ATHERTON

Rain, technical terrain and over 73 kilometres of racing set the stage for a challenging second UCI Enduro World Cup round in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland. Winnifred Goldsbury made more memories in Austria’s largest bike region, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn after clinching her first Women’s Elite UCI Enduro World Cup victory, while Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) returned to the top step of the Men’s Elite podium in difficult conditions. In the Junior categories, Hugo Marti Montessinos continued his winning streak in the Men’s field, while Nežka Libnik dominated the Women’s race.

The Epic Bike Park in Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland (Austria) marked its 25th anniversary with one of the toughest tests on the calendar, delivering a day of high-intensity cross-country Olympic racing. Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) secured an emotional maiden UCI Cross-Country Olympic World Cup victory, while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon XC Racing) produced a commanding performance to win the Women’s Elite race. Rising stars Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) and Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) also made their mark in the Under-23 category, as Specialized Factory Racing strengthened its overall lead in the UCI Cross-country World Cup Team standings.

Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) and Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) mastered a rapidly evolving track at Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria) to secure UCI Downhill World Cup victories in contrasting fashion. Höll delivered a dominant, historic performance, while Iles claimed an emotional win in a razor-thin battle decided by consistency. The day marked a milestone moment, with the Women’s Elite race closing the programme for the first time in history. Meanwhile, junior standouts Lina Frener (Norco x adidas Race Division) and Jonty Williamson (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) continued their impressive starts to the season.