Mountain bike’s cross-country marathon (XCM) format gets a fresh boost this year with the introduction of its dedicated UCI World Cup.
The new HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup gets underway in Italy on 10 May with the first round on the island of Elba.
Five amazing events
Until 2028, the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup is being organised in partnership with the team behind the successful HERO Südtirol Dolomites XCM event and the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in the Italian Dolomites.
Five of Europe’s leading mountain bike marathons come together for the first time in an epic 2025 challenge – with a total of 411km and 15,459 metres of elevation gain – to crown the overall UCI World Cup winners:
The Capoliveri Legend Cup powered by Scott (10 May) will see riders tackle 2,200m of elevation in 62km through the bush on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea
The Naturland, Andorra (1 June) is a breathtaking 87km marathon – with around 3,000m of climbing – against the beautiful Pyrenean backdrop
The HERO Südtirol Dolomites (14 June) at Val Gardena in north-east Italy is the toughest mountain bike marathon with its 86km and punishing 4,500m of elevation for the men and 60km with 3200m climbing for the women.
The Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon (13 July) in Germany will see riders race 118km – the longest distance of all five rounds – through forests and tackle 3,550m up and down the Feldberg mountain
La Tramun Sea Otter Europe (21 July) on the Spanish Costa Brava is the final round of the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup, challenging riders with a 78km course and 2800m of climbing, hard on the heels of the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships being held in Valais, Switzerland (30 August to 14 September).
Starting in stunning Elba
This Saturday’s season opener in Elba – part of the UNESCO Tuscan Islands Biosphere Reserve – is approximately 65% off-road and 35% singletrack. The course on Monte Calamita comprises dirt roads and paths through old iron mines and colourful spring scrub.
The five most important climbs are the Miniera del Vallone at Garitta (8.8km, 411m); the Miniera del Ginevro at Villaggio Ripealte (4.3km, 230m), the Buzzacone at Poggio di Fino (4.1km, 267m); the Poggio al Pozzo at Garitta (2.2km, 200m); and finally the Spiaggia Punta Rossa (2.3km, 150m).
Riders to watch
In the men’s competition, there will be high expectations on the shoulders of 2023 and 2024 UCI Marathon World Cup overall winner Fabian Rabensteiner (Torpado Kenda FSA Factory), who looks to have recovered from an injury sustained early in the season.
But the Italian won’t have things all his own way. His challengers include a strong German trio: 2021 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Champion, Andreas Seewald (Singer KTM Racing), Jakob Hartmann (Singer KTM Racing), and Simon Schneller (Team Bulls).
Also look out for Austria’s three-time UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Cup winner Alban Lakata (Team Bulls), Italy’s Samuele Porro (Klimatiza Orbea Team), Martin Stošek (Buff Megamo Team) from Czechia and the irrepressive Colombian Leonardo Hector Leon Páez.
In the women’s competition, much focus will be on Switzerland’s Janina Wüst (third overall at the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Cup), along with her (Buff Megamo Team) teammate, Stephanie Walter, from Germany.
They’ll have to get the better of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Cup overall winner, Namibia’s Vera Looser, and her close competitor, 2024 XCM European Championships silver medalist Lejla Njemčević, from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Expect challenges from Italy’s Costanza Fasolis (Cannondale ISB Sport), the Netherland’s Rosa Van Doorn and German rider Adelheid Morath.
Alongside each of the UCI World Cup events, there will be competitions for Masters – Men and Women – in various age classes, competing in events between 60km and 160km.