2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series: overall winners crowned in America

Final two rounds in USA and Canada

After seven months of action, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series came to a head with a North American double-header: in Lake Placid Olympic Region – New York (USA) then Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada). Samara Maxwell (NZL) and Christopher Blevins (USA) claimed the Elite cross-country Olympic (XCO) overall titles after Valentina Höll (AUT) and Jackson Goldstone (CAN) took the Elite downhill (DHI) crowns.

XCO Women Elite: Maxwell maxes out

With wins in Araxá (Brazil), and Pal-Arinsal (Andorra), Decathlon Ford Racing Team’s Samara Maxwell assumed a strong position, scoring nine XCO podiums in just her second Elite season. The 23-year-old came to the final race knowing that a top-eight finish would deliver her the overall title – and only Rissveds could spoil the Kiwi’s party.

The Swede duly attacked as early as the start loop and forced the biggest winning margin ever in Women Elite XCO. 2023 Under 23 XCO UCI World Champion Maxwell came home unruffled in second to claim the overall, while Evie Richards (GBR) got the better of a race-long battle with Sina Frei (SUI) for third.

Maxwell finished with 2341 points ahead of Rissveds on 2250 and Switzerland’s Alessandra Keller, 1890.

“It’s been an incredible season, and now it’s time to learn from this season, recover and trust the process,” said Maxwell.

XCO Men Elite: the Chris Blevins show

Specialized Factory Racing’s Christopher Blevins had an astonishing season, winning two early XCO rounds and amassing an unassailable points tally by the time he won the double on his ‘home’ track. Blevins, 27, took the XCO win at Lake Placid Olympic Region – New York from Frenchmen Adrien Boichis and Mathis Azzaro, to extend his overall lead and celebrate in the stars and stripes.

Mont-Sainte-Anne saw another super show, with positions 2 to 5 all to be decided. Charlie Aldridge (GBR) took his first XCO win of this year’s series from Martín Vidaurre Kossmann (CHI) and Azzaro – with Blevins rolling in 23rd.

“It’s been a beautiful year,” said Christopher Blevins. “Right now I feel extremely grateful, proud of myself, proud of the team… it’s been quite a ride.”

Blevins won the overall with 1996 points from Vidaurre Kossmann on 1695 and Luca Martin (FRA) with 1546.

XCC Women Elite: Richards resists Rissveds

After wins for cross-country short track (XCC) 2024 UCI World Champion Richards and Puck Pieterse (NED), Rissveds hit the second half of the season in blistering form, winning in Les Gets (France), Lenzerheide (Switzerland), and Lake Placid Olympic Region – New York, with the overall title still in the balance coming into the final round.

Rissveds went on to take her fourth successive XCC victory in Canada. Knowing that anything above 8th place would secure her the title, Richards led the chasing pack home, defending from Ronja Blöchlinger (SUI).

Trek Factory Racing - Pirelli’s Richards wins overall with 1770 points from Rissveds on 1660 and Keller’s 1570.

XCC Men Elite: Blevins blasts it

After winning the first five rounds, Blevins let some other riders take a turn – Martin, Aldridge and Victor Koretzky (FRA) – before returning to the top spot in the USA. Blevins won ahead of Boichis and Azzaro to secure the XCC overall title.

In Canada Martin’s second win came with help from his Cannondale Factory Racing buddy Aldridge holding off Boichis.

Blevins won the overall title with 1911 points from Martin (1380) and Aldridge’s 1267.

Under 23 cross-country: Treudler proves a point

Valentina Corvi (ITA) aced the Women Under 23 XCO with three wins and 1019 points. Vida Lopez de San Roman (USA) was second overall with 841, pipping Ella MacPhee (CAN) on 804. In the Women Under 23 XCC, high scoring Katharina Sadnik (AUT) won the overall with 721 points, from Corvi on 695 and MacPhee, 613.

The Men Under 23 XCO went to Finn Treudler (SUI), who amassed 1510 points from eight wins. Rens Teunissen van Manen (NED) was second on 909 just ahead of Gustav Heby Pedersen (DEN), 907. And winning the last seven rounds, Treudler also took the Men Under 23 XCC overall on 1089 points, from Heby Pedersen (808) and Paul Schehl (GER) on 635.

DHI Women Elite: Höll styles it out

Although she was clear as series leader, it wasn’t until the ninth round - in the USA - that Valentina Höll won her first UCI Downhill World Cup of 2025, shortly after reclaiming the rainbow bands. And with it, she confirmed the UCI World Cup overall title. Myriam Nicole (FRA) was second and Sacha Earnest (NZL) third at Lake Placid Olympic Region – New York.

Coming into Canada, Höll was on a super-fast run before the rock garden ate her front tyre, while Gracey Hemstreet (CAN) and Camille Balanche (SUI) – in her final UCI World Cup race – crashed. Marine Cabirou (FRA) won, from Nina Hoffmann (GER) and Nicole third, with Tahnée Seagrave (GBR) unable to race.

YT Mob’s Höll took the season’s overall title with 2139 points from Hemstreet’s 1727 and Seagrave on 1604.

DHI Men Elite: Goldstone set in stone

Thrilling racing at Lake Placid Olympic Region – New York saw New Zealand’s Luke Meier-Smith take his first win from home rider Luca Shaw, with Henri Kiefer (GER) rounding out the podium – and the main protagonists Jackson Goldstone and Loïc Bruni (FRA) in 4th and 6th respectively.

With the pendulum swinging between four-time overall winner Bruni and 21-year-old Goldstone all season, the overall title was to be decided on the new UCI World Champion’s Canadian home turf…

Andreas Kolb (AUT) put himself on the hot seat until Shaw went faster, then Goldstone faster still. With the news that Bruni would not start, the finish bowl erupted.

Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Goldstone won the overall with 1946 points from Bruni (1768) and Shaw’s 1366.

DHI Junior: hard-hitting talent

Four wins for Rosa Zierl (AUT) gave the UCI World Champion the DHI Women Junior overall title with 500 points, from Aletha Ostgaard (USA) - also a four-time winner this season - with 465. Third was Eliana Hulsebosch (NZL) on 320.

Max Alran (FRA) topped a super Men Junior season - three UCI World Cup wins and the UCI World Champion title – with the overall title, on 479 points. He was pushed all the way by Asa Vermette (USA), who won in Canada (467). Tyler Waite (NZL) was third with 414 points.