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Megavalanche is this weekend.
https://www.ucc-sportevent.com/en/megavalanche-alpe-dhuez-en/
Here is the start list for the final.
https://timingzone.com/magavalanche-alpe-dhuez-2025/#1_16A21B
Kilian Bron is usually a top contender and had a crash in qualifying so starting in the 4th row. That should make for some wild helmet cam action of lots of passing.
Macky of the youtube pair Sid n Macky is in the 7th row. Last year he came from row 8 to 8th place overall so will be interesting to see how he does this year being a row further up and from watching a recent video I think he has targeted his season on this.
I watched the Syd and Macky stuff from MegAv last year...last year...and he seems to be a good combo of the things you need to do well at the race. He does a ton of longer XC racing after having done a lot of Enduro stuff in the past. 8th place is nothing to scoff at last year and - if I remember correctly - one of the issues he had was getting stuck behind a lot of people. I super interested in seeing how he does this year!
Killian is always near the front. I expect him to work his way forward again.
But I think Alex Rudeau is going to win it if he's racing. I remember him saying something early on this year about planning to race it and skipping some EDR stuff to make it (and other races) happen.
Edit: just peeped the start list. Of course, I don't know a ton of those names but I stand by my Alex Rudeau prediction. I think he's a good bet. I expect Phil Atwill to once again be the most entertaining video to watch. Somehow that guy is always doing the coolest maneuvers on the jankiest stuff while still being relatively fast.
Rece report from the La Thuile EDR World Cup
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ŁUKASIK AND CONOLLY SECURE OVERALL TITLES AT PENULTIMATE ROUND OF UCI ENDURO WORLD CUP IN LA THUILE - VALLE D’AOSTA
Following a day of action-packed racing both the men’s and women’s Elite overall titles were decided on the final 600-metre long floodlight nighttime stage.
5th July 2025 – Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Simona Kuchyňková (Cube Action Team) took victories at the UCI Enduro World Cup in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) by the smallest of margins.
Lukasik overcame Charles Murray (Specialized Gravity) on the final stage to win by just five hundredths of a second. With this victory, Łukasik was also crowned the overall Men Elite UCI Enduro World Cup winner with the final round remaining.
The women’s Elite event was equally as close and despite Kuchyňková crashing on the final stage she held a two-second overall margin over British privateer Ella Conolly. With her runner-up placing, Conolly also sealed the women’s Elite crown ahead of the final round in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) next month.
Meanwhile, Noé Forlin and Nežka Libnik took the respective men’s and women’s wins with convincing displays.
La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta marked its return to top-tier Enduro racing by hosting the penultimate round of the 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup. The venue, a familiar name in the sport, previously featured five times in the Enduro World Series between 2014 and 2021.
The final one-day event of this year’s calendar contained a 46.77-kilometre route with over 2,700 metres of descending. Three demanding stages faced competitors during the daytime including a high-altitude start above 2,500 metres for the first 3.4-kilometre Kappa Trail stage. Riders then faced a lengthy transfer up the mountainside to Col Croce which was 3.9 kilometres in length with an elevation of -941 metres. Back across to the other side of the valley the final daytime test with Chaz Dura Express providing a test of 5.9 kilometres with an elevation of -988 metres. Big mountain descents challenged the Enduro competitors with technical terrain and raw, natural.
The day was wrapped up with a short 600-metre night stage, lit by floodlights with an elevation drop of 151 metres.
FEARLESS ŁUKASIK SNATCHES VICTORY BY SMALLEST OF MARGINS
Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) did just enough to seal victory in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta and with it the Men Elite UCI Enduro World Cup overall crown.
Despite being pushed in the latter stages at last weekend’s round in Val Di Fassa – Trentino (Italy), the Polish rider found his rhythm when it mattered to take the honours. Last weekend’s runner-up Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) returned back to Downhill action in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta, resulting in one less podium challenger.
Łukasik started the day where he left off last weekend and posted the quickest time on the opening stage of 7:06.7 along the 3.4-kilometre course.
Privateer Daniel Booker saw a rock damage his wheel and end his overall hopes last weekend in Val Di Fassa. The Australian was back in the mix at La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta, finishing second just +3.8 seconds behind in the opening stage and Canadian Lief Rodgers was third +5.2 seconds back.
The 3.9-kilometre long Col Croce stage saw a complete change in the faces leading the charge as Canadian Elliot Jamieson took the spotlight and posted the quickest time of 8:26.04. New Zealander Murray led the charge for second just 0.9 of a second behind and Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) was third. Łukasik kept the overall lead heading into the third stage after losing six seconds to the stage winner but finishing faster than challenger opponent Booker.
Fellow New Zealander Matthew Walker (Pivot Factory Racing) took the honours on the Chaz Dura Express stage, while an enthralling overall battle developed behind. After 5.9 kilometres of racing only two tenths of a second separated second place on the stage Murray and Łukasik in third.
Heading into the final Nightfall stage Murray had a slender over lead of just 0.216 of a second ahead of Łukasik. Brooker took the final stage in a show of fearlessness and technical ability under the floodlights. French rider Adrien Dailly was just six tenths of a second behind and Melamed finished third. The overall battle saw Łukasik finish fourth on the stage and an important 0.266 of a second ahead of Murray to snatch the overall honours by five hundreds of a second. Murray was regretting some small mistakes on the nighttime stage which ultimately proved the difference.
Meanwhile, a crash for Walker on the final stage resulted in him dropping down the overall standings as Melamed finished third overall.
“It was a really good day on the bike,” said 2025 UCI Enduro World Cup overall series winner Łukasik. “It was so much fun riding here and every stage was amazing, with a bit of everything on it.
“It was a really good battle with Charles (Murray) today, it was really great day. I can’t believe I’ve won the overall, it’s an amazing feeling and I’m so stoked about that. I’ve never been to Haute-Savoie so I’m excited about that race, but more relaxed because I took the overall win. It will be fun to ride and more focus for the World Championships.”
KUCHYNKOVÁ HOLDS ON FOR VICTORY DESPITE LATE SCARE
Kuchyňková took an emotional first Women Elite UCI Enduro World Cup victory. The Slovakian rider had taken two podium positions this season but was yet to stand on the top step heading to La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta.
British privateer Conolly was pushed all the way for victory last weekend in in Val Di Fassa – Trentino and once again faced a tough ask in Italy. With the course placed on the border with France, Mélanie Pugin gave the travelling supporters a gift by winning the opening stage in a time of 8:25.1.
Conolly had the opportunity to seal the overall series with a round to spare and the British rider remained in touch by finishing second on the stage just 0.5 of a second behind.
New Zealander Winnifred Goldsbury led a pack of riders battling for third on the stage (2.4 seconds behind the winner), meanwhile Kuchyňková finished five seconds back on the opening stage. Kuchyňková reversed that deficit on the Col Croce stage after posting an impressive time which was nine seconds quicker than second placed Conolly.
Despite being the longest stage of the day at 5.9 kilometres long there was little to separate the Elite women on Chaz Dura Express. Conolly went quickest but was just 3.3 seconds quicker than Canadian Elly Hoskins and Kuchyňková was three tenths of a second further back. Coming into the final stage Kuchyňková had no room for error with an advantage of just 2.6 seconds ahead of Conolly.
The Nightfall test saw Delia Da Mocogno go quickest, just two tenths of a second ahead of Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Ancillotti Vittoria Factory Racing) in second and Raphaela Richter in third.
After a long day of racing Kuchyňková crashed on the final stage and finished 10th. Overall rival Conolly was also challenged by the lighting, finishing seventh and less than a second ahead. That result meant that Kuchyňková clinched her first UCI World Cup win and Conolly’s second was enough to secure the Women Elite UCI Enduro World Cup for the season.
An emotional Kuchyňková said: “It feels so good to win my first ever Elite, it was such a long day.
“I had so many moments in this race, it means the world to me and I just need to process it right now. I’m so thankful and really grateful for everyone who stood behind me in really hard times. It feels so good.
“I was really looking forward to the nighttime stage as I was on a really good run. Then I came into the rock garden and I crashed. I thought it was over for me, I kept going and crossed the line. I saw everyone was so happy so I knew that I had done it.”
2025 UCI Enduro World Cup overall series winner Conolly added: “I knew I could wrap up the title today, so I’m happy with how I rode and Simona was just incredible today, she’s an insane rider so I’m really stoked for her.
“It’s been my best season so far and I’m really happy. It was my goal at the start of the season to win the overall. We’ll celebrate tonight, we’ve got a small break until the next World Cup and then the World Championships is the next goal.”
FORLIN AND LIBNIK PRODUCE COMMANDING DISPLAYS IN JUNIOR CATEGORIES
Forlin was taking part in his first Men Junior UCI Enduro World Cup outing of the season at La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta. The Swiss rider was able to use his power on the bottom section of the opening stage to grow an early advantage of eight seconds on his rivals.
Behind, Belgian rider Gabriel Sainthuile and New Zealander Cooper Millwood were locked in a close battle for second with little to separate them on the opening stage.
UCI World Cup leader Melvin Almueis had a nightmare opening stage when a crash resulted in him breaking his rear brakes and losing 46 seconds to the leader. Almueis was able to find a replacement brake and was back and looking for revenge in the second stage. However, Forlin took the honours finishing three seconds ahead of the Frenchman, while Sainthuile cemented his podium position in third on the stage.
Forlin was full of confidence and in command of the overall and his time on the third stage was again fastest - 14 seconds ahead of Almueis, while Sainthuile again placed third. Completing his clean sweep of stages for the day Forlin narrowly beat Sainthuile in the short and exhilarating Nightfall final stage, with the pair comfortably finishing first and second overall.
Coming into the final stage Cooper was holding third place overall but only sat two seconds ahead of Canadian Rhys Blair. Cooper lost 12 seconds on the final stage to slip down the standings as Blair took the final podium position.
“My day was pretty good,” said Forlin. “I had a pretty good stage one and had some good space afterwards. Stage two was pretty hard because the top was pretty sketchy and I had to control by bike pretty hard.
“In the bottom section I was pretty fast I think and I could open more. Stage three the top section was pretty sketchy with the off-camber but at the bottom I could open a big gap in the end.”
Slovenian rider Nežka Libnik was also unstoppable and took her second Women Junior UCI Enduro World Cup win of the season. In her only other outing in the series this season Libnik also took victory in Bielsko-Biała (Poland) back in May.
Libnik showed her technical ability and power to win the opening KAPPA Trail stage by an impressive 15.4 seconds ahead of Lacey Adams (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team). Col Croce saw the leader’s gap grow out further but behind was a tight battle as French woman Lucile Metge finished runner-up and American Chloe Bear (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) was third. Overall series leader Adams was fourth on the stage and lost vital time to her title challengers.
Libnik also won the longest stage of the day and was 10 seconds ahead of Adams, with Metge in third. The short final stage saw Libnik go quickest again and took the overall race honours. Despite finishing second on the final stage Adams had to settle for third overall, as earlier time gained by Metge sealed her runner-up position.
“I’m really happy to take the win, my second World Cup this year,” said Libnik.“It’s quite good and the stages were also very good.”
Meanwhile, Adams sits with a comfortable margin of 150 points ahead of Metge heading into the final round.
“Today was really good,” said Adams. “I started off a little bit slow, on stages one and two I struggled to find a bit speed, a bit of confidence and pace.
“I knew I had to bring back some time on stage three. I had a really good stage three, I kept it smooth and pedaled my hardest.
“It was a good stage. We had a few hours break and then into the night stage. It was really sick in the lights, that was really good into the night. It was super-good day.”
Racing continues in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) on Sunday with the UCI Downhill World Cup.
Credit where credit is due… the video screen podium this year is slick.
Where do I post the comment that it was suspicious that they held up the DH race today right at top 10 in time for the storm to pass for top 5. “Technical difficulties “ with “cameras”?
Oh…did anyone else see the guy pissing on the Start Hut at the gate during Q2? Dead center of frame. 43:55 is the time stamp as Baptiste Pierron is in the gate.
https://youtu.be/guJnr4OzvKU?si=7g7LU9q5PpTWV1q7
Copy+paste my post from the La Thuile thread:
I’m a full-blown conspiracy theorist on this one. There were no perceivable problems beyond the usual glitches and missed camera-changes. Maybe an issue with a single drone? Hardly enough reason to postpone a race when so many have gone on under much worse weather conditions. Vague “major technical issues” that just so happen to coincide with the passing of the worst of the rain, lining up Jackson’s run happening under clear skies with the rainfall absorbed into the track?
I’m skeptical. Can lightweight FPV drones fly in the rain? Is this an excuse that passes the straight-face test that allows WBD to avoid situations where the top dogs get screwed by the weather and maintain more made-for-TV storylines?
All that aside, what a race. Gnarly track, great racing, everyone clearly on the very edge of the limit. Jackson is a generational talent. I would not be surprised if he goes on to be the best to ever do it. What a comeback for Nina. Bravo
If everything was about the made-for-TV storylines they wouldn't let the fastest Q2 rider start so early in the race.
We found the "massive technical issues" at the start then.
WBD have pulled the Junior stream from YouTube, it's now official. They're saying it's available in other places, but not sure that everybody around the globe can get access to the services mentioned, even if the race is streamed for free there. They did also mention that the junior race broadcast replays will be up on YouTube after the race.
Starting this weekend in La Thuile - Valle D'Aosta, the junior UCI Downhill World Cup finals will no longer be streamed on YouTube.
Instead you can now watch the full race live on:
discovery+ (Free to stream)
Max (no sports add-on needed)
MTBWS TV (included in your subscription)— WBD Sports
Watching the awesome Downtime post race show...
they mention only THREE riders have made every quali1... Loic, Daprela, and Pinky. fcukin RAD that Pinky has greased Q1 every round this season. (also kinda insane stat that supports how exciting no protection and 'lcq' is...)
Its very rare that you say something I agree with, but in this case I really do… loris came down with rain and a dusty track, those final 3 guys had it perfect. Put and asterisk next to this one for Jackson.
When dozens of Emmy winning programs put their stuff on YouTube to reach an audience under 45 wbd is like nah this is too popular to share with google. Can Chris ball ask them for the numbers on how many people watch Jon Oliver on YouTube versus max and hbo. I’d bet the numbers are staggeringly in favor of YouTube. But maybe I’m letting anecdotal evidence cloud my judgement too much.
U r crazies
You might be right, hard to say
yes.
YouTube is the real Death Star — bigger reach than Netflix, free, and dominates across all age groups. It’s not just creators anymore, it’s pro content, global scale, and the algorithm is unmatched. It is the #1 streaming platform, hands down.
As long as for the most part you don't want to make money. Not saying its right or wrong to not show it there but from a financial stand point i can see why. I don't know what kind of views that get on their platforms but looking Poland has 70k views as of now. Loudenvielle has 60k. Maybe its not worth the issues dues to background music getting flagged and god knows what ever else they want to bitch about to keep from paying you.
I wasn’t raininv that hard to make a big difference. Most people at the finish area weee still hanging out in tshirts and shorts. A camera went down. Imagine the outrage if they went ahead and didn’t broadcast the last 5 riders.
Any update on Ronan Dunne?
What a track. That was amazing to watch!
You're dead wrong. No other live competition stops for cameras. Complete disservice to the 20 other riders who laid their lives on the line for a time.
No one's making Jett Lawrence pull off track if we can't see LaRacco's Leap!!!
This is yet again WBD being the worst of the worst.
Final result has 6 riders from pre-rain, Vergier's course designer outlier miracle run & the rest post rain after they "postponed" the race.
WBD fokked our sport again yesterday for their own greed.
So pro ball sports stop the action for scheduled hard timeouts for commercial ads. If we're watching a live stream on YouTube of Junior finals with no ad breaks, how will YouTube and/or WBD make any money off the production?
sorry for the random post but need to re-subscribe
In Bernard Kerrs video from finals he said that the delay was because some of the fencing at the bottom covered in signage had blown over.
started the Andorra thread. it's a saturday DH race w/ XC on sunday, so doubtful we see Q2 replay : (
https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2025-world-cup-downhill-pal-arinsal…
Kilian Bron's Megavalanche POV from 100th to the podium. Mental.
The asterisk is for the fact he has won 6 out of 13 races and four in a row only because of a limp dick weather conspiracy right?
Correct you are! First we had the go pro turn off half way down the course so he could do a French line, then he paid someone with a wind blower to assist him on the motor way at leogang, Val Di sole was just blatant disrespect for a first time dad so I don’t want to talk about it, and now! We have wbd postponing race runs because of some light rain allowing the last few riders to drop in clear skies, meanwhile they broadcast a race in the snow at the start of the year, and most of last years tracks resembled rivers.
Obviously this is all sarcasm, don’t be so serious.
I still think it’s wild they stopped the race due to weather that caused one camera to go down at the start of the track, I can’t quite understand it.
5th (Maes) through 12th (Pinkerton) qualifiers were within 00.40 seconds of each other in Q1.
Imagine being the 6 riders watching Maes get a 7 minute skies parting shot at taking their paychecks.
Pinkerton qualified 11th, just saying.😀
I hope the next race also has some mysterious race hold just so we can hear more bizutch conspiracy theories.
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