to get off and run on a series of occasions. He was unable to recover the ground lost to Teunissen van Manen and Schehl. 

Taking the bell, there was nothing to separate Teunissen van Manen and Schehl. Schehl was in front going up the WHOOP Wall for the final time, but Teunissen van Manen slipped past. The elastic did not snap and it boiled down to a sprint, with Schehl edging ahead in the final 50 metres and Treudler defying mechanical issues to take third and cement his position at the top of the overall standings. 

"I did not expect it," Schehl said. "I had a huge crash in the first round of the UCI World Cup, and had a big bruise and could not go on my bike for three weeks. The last three to four weeks getting back to training was like a rollercoaster. I really did not expect to win. I felt technically super strong but could not recover the whole time. The race felt amazing." 

After an incredible weekend of cross-country racing in Nové Město Na Moravě, which saw 24,000 spectators turn out to witness the action, the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series rolls on next weekend as the Gravity disciplines take centre stage in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France, with round 2 of the UCI Downhill World Cup and round 3 of the UCI Enduro World Cup.

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26 Aug 25
WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2026 Calendar Unveiled

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports confirm the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar for the 2026 season. The fourth year of the revamped format for mountain bike’s different UCI World Cups - launched in 2023 to unite almost all of mountain bike’s major formats under a single brand for the first time - will visit three continents and nine countries across 14 events between May and October and will feature the best athletes in the sport’s Endurance (Cross-country Olympic, XCO and Cross-country Short Track, XCC) and Gravity (Downhill, DHI and Enduro, EDR) formats. The series kicks off with a landmark weekend of Cross-country and Downhill racing at the Race of South Korea in MONA YongPyong – the first-ever Asian UCI XCO and XCC World Cup rounds and first UCI Downhill World Cup round on the continent in 25 years. After this, the action moves to Europe for the summer, with Nové Město Na Moravě (Czechia) welcoming the Endurance formats and Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) welcoming the Gravity formats – the UCI Enduro World Cup starting outside of Italy for the first time since 2023. The following weekend sees the first of two XCO/XCC/DHI/EDR quadruple-headers at long-term partner venue Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland (Austria), before riders get a week’s break leading into the start of five back-to-back WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series race weekends. Lenzerheide (Switzerland) and Pal Arinsal (Andorra) welcome both the Cross-country and Downhill contingent, while Val di Fassa - Trentino (Italy) and the 2025 UCI Enduro World Championships venue Aletsch Arena-Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland) are the proving grounds for Enduro. In the middle of the five-week run is La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy), which hosts the second quadruple header of the series. Cross-country has also been added to the schedule following a successful debut for the venue in 2025 which saw the steepest Downhill track in the series’ history as well as the world’s first Enduro night stage. After a summer break, the European leg of the season concludes with back-to-back race weekends in Haute-Savoie (France) – one Cross-country and Downhill, the other the Enduro finale – before the Series jets off to North America for three rounds and two new venues. The first will see Cross-country contested on the trails of Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah (USA) – a venue hosted by the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, home to the USA Olympic biathlon team training centre and a regular on the IBU Biathlon World Cup circuit. With the region preparing to co-host the Olympic Winter Games in 2034, Soldier Hollow brings Olympic pedigree and world-class credentials to the closing stages of the season.   Downhill will then take to its spiritual home in Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia (Canada), delivering on decades of anticipation with a stage set for unforgettable racing. The iconic venue, which hosted the Olympic Winter Games 15 years ago, will welcome the world’s best downhill riders for a UCI World Cup for the first time. The final weekend will see both the UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups decided in Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA). Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series was always going to be about bedding in the major reforms that we introduced at the start of this year, and the competitiveness and excitement of each format shows that the changes are working. For 2026, we’re doubling down on our successes and pushing the sport even further into new territories. “The 2026 calendar will witness 14 gripping events that take in the world’s best destinations, including four proven Olympic venues, with half returning under multi-year agreements reflecting our sustained investment in the sport’s growth. Every venue we've introduced since 2023 has quickly become a favourite among athletes, highlighting WBD’s commitment to pushing the limits of performance while prioritising safety and expanding a world-class, global calendar. We’re continuing to expand the reach of the sport by bringing Cross-country Olympic racing to Asia for the first time, growing our footprint in the USA, and will fulfil a long-term wish from fans, teams and athletes alike by adding Whistler – one of the world’s most iconic mountain bike destinations - to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar from next year.” UCI President David Lappartient said: “Bringing together three different UCI World Cups, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will see many stories unfold in 2026 as the weekends of competition progress. The succession of races throughout the season means athletes must strive for consistency, and logically there will be ups and downs along the way. The experience of seasoned riders and the sheer audacity of younger athletes always makes for thrilling competition across the different rounds. "In 2026, the UCI World Cups for cross-country Olympic, cross-country short track, downhill and enduro will span 14 weekends in the space of six months with exciting new hosts joining some of the series’ favourite venues. I am particularly pleased that the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will expand into Asia in 2026, adding a new dimension to the series and providing a prestigious opening to the season.” WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES 2026 CALENDAR: Round 1 / May 1-3: Race of South Korea, South Korea (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups) Round 2 / May 22-24: Nové Město Na Moravě, Czechia (UCI Cross-country World Cup) Round 3 / May 28-31: Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France (UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups) Round 4 / June 11-14: Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland, Austria (UCI Cross-country, UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups) Round 5 / June 19-21: Lenzerheide, Switzerland (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups) Round 6 / June 26-28: Val di Fassa - Trentino, Italy (UCI Enduro World Cup) Round 7 / July 3-5: La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta, Italy (UCI Cross-country, UCI Downhill and UCI Enduro World Cups) Round 8 / July 8-12: Pal Arinsal, Andorra (UCI Cross-country and Downhill World Cups) Round 9 / July 17-19: Aletsch Arena - Bellwald, Valais, Switzerland (UCI Enduro World Cup) Round 10 / August 14-16: Haute-Savoie, France (UCI Cross-country and UCI Downhill World Cups) Round 11 / August 21-23: Haute-Savoie, France (UCI Enduro World Cup) Round 12 / September 19-20: Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah, USA (UCI Cross-country World Cup) Round 13 / September 25-27: Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia, Canada (UCI Downhill World Cup) Round 14 / October 2-4: Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York, USA (UCI Cross-country and UCI Downhill World Cups)

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26 Aug 25
Cross-country and Downhill back underway at Les Gets, Haute-Savoie

After a seven-week summer break since Pal Arinsal (Andorra), the Cross-country and Downhill athletes of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series are heading back between the race tape in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) and the start of the season’s second half.  The Alpine venue is a legendary location and has been welcoming the Gravity format on and off since 1996. A staple of the UCI World Cups for both cross-country and downhill since 2019, and host of the 20024 and 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, it is renowned for its passionate, partisan French crowd. Located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil, close to the Swiss border, Les Gets bike park will host action for both formats. The park has 128km of trails across 23 different tracks and three ski lifts to help riders experience everything the park has to offer.  The Downhill takes place on the venue’s Mont-Chéry UCI World Cup track – a 2.2km course that features 571m of descent and a maximum gradient of 43.8 %. The Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) races, meanwhile, take on a custom trail that has its start/finish straight at the resort’s main hub. The XCO course is 3.55km long (140m elevation gain), while the XCC course is 1km long (43m elevation gain). CAN ANYONE CATCH MAXWELL? Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) is having the season of her young life. The 23-year-old New Zealander has been incredibly consistent in the first six rounds of the UCI XCO World Cup, and hasn’t finished outside the top two all year. Her win in Pal Arinsal in July showed that her victory in the opening round in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) wasn’t a fluke, and she has built a seemingly unassailable lead in the overall series with Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) second and 445 points behind. Although Koller sits second, it’s fifth-placed Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) who is the most likely challenger to Maxwell’s crown. The Dutchwoman was in searing form, winning five out of six races (including XCC) entered in 2025, although she came unstuck at altitude with 10th place in Pal Arinsal. A confirmed starter for Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, she will be targeting a return to the podium on a course where she won last year. IS BLEVINS’ XCO SEASON A BUST?Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) might lead the men’s series but his last three results (17th, 8th and 29th) suggest that the wheels might be falling off his bid for a first overall title. The American hasn’t raced since Pal Arinsal and will be hoping that the seven-week break can act as a reset for his season. Second and third spots in the overall are occupied by Blevins’ teammates Martin Vidaurre Kossmann and Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing). The Chilean looks most likely to challenge Blevins for the top spot, with Koretzky yet to reach the same highs as last season and skipping Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, to focus on the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Crans-Montana (Switzerland). Riders who look like they could break up the American factory team’s dominance include Luca Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing), who finished second behind Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) in Pal Arinsal; fourth-placed Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) and the relative wild card Fabio Püntener (Bike Team Soloturn). Finally, multi-discipline master Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is always a favourite whenever he lines up off-road but the Dutchman will be hoping for a smoother ride than he had in his only other mountain bike race this year, where he DNFd and fractured his wrist in Nové Město Na Moravě (Czechia). PREPARE FOR A BOUNCE BACK AND THE RISE OF KELLER IN SHORT-TRACK The men’s and women’s XCC standings couldn’t be more different. In the men’s, Blevins has dominated all year, and his record-breaking five-strong winning streak was only halted by Martin in Pal Arinsal, with the American having to settle for second. His 578-point cushion over second-placed Koretzky in the rankings means he could wrap the series up as early as this weekend if other results go his way, and expect him to be targeting the podium top spot and get back to winning ways. The women’s field, meanwhile, is tightly poised with only 130 points separating the top four. Reigning UCI XCC World Champion Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli) leads the way but Pieterse has the most wins (three) this series. While both will be in contention in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, it’s worth keeping tabs on Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon). The 2024 UCI XCC World Cup overall series winner has gone under the radar this season but has displayed her signature consistency – finishing inside the top seven all year – to find herself tied in second on 930 points. The Swiss rider won in Pal Arinsal and knows what it takes to win an overall title as the series nears its conclusion. WOMEN’S DOWNHILL CONTEST IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT The women’s downhill series has never been more competitive, with four different winners from the opening six rounds. Valentina Höll (YT Mob) still leads the series despite failing to record a win all year – her second place in Pal Arinsal her fourth of 2025 – but knows what it takes to win on the Les Gets, Haute-Savoie course, having won the UCI World Championships at the venue in 2022. Others in contention are Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division), the Canadian currently sitting in second and aiming to get back on the podium after a fifth in Pal Arinsal; Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing), who won in Pal Arinsal and is having her best season in recent memory; and home favourites Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction). BRUNI AND GOLDSTONE SET TO BATTLE IT OUTJackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) might have missed out on securing the overall winning streak record in Pal Arinsal, but the Canadian’s second place means he still leads the series as the most consistent winner. With four rounds remaining, including a season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne in front of a home crowd, the 21-year-old will be targeting a few more wins to start in Quebec as the nailed-on favourite. The one rider who can realistically spoil the Canadian party is Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). The reigning UCI Downhill World Cup overall series winner clinched his second UCI World Cup of the season in Pal Arinsal and will be confident he can make up the 137-point gap to Goldstone over four rounds – starting in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie. Like Höll, he has only won at the venue once, but it was when it mattered most: at the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Others in contention in Saturday’s final include 2024’s winner Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), reigning rainbow band wearer Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and wild card entrant Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour). Racing gets underway in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie on Friday with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup. Full schedule and event details are available here.

Article
19 Aug 25
Wildcard Teams Unveiled for WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that 14 wildcard teams (eight cross-country and six downhill) have been selected for round 14 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide (Switzerland), presented by Le Gruyère, on September 18-21. While all six teams that applied for a downhill spot secured a wildcard, it was another competitive selection process in cross-country, with only eight of the 19 applicants selected. The majority of qualifying teams have already featured in the 2025 series, but there will be a first appearance for Swiss Endurance outfit Thömus Akros - Youngstars. The nine-strong cross-country team is the development arm of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team Thömus Maxon and has a strong focus on supporting the future stars of Swiss cross-country mountain biking. A number of its riders have already lit up this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series too, having qualified based on their UCI ranking points. Monique Halter has recorded two second place finishes in the Under 23 UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup, most recently in Pal Arinsal (Andorra), and sits in 10th place in the overall series standings, while her younger brother Nicolas Halter has also recorded two podium finishes this year to find himself in eighth. Elsewhere, Lexware Mountainbike Team is the only Endurance team to continue its 100% wildcard qualification record, while Goodman Santacruz, Rogue Racing - SR Suntour, Team High Country and Kenda NS Bikes UR Team do the same in downhill. As we enter the final three rounds of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, there will start to be greater focus on teams’ UCI points (a combination of the four highest scoring team riders’ points) which determine whether a team is offered UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status for two years (teams ranked 1-10) or one year (teams ranked 11-15). At the time of writing, BIXS Performance Race Team occupies 12th place in the Endurance teams rankings and would therefore earn itself UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status for 2026. The 14 wildcard teams for round 14 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Bike Kingdom - Lenzerheide 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 Trek Future Racing Massi UCI Downhill World Cup: Kenda NS Bikes UR Team Rogue Racing - SR Suntour Goodman Santacruz Team High Country Future Frameworks The Alliance

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