Espiñeira makes it two from two while Lukasik gives Polish crowd a home win to cheer

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!

Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) completed a podium-filled series to secure his fourth title and overtake Sam Hill as the most successful Enduro rider of all time, while Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) narrowly edged Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) in a thrilling battle for the women’s crown.  After the move from the Enduro World Series and a successful first-ever UCI Enduro World Cup in 2023, this year’s competition was shaping up to be the most exciting yet for riders and fans alike.  The six-round series included some old favourites (Finale Outdoor Region, Italy; Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France) and new additions like Bielsko-Biała (Poland), while both the men’s and women’s fields were packed full of riders capable of winning.  Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) didn’t get that memo though. The three-time and reigning overall series winner showed consistency throughout when others faltered and only sacrificed his lead in the individual standings for one round. Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) meanwhile went toe-to-toe with one of the sport’s greats, overcoming Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) in what was the Frenchwoman’s final season as a full-time professional.  RUDE REACHES G.O.A.T STATUS  Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) has been a mainstay of enduro racing since he made the switch from downhill at the start of the 2014 season, and the 29-year-old went into his 11th season as the man to beat. He could also eclipse Sam Hill’s record of three series titles, securing his status as the greatest of all time.  Rude kicked off his title defense the best way possible, winning three out of four rounds to claim 470 points in Finale Outdoor Region, Italy. The following weekend in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, saw his closest competitor Charles Murray (Specialized Enduro Team) leapfrog him on the day and overall, but Rude’s third place limited the deficit to just 12 points.  The American appears to thrive under pressure and edged Alex Rudeau (Commencal Enduro Project) by seven seconds to win in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria), before claiming his third win of the season in Combloux, Haute Savoie (France) without winning a single stage.  With two rounds remaining, Rude’s lead was almost 400 points over his nearest challenger – team-mate Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing) – and the American could afford not to push himself on every stage to retain his title. In the penultimate UCI Enduro World Cup in Alestch Arena, Switzerland, his third place behind Jack Moir (YT Mob) and Lukasik was enough to retain a 342-point lead entering the season finale in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France), with Rude securing the overall midway through the racing en route to finishing second behind Martin Maes (Orbea Fox Enduro Team).  HARNDEN WINS FIRST OVERALL IN DRAMATIC FASHION  All eyes were on Isabeau Courdurier ahead of the 2024 UCI Enduro World Cup– the three-time series winner announcing that this would be her final full-time season ahead of the opening round. But the Frenchwoman wouldn’t have a free pass for all six UCI Enduro World Cups, with a strong contingent of challengers looking to prevent her from going out on a high.  Harriet Harden showed that she would be pushing Courdurier from the very first round, finding just over eight seconds in Finale Outdoor Region to claim an early 50-point advantage in the overall.  The pair could only be separated by two-tenths of a second in Bielsko-Biała – Courdurier’s win seeing her edge Harnden in the individual standings by two points – while a slightly bigger margin of victory for the Frenchwoman in Saalfelden-Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria), extended this to 73 points by the midway point of the season.  Mistakes in Combloux, Haute-Savoie, saw Harden slip to fourth on the day – her first finish outside the top two – although the Brit managed to claim the only stage not won by Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) in difficult conditions. Courdurier’s second place stretched her lead to 151 points in the standings but with two rounds remaining, everything was still to play for.  A masterclass from Harnden at the upcoming 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships venue in Aletsch Arena, Switzerland, saw her claim her second win of the season, while compatriot Ella Conolly managed to separate the Brit and Courdurier on the podium and help Harnden cut the individual standings’ deficit to just 63 points.  Entering the final round in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, fans were set for a nail-biting conclusion, where it was likely to go down to the very final stage. Harnden set the tone, winning the first to take an early lead, and when Courdurier had a second stage to forget and found herself in 11th, the gap appeared insurmountable. The Trek Factory Racing Gravity rider couldn’t take anything for granted though and put in two more solid stages to finish fourth. Courdurier meanwhile had a resurgent stage three, but it was too little, too late – the Frenchwoman paying for earlier mistakes that ultimately cost her the title by just 21 points.  GILCHRIST OVERCOMES BORGES AND ESPIÑEIRA HERREROS DOMINATES UCI E-ENDURO WORLD CUP  Each of the six UCI Enduro World Cup rounds also saw E-enduro athletes take to an extended course on the following day to battle it out to win the UCI E-Enduro World Cup overall series title. In the men’s field, there was a Fabien Barel-shaped hole to fill – the reigning champion retiring ahead of the 2024 season – while Florencia Espiñeira Herreros (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) was the clear favourite to retain the women’s title.  From the first round in Finale Outdoor Region, a tight contest emerged between Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Manuel Soares José Borges (Canyon Collective Factory Enduro Team) – the Australian getting the better of the Portuguese rider in Italy. The pair would remain the two most consistent riders throughout the season, swapping places at the top of the standings until the sixth and final round in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes. While neither had races to remember in the Pyrenees – Gilchrist finishing 12th to Borges’ 17th – the 22-year-old Australian had done enough throughout the season to clinch his first title.  The women’s series meanwhile was a one-horse race from the start. Espiñeira Herreros seized the early advantage in Finale Outdoor Region, and when her closest rival Tracy Moseley confirmed that she wasn’t going to be competing at every round, it was hard to see who could stand in the way of the Chilean and a second consecutive overall series. The Orbea Fox Enduro Team racked up wins in Bielsko-Biała (Poland), Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria) and Aletsch Arena - Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland), and finished second in the other two rounds – enduro athlete Estelle Charles (Specialized Enduro Team) opting to also race E-enduro on the two occasions that the series visited her homeland, France.

Significant updates to the UCI Regulations for the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike Word Series have been confirmed by the Union Cycliste Internationale. These changes are designed to elevate the sport, create a clear pathway for athletes and enhance fan engagement beyond the core mountain biking community. The new regulations are set to make the UCI World Cups more competitive while providing teams and athletes with greater opportunities for growth and visibility. Cycling’s governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series global promoter, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports are announcing today amendments to the UCI Regulations for professional mountain biking. The 2025 season will see the biggest overhauls to the sport since the inception of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in 1991.  The driving force for the changes is the desire to elevate the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The series, that was launched in 2023, brings the major formats of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cups under the same umbrella, to ensure that each round is contested by the world’s best riders and teams, reinforcing its position as the pinnacle of mountain biking.  The reform will bring significant changes to the qualification system for UCI World Cups, reviewing the number of riders competing at the sport’s pinnacle while creating a clear pathway for teams and riders to progress from National to Continental to UCI World Cup levels. This provides new opportunities for emerging talent and ensures that the best riders can showcase their skills on the world’s biggest stage.  ENHANCED COMPETITION One of the biggest shifts is the change in the qualifying process for a UCI World Cup. The new regulations will review the number of riders competing, focusing on the best riders and teams to create more competitive racing.  While the registration of UCI MTB Teams will continue to be handled by the UCI, from 2025, UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams (formerly known as UCI ELITE MTB Teams) will register under two categories: Gravity (downhill and enduro) and Endurance (cross-country and short track). This streamlined structure will boost visibility and engagement across all formats. A maximum of 20 Gravity Teams and 20 Endurance Teams will become UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams for the entire season. For both categories, 15 invitations to join this top tier of teams will be based on the annual UCI Team Ranking, with an additional five teams benefitting from wildcard invitations for the season.  UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams will benefit from multi-year commitments from 2026 onwards, supporting long-term planning and development. The UCI and WBD Sports will work closely with teams to offer increased exposure and marketing rights. Teams will register official brand colours for promotional purposes, helping to create a cohesive and recognizable presence across events and media.  In addition to the UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams with season-long licences, at each round of the Series, up to eight additional UCI Teams will be given the opportunity to race as wildcard teams. National Federations will retain their designated quota. Qualification will not be limited to teams: individual riders can qualify if they meet specific ranking criteria, or if they are reigning National, Continental, or UCI World Champions in their format, or Olympic Champion (for cross-country Olympic).  There will also be the introduction of new multi-round Continental Series, in close collaboration with cycling’s five Continental Confederations, which will act as a springboard for a spot at UCI World Cups and will give riders across different continents the chance to qualify for the UCI World Cups, promoting global participation and competitiveness. More details on these new Continental Series will be revealed by the UCI soon.  NEW QUALIFYING SYSTEM FOR UCI DOWNHILL WORLD CUPS  A new UCI Downhill World Cup qualifying system for Elite riders will simplify the qualifying process and ensure the highest level of competition.  From 2025, all Elite Downhill riders will compete in a Qualifying 1 (Q1) round, with the top 20 Men Elite and top 10 Women Elite proceeding directly to finals. All remaining riders will compete in Qualifying 2 (Q2) round, where the top 10 Men Elite and top 5 Women Elite will secure their finals spot. The protection status regulation will be removed, meaning that riders will no longer get preferential treatment because of their previous or current season’s results. Only the best riders at each venue will make it through to the finals, with the number of Women Elite qualifying for the final increasing from 10 to 15.  INTRODUCTION OF CAREER NUMBERS  In addition to changes to the teams’ hierarchy and qualifying systems, the 2025 reform will also see alterations to how riders and teams present themselves, with the aim of aiding fan engagement.  All former Elite winners of a UCI World Cup round (in Cross-country Olympic or Downhill) who are still competing, will be required to select personal colours and a unique career number adding individuality and a sense of legacy to the competition on top of helping build rider identities and bringing fans closer to the sport.  Number 1 will be exclusively reserved for the current leader of the UCI World Cup standings for each of the two formats, superseding their unique career number. The leader’s jersey and number 1 plate will be awarded on the podium after each UCI World Cup.  ENDURO AND PAUSING OF E-ENDURO  A common decision has been made, in agreement with all the stakeholders involved in the UCI E-Enduro World Cup format, to press pause on the UCI E-enduro World Cup to work with the industry towards a future format. However, E-enduro will maintain its UCI World Championship status and will remain an Open Racing category at the UCI Enduro World Cup.  Moreover, Men Junior and Women Junior categories will be introduced for Enduro at the UCI World Championships, offering young athletes more opportunities to shine on the world stage.  LOOKING AHEAD Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: "These new developments mark a major turning point for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and reflect our continued commitment to growing the sport, making it easier for fans around the world to follow their favorite teams and riders. I’m confident that it will further solidify the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series as the pinnacle of the sport”. UCI Sports Director Peter Van den Abeele said: “The introduction of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series two years ago has led to significant growth of mountain bike and an increase in its popularity. Together with WBD Sports, the UCI wishes to build on the momentum with these changes that will simplify certain processes, favour globalisation, and make competition formats easier to follow and therefore even more exciting for the fans.” The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will mark a bold step towards the future of mountain biking, fostering greater competitiveness and fan involvement.   These amendments to the UCI Regulations will come into force on 1st January 2025. All details are available on the UCI regulations’ page