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Christopher Blevins led a Specialized Factory Racing 1-2-3 in the Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup which was decided on the final lap of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, while Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) showed her experience to take a solo women’s victory in the sizzling heat of Araxá, Minas Gerais. Blevins now leads both men’s elite overall UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and UCI XCO World Cup standings after securing his first-ever XCC double, along with a win and a runner-up finish in the XCO, on a fast and demanding course in Brazil. After riding away to victory a week ago at the same venue Specialized Factory Racing again dominated the men’s podium but were pushed all the way for victory this time out. A leading group of 10 riders came into the final lap together and the red jerseys only pulled clear on the final climb with Blevins quickest in the sprint ahead of team-mates Martin Vidaurre in second and Adrien Boichis in third. Rissveds had a more comfortable win in the women’s UCI XCO event after timing her midway point attack to perfection and building an unassailable advantage. After winning last weeks’ UCI XCO World Cup race, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) burst clear from the chasing pack for second and a bruised Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) came back from an early crash and sprinted into third. The course in Araxá provided a different challenge to a week ago with short punchy climbs exchanged for one four-minute ascent - which the men tackled 10 times and women one less. BLEVINS LEADS LATE SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING MASTERCLASS After riding away from their opponents in the opening XCO round, Specialized Factory Racing, again dominated the podium, but were forced into winning a different way. Specialized tried to repeat last week’s winning move of riding clear on the opening climb, but were this time followed throughout by a leading group of riders. German national champion Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) was one of those who was trying to test the Specialized Factory Racing quartet – including Victor Koretzky - at the head of proceedings. Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) placed himself amid the Specialized Factory Racing train and stopped them riding away with proceedings, while Luke Moir and Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) also posed a threat in the leading group. Boichis appeared to be suffering in the heat at the midway point and fell back to a second group leaving Specialized Factory Racing team-mates in a leading group of four, along with Avondetto. However, Boichis responded and brought the second group back up to his team-mate as a larger leading group formed. After withstanding the Specialized Factory Racing attacks Avondetto took the race to his opponents on the seventh time up the climb, but the fast descent allowed the leading group to swell back to 10 riders. Swiss rider Fabio Puntener attacked through the feed zone entering the penultimate lap as Specialized Factory Racing appeared to be losing their grip on the front. Vidaurre responded and attacked at the top of the climb and was chased down by team-mates Blevins and Boichis on the descent. It was Puntener who had a slender gap coming into the final lap after attacking through the feed zone for a second time. However, the privateer was caught and Specialized Factory Racing led the first four positions entering the final climb – led by Blevins and Boichis. Series leader Koretzky was the first rider to crack on the climb and fell down the pack as teammate Boichis attacked into the descent. Specialized Factory Racing had dispatched their rivals coming into the final exchanges as Boichis, Blevins and Vidaurre had an eight-second advantage on Italian Avondetto. Using his XCC speed, it was Blevins who beat Vidaurre into second and Boichis third. “It was all a blur, I love that kind of racing where everything was happening at once and you have to stay locked in,” said Blevins. “The team aspect, Adrien Boichis, when he passed me on that climb, I've never met a kid with more exuberance than him, he's just brilliant. I had to dig super-deep to stay with him. Martin [Vidaurre] had a hell of a ride as well. "It's just a cool feeling doing it with the team. We were just so locked in as a unit, there is something about the four red jerseys at the front. When we all push each other, it’s like iron sharpens iron, and it’s hard to figure out exactly what to do with team tactics. Having four red jerseys at the front is changing the way we race.” Blevins now has the overall series lead, he added: “I’ll take it race by race. It's a long year and a lot can change. I’ve just got to do my process, just as I would if it didn't go well this weekend. I’ll stay focused on the next one, I really want to perform well in Europe so that’s my goal now.” RISSVEDS TIMES ATTACK PERFECTLY TO TAKE SOLO WIN Jenny Rissveds was surprised to take an unusual solo victory as she claimed a fourth career UCI XCO World Cup win, following a grueling women’s race. The blistering heat in Araxá and steep climb made it a war of attrition with little to separate the leading competitors throughout the race. After winning last weeks’ XCO race Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) was full of confidence and looked to take command during the tense opening minutes. A long climb on each lap proved a grueling challenge in the heat and on the second of nine laps Rissveds started stringing out the field but was closely followed by Maxwell and Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing). However, slowing of pace on the descent and flat section at the bottom of the course resulted in the chasers regrouping each lap in the opening half of the race. The race winning move was an unlikely one as Rissveds had a slender advantage on the climb after five of nine laps, and as her opponents eased their pace the former Olympic Champion powered on to build an advantage. Bidding to defender her overall lead Maxwell attacked the chasing group in search of Rissveds but struggled to get away from the likes of Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli). The tactical games behind allowed Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider Rissveds to continue to grow her advantage from a large chasing group of 14 riders. After being patient during the first half Tamara Wiedmann (Mondraker Factory Racing XC) was the next to push the pace from the chasers and had Lecomte for company with three laps remaining. However, both Wiedmann and Lecomte suffered for their efforts in the blazing heat as the chasing group remained largely together. Heading into the penultimate lap Rissveds had an advantage of 37 seconds from Wiedmann, Maxwell and Jackson, as the chasing group started to fragment. After winning her second consecutive UCI XCC World Cup the previous day, Richards was in a determined mood and clawed back to the chasing group for the final lap. Maxwell was the strongest of the chasers on the climb and went clear for second place, but her rivals, led by Jackson, remained just seconds behind as they descended to the finish. Showing her short track power Richards was the quicker descender and bridged to third placed Jackson coming into the final stages. Canyon CLLCTV XCO rider Rissveds had enough of an advantage to fend off the late charge from series leader Maxwell, while Richards sprinted past Jackson for third. “It's new to me to be lonely like that in a World Cup race,” said Rissveds. “I’m working up some confidence, which is really nice and a big forward from last weekend.”  “I wanted to stay with the group to start with and then I tried to settle into my rhythm. I might have gone a little bit too soon, but not as early as last weekend and I think that was smart. Talking about working on her confidence, Rissveds added: “I’m working on it every race. I think we all do that. We might seem confident, but I think we all have some doubts.” HOLMGREN AND TREUDLER RIDE AWAY FROM U23 COMPETITION AGAIN Isabella Holmgren maintained her perfect start for the season by making it four UCI Cross Country World Cup wins from four in Brazil. After winning the previous day’s Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup the Canadian took control of the Women U23 XCO race to win by 50 seconds. Wearing the UCI World Champion stripes Holmgren took control on the second lap, with only Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) able to match her pace. In similar fashion to the opening XCO round the pair worked together until midway point. It was on the fifth of seven laps when Holmgren increased her pace on the steep climbs and quickly gained a lead of 12 seconds. Italian Sara Cortinovis (Ghost Factory Racing) and Canadian Ella Macphee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Racing) had slower starts but their consistent pace pulled them through to battle out for the final podium spot. Holmgren continued to grow out her lead and finished 50 seconds ahead of Corvi, while Macphee had enough power in the final lap to place third and second Canadian on the podium. “I loved every second of it,” said Holmgren. “I wanted to see how the race would play out, we worked together really well in the first few laps making a bigger gap. “I noticed that I was putting her under a bit of pressure so I went all in and created the gap.”   Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) won the opening UCI XCO World Cup round last weekend and put in another masterclass to continue his winning form. Unhappy with the large leading group which had gathered on the second of eight laps, Cube Factory Racing team-mates Treudler and Nikolaj Hougs went on the offensive and gapped the rest by 15 seconds. With the team-mates sharing out pace setting through the wooded terrain the leaders slowly edged out a gap on the seven chasers. At the halfway point Treudler proved too strong for team-mate Hougs and last weekend’s UCI XCO World Cup winner was alone at the front. Hougs faded following his earlier effort and crashed on a technical wooded section to lose further time, falling back to the chasers and then out of podium contention. The chasing group fractured on the penultimate lap with Norwegian William Handley and Elian Paccagnella (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Racing) going clear in search of the podium.  European champion Treudler was able to give a triumphant celebrating, with Handley pulling clear in second and Paccagnella holding off the chasers to complete the podium. “I wanted to get a gap early to race my own rhythm,” said Treudler. “I knew I could go super hard on the uphills and I tried to keep it safe in the downhills, with all the sharp rocks and stuff. "It was super hard, especially when you get called the times, you never know sometimes the gap gets bigger, sometimes it gets smaller. I just tried to focus on myself and it worked out in the end.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues with the first round of the UCI Enduro World Cup in Finale Ligure-Finale Outdoor Region, Italy on May 9-11.

After the fireworks of last week’s opening round, the second UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup in Araxá, Minas Gerais in as many weeks had a lot to live up to but live up to it did as Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli) produced stunning individual performances to claim consecutive wins. Richards had threatened throughout but was unable to shake Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) and Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) until the very last, going long in a sprint for the line that the other podium finishers couldn’t handle. The win was the reigning UCI XCC World Champion’s seventh in the format, which saw her overtake Pauline Ferrand-Prévot as the most successful elite women in XCC ever. In the men’s elite, Blevins recovered from a slow start to find himself in the four-strong lead group as the race entered its final stages. The American launched a searing attack on the course’s calf-shredding climb, blowing everyone including team-mate Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) away to cross the line with enough time to drink in the adulation of the vibrant Brazilian crowd. Koretkzy would once again finish second, outgunning the G.O.A.T Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) at the last. Before the elites, it was the turn of the U23s on Araxá’s red clay course, and it was almost a complete repeat of round one’s results – Isabella Holmgren claiming her second XCC win in Brazil, while Elian Paccagnella (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) recorded his first UCI U23 win. RICHARDS MAKES IT TWO FROM TWO IN ARAXÁ Evie Richards might not have been targeting the win last week, but even when the reigning UCI XCC World Champion isn’t in peak form, she can’t stop coming first – taking her second victory in as many weeks. It wasn’t as clear cut for the Brit as last Saturday’s race though, and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) set the early pace as a lead group of 16 formed. One of those who appeared to be out of contention before the race had properly got going was Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) – the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup series leader forced to unclip on the Araxá XCC course’s twisting ascent and leaving herself with a lot of catching up to do. Richards flexed her muscles for the first time on lap three, leading the pack up the climb and over the rock garden with Jenny Rissveds and Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) for company, but the group would soon reform and rebunch as riders took their feet off the gas entering the start-finish straight. This became a theme for the next few laps – the lead constantly shuffling but no one appearing willing to stake a claim. That was until Jackson launched a move on lap six that only Richards and Rissveds appeared to be able to handle. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) attempted to bridge the gap as the race entered its final lap, but it was too little too late for the reigning UCI XCC World Cup overall winner and as Richards started to turn the screw, it was Koller who appeared to be the most likely to be able to prevent the Brit from consecutive wins. The Swiss rider overtook Richards on the climb, entering the rock garden and jump line in a commanding position. But the Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli rider isn’t sporting the rainbow bands for nothing and glided past Koller to leave South America with maximum points. “I think when you’re world champion and you’re leading the series, there’s a lot of pressure, so I was really nervous before,” said Richards at the line. “We had a bit of a rough plan, but nothing changes too much. You’ve just got to [think] on your feet and depending on how the race goes, you can’t really have a plan.” BLEVINS BLOWS AWAY COMPETITION WITH LAST LAP SURGE Last week’s win was Christopher Blevins’ first UCI XCC World Cup triumph since 2022, but the American only had to wait six days to get that first-place feeling again as he threw down the gauntlet in Araxá. Blevins’ race hadn’t got off to the greatest start, and it was his team-mate Martín Vidaurre (Specialized Factory Racing) who set the early tempo, leading a sizeable group of riders around the fairly unchanged XCC course for the first lap. As the race hotted up like the baking Brazilian climate, Schurter took charge of proceedings, showing some style on the jump line, while the rainbow stripes of Koretkzy also came to the fore. Blevins finally found his spot at the head of the pack by lap three, when a resurgent Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) looked back to his 2023 best and upped the ante at the front. The German set the pace until the halfway point of lap six, when the Specialized Factory Racing pair of Koretzky and Blevins went on the attack on the climb – the latter leading into the technical rock garden. Only Carter Woods (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC) and Schurter could stay in contact, and it was clear that the podium would come from this quartet. Entering the last lap, it was Koretkzy who played his hand first, going deep with an audacious move off the front that saw Woods wilt in the heat. Blevins held the Frenchman’s wheel though, launching his own attack on the climb that saw the bungee cord finally break. His lead was suddenly five seconds, and there was no coming back. Crossing the finish line arms aloft, he became only the second elite man after Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) to win the first two XCC races of the season. Koretzky would have to settle for second, with Schurter third. “I still feel like I’m trying to find my consistency. It’s such a hard sport. There are so many guys who can win. I don’t take it for granted. I’m really happy to start as I have here,” said Blevins at the line, before adding that his winning move was pre-meditated. “Everybody knows that’s where you’ve got to go, and you have to be leading there. Deja vu again. It’s been three times where Victor [Koretzky] was leading going into that. That gives me confidence, knowing that he’s got a kick that I’ve got to go really hard to match. Three times in a row 1-2 is really amazing for the team.” HOLMGREN CONTINUES 100% RECORD AND PACCAGNELLA ANNOUNCES HIMSELF ON WORLD STAGE Isabella Holmgren made it two U23 UCI XCC World Cup wins from two in Brazil – the Canadian maintaining a 100% record in Araxá having also won last weekend’s U23 UCI XCO World Cup. It wasn’t a carbon copy of last Saturday’s short track win though, and the reigning U23 XCC World Champion had to bide her time before winning in a sprint finish for the line. It was last week’s second-place finisher Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) who had led the race from the first lap – the Austrian setting a ferocious early pace that slowly whittled away the lead group to five riders by the sixth and final lap. As well as Holmgren, she had fellow first-round podium finisher Ella Maclean-Howell (Cube Factory Racing), while Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and Marin Lowe (Liv Factory Racing) completed the quintet. But the race-leading efforts soon caught up with the KTM Factory MTB Team rider, and when Holmgren kicked with the line in sight, she didn’t have enough in the tank to respond. Corvi also managed to out-lunge the Austrian in a photo finish, with Maclean-Howell and Lowe having to settle for fourth and fifth respectively. "I’m feeling really good. It’s super hot out today so that definitely made the race really hard. It was so much fun, super tactical. It’s almost like road racing, so I enjoyed it a lot,” said Holmgren, who is also competing on the road for Women’s UCI WorldTour team Lidl-Trek during the 2025 season. “It definitely gives me a bit of confidence, but I know that all the girls are super strong and any weekend anyone can be on the top, so there are still a lot of nerves when I go on the start line.” The Men U23 UCI XCC World Cup race wasn’t as close as the women’s, with Elian Paccagnella (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) winning the contest at a canter. Finn Treudler (Cube Factory Racing) was the only other rider to finish within three seconds of the Italian, with his team-mate and last week’s third-place finisher Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) rounding out the podium spots. William Handley and round one’s second-place finisher Sondre Rokke had led a 14-strong pack on lap one of an enthralling contest, and the large group stayed together deep into the race. The penultimate lap saw Brayden Johnson launch an attack, splintering the field with only eight riders able to stay within striking distance. Last week’s eighth-placed finisher Paccagnella was perfectly poised, and he threw down a move that only Treudler could follow. First and second decided, it became a battle for the final podium spot, with Johnson not having enough in the tank to hold off Pedersen’s late surge. "It’s an amazing feeling. I can’t believe it until now. Last time I came eighth. I didn’t think at all I could win today, but I was in the end one lap remaining and I thought ‘all out’. I won and it’s unbelievable,” said an overjoyed Paccagnella. It’s just so amazing to win. Tomorrow’s another race. We’ll see how I recover from today, and I hope it’s going well like this.” The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action concludes in Brazil tomorrow as riders return to the tropical terrain for the second UCI XCO World Cup of the season.

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series only just returned from its six-month winter break, but the action keeps on coming this weekend with the second of Araxá, Minas-Gerais’s back-to-back UCI Cross-country World Cup rounds.  After a six-month break, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is back with a bang as the Endurance contests open their 2025 accounts with two weekends of consecutive racing in Araxá, Minas-Gerais, Brazil. The dust might have just settled on the Brazilian venue’s red clay course, but riders are readying themselves to go again on the tropical terrain – a second race weekend in quick succession offering those with disappointing season openers the chance to make immediate amends, while also enabling those who came out on top to reemphasize their dominance. The racing won’t be a foregone conclusion, either. Course designers are mixing things up for the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup course, with new features and trails for the riders to get to grips with ahead of Saturday’s finals. A SPELLBINDING SOUTH AMERICAN SHOW Last weekend’s racing saw Araxá prove that its 2024 UCI World Cup debut was no fluke. Then, fans witnessed a thrilling finale in the men’s elite XCO race, and while the 2025 season opener didn’t feature a four-up sprint for the line, each contest was an intriguing spectacle that showed the various ways you can win a cross-country race. In the women’s elite XCO race, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) made history by clinching her first elite UCI XCO World Cup win – the 23-year-old New Zealander biding her time in the lead group before creating a small gap on the seventh lap that the chasing Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) and Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) weren’t able to close. Maxwell’s win also meant she was eligible to select her own career number – a new feature for the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. She opted for #66, although as the current UCI XCO World Cup leader, she’ll be racing with the #1 plate this weekend. Meanwhile, in the men’s elite, teamwork made the dream work – Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) and Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) time-trialled their way to an insurmountable advantage over the chasing pack before the Frenchman threw down a race-winning surge on the penultimate lap that Blevins couldn’t come back from. SAME AGAIN OR ALL CHANGE AT THE TOP? While the XCO course is undergoing some modifications for round two, the riders won’t be going into it completely blind come Saturday’s finals and will have had time to practice and get up to speed with any tricky new technical areas. When picking favourites, it’s therefore worth looking at who appeared to be at the peak of their powers in hot and humid conditions in Brazil. Few would write off Maxwell’s chances of doing the Araxá double. The Kiwi has shown she can beat the best in her second elite season and appears to be in the form of her life after a near-perfect weekend where she also finished second in the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup. Those looking to prevent the 23-year-old from going back-to-back include the riders who shared the podium with her last Sunday – Koller and Blunk – while the reigning UCI XCO and XCC overall series winner, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), has shown she’s back to her consistent best following surgery at the end of last season. Riders with points to prove meanwhile include Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing) and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing), who will all be hoping for better next time out. In the men’s elite field, it’s hard to look beyond the Specialized Factory Racing show, with Koretzky appearing to have the edge over Blevins in the longer format of the XCO. The rest of the pack will have to find a way of disrupting the pair’s dominance in Araxá, and it might require the Swiss trio of Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon), Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) – who finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively – to form an alliance along national lines to prevent Koretzky from running away with an early lead in the overall series. Elsewhere, Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) and Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) will be looking to make amends, having failed to finish on Sunday, while Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team) shouldn’t be overlooked – the Dane is the only other rider present who has won at the venue. In the XCC meanwhile, the course remains the same and racing is likely to be just as tight. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) and Blevins came out on top in round one, and enter this Friday’s races as favourites, but expect opposition from Koretzky, Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) and Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC) in the men’s elite, and Maxwell, Keller and Kira Böhm (Cube Factory Racing) in the women’s elite. Racing gets underway in Araxá on Friday with the U23 UCI XCC World Cup – full schedule and events details are available here.

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will be streamed across the globe via WBD Sports’ network including Max, Eurosport and discovery+, as well as a host of broadcast partners. After a five-day break, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns this Friday with Araxá, Brazil hosting the second rounds of the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Short Track (XCC) World Cup seasons to conclude the Brazilian venue’s back-to-back doubleheader. We look at everything you need to know about the Araxá round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, including when the men’s and women’s XCO and XCC events are scheduled to take place, who is racing and how to watch. WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Araxá, Brazil starts with the Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup round at 11:15 (UTC-3) Friday, April 11 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup at 14:45 (UTC-3) on Saturday, April 12. Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC-3 (EST+1/BST-4/CET-5): Friday, April 11 ·       11:15 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 ·       11:55 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 ·       13:00 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite ·       13:40 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite Saturday, April 12 ·       9:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 ·       10:45 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 ·       12:45 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite ·       14:45 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite   WHERE CAN I WATCH? You can watch all the action from the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Araxá, Brazil wherever you are in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI XCO World Cup U23 races will be broadcast live on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel, but for all other races, tune in to one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flobikes USA  – Max   Central and South America Brazil – Rede Minas (XCC and XCO live); Bandsport (XCO men delayed) All other Central and South American territories: MTBWS TV   Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport All other Asian territories: MTBWS TV   Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV   Africa Angola, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cape Verde, Cote d'lvoire, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Reunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, São Tome and Principe, St Helena and Ascension, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Socotra, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia – Supersport All other African territories: MTBWS TV   Europe Andorra – Max & Eurosport Austria – discovery+ & Eurosport Belgium – HBO Max & Eurosport Bosnia & Herzegovina – Max & Eurosport Bulgaria – Max & Eurosport Croatia – Max & Eurosport Czechia – Max, Eurosport & CT Sport+ Denmark – Max & Eurosport Faroe Islands – Max & Eurosport Finland – Max & Eurosport France – Max, Eurosport & L'Équipe Live Germany – discovery+ & Eurosport Greece – Eurosport Hungary – Max & Eurosport Ireland – discovery+ & TNT Sports Italy – discovery+ & Eurosport Moldova – Max & Eurosport Montenegro – Max & Eurosport Netherlands – HBO Max & Eurosport North Macedonia – Max & Eurosport Norway – Max & Eurosport Poland – Max & Eurosport Portugal – Max & Eurosport Romania – Max & Eurosport Serbia – Max & Eurosport Slovakia – Max & Eurosport Slovenia – Max & Eurosport Spain – Max & Eurosport Sweden – Max & Eurosport Switzerland – Eurosport & SRF2/RSI LA2 Türkiye: Eurosport United Kingdom – discovery+ & TNT Sports 1 All other European territories – MTBWS TV   MTBWS TV is new for the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and is an evolution of WBD Sports’ distribution agreement with the streaming service Staylive. Find out more at https://watch.ucimtbworldseries.com/ and discover if it is available in your location here. RIDERS TO WATCH After last weekend’s fireworks in Araxá, we have an early indication of who is starting the season in red-hot form and who’s still a bit off the pace. Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) and Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) shared the spoils in the men’s XCO and XCC in round one, and it’s hard to look beyond the pair when picking winners for this weekend’s racing. There will be plenty of riders vying to break up the Specialized Factory Racing monopoly, though, with Lars Forster (Thömus Maxon), Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) and Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) coming closest in the XCO. In the women’s field, Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) had the jump on the rest of the pack in the XCO and had enough in the tank to hold out for a debut UCI XCO World Cup win. The Kiwi will be aiming to do it all again on Saturday, but she’ll face stiff competition from a chasing pack that will now be closing down every move. Chief amongst them will be Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) and Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team), who had to settle for second and third place, respectively, on Sunday, while Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) can’t be ignored. In the UCI XCC World Cup, UCI XCC World Champion Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) will be targeting a second win in as many weeks in the rainbow bands, while Blevins will have his work cut out for him if he’s to beat Koretzky and Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) once more. Racing gets underway in Araxá on Friday.  Full schedule and events details are available HERE.

The UCI Enduro World Cup heads to Pietra Ligure (Italy) this May (9–11), where the world’s best riders will battle it out on some of the most iconic natural trails in the sport. That same weekend, amateur riders will have the chance to put their fitness, racing skills, and trail-side repair savvy to the test on those very same tracks. Registration is now live for the Enduro Open Race, with riders having until May 2, 2025, to sign up. This is a unique opportunity for fans to take on the same heart-pounding descents and leg-burning climbs tackled by the pros. Speed is of the essence if you want to secure your spot on the start line, with a limit of 400 spaces available. A TECHNICAL AND SCENIC COURSE This year’s Enduro Open racecourse spans 43 km with 1,700 meters of elevation gain, designed to test both the technical skills and endurance of participants. For those competing in the E-MTB race, the course will be 32 km with 1,500 meters of elevation gain, specifically designed to be completed with a single battery, making energy management a key factor for success. Both races will be entirely pedal-powered, with no shuttle support—bringing enduro racing back to its roots. Riders will be tested not just on technical descents and high-speed sections, but also on their physical stamina and ability to endure a full day out on the trails. The selected course features some of the best trails in the Finale Outdoor region area, offering a perfect mix of flowy sections, technical challenges, and breathtaking sea views—making for an unforgettable racing experience. The race is open to the following categories: Junior Men, Junior Women, Men, Women, Masters Men (35+), Masters Women (35+), E-bike Men, and E-bike Women. As an official qualifying event for the UCI Enduro World Cup, the race awards global ranking points, providing a crucial opportunity for those aiming to compete at the UCI World Cup level. A WEEKEND OF SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT The EDR Open and E-EDR Open races are set for Saturday, May 10, with official practice kicking off on Friday, May 9. And the fun doesn’t end with racing—competing on Saturday means riders can spend Sunday soaking up the action as spectators, watching the world’s top riders go head-to-head in the UCI Enduro World Cup. HOW TO REGISTER The deadline to register for the Open Enduro race is May 2, 2025. Registration is now open—sign up HERE.  There is a limit of 400 spaces available!

The French equipment brand signs five-year deal as the Official Bicycle Shoe Supplier and also becomes the official partner for its home UCI World Cup round of Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France)  Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe and Mavic are proud to confirm a new five-year agreement for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.  The historic French apparel and equipment manufacturer becomes an official supplier of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series as the Official Bicycle Shoe supplier, as well as an Official Partner for the UCI World Cup round in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France).  Founded in Lyon, France, and now based in Annecy, Mavic has been at the forefront of cycling innovation for over 135 years. Best known for its pioneering bicycle wheels, the brand meticulously designs its products in the heart of the French Alps, reflecting a deep commitment to performance and innovation. Instantly recognisable by its distinctive style and iconic yellow-and-black colours, Mavic embodies excellence in the cycling world.  Its passion for innovation is evident in every wheel spun and every piece of gear worn, with products distributed worldwide. From the racetrack to open roads and rugged trails, Mavic boldly transforms the cycling experience.  Thanks to their innovations and designs validated by hundreds of hours of laboratory, wind tunnel, and field testing, their products have proven their ability to withstand the extreme demands and constraints of the extreme speeds reached by professional athletes, powering them to prestigious international and Olympic titles across multiple formats and disciplines.  The new partnership sees Mavic strengthen its dedication to mountain biking and the global riding community.  Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “A true symbol of innovation and performance, Mavic’s cutting-edge equipment is recognised as a benchmark in the sport. It remains one of the most influential brands in mountain biking, continuing to shape the sport’s greatest moments. “The new five-year partnership with WBD Sports brings together the pinnacle of mountain biking competition – the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series – and in Mavic, one of the sport’s most iconic pioneers.”  Alberto Morgando, CEO of Mavic: "By joining forces with WBD Sports as an official partner of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, Mavic reaffirms its deep-rooted passion for mountain biking and competition, both integral to our DNA. This partnership presents a unique opportunity to amplify the presence of our iconic yellow brand, particularly through WBD Sports' dynamic activations and cutting-edge digital solutions. These innovations will bring us closer to the fans, allowing us to share the thrill of the sport in new and engaging ways. We are proud to contribute to the global growth of this spectacular discipline and to strengthen our connection with the mountain biking community worldwide." The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series began last weekend in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil), with the first of 16 rounds. The action continues in Brazil next Friday and Saturday, with the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup taking centre stage on April 11, followed by the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup on April 12, wrapping up this exciting opening double-header. Live and on-demand coverage of every race is available through WBD’s channels and platforms including Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) with streaming on Max and discovery+, as well as around the world through WBD’s broadcast partners. More information on where to watch the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series this weekend is available here.

Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) survived a nail-biting final lap chase to win an emotional maiden UCI World Cup round, while Victor Koretzky led a 1-2-3 for Specialized Factory Racing in the Men Elite UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup race in tropical Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil). Koretzky and Blevins broke clear very early and rode a majestic two-man team time trial for the first eight laps, the Frenchman finally breaking the truce on the penultimate circuit with the chasing pack well out of contention. After Blevins led a team 1-2 in the UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup yesterday, it was Koretzky’s turn in XCO and Martin Vidaurre made it thrice as nice for the team after his important role disrupting the pursuit. Maxwell broke for glory on lap seven, causing the group of favourites to splinter behind as only teammate Savilia Blunk (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) could live with the 23-year-old’s frantic pace. Maxwell led the chasers by 18 seconds at the start of the final lap but was hanging on by her fingernails through the final few corners with Koller finishing just four seconds behind the first-time victor. Men’s and women’s U23 victors only spent a couple of laps within view of the main pack combined, Finn Treudler (CUBE Factory Racing) and Isabella Holmgren won by 29 and 19 seconds respectively.   VICTOR BY NAME AND NATURE AS SPECIALIZED CELEBRATE SUPER SUNDAY A race that lasted 80 minutes was effectively over within five when Koretzky and Blevins gapped Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) in the Red Bull Energy Zone on lap one. After their dominance in the XCC curtain-raiser, the Specialized Factory Racing pair were again left to fight between themselves for victory in an exceptional display of teamwork that worked perfectly for eight laps. As Kortezky and Blevins rolled turns on the front for over an hour, Maximilian Brandl (Lapierre Racing Unity), Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Racing Team) and Filippo Colombo (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) each made big efforts leading a fractured chasing group but all in vain with Specialized Factory Racing’s Martin Vidaurre playing a valiant blocking role. The white flag was finally raised with three laps of nine still to go, as the 17-man chase group switched their focus to the fight for third, and the party soon become 18 when Schurter completed his impressive recovery ride from an early problem. As the gap hit a minute on the penultimate lap, Koretzky decided enough was enough and dropped the hammer on his teammate, the move appearing conclusive as he quickly gained nine seconds on Blevins. The American stemmed the bleeding as rain began to fall adding an extra dimension to the red clay and humid conditions, before Koretzky kicked again on the final lap while Vidaurre attacked behind to make it one-two-three for Specialized on the trail. All of them held on, Koretzky embraced Blevins after crossing the line before the pair turned and cheered Vidaurre home in the sprint for third, capping a special weekend for the team “Chris [Blevins] was super strong at the beginning of the race, he did a super-high pace and it was difficult to follow him. Then I had a second life in the middle of the race,” Koretzky said. “We just did one lap each all the time, I had a flat on the last two laps so it was tricky for me on the downhill, tough stuff until the end, but I managed to finish like this.  “I think we were all the time teammates; the goal was to be together until the last moment. Alone it was difficult to do it but with my teammate it was like a hard day in training. It’s so cool to share that with the team.” The Specialized trio weren’t the only ones celebrating at the finish line either, as three home heroes sent the Araxá crowd into raptures. Gustavo Xavier, Alex Malacarne and Ulan Galinski crossed the line together in 10th, 11th and 12th sealing the first time three Brazilians have finished in the top 12 of a UCI World Cup round, passing a host of more established riders on the final lap to complete the feat.  MAXWELL CONTINUES TO LIVE THE DREAM IN ARAXÁ After Samara Maxwell described Saturday’s XCC second place as a “dream come true”, she must quickly get used to this reality of being a main contender at UCI Cross-country World Cups as the Kiwi blazed clear of a star-studded lead group and held off a determined pursuit from Nicole Koller who also had the carrot of a first win at this level. While the winning move only went away in the final quarter of the race, the main protagonists were established early as Jenny Rissveds set a blistering early tempo in her first XCO race for Canyon CLLCTV XCO. Aided by Jolanda Neff - also keen to impress in new colours for Cannondale Factory Racing - the Swiss rider couldn’t sustain the punishing workload, but the winner always looked likely to be one of Rissveds, Maxwell, Blunk, Koller, Candice Lill, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) or Jennifer Jackson (Orbea Fox Factory Team). Jackson was the most surprising member as she survived a heart-in-mouth moment on the opening lap. The Canadian misjudged a landing in the Red Bull Energy Zone and skewed left into the crowd yet somehow returned to the front group in a matter of minutes, later saying she hoped her race wasn’t only remembered for the ‘hugie’. A crash for Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team new signing Emily Johnston threatened to red-flag the race, but the action ultimately continued uninterrupted as the incident coincided with Maxwell’s winning attack. She scorched up a rocky ascent and try as they might, Koller and Blunk couldn’t reel in Maxwell, who gave a tearful interview after a fight UCI World Cup victory that looked like it might never come when the reigning Oceania Champion took a career break to deal with an eating disorder that gives her reduced energy levels. “I genuinely can’t [believe it], Jenny [Rissveds] was so strong at the start and I was on the limit the whole time,” Maxwell said. “On the descents I’ve been working so hard technically over the summer on my skills, it was just a matter of getting to the front and I just went for it.” Asked when she believed she would win in Araxá, Maxwell responded: “At the finish line. I honestly couldn’t believe it, I just kept telling myself ‘this is for a world cup win, hurt as much as you can because you won’t get it if you don’t’. “The team has been so incredible for me, I’ve had a bit of hard time the last few years and the team stood by me and said, ‘no matter what you do, as you long as you put your health and yourself as a person first, we will support you’. “They were willing to support me walking away from the mountain biking team for a few years to get back healthy because they believed in me so much. So, to have everything fall into line for these amazing people is the most special part.” U IS FOR UNTOUCHABLE AS TREUDLER AND HOMLGREN DOMINATE U23 Isabella Holmgren wrote off a tilt at the overall title after her UCI XCC World Cup triumph yesterday, but 24 hours later the Canadian underlined her supremacy in the Women U23 competition by winning the XCO race by 19 seconds Resplendent in the UCI World Champion’s rainbow bands, Holmgren wasted little time in breaking away from the field with only Valentina Corvi able to follow for Canyon CLLCTV XCO. It appeared that pair would contest the win until Corvi was also discarded on the rocky ascent of lap three, she dropped back to join Ella MacPhee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) and Ella MacLean-Howell (CUBE Factory Racing) in the group that provided the best remaining action. Despite her early pace, Corvi made the mistake that crowned MacPhee runner-up as she was forced to unclip on a narrow and rooty uphill section, blocking MacLean-Howell with the Canadian ahead, and none of the trio were even in view as Holmgren crossed the line to complete her weekend double. “I was pretty much on the limit with her [Valentina Corvi]. I think at one point I realised I put in a bit of a gap, so I just kept my effort going and then tried to hold on until the end”, Holmgren said.  A start line crash marred the opening lap of the men’s U23 race as Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) hit the deck, the German’s misfortune causing a domino effect through the riders behind including Canyon CLLCTV XCO’s Thibaut Francois Baudry and Tom Schellekens of KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team. Martin Farstadvoll set a blistering pace on the opening lap and held a commanding early lead, but proved to have gone too hard too soon and was overhauled by Finn Treudler on lap two. The Swiss rider disappeared into the distance and quickly inflated his advantage to 45 seconds, where it would remain until a late chain problem, while the all-Danish battle for second between Nikolaj Hougs (CUBE Factory Racing) and national champion Heby Gustav Pedersen (Wilier-Vittoria Racing Team) was won by the latter.  Schellekens took a very creditable fourth, but none of them could touch Treudler, who finally took top spot in Araxá after finishing a close second to Riley Amos last season. “I was really determined on going for that first spot today,” Treudler said. “I came so close last year, and I knew with all the fast guys from last year moving up I’m definitely one of the favourites and I wanted to prove that today. “I lost my chain in the second-last lap, I was a bit scared, but I had a good gap and kept it to the finish. I just tried to keep calm, and I knew I had the legs even if they catch me again.”   The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series remains in Brazil for more thrills and spills next Friday and Saturday on a modified Araxá course, with the UCI XCC World Cup taking centre stage on April 11 before the UCI XCO World Cup returns on April 12 as the climax of this opening double-header.

The UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup began with a bang in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil), as Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli) produced triumphant explosive moves on the final laps of two thrilling Men’s and Women’s Elite curtain raisers. Richards kept her powder dry until the end of the Women’s Elite race but followed all the potential winning moves with apparent ease before dropping her own bombshell on the final climb, swinging wide into the climb to carry maximum speed into the ascent and blow Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) off her back wheel. Richards never relinquished the slender lead she carried over the summit to Decathlon Ford Racing Team’s Samara Maxwell - the only rider to live with the initial acceleration - as the UCI XCC World Champion banished the demons of the concussion she suffered in Araxá last season. The Men’s Elite contest didn’t feature the same high-octane racing from start to finish but produced an even more exciting finale with two teammates in a league of their own on a hair-raising last circuit, Blevins and Victor Koretzky throwing everything at each other as third-placed Mathis Azzaro (Origine Racing Division) could only watch. And as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returned for 2025 on the iconic red clay of Araxá, Sondre Rokke and Isabella Holmgren got their U23 campaigns off to the perfect start. RICHARDS COMBINES AND BRAWN TO DOUBLE UP IN ARAXÁ It’s no surprise Evie Richards is sporting those rainbow bands if she can win like this in races she’s not even targeting. With plenty of riders lining up in new colours at the start of the next Olympic cycle, Jolanda Neff, Jenny Rissveds and Loana Lecomte might’ve been too keen to impress for Cannondale Factory Racing, Canyon CLLCTV XCO and BMC Factory Racing respectively as they pushed the pace early in a lead group that also included Richards and Swiss duo Keller and Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing). That sextet initially looked like the riders who would contest the win as the first-day fervour caused a crash on the maiden feature as Ronja Eibl found strife on the bridge for Origine Racing Division. However, the tempo relented in the second quarter as first Maxwell bridged across, then the lead group ballooned to 15 after entering the penultimate lap after Keller had reduced it to just Richards and Frei at one stage. Having bided her time through five laps, Maxwell stunned the pack by making the decisive selection of the race on the climb of the sixth circuit with only Richards, Keller and Koller able to follow the explosion uphill - the Brit once again showing her strength without putting her nose in the wind. That all changed as the lead quartet took the bell though, as Richards left the Swiss pair in the dust up the final climb and opened up a bike length, then two to Maxwell, that the Kiwi just couldn’t close, both riders celebrating across the line. “I’m super happy, this wasn’t a target race for me,” Richards said, having also admitted she felt low on confidence entering the weekend. “I wasn’t very confident coming into it, but I like to win so I was really focused. This is what I love doing so I just give it everything and see where I come. I’m just trying to be a bit smarter tactically, the first race of the year it’s more like sus everyone else out and ride my own race. I couldn’t have attacked if I didn’t have the legs, so it was just on my feelings really.” SPECIALIZED DOUBLE UP IN MEN’S ELITE 1-2 Same race, different result. Victor Koretzky was superior last season in Araxá when the Specialized pair juked it out, but 12 months later Blevins crossed the line with his arms aloft for his first XCC triumph since 2022. Blevins pushed the tempo alongside Simon Andreassen in the Dane’s first race for Orbea Fox Factory Team, yet try as they might, neither rider could force a decisive split. With Charlie Aldridge and Mathias Fluckinger also present and correct at the front for Cannondale Factory Racing, gaps of a few bike lengths failed to convert to anything more and 30 riders were in the lead group entering the penultimate lap, where a Koretzky mistake finally broke the stalemate. The UCI XCC World Champion unclipped as he turned to summit and Blevins immediately dropped the hammer in response - pulling Azzaro, Andreassen and Jordan Sarrou (BMC Factory Racing) with him while the beleaguered Kortezky took the bell in seventh. Although he did recover to briefly lead on the road run-in, Blevins smelled blood and attacked again on the climb to whittle it down to a two-horse race as Koretzky regained ground on the rock section. Blevins survived elbow-elbow contact through the flat corners and had more in the tank for the home straight after Koretzky’s lung-busting effort, Azzaro the only other rider in view as the American crossed the line. “Victor’s a champion, I love having him as a teammate,” Blevins said. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world when you’re going for that last lap and you’re about to battle with a teammate that you live this with. “I was feeling really good on that kick and then the jumps as well, so I wanted to lead there and try to old it off which is a hard thing to do with Victor behind you. “UCI World Cup Short Tracks are such a fight for position the whole time, I made an effort to be more intentional, be more of a fighter and don’t give up positions. This time I spent more time in the wind than I usually do but that paid off for me.” Victor Koretzky has the consolation of a front-row start in tomorrow’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup race as he chases that elusive first UCI World Cup overall win in the discipline, and added: “At two laps to go I did a mistake on the hill and it was the moment Chris [Blevins] decided to attack so I lost a few seconds and places. I managed to close the gap on the last lap, for me it was not the last lap full gas but the last one and a half so at the end I was completely empty. “I didn’t want to do any mistakes on the few last corners so we just keep the position, it’s a win for Specialized Factory Racing team and that’s the most important.” LAST LAP PROVES DIVISIVE IN U23 RACES With reigning U23 UCI XCC overall winners Riley Amos and Kira Böhm moving up to the elite ranks, it was anyone’s guess who’d come out on top in the first races of the weekend, two cagey affairs where the margin of victory was in single digits. Isabella Holmgren was one of the main animators in the Women U23 alongside compatriot Ella MacPhee (Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team) after they finished fifth and ninth last season. It took until the final quarter of the race for the pack to splinter, the Canadian duo escaping with Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), Katharina Sadnik (KTM Factory MTB Team) and Ella MacLean-Howell (CUBE Factory Racing), and initially LIV Factory Racing’s Tyler Jacobs before the South African faded. Holmgren wasn’t done there though, kicking again on the final lap to open a four-second gap across the line while Sadnik outsprinted MacLean-Howell to take second place. Holmgren is balancing road and mountain bike commitments this season so wrote off a tilt at the overall charge, but the Canadian said her quest for as many headline results as possible got off to the perfect start: “It’s my first race of the season so I was really nervous obviously, don’t know where the fitness is at and everything. I just tried to go in, see how the race played out and make my strategy because you don’t know how anyone else is going, and yeah just raced hard.” The men’s U23 race was an even tighter affair, with a lead pack of 15 riders fighting out the finale. Norwegians Sondre Rokke and Martin Farstadvoll were among those setting a punishing pace in the sapping conditions. Farstadvoll fell out of contention on the final lap as Lexware Mountainbike team’s Paul Schehl made the initial dig, creating separation but not enough to survive Rokke’s ferocious attack on the climb. He finished almost two minutes down on Amos last season yet proved the man to beat in the 2025 season opener, holding onto his lead ahead of the final stampede, as Brayden Johnson and Wilier-Vittora Factory Team’s Heby Gustav won the battle for the remainder of the top three. Rokke called his victory “unexpected” but hopes it can provide the springboard to an overall challenge in his final year of U23, adding: “Super hard from the start, then just the battle for position into the climb every lap. I felt quite good on the downhill, could just cruise a bit down and take the gaps again. I was a bit lucky into the last climb and just pushed hard, tried to get some metres over the top and held it to the finish line.” After the UCI XCC World Cup got the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series to a thrilling start, the action keeps on coming from Brazil as riders return tomorrow for the UCI XCO World Cup curtain-raiser in Araxá.

Iconic Japanese bicycle components manufacturer signs four-year deal as the Official Drivetrain & Electric Drive Unit Components partner Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe and SHIMANO are proud to confirm a four-year partnership agreement for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The Japanese manufacturer becomes a main partner of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and is the Official Drivetrain & Electric Drive Unit Components partner. The partnership builds on a strong legacy that both WBD Sports and Shimano share within the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Shimano’s strong relationship with the UCI goes back more than 25 years, and this new partnership will build on this foundation, with both WBD Sports and Shimano eager to explore exciting new opportunities. The partnership means that Shimano will be involved at every round of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, providing technical support and assistance to all athletes and ensuring that everyone is ready to take to the start line or start hut – from the opening Brazilian Cross-country double header in Araxá, Minas Gerais, through to the season finale in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada. Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “Shimano is synonymous with quality and reliability, and has been at the forefront of mountain bike drivetrain and electric drive unit component development for decades. “Already a mainstay in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, the new four-year partnership enables WBD Sports and Shimano to build on our historic success and develop new, innovative ways of working together and supporting athletes and teams at every round of the series.” Yuzo Shimano, Senior Executive Officer, Vice President, Bicycle Marketing Department and Planning Department at Shimano, said: “We are proud to be part of this ground-breaking technical partnership with WBD Sports and the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Shimano wants to support mountain biking racing at all levels, while we continuously innovate alongside these fantastic athletes taking part in the series. “By providing our technical expertise at every round, we are ensuring that all athletes have access to the captivating products and reliability that has defined Shimano for generations.” For over 100 years, Shimano has been committed to crafting industry-leading cycling components and accessories. A key focus of their efforts is a system engineering approach, where products are designed to work together seamlessly for the ultimate on-bike experience. Founded in 1921, Shimano now operates offices and factories worldwide.

New AI technology platform transforms storytelling capabilities for WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series coverage, enhancing the viewer experience through data-driven insights Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe today announces the launch of Cycling Central Intelligence (CCI), an innovative generative AI-powered platform developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), that transforms how mountain bike events are brought to viewers worldwide. The platform debuts at the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series season opener in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) this weekend, marking a significant advancement in sports broadcasting technology. As part of this initiative, AWS becomes the Official Cloud Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Learning Provider for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, supporting WBD's mission to further enhance on-screen experiences for mountain bike’s global fan base. CCI will dramatically improve efficiencies for cycling commentators by mitigating the challenges of accessing comprehensive information about riders, venues and race histories within a live broadcasting environment. By providing instant access to a wealth of data points, it will empower commentary teams to deliver even richer, contextual storytelling to better connect fans with their favourite sport. "What makes CCI truly revolutionary is how it enhances and complements the human expertise that makes sports broadcasting special," said Chris Ball, VP, Cycling Events at WBD Sports. "Our commentators and producers bring unmatched levels of experience and passion for the sport, and through our partnership with AWS, CCI ensures they can expertly craft the compelling stories and insights that our viewers love and that will keep them engaged. "This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our ongoing commitment to innovation in sports broadcasting," Ball continued. "By combining cutting-edge AI technology with our leading production expertise, we're setting new standards for how mountain bike events are brought to life for viewers around the globe." "AWS is helping Warner Bros. Discovery enhance the art of sports storytelling through the practical uses of generative AI," said Samira Panah Bakhtiar, General Manager of Media & Entertainment, Games, and Sports at AWS. "This collaboration showcases how AWS’ generative AI services can amplify human expertise. By handling time-consuming research and data synthesis tasks, CCI frees up WBD's talented commentary teams to focus on their passion and ability to capture the excitement of live sports."   The CCI platform leverages advanced generative AI capabilities of Amazon Bedrock and Anthropic's Claude 3.5 on AWS to create a unified knowledge base that processes and analyzes hundreds of documents about riders and events, along with vast databases of results, race times, and athletic performance data. This comprehensive system enables commentators and production teams to access information through natural language queries, dramatically reducing research time and enabling more engaging, data-driven storytelling. Working backwards from the needs of its broadcasting teams, WBD Sports Europe collaborated with teams at AWS to envision CCI, develop a proof-of-concept, and build the solution. CCI's technical architecture carefully balances AI capabilities with human expertise. The platform utilizes Amazon Textract for document processing, Amazon Translate for breaking down language barriers across international content, and Amazon Comprehend for organizing and structuring information. Amazon Bedrock integrates with these services while ensuring broadcasting professionals maintain complete control over the storytelling process. The platform will continue to evolve throughout the season, with plans to incorporate additional features that will enable WBD’s commentators and production teams to serve mountain bike fans with the best possible live content and viewing experiences. The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series begins in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) this weekend with the first of 16 rounds. Live and on-demand coverage of every race is available through WBD’s channels and platforms including Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) with streaming on Max and discovery+, as well as around the world through WBD’s broadcast partners. More information on where to watch the opening round of the 2025 season is available here.

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will be streamed across the globe via WBD Sports’ network including Max, Eurosport and discovery+, as well as a host of broadcast partners. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returns this weekend with Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) hosting the first round of the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Short Track (XCC) World Cup seasons and kicking off the back-to-back Brazilian doubleheader. We look at everything you need to know about the Araxá round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series events, including when the men’s and women’s XCO and XCC events are scheduled to take place, who is racing and how to watch. WHEN? The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Araxá, Brazil this weekend starts with the Women U23 UCI XCC World Cup round at 10:45 (UTC-3) Saturday, April 5 and concludes with the Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup at 15:30 (UTC-3) on Sunday, April 6 Below are the key timings for race weekend. All times are UTC-3 (EST+1/BST-4/CET-5): Saturday, April 5 10:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women U23 11:25 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men U23 12:45 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Women Elite 13:25 – UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup | Men Elite Sunday, April 6 9:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women U23 11:00 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men U23 13:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Women Elite 15:30 – UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup | Men Elite WHERE CAN I WATCH? You can watch all the action from the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series season opener in Araxá, Minas Gerais (Brazil) wherever you are in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI XCO World Cup U23 races will be broadcast live on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel, but for all other races, tune in to one of the below channels or streaming services: North America Canada – Flosports USA – Max Central and South America Brazil – Rede Minas & Bandsport Puerto Rico - MaxAll other Central and South American territories: MTBWS TV Asia Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – EurosportAll other Asian territories: MTBWS TV Oceania Australia – Stan Sport New Zealand – MTBWS TV Africa Angola, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Cape Verde, Cote d'lvoire, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Niger, Reunion, Rwanda, South Africa, Eswatini, São Tome and Principe, St Helena and Ascension, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Socotra, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia – SupersportAll other African territories: MTBWS TV Europe Andorra – Max & EurosportAustria – discovery+ & EurosportBelgium – HBO Max & EurosportBosnia & Herzegovina – Max & EurosportBulgaria – Max & Eurosport Croatia – Max & EurosportCzechia – Max, Eurosport & CT Sport+Denmark – Max & EurosportFaroe Islands – Max & EurosportFinland – Max & Eurosport France – Max, Eurosport & L'Équipe (XCO live + XCC delayed)Germany – discovery+ & Eurosport Greece – Eurosport Hungary – Max & EurosportIreland – discovery+ & TNT SportsItaly – discovery+ & EurosportMoldova – Max & EurosportMontenegro – Max & EurosportNetherlands – HBO Max & EurosportNorth Macedonia – Max & EurosportNorway – Max & Eurosport Poland – Max & EurosportPortugal – Max & EurosportRomania – Max & Eurosport Serbia – Max & Eurosport Slovakia – Max & EurosportSlovenia – Max & EurosportSpain – Max & Eurosport Sweden – Max & Eurosport Switzerland – Eurosport & SRF/RSITürkiye: EurosportUnited Kingdom – discovery+ & TNT SportsAll other European territories – MTBWS TV MTBWS TV is new for the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and is an evolution of WBD Sports’ distribution agreement with the streaming service Staylive. Find out more at watch.ucimoutainbikeworldseries.com and discover if it is available in your location here. RIDERS TO WATCH The season opener is always difficult to predict, and if Araxá’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series debut last season is anything to go by, fans will be kept guessing right up to the line. One thing guaranteed though is that the course will be lined by extremely passionate fans, who will turn every inch of the track into a festival of colour and noise. Between the race tapes, all eyes will be on Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing). The Frenchman is a clear favourite for the UCI XCO World Cup overall series for 2025, and he will be targeting maximum points in Brazil. Those with a good chance of spoiling his perfect start include his team-mate Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing), and last year’s winner, Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team). In the women’s field, reigning UCI XCO and XCC World Cup overall winner Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) is the woman to beat, with Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO), Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing) and up-and-comer Kira Böhm (Cube Factory Racing) likely to push the Swiss star all the way. In the Short Track, UCI XCC World Champion Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) will be hoping for a winning start to her season in the rainbow stripes, while Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) will be looking to get back to winning ways after a disappointing 2024 by his own high standards. Racing gets underway on Saturday, 5th April in Araxá. Full schedule and events details are available HERE.You can find where to watch all of the racing action live in Araxá HERE.

The Brazilian venue is hosting the first of its back-to-back UCI Cross-country World Cup rounds this weekend, and if its debut last year is anything to go by, fans and riders are in for some amazing racing. After a six-month break, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is back with a bang as the Endurance contests open their 2025 accounts with two weekends of consecutive racing in Araxá, Minas-Gerais, Brazil.  Located in the country's southeast, 600km south of the capital Brasília, the area is world-renowned for its spa, mountains and waterfalls. Last year, it added mountain bike to that list, with Araxá putting on a UCI World Cup to remember.  Its red clay course and tropical backdrop truly set it apart from the rest of the venues on the calendar, and with a fifth of the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup series to be decided on its trails, points secured in Brazil could make all the difference come the season’s end in October.  BAR-TO-BAR RACING  Araxá set high standards in its WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series debut in 2024, putting on one of the most memorable races of the season – Simon Andreassen (Orbea Fox Factory Team) coming out on top in a four-way sprint for the line to decide the Men Elite UCI XCO World Cup round. Fans will be hoping for more of the same this time out, and the XCO and XCC courses should deliver – both combining flat, high-speed sections with fast, gravity-fuelled descents. While the venue is going to be the same for the next two weeks, this weekend’s results shouldn’t make round 2 a foregone conclusion either – course designers are keeping the riders on their toes with a modified XCO course to navigate next week.  EARLY SEASON FORM-FINDER  The first round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series can always be a bit of a lottery with predictions. While some riders will have got between the race tape in smaller contests in the weeks leading up to this weekend, these aren’t necessarily true indicators of form, with some using it as part of their training to peak for Brazil and others returning from off-season injuries or surgery.  Last year, Andreassen clinched that iconic XCO win, while Haley Batten (Specialized Factory Racing) achieved an XCO-XCC double. The former is on a new team for 2025, although he looks up to speed on his Orbea with a win in the MTB French Cup in March, while Batten hasn’t raced since a crash at the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships last September ended her 2024 season early, and she is staying in the US rather than travelling to Brazil for the first two rounds.  One rider looking to prevent Andreassen securing back-to-back wins in Araxá is Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing). The Frenchman won the UCI XCC World Cup round at the venue last year and will be hoping score maximum points to improve on his second in the XCO overall in 2025. He will face stiff competition though from his team-mate Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing), Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Facing) and the G.O.A.T, Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team).  In the women’s field, all eyes will be on Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) to see whether the reigning UCI XCO and XCC World Cup overall winner has recovered from surgery in time to mount a defence of her titles. Meanwhile, Jenny Rissveds (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) has experience of podiuming in Araxá, and Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing) will aim to continue her end-of-season form with her new team.  Outside of the obvious favourites, two other riders worth keeping tabs on are Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli) and Kira Böhm (Cube Factory Racing). The reigning U23 UCI XCO World Cup overall winners did the XCO-XCC doubles in Araxá in 2024 and have already shown they can mix it with the Elites – Böhm winning a CIMTB race in Araxá against a strong South American field as recently as last weekend.  In the XCC meanwhile, specialists with plenty to prove include Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) and the UCI XCC World Champion Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli).  Racing gets underway in Araxá on Saturday with the U23 short track – full schedule and events details are available here.

The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series rounds in Pietra Ligure, Val di Fassa, and Morillon will bring Enduro racing back to its roots, with UCI World Cup races now spanning two action-packed days. Three out of the seven UCI Enduro World Cup rounds of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will occur over two days of racing for the first time. Starting with the season opener in Pietra Ligure (Finale Outdoor Region, Italy); Val di Fassa (Trentino, Italy) and Morillon (Haute-Savoie, France) will also pit competitors against back-to-back days in the saddle, with riders facing between 3-5 stages per day and different stages during each race day. The change is an effort to return the format to its roots, where the extended nature of racing allows for more adventure and exploration. It will also push the riders and the bikes to new limits, making an individual’s self-sufficiency as important to win a race as riding ability. Simon Burney, Head of Sport for Cycling Events at WBD Sport, said: “The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series visits the best mountain biking locations around the planet, and Enduro has always been about riders tackling the world’s most raw, natural riding environments. “By adding another day of competition, we’re allowing the course designers to take riders further into the backcountry and test their skills far from the comforts of the race village and their mechanical support. “We hope that it will make for a much more authentic Enduro experience for riders and fans alike, while increasing the unpredictability of every single race weekend.” The remaining four UCI Enduro World Cup rounds, integrated into the multi-format WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series events, will continue as one-day races, each featuring 4-6 stages. The Enduro Trails in Bielsko-Biała (Poland), Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France), and La Thuile- Valle d’Aosta (Italy) will also host UCI Downhill World Cups on the same weekend. Meanwhile, Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland (Austria) will present a four-day mountain biking festival, showcasing UCI World Cups across all three formats – Cross-country, Downhill, and Enduro. CATEGORIES, CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE The UCI Enduro World Cup categories have received a refresh for the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. In addition to Men Elite and Women Elite, the development categories have been brought in line with the other Gravity format, Downhill, meaning that riders born in 2007 and 2008 now have their own Men Junior  and Women Junior categories. Unlike the updated entry requirements announced across the UCI Downhill and UCI Cross-country World Cup, the field for each UCI Enduro World Cup has increased. Riders have to be registered on an official UCI Mountain Bike Team (WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series or UCI MTB Teams), be part of a National Federation quota selection or be ranked within the Top 300 men or Top 75 women on the Global Ranking list at the time of entry. Entries for all UCI Enduro World Cup events will open in early April. Finally, the new two-day racing format means there are two different UCI Enduro World Cup schedules in action this year. The main takeaway is that for the one-day rounds, racing remains on Saturdays (except for the multi-format event in Leogang where it will take place on Sunday). For two-day rounds meanwhile, racing will be spread across both Saturdays and Sundays. FULL DETAILS AND SCHEDULES One-day race venues Enduro Trails, Bielsko-Biała (Poland) Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland, Austria La Thuile, Valle d’Aosta (Italy) Race week 4-6 stages Thursday – Training Friday – Rest Day Saturday – Race (except for the multi-format event in Leogang where it will take place on Sunday) Two-day race venues Pietra Ligure – Finale Outdoor Region (Italy) Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy) Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) Race week Racing over two days on different stages 3-5 stages per day Thursday – Training (on race day 2 stages) Friday – Training (on race day 1 stages) Saturday – Race Day 1 Sunday – Race Day 2 ENDURO OPEN: THE ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN BIKING CHALLENGE FOR PASSIONATE AMATEURS Thanks to the Enduro Open calendar, amateurs will have the chance to experience the same adrenaline-fueled descents and lactic acid-inducing uphill liaisons as the pro athletes of the UCI Enduro World Cup. At five of the seven iconic venues of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, fans will be able to put their fitness, racing skills and trail-side tinkering credentials to the test on the same weekend as the UCI Enduro World Cup as they embark on some of the world’s most iconic natural trails. It’s not limited to Enduro bikes, with each round also featuring separate E-bike categories that will push riders and their battery-assisted bikes to their limits. As if racing against the backdrop of breathtaking scenery in locations like Pietra Ligure (Italy) or Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) wasn’t enough, participants will also have the chance to directly compare their times to the pros, who go between the race tape on the exact same stages 24 hours later. ENDURO OPEN CALENDAR 10 May – Finale Outdoor Region, Pietra Ligure (Italy) 16 May – Enduro Trails, Bielsko-Biała (Poland) 30 May – Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) 28 June – Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy) 23 August – Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) Entries for Pietra Ligure and Bielsko-Biała are now open, with registration for Loudenvielle, Val di Fassa, and Morillon set to open next Monday (31st March). All Enduro Open races will take place on a single day, regardless of whether the UCI Enduro World Cup at the respective venue is a one-day or two-day event. For more details on Enduro Open races, pricing, and included services, click HERE.

From defending champions and mountain biking legends to up-and-coming talent and format-switching stars, these are the riders to watch across Cross-county, Downhill and Enduro in the 2025 season of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series The dust has firmly settled after a busy off-season transfer window, training blocks have been completed, and summer is just around the corner, which can only mean one thing – the return of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The 2025 series kicks off with a UCI Cross-country World Cup double header in Araxá - Minas Gerais, Brazil in April, before Enduro (in Pietra Ligure, Italy) and Downhill (in Bielsko-Biała, Poland) join the party in May. The racing will take on a fresh look and feel, thanks to the introduction of career numbers. As part of the broader developments aimed at enhancing the excitement of mountain bike, this new feature allows riders who have won an Elite UCI World Cup race (XCO, DHI or EDR) to choose a unique racing number, while series leaders will compete with the prestigious number ‘1’ plate. But who is looking strong heading into the first rounds of racing? And what numbers should fans be looking out for? Ahead of each series’ first pedal stroke, these are the riders who should be on your radar… KORETZKY AND KELLER THE RIDERS TO BEAT IN CROSS-COUNTRY Could this be Victor Koretzky’s (Specialized Factory Racing) year? The Frenchman (#6), had to settle for second place to Thomas Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) and #11 Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC) in the biggest Cross-country Olympic (XCO) races of 2024 but with both unlikely to be in attendance for all of 2025’s rounds, expect big things from the 30-year-old in both formats. He won’t have it all his own way though. Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) will be hoping to prove that age is just a number as the G.O.A.T (#10) embarks on his 21st UCI World Cup season targeting win 37 at the age of 39. At the other end of proceedings, 2024 U23 UCI XCO World Cup overall winner Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli) has already shown he can mix it with the elites with a 7th place finish at the Paris Olympics. In the women’s field, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) is aiming to defend both her UCI XCO and Cross-country Short-Track (XCC) World Cup series titles, and few would bet against the number 1 plate replacing her career #11 at some point during the year. The Swiss faces stiff competition from a resurgent Loana Lecomte (BMC Factory Racing), who will sport #2 on her new BMC bike, and the multi-discipline phenom, #3 Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck). CAN STARS OF ENDURO CHALLENGE BRUNI AND HÖLL’S DOWNHILL DOMINANCE? Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) and Valentina Höll (YT Mob) have both won back-to-back UCI Downhill World Cup overall series, and it looks like it’s going to take something special to knock the men’s #29 and women’s #11 off their perch. Enter Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Harriet Harnden (AON Racing - Tourne Campervans). The UCI Enduro World Cup overall title holders are both switching focus for the 2025 series and will expect to be contesting for podium spots from the off. Elsewhere, Jackson Goldstone’s (Santa Cruz Syndicate) return from injury will see the Canadian #6 resume his hunt for UCI World Cup wins, while #57 Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) can rival anyone on her day if she can get up to speed quickly on her new Orbea downhill rig. COMPETITION HOTS UP IN ENDURO The absence of Rude Jr and Harnden from a minimum of four of the seven rounds of the 2025 series means that the door has been left open for other riders to seize their opportunity. In the men’s field, #8 Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) will duke it out with Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) in a battle for the number 1 plate, while #21 Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV) and #2 Jack Moir (YT Mob) will be hoping to find some of their race-winning form. Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) is the out-and-out favourite in the women’s contest, but the French #9 should expect to be pushed all the way by Brit Ella Conolly, who will expect to break her podium drought in 2025.  

Get ready for the ultimate mountain bike experience in Austria's largest bike region, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn! From June 5 to 8, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2025 will bring together cross-country, downhill, and enduro athletes for one thrilling 'super event.' While the cross-country elite will launch the action in Araxá (Brazil) next week, the enduro and downhill riders will have to wait until mid-May, when their UCI World Cup season begins in Pietra Ligure (Italy) and Bielsko-Biała (Poland). In June, all the formats will unite for the first time at a “super event” in Saalfelden Leogang, where the full force of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will unfold. Saalfelden Leogang, a proud UCI Bike Region, is gearing up to welcome over 1,000 athletes from 30+ countries back to Salzburger Land this year. Local hero and downhill star Vali Höll surely has unforgettable memories from her 2023 showdown, when she finally overcame her Leogang curse and secured her first UCI World Cup win on home turf. Now, as the reigning UCI Downhill World Champion and overall WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series winner (Women Elite, Downhill), she’s aiming for the Leogang hat-trick! “My home UCI World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang is always something special. It's a true season highlight that I eagerly anticipate. Not only because my friends and family are there to support and celebrate with me, but also because the organization and atmosphere are flawless. Winning a UCI World Cup at home for the third consecutive time would be an absolute dream", said Vali Höll. Alongside Vali, local hero Laura Stigger also has cherished memories of the Saalfelden Leogang UCI World Cup events.  “The races in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series are all top-tier events. But racing on Austrian soil is something truly unique. I’m always supported by countless friends and fans here, which gives me an extra boost of motivation. I have many positive sporting memories of Leogang. This year, my goal is once again to fight for podium positions. As always, the motto is: ‘Full throttle’”, said Laura Stigger. RACE PROGRAM: Friday, 6 June: UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup (U23 and Elite) UCI Downhill World Cup Qualifications (Junior and Elite) Saturday, 7 June: UCI Downhill World Cup Finals (Junior and Elite) Sunday, 8 June: UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO)  (U23 and Elite) UCI Enduro World Cup Tickets for this extraordinary bike weekend are available here. It's worth grabbing them quickly - demand is high, and tickets usually sell out fast. Of course, the event weekend not only offers thrilling race highlights but also once again impresses with varied side events, parties, an extensive expo, autograph sessions, and much more. All further details about the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Saalfelden Leogang can be found at www.mtb-weltcup.at. For all those who cannot be onsite in Saalfelden Leogang, there is the option of following the final races live on various channels. All information about where which race will be broadcast, can be found here. ACCREDITATION FOR JOURNALISTS:  Media accreditation for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Saalfelden Leogang 2025 is already open and will close on Friday, 6 June 2025. All relevant information can be found HERE. AUSTRIA'S LARGEST BIKE REGION Together with Saalbach Hinterglemm and Fieberbrunn, Saalfelden Leogang forms Austria's largest bike region, boasting nine mountain railways across seven mountains, a joint bike ticket, and more than 105 kilometers of trails, 45 kilometers of which are found in the Epic Bikepark Leogang alone. These trails—some of which are brand new—are open daily from May 9 to November 9. Saalfelden Leogang offers specialized bike hotels with top-notch services tailored to all aspects of biking, including secure bike storage, tool rentals, and laundry services for dirty clothes. In Saalfelden, options like Hotel Das Saal (which opened in summer 2024) and Ritzenhof - Hotel und Spa am See are great choices, while in Leogang, guests can enjoy stays at Hotel Bacher, Hotel Leonhard, Hotel Der Löwe - Lebe Frei, Mama Thresl, Riederalm - Good Life Resort Leogang, Biohotel Rupertus, Hotel Salzburger Hof, Hotel Stockinggut, Hotel Puradies, Hotel Krallerhof, and Naturhotel Forsthofgut. A full list of bike-friendly accommodations in the Saalfelden Leogang region can be found here. For those looking to improve their riding skills, trained bike guides are available to help at the Elements bike school, where MTB experts offer valuable tips and guidance. You can also take part in various bike camps. Additionally, sports shops like Sport Mitterer and Bikepoint offer a range of equipment, bikes, and protective gear, most of which can be rented.

Enduro at its heart is about adventure. The format’s origins pitted competitors against remote, raw terrain across multiple days of competition, and its self-sufficient nature meant skills with a multitool were as crucial to winning as technical riding abilities. It has also been a testbed for new mountain bike technology, with dropper posts, 1x drivetrains and E-bikes all put through their paces in Enduro before being adopted by the wider industry. In 2025, the UCI Enduro World Cup is returning to its roots, with courses that delve deep into the backcountry and go big on exploration. Thanks to the Enduro Open, amateurs will have the chance to experience the very same adrenaline-fuelled descents of stages and lactic acid-inducing uphill liaisons as professional athletes. At five of the seven iconic venues of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, fans will be able to put their fitness, racing skills and trail-side tinkering credentials to the test on the same weekend as the UCI Enduro World Cup as they embark on some of the world’s most iconic natural trails. It’s not limited to Enduro bikes, with each round also featuring separate E-bike categories that will push rider and their battery-assisted bikes to their limits. And if amazing riding against the backdrop of stunning scenery in the likes of Pietra Ligure (Italy) and Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) wasn’t enough, participants will also be able to directly compare their times to the pros – who go between the race tape on the exact same stages 24 hours later. ENDURO OPEN CALENDAR 10 May – Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region (Italy)16 May – Enduro Trails, Bielsko-Biała (Poland)30 May – Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France)28 June – Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy)23 August – Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) Entries for each Enduro Open round are split across six categories: Junior Men* Junior Women* Men Women Masters Men (35+) Masters Women (35+) Ebike Men Ebike Women *Minimum age 17/18 years old depending on the year of birth. Please check individual races in the booking portal.  Entries for Pietra Ligure (Italy) and Bielsko-Biała (Poland) will open on Tuesday, March 25th. More details on the races, pricing, and included services: 10 May – Pietra Ligure (Italy) | A classic Finale Outdoor Region race of rocky trails, coastal views and the true enduro experience. Entry fee: 110€ (no shuttle or transportation included) Services included: Race entry, training day, access to water and feed stations, timing equipment and access to technical support Make a weekend of it - watch the UCI Enduro World Cup opening round on Sunday 11 May Click HERE for registration 16 May – Bielsko-Biała (Poland) | An up-and-coming mountain biking hotspot! Entry fee: 130€ (includes shuttle/uplift service) Services included: Race entry, training day, access to feed stations, uplift/shuttles, timing equipment, and access to techincal support. Make a weekend of it - watch the second round of the UCI Enduro World Cup alongside the UCI Downhill World Cup opening round on Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18. Click HERE for registration Entries for the remaining Enduro Open races in Loundevielle-Peyragudes (France), Val Di Fassa, Trentino (Italy), and the brand-new venue of Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) will be opening (very) soon. Stay tuned to our official website and social media channels for updates or sign up for our newsletter! Speed is of the essence if you want to secure your spot in the Enduro Open start line, with a limit of 400 spaces available at each round. Entry requirements: There are no entry criteria for Enduro Open races! All you need is a bike and the desire to have an unparalleled and unique mountain biking experience. For those aiming higher, each Enduro Open round also serves as an official qualifier for the UCI Enduro World Cup, with global ranking points up for grabs in both the men's and women's categories.

With just three months to go, Val di Sole is getting ready for their round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and excitement is building for this thrilling event taking place on June 20-22, 2025. Tickets are officially on sale starting Friday, March 21, and here's a quick look at what’s available: One-Day Tickets:Saturday, June 21 (UCI Downhill World Cup): €20 + service charges.Sunday, June 22 (UCI Cross CountryWorld Cup) : €20 + service charges. Two-Day Pass: €30Early bird offer: The first 150 buyers can grab a weekend pass (Saturday and Sunday) for just €20, the price of a single-day ticket. After the promotion, the weekend pass is priced at €30. Friday Events (June 20): Free Entry to all UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup races, training sessions, and the exciting 4X Pro Series event. Lift Pass (Saturday, June 21): a downhill lift pass can be added for €10 + service charges. Exclusive Hospitality Experience: a two-day hospitality pass for €220 + service charges, offering access to a dedicated area near the finish line, with all-day food, beverage service, and lift access.Single-day hospitality passes are also available at €140 + service charges. Free Entry for Kids: Children under 12 (born on or after April 30, 2013) can attend for free when registered alongside a paying adult. Where to Buy: Tickets are available online at valdisolebikeland.com

The Australian suffered a fractured shoulder in her Australian National Championship win and will miss the two opening rounds of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Brazil. Rebecca Henderson (Orbea Fox Factory Team) is recovering from a fractured shoulder following a crash during the Australian National Cross-country Olympic (XCO) Championships. The 33-year-old was involved in a crash in the opening lap of the race, but remounted her bike and battled back to win in a sprint finish – her 12th consecutive elite national title. Scans have since shown that she has fractured her shoulder, while her thumb has a "possible small fracture".  Posting on her social media, Henderson said: “I’ve come back today after MRI, CT and x-ray scans. In a nutshell, I have fractured this shoulder but it’s pretty good news because the ligaments and everything is all good, so no surgery is required. So that’s a really good outcome. The thumb has a possible small fracture – it’s hard for them to say yes or no. It’s just still really sore and I can’t use it so I guess I will recover in good time. “The bad news obviously is no Oceanias and no Brazil. No Brazil is a huge hit for me. I made some big commitments to myself late last year that I was going to go all in for Brazil. “I just wanted to be back at my best and see what was possible. I worked really hard to put a different support network around me to be the best I could possibly be. “There’s been a lot of effort behind the scenes for that and I felt like I’ve been training as good as ever. I’ve been training really hard ... and it was about time for me to be accountable to myself for the goals I had set so that’s really hard to have that ripped away, but it is what it is.” Henderson had been set to make her WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series debut for new team Orbea Fox Factory Team in a fortnight’s time, but the injuries mean that the Australian will be ruled out of the first two rounds of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, which take place in Araxá - Minas Gerais, Brazil on April 3-6 and 10-12. We wish Rebecca a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her between the race tape this summer.

Morillon to host Enduro action while Downhill and Cross-country return to Les Gets in August. Today, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), Warner Bros Discover (WBD) Sports and the French region of Haute-Savoie are pleased to confirm the two venues that will host the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series rounds from August 22 to 31. The first weekend of action in Haute-Savoie will see the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series head to Morillon on August 22-24 for the venue’s first ever UCI Enduro World Cup. The Grand Massif commune opened an Enduro Bike Park in 2024, and its pine forest-flanked trails will crown the overall Enduro winners of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. If last year’s finale is anything to go by, fans are in for a nail-biting conclusion. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action continues the following weekend with the UCI Cross-country Olympic, Cross-country Short Track and Downhill World Cups returning to Les Gets on 28-31 August.   The iconic venue first hosted a round of the UCI World Cup for downhill in 1996 and witnessed victories from the likes of Nicolas Vouilloz and Steve Peat as well as the utter domination by Anne-Caroline Chausson during the early years. After Fabien Barel and Venessa Quin were crowned UCI World Champions for downhill in 2004, there was a 15-year break before racing returned to Les Gets, this time with Endurance athletes added to the schedule. It has been an annual mainstay ever since and is renowned for its challenging terrain, picturesque alpine backdrop and partisan French crowd. Two back-to-back weekends of off-road riding will see the world of mountain bike converge on Haute-Savoie, with live music, entertainment, an expo and fan activations also at the event villages throughout.   The 2025 double-header is also a great preview of what the region has in store when it hosts the 2027 UCI Cycling World Championships. First held in Glasgow in 2023, the competition combines multiple UCI World Championships for cycling’s different disciplines into a two-week celebration of bike-based brilliance. The Haute-Savoie Regional Council is pursuing an ambitious and proactive sports policy aimed at supporting clubs and local communities. This includes providing grants for sporting events, athletes, and the acquisition of equipment. In 2025, the region is dedicating over 19 million euros to its sports initiatives.

Three local outfits make up the seven-strong selection that will join the Endurance WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams for the first two rounds. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports confirm that seven wildcard teams have been selected for the first two Endurance rounds of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, that will take place in Araxá – Minas Gerais (Brazil) on April 3-6 (Round 1) and April 10-12 (Round 2). Three of the spots go to Brazilian teams Caloi Henrique Avancini Racing, Specialized Racing BR and Soul Extreme Racing Team, while the other four are taken by promising, development-focused European UCI MTB Teams that have a wealth of up-and-coming talent at their disposal. With just one week separating the two opening rounds of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Araxá – Minas Gerais, the seven teams have received a wildcard entry for both rounds and will join the 20 Endurance WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams on the start line in Brazil. Of the three local teams selected, the most well-known outside of Brazil is Caloi Henrique Avancini Racing. The three-rider squad is managed by the Brazilian legend and two-time UCI Cross-country Marathon World Champion Henrique Avancini, who recently announced that he is coming out of retirement to try his hand on the road. Specialized Racing BR will have athletes represented across all racing categories (Elite, Under 23), while new team Soul Extreme Racing includes multi-time Brazilian Cross-country Olympic (XCO) National Champion, Karen Fernandes Olimpio. Elsewhere, the Under-23-focused Lexware Mountain Bike Team has a squad that includes Elina Benoit – a Swiss rider who recorded a number of top 10 finishes in U23 races last season; Trinity Racing – the British development squad responsible for Haley Batten and Christopher Blevins – features new addition Line Burquier (Junior XCO UCI World  Champion in 2021, then crowned U23 UCI World Champion the following year); while UCI World Cup regulars Maximilian Foidl (KTM Factory MTB Team) and Yana Belomoina (Massi) will be looking to use their years of experience to seize their wildcard opportunity in Brazil when the racing gets underway on 3-6 April. The seven wildcard teams for rounds 1 and 2 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Araxá Minas -Gerais are: Caloi Henrique Avancini Racing Specialized Racing BR Soul Extreme Racing Team Lexware Mountainbike Team Trinity Racing KTM Factory MTB Team Massi