Mountain Biking at its Best

For three days, Saalfelden Leogang was the center of the international mountain biking scene: From 6 to 8 June 2025, Austria’s largest bike region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, once again transformed into a hotspot for the sport, emotions, and community during the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. With 22,000 enthusiastic spectators, around 800 athletes from 40 nations, 350 volunteers, and an extensive supporting program, the World Cup weekend became an unforgettable highlight of the international racing season.

Records, fulfilled dreams, and a little happy ending for Austria
Friday evening already made history at the EPIC Bikepark Leogang: American Christopher Blevins (SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACING) secured his fourth consecutive UCI Cross-Country Short Track World Cup victory — a feat no one had achieved before. In the women's competition, Puck Pieterse (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) from the Netherlands laid the foundation for her first double win in the Cross-Country Short Track (XCC) and Olympic (XCO) World Cups. She sealed this with an impressive performance in the long-distance race on Sunday. Pieterse is now the eighth woman in the UCI Cross-Country World Cup to have achieved this. Such a double win in Saalfelden Leogang was denied to Christopher Blevins: The men’s XCO victory went to the Czech cross-country veteran Ondrej Cink (CUBE FACTORY RACING), whose dream of a World Cup victory came true after 16 years in the racing circuit.

At the UCI Downhill World Cup on Saturday, the Canadian duo Gracey Hemstreet (NORCO RACE DIVISION) and Jackson Goldstone (SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE) proved unbeatable. While Jackson Goldstone set a new course record and narrowly beat reigning overall World Cup winner Loic Bruni (SPECIALIZED GRAVITY) from France by a few hundredths of a second, Gracey Hemstreet’s confident and technically flawless performance dashed local favorite Vali Höll’s (YT MOB) hopes for a third consecutive home victory. A win in front of the home crowd was only granted this year to Rosa Zierl, who brought a small happy ending with her victory in the junior women’s competition.

In Austria’s largest bike region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, the Enduro athletes faced six stages covering 66.8 kilometers of challenging terrain. In changing weather conditions, the British Ella Conolly and Canadian Jesse Melamed (CANYON CLLCTV FACTORY TEAM) took the victories.

Top-level sport meets festival atmosphere
Besides breathtaking races, the weekend offered an impressive range of experiences: from Red Bull helicopter flight shows and film screenings to an expo area featuring numerous top brands, there was a program for the whole family. The fusion of elite sport and festival character created a unique atmosphere in the Pinzgau region.

“We didn’t just want to showcase sporting excellence, but to create a lively overall experience for the World Cup — and we succeeded beyond expectations,” said Kornel Grundner, Managing Director of Leoganger Bergbahnen. “The atmosphere along the course was electrifying, and even off the racing action it was clear: the Mountain Bike World Cup is an event for everyone.”

Teams and athletes were also enthusiastic about the atmosphere and the host destination. “I really enjoyed it. I Love this place. It’s awesome – I mean it’s beautiful and I’ve spent a little bit of time here in the region outside of  races – so I really like it here,” said Christopher Blevins after his XCC victory on Friday. 
Fabien Barel, team manager of the CANYON CLLCTV FACTORY TEAM, who was delighted by the first podium of young gun Henri Kiefer from Germany, echoed this sentiment: “Leogang is always a fantastic venue where we really get to experience the full atmosphere around the race itself. The resort is incredibly welcoming, with excellent facilities, and the track's accessibility is outstanding. On top of that, we have a wealth of data and experience from previous years, which allows us to build on proven knowledge year after year – helping us optimize both the show and the speed. And above all, there are the fans – the atmosphere with the crowd is amazing. No matter the weather, we know they'll be there, creating a great vibe and making it a fantastic experience for everyone."

Looking ahead
With the successful World Cup weekend, Saalfelden Leogang has once again proven that it is one of the leading destinations on the international mountain biking calendar. Plans for the coming years are already underway — because one thing is clear: Mountain biking has not only found a home in the region but also a loyal audience.