The two-week 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Valais, Switzerland, start on Monday 1 September with the first six of 27 UCI World Champion titles to be awarded: for Enduro and E-Enduro.
Stages under the glacier
The Men and Women Elite enduro and E-enduro, and - new for 2025 - the Men and Women Junior enduro races will all take place in the Aletsch Arena region – home to the Alps’ largest glacier.
Both formats start at 1050m altitude. The six-stage enduro race total is 20.14km with 3050m of descent. The E-enduro riders will cover a race total of 24.72km with 3.543m of descent over 11 stages. In both races, the longest stage will be Lord of the Rims at 7km and a 584m drop.
Reigning UCI World Champions
While the scale of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and the iconic backdrop will be new, expect familiar faces from 2024 UCI Mountain Bike Enduro and E-enduro World Championships in Val di Fassa -Trentino, Italy. On that occasion, the French tricolour was flown in celebration after all four Elite races.
In enduro, Alex Rudeau led the Men Elite competition from start to finish, 22 seconds clear of his fellow Frenchman Louis Jeandel, who overhauled the American Richard Rude on the final stage. Australia’s Dan Booker and Ireland’s Greg Callaghan threatened the podium throughout.
The Women Elite enduro race in 2024 saw an all-French podium: Isabeau Courdurier ahead of Melanie Pugin and Morgane Charre. The British pair of Harriet Harnden and Ella Conolly were in close attendance.
With the exception of Courdurier, who has retired, all the others are set to race.
In E-enduro, three stage wins gave Kevin Miquel a narrow Men Elite victory over Italy’s Andrea Garibbo, with another Frenchman, Kevin Marry, third. Ryan Gilchrist (AUS) and Hugo Pigeon (FRA) were also in the mix. Garibbo, Gilchrist and Pigeon return, as does Damien Oton (FRA).
In the Women Elite, France’s Estelle Charles (who is set to race enduro in Valais) bossed the first three stages, creating an unassailable lead, despite Chile’s Florencia Espiñeira Herreros winning three consecutive stages. Germany’s Raphaela Richter was third, holding off Great Britain’s Tracy Moseley. Espiñeira Herreros and Moseley return, along with France’s Laura Charles and Austria’s Anna Spielmann.
For a better idea of current enduro form, let’s look at how the key protagonists fared in the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, which progressed to its climax just last weekend…
Men Elite to watch
Sławomir Łukasik was impressive throughout the series; his three victories – starting with his home race at Bielsko-Biała, Poland – helped secure the overall title with a mighty 2312 points.
Canada’s Jesse Melamed won in Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland (Austria) on his way to 2nd overall, and Charles Murray (NZL) was consistent all year, totalling 1830 points. Dan Booker won the 2025 series’ first visit to France (Loudenvielle–Peyragudes) while it’s difficult to ignore the warning message sent by Rudeau, winning the final race in Morillon, France… the reigning UCI World Champion was on the podium in all three races he competed in during the 2025 series.
Women Elite on form
Winning with a round to spare, Ella Conolly secured three back-to-back victories mid-season, taking the baton from her fellow Briton, 2024 overall winner Harriet Harnden, who is prioritising downhill. Conolly finished in the top two every round she rode, totalling 2250 points.
Slovakia’s Simona Kuchyňková scored consistently, including victory at La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta. Italy’s Nadine Ellecosta was third overall, France’s Morgan Charre was never outside the top 3 in events she raced, and Canada’s Elly Hoskin won two of the five rounds she appeared in.
Conolly missed the last round in Haute-Savoie (France): “I’ve never felt fatigue like this, and none of the doctors I’ve been to see know what’s causing it… Thankfully I’m in the sweet position that this won’t affect the overall. Hopefully with another week of rest my body will come round in time for World Champs.”
Juniors ready for rainbows
The young Australian Lacey Adams took home the Women Juniortitle, winning three races and finishing on the podium in all seven rounds, amassing 800 points. Second placed overall Lucile Metge won round 1 and was 2nd in the other four rounds in which she competed. USA’s Chloe Bear was third overall, Slovenia’s Nežka Libnik won the only two rounds she raced, and France’s Elise Porta won the final round at Morillon.
With four wins across seven rounds, Melvin Almueis (FRA) was in incredible form this season and is a well-deserving winner of the Men Junior overall title, 180 points ahead of Cooper Millwood (NZL) with his three second places, while Hungary’s Babó Áron was third despite missing the series’ first three races.
All these riders are on the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships entry list.