WORLD’S BEST GATHER FOR ENDURANCE AND GRAVITY QUADRUPLE HEADER AT SAALFELDEN LEOGANG - SALZBURGERLAND

After the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series burst into action last month, riders head into the first quadruple header of the season with scores left to settle from the opening rounds.
With two rounds down of the downhill (DHI), cross-country short track (XCC) and cross-country Olympic (XCO) formats the early standings are already beginning to take shape as riders arrive in Austria. Meanwhile, enduro riders have had two weeks to tweak their form following the opening round in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes(France).

Saalfelden  Leogang – Salzburgerland is a favourite on the international calendar, having  hosted 14 UCI Mountain Bike World Cups, alongside the 2012 and 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, and is set to return as a UCI World Championships venue in 2028. This year’s event marks a major milestone, with  the Epic Bikepark celebrating its 25th anniversaryin 2026.

A FAMILIAR TEST WITH A NEW TWIST 
Based in the heart of the Austrian Alps near the German border, the Epic Bikepark forms part of Austria’s largest bike region, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, and stands as one of Europe’s most renowned mountain biking destinations. Offering trails for all levels, from first timers to elite riders, the venue has evolved from a handful of tracks into an extensive network of 120 km of lines and trails, continuously developed and refined over the years.
For the 2026 season, new courses and stages have been designed specifically for the XCO and enduro competitions, further strengthening the region’s status as a world-class destination for elite mountain bike racing.
The cross-country Olympic course features several new rock gardens near the start/finish, along with a newly introduced natural descent, while the XCC course has also undergone a revamp.
The ‘Speedster’ trail will once again host UCI Downhill World Cup riders, with a 2.6 km coursefeaturing 468 m of descent. Considered a classic for the discipline, the steep slopes encourage high speeds and motorway jumps, alongside tight, technical tree sections where line choice is key.
The UCI Enduro World Cup will see athletes take on six stages across an expanded 71 km course, featuring 2,000m of descent during the race stages. The grueling test includes a brand-new 820 m ‘Back to the Roots’ stage, providing a fresh challenge for riders.
For the first time, Leogang  will welcome Enduro Open, giving riders from around the world the chance to  compete at this iconic venue, tackling the exact same course as the UCI Enduro  World Cup elite just hours earlier.

WILDCARD ENTRIES
The wildcard teams who will take on the downhill course are Crestline Speed Shop, Outlaw Intense Racing, Pivot Factory Racing, Team High Country, The Alliance and Stoic Racing.
Among the standout results for wildcard teams at the previous UCI Downhill World Cup, Dylan Maples (Pivot Factory Racing) secured 13th in the Men’s Elite, Indy Deavoll (Stoic Racing) impressed with 5th in the Women’s Junior category, and Sterling Stevens-McNab (The Alliance) claimed 9th in the Men’s Junior race.
Meanwhile, the cross-country wildcard teams are CABTECH RACING TEAM, KTM Factory Team, Lexware Mountainbike Team, MASSI, SCOTT Creuse Oxygene Gueret, SUNN Factory Racing, Thömus Akros -Youngstars and UNNO Factory Racing.
Standout performances from the  previous round in Nové  Město Na Moravě saw Maximilian  Foidl (KTM Factory Team), finish 8th in the Men’s Elite XCO, Sara Cortinovis  (UNNO Factory Racing) take 10th in the Women’s Elite XCC and Monique Halter  (Thömus Akros Youngstars), place 9th in the Women Under 23 XCO.

UCI DOWNHILL WORLD CUP: HÖLL LEADS CHARGE AS GOLDSTONE TARGETS REDEMPTION
Reigning Women Elite UCI Downhill World Champion Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) has been flawless across the opening two rounds of the season. Despite already claiming 13 UCI World Cup victories, the Austrian has yet to win three consecutive rounds, a milestone now within reach. Should she succeed, Höll would become just the fourth woman to win the opening three Elite UCI World Cup rounds, with each of the previous riders going on to secure the overall title.
Her path, however, will not be without challenges. Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing) is set to return from the elbow injury she sustained in the opening round, with the Briton chasing her 50th podium from 86 starts. Gracey Hemstreet(Norco X adidas Race Division) could also prove a major contender, having won at this venue last year and finished runner-up to Höll in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes. Meanwhile, Myriam Nicole (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) and Valentina Roa Sánchez(MS-Racing) have both shown consistency across the opening rounds.
For the first time in the  sport’s history, the Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup  riders will conclude the race schedule as the final competitors on Saturday’s Finals day.

In the men’s field, defending overall Elite UCI Downhill World Cup winner Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) arrives with a point to prove on the ‘Speedster’ track. A difficult start to the season, including a 26th place finish at MONA YongPyong (South Korea) and a failure to post a qualifying time in Loudenvielle, leaves the Canadian more than 200 points off the overall lead.
His task is made slightly  easier by the absence of key rival Loïc  Bruni (Specialized Gravity), who is set for a spell on the sidelines following wrist surgery after a  crash in practice at the last round. In contrast, Luca Shaw (Canyon DH  Racing) leads the standings after securing a long-awaited first Elite UCI World Cup victory in  Loudenvielle. The American has chosen number 10 as his career numberfollowing the memorable victory. Asa  Vermette (Frameworks Racing/TRP), fresh from his maiden Elite UCI World Cup win at MONA YongPyong,  will also be targeting more success, while Benoît Coulanges (Scott Downhill  Factory) and Amaury  Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) have both made  strong starts to the 2026 season.

SWISS PAIR LEAD EARLY CROSS-COUNTRY STANDINGS
After two rounds of cross-country action, Switzerland’s Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road Team XC) lead the Elite UCI XCO standings heading into Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland. Both riders excelled in the wet and muddy conditions at MONA YongPyong and will be hoping for similar terrain should rain arrive this weekend.
Lillo backed up his victory  with a seventh-place finish in Nové  Město Na Moravě (Czechia) and has also collected two XCC  podiums this season. Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) remains sidelined as he  continues to recover from a broken collarbone sustained at the series opener.  Meanwhile, defending Leogang winner Ondřej  Cink (Cube Factory Racing) returns to the venue where he triumphed in XCO last year,  although he could only manage 20th in the previous round at Nové Město Na Moravě.   

In the women’s Elite competition, Frei has been a model of consistency, winning the opening round and following it with another podium finish. However, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Premier Tech) has dominated at the Epic Bikepark in recent seasons, claiming back-to-back XCO wins and completing the XCO-XCC double last year. On her return to mountain biking two weeks ago, she immediately made an impact with victory in the XCC race.
Jenny Rissveds(Canyon XC Racing) continues her search for a first win of the season after finishing runner-up in XCO and outside the podium in XCC at both rounds so far, with the reigning UCI World Champion well suited to the demands of Leogang’s gruelling course. Isabella Holmgren (Trek – Unbroken XC) is another name to watch as she steps up to the Women’s Elite ranks - the multi-discipline U23 UCI World Champion arrives off the back of a fourth-place overall finish at the Giro d’Italia Women.Laura Stigger(Specialized Factory Racing) will carry the hopes of the Austrian crowd, while Nicole Koller(Lapierre PXR Racing) has also enjoyed a strong start to the season.
A notable absence will be that  of 2025 Women Elite UCI XCC World Cup overall winner Evie Richards (Trek  – Unbroken XC), who will not line up in Leogang after suffering a concussion in a crash at Nové Město na Moravě.

RUDEAU AND CONOLLY LEAD AFTER OPENING ROUND
Ella Connollycontinued her impressive form in the Women Elite UCI Enduro World Cup, winning the opening round in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes.The Briton, who claimed three victories and three additional podiums last season, laid down a strong marker with a five-second winning margin and arrives as the rider to beat.
She is unlikely to have it all  her own way, however. Raphaela  Richter showed strong pace on her return from shoulder surgery,  claiming victory on the final stage of the opening round, while Mélanie Pugin (Speed  Project) finished second and will be hoping to go one better in Austria.  Talented Slovakian rider Simona  Kuchyňková (Cube Action Team), who enjoyed a breakthrough  season last year with a win in La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta and three  further podiums, will be hoping for better luck this weekend after suffering a  mechanical issue off the start ramp two weeks ago.

In the Elite Men’s competition, the season opened with a dramatic showdown, with just seven-tenths of a second separating the top two riders. Alex Rudeau edged out Raphaël Giambi(Speed Project) for victory, giving him an early psychological advantage heading into round two. Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) demonstrated clear speed despite inconsistency, ultimately finishing third.
Last year’s overall winner Slawomir Łukasik  (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) endured a frustrating start to his title defence  after crashing on the  opening stage, ruling him out of contention. He will be looking  for a clean run and a return to form this weekend.