| Format | Rank | Total points |
|---|---|---|
XCO | 1 | 2341 |
XCC | 5 | 1239 |
U23 World Champion in 2023, the New Zealand rider had a very promising first elite season, including an eighth-place finish at the Paris Olympics and her first top-ten result on the World Series circuit.
After a great winter at home in New Zealand, where she dominated the national and Oceania championships, "Sammie" Maxwell burst onto the scene at the start of the season by winning the Araxá round. Finishing second four times in the subsequent rounds, she delivered a masterful performance at Pal Arinsal to claim her second victory. At the time of writing, Samara Maxwell had not yet secured the 2025 World Series overall title but held a significant lead. Now in her second season in the elite category, the young woman who lives in Morzine in the Alps and studies French is already the star of the 2025 season.
Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-road Team - XC) took two of the hardest-fought UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup victories in recent years at the opening round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in South Korea.
A historic opener to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in South Korea saw Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) claim a sensational Elite debut victory while Vali Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) triumphed despite a flat tyre. On a demanding brand-new course, Junior wins for Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) and Jonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) capped a thrilling start to the season.
The South Korean venue will welcome the UCI Cross-country World Cup to the continent for the first time, while UCI Downhill World Cup returns after a 25-year absence
