WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series

WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series – Lenzerheide 2026

Words and Pictures: Mesum Verma

Lina Frener

Back-to-back race weekends are always exciting, and the World Series schedule is in full swing. After the wet and muddy conditions in Leogang, riders were treated to something completely different in Lenzerheide: dusty, dry, and hot.

Thursday's downhill training sessions went smoothly, with riders searching for every bit of speed on a track that remained largely unchanged from last year. There were no major surprises, just the challenge of carrying speed while avoiding washing out the front wheel in the loose conditions. A few crashes occurred, but fortunately nothing serious.

Friday's qualifying added plenty of drama. Several big names found themselves in Q2, making the battle for the final ten spots incredibly intense. Asa Vermette, Thibaut Daprela Coulanges, Asa Vermette, Jackson Goldstone, Amaury Pierron and Luca Shaw all secured their places in the final after all-out efforts in Q2. At times, it almost feels like Q2 is a final race itself — there is simply no room to play it safe.

The Elite Women's Q2 was slightly less dramatic, although several top riders still had to prove themselves again to secure a place in Saturday's final. Anna Newkirk topped Q1 for the first time this season, with Myriam Nicole only 0.2 seconds behind.

Jonty Williamson

The junior categories followed a similar pattern. A few riders lost the front wheel in the dusty corners, and unlike the elite categories there is no second chance. Only the fastest 20 Junior Men and fastest 10 Junior Women advance to the final.

Temperatures had already reached 22°C when the Junior Women's final began, and it would only get hotter throughout the day. Following her victory in Leogang, Austria's Lina Frener was once again the fastest rider in Lenzerheide. Aletha Ostgaard finished just 0.131 seconds behind and continues to lead the overall standings, although her advantage over Frener has been reduced to only five points. Marie Rosa Jensen finished third and holds the same position in the overall rankings. Rosa Zierl was absent from Lenzerheide after undergoing shoulder surgery. We wish her a speedy recovery and hope to see her back racing soon.

Four races, four victories for Jonty Williamson. The young New Zealander remains unbeatable in the Junior Men's category and further strengthened his lead in the overall standings. Great Britain's Felix Griffiths once again secured second place, while Slovenia's Ažbe Kalinšek completed the podium in third.

Could Vali Höll make it four wins in a row? Unfortunately, an unclipped pedal ended those hopes early in her run. Instead, it was qualifying winner Anna Newkirk who delivered another outstanding performance. The 25-year-old American became the first American woman in 23 years to win a Downhill World Cup race, taking victory by 0.591 seconds over Switzerland's Lisa Baumann. Italy's Gloria Scarsi continued her strong form after Korea, claiming another podium in third place. Myriam Nicole crashed midway through her run and could only manage 14th. Despite the setback, Vali Höll remains the overall series leader.

Vali Höll

Anna Newkirk

After struggling in Leogang, the young stars Asa Vermette and Jackson Goldstone showed they are back on form with impressive runs. Amaury Pierron, despite battling illness all week, produced a sensational run to take the lead temporarily. However, Finn Iles had other plans. The Canadian claimed his second consecutive victory, finishing 0.485 seconds ahead of Pierron. Iles now leads the overall standings, followed by Pierron in second and Vermette in third.

Asa Vermette

Jackson Goldstone

Amaury Pierron

Amaury Pierron, Finn Iles, Asa Vermette

XCO Sunday

Sunday belonged to Cross-Country Olympic racing, with around 8,000 spectators gathering trackside to watch the battles unfold. The riders not only had to conquer the demanding Lenzerheide course but also the intense heat, with temperatures reaching 31°C.

Jenny Rissveds

The racing delivered plenty of excitement across all categories:

Women U23

Valentina Corvi took a commanding victory ahead of Lisa Kristine Jorde in second and Makena Kellerman in third.

Men U23

Germany's Paul Schehl claimed victory after a thrilling race. Thibaut François Baudry finished second, while Rens Teunissen van Manen completed the podium in third.

Women Elite

World Champion Jenny Rissveds continued her outstanding form with another dominant victory. Swiss rider Ronja Blöchlinger delighted the home crowd with second place, while Savilia Blunk rounded out the podium in third.

Men Elite

France celebrated a one-two finish as Luca Martin secured victory ahead of Adrien Boichis. American Bjorn Riley completed the podium in third.

It was once again a fantastic weekend of racing at the World Series in Lenzerheide. With approximately 21,000 fans attending throughout the weekend, the Swiss venue once again proved why it remains one of the most popular stops on the World Cup calendar.

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