This weekend, Enduro riders will be tasked with tackling the trails of Aletsch Arena - Bellwald (Valais, Switzerland) – host of the 2025 UCI Enduro World Championships. While it might only be mid-July, we’re now entering the crucial phase of this year’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. With only two UCI Enduro World Cups remaining, every stage, position or point could make all the difference and titles could be won or lost in the blink of an eye. Ella Conolly and Alex Rudeau lead their respective standings, but if this season has proved anything, it’s that there is a long line of riders ready to pounce when the opportunity arises. This is also the penultimate round of the Enduro Open, giving amateur riders the opportunity to take on the same course as the UCI Enduro World Cup stars across two intense days of racing.
EPIC, DESCENT-HEAVY DAYS OUT
Aletsch Arena – Bellwald is back in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar after a year off in 2025 to host the rainbow jersey events. The UCI Enduro World Cup takes place on its extensive trail network. Situated in the alpine-forested foothills of the mesmerising Alestch Glacier – the largest in the Alps – riders and fans can expect amazing scenes around every berm and bend.
Athletes will take on eight stages over two days of action that total 80.5km of riding and 5,974m of descent. Day one is the marginally longer of the two and features more pedal climbing during liaisons. Riders kick off with returning favourites Alpine Rodeo, Blueberry Trail and the longest stage of the day, Glaciara Trail – which features 637m descent over 3.9km. The final stage is a new inclusion for the UCI Enduro World Cup – the 1.5km Time Travel – which is followed by a chunky 12km ride back to the event village in Fiesch.
Day two might be shorter on paper, but with the exploits of day one already in their arms and legs, riders will have literal and figurative mountains to climb on some of the region’s most iconic trails and new additions. After embarking on Cow Safari, riders face the prospect of Lord of the Rims (Extended Cut) – at 4.9km with 725m descent, the longest and toughest trail of the weekend. New inclusion Into the Wild adds an element of unknown to the penultimate stage, while the finale Back to the Roots sees athletes race to the race village finish line in what could be a tight conclusion to proceedings.
CONOLLY AND RUDEAU IN CONTROL BUT NOT OUT OF TOUCH
Ella Conolly and Alex Rudeau are leading the overall standings and their consistency so far in 2026 means that the pair look to have a firm grip on their respective titles. They aren’t out of sight though, and the redistribution of points for the 2026 series means that both riders’ advantage is slimmer than what it might have been in previous years.
Reigning champion Conolly’s 920 points from two wins and two second places solidifies her as the favourite to retain her title. But the Brit only holds a 70-point advantage over second-place Mélanie Pugin (Speed Project), who herself won UCI Enduro World Cup in Val di Fassa - Trentino (Italy) – the only other two-day round that athletes have faced so far this year.
While Conolly’s form suggests she will be on the podium as a minimum – the privateer hasn’t finished outside of the top three at a UCI Enduro World Cup since Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland (Austria) in June 2024 – if Pugin can finish above her in Switzerland, it would leave the title finely balanced ahead of the season finale in Morillon, Haute Savoie (France) in August.
Other than Conolly and Pugin, Winnifred Goldsbury is another rider to watch – the New Zealander and winner in Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland looking to bounce back after crashing in practice in La Thuile - Valle d’Aosta (Italy) and missing the round. Reigning UCI Enduro World Champion Elly Hoskin also has previous history at the venue, having won her rainbow stripes here last year.
The men’s field is just as tight, with 2024 UCI Enduro World Champion Alex Rudeau only holding an 85-point lead over fellow privateer Lief Rodgers, while La Thuile-Valle d’Aosta winner Raphaël Giambi (Speed Project) is only 104 points off the top spot in third.
Rudeau’s consistency is what has kept him at the top of the standings since the first round, which he won in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France). He finished fourth in Alestch Arena - Bellwald during last year’s UCI Enduro World Championships and will be hoping to equal or improve on that to go into the short summer break with a lead in the overall title.
Canadian Rodgers is yet to win a UCI Enduro World Cup but is on the cusp of his debut victory, while Giambi could leapfrog Rodgers in the standings if he finishes above him again. One rider yet to match his previous form is reigning UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Racing), but if he can propel himself to the top of the podium for a second time this season and other results go his way, he would still be in with a shot of retaining his title.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION
Race content will be available across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series’ official platforms, including:
- A detailed course preview highlighting the route and its key sections and video highlights from both practice and race days on the official YouTube channel.
- Key moments shared on social media (@uci_mtbworldseries)
- Live timing on the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website and via the official app, which will also feature live blogging with key updates throughout the event.
- A highlights programme will be broadcast on Eurosport and TNT Sports next week and available on streaming platform HBO Max on demand.
The final stage of the UCI Enduro World Cup in Aletsch will be broadcast live on-site, with fans also able to follow the action on a delayed-live basis via subscription on MTBWS TV, in all markets where the streaming service is available.
ENDURO OPEN RETURNS
With demanding, steep, technical and wild trails, Aletsch Arena & Bellwald will push riders of all abilities to their limits. Through the Enduro Open, participants have the opportunity to test themselves on the very same trails and on the same days as the sport’s elite, dropping in just hours ahead of the professionals. Once they cross the finish line, they can stay on to watch the pros race and directly compare their times with the world’s best.
To further enhance the competitive experience, new age categories and a pairs category have been introduced, allowing for tighter groupings and more meaningful racing. Registration is also open for the final round in Morillon (Haute Savoie, France) with full details available here.
Join in as Elliott Heap tackles 8 epic stages for the full-pull course preview:
These are so good now!
For the first time ever, there will be a live broadcast from an Enduro World Cup - tune in on Sunday July 19 at 16h30 CET, 7h30am PST to follow the final stage of racing as it happens. The broadcast will be shown on site in the finish arena, and it will also stream online via MTBWSTV (subject to subscription fees), although we've seen mention of a delay for the online part. The latest communication we have from the World Series mentions a delay for the US audience only, saying the race will be broadcast "shortly after the conclusion", apparently. The times above area what they have told us, unclear if those are delayed times or not. We will find out on Sunday (if not before). Pretty sick, either way!
https://watch.ucimtbworldseries.com/en/livestream/s-edr-elite-women-and-men-aletsch-sui-4t63f
After a long day of racing I’m sure this will be a hit!
”which is followed by a chunky 12km ride back to the event village in Fiesch.”
Why not on HBO Max ???
no wbd production maybe?
So strange.
Iago Garay is documenting his and Ella Connoly's EDR season.
I missed a few of the episodes but the Day 1 Aletsch Arena episode was great!
There is also NextStage Instagram account that's doing a great job on showing action throughout the race weekends.
So it's NA only and behind a paywall, says its not available in UK, Germany etc. with VPN. Really a bummer if it stays like this.
Highlights from training, what a place to ride your bike!
It looks so rough but so, so much fun too. Must go!
Highlights from day 1 of racing in Aletsch Arena:
Live in ten minutes!
https://watch.ucimtbworldseries.com/en/livestream/s-edr-elite-women-and-men-aletsch-sui-4t63f
It was fun being able to watch the race conclude, although it's a very different experience to a DH World Cup. With 1-minute gaps, you only get to see a fraction of the stage, and without split times against the overall standings it was hard to get a feel for exactly where the riders were stacking up as they were approaching the finish line, but overall I enjoyed the action. The commentary team did a good job, Elliott Heap is great in the supporting role, mixing insights and hype in an intelligent and composed manner. The main anchor clearly knows the job well, he was a bit off on some remarks but overall he kept the show rolling along.
What do you think, does this format have legs?
I didn’t watch this, but if it’s same format as Jesse Melameds televised win of ews Whistler back when it was a crankworks event. It will be something I’m keeping my eye on for the future.
Is anyone doing long format wyn style post race interviews these days for edr?
Yes not like watching WC DH, but I watched it and it was cool to see how fast these racers are going and how they are pedaling like crazy!!! Sprinting on a long travel enduro bike and carrying speed on slower and lower angle terrain is cool to see. I'd watch again for sure.
It was a bike racing morning to watch for sure with this and the TDF action today...
The final round in Morillon is gonna be epic, with 7 elite men who can mathematically still take the title
Highlights from day 2 of racing in Aletsch Arena:
Race was insane. Took part of the Swiss Enduro Series, which only covered the 2nd day of the EDR which was hard enough, hands are cooked!
The live coverage however was lame. This stage had so much potential to stream unfortunately a missed opportunity. Of course the stage on the glacier had even more potential but i totally see the logistic nightmare to carry all the gear onto that stage.
Kudos for streaming, but cmon, that wasn't worldcup level.
Here's the full race report from the organizers:
UCI ENDURO WORLD CUP - ROUND 6 - DRAMA TO THE VERY END AS CONOLLY AND GILCHRIST TRIUMPH IN ALETSCH ARENA-BELLWALD
Ella Conolly strengthened her grip on the Women Elite title race, while Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) claimed a maiden UCI Enduro World Cup victory and Lief Rodgers moved to the top of the Men Elite standings following Alex Rudeau’s disqualification. Elena Frei delighted the home crowd with a breakthrough win, as Hugo Marti Montessinos and Speed Project mathematically secured the Junior Men’s and Teams overall titles respectively in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald (Switzerland).
19 July 2026 – The penultimate round of the 2026 UCI Enduro World Cup delivered plenty of drama and unexpected twists as two grueling days of racing in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald (Switzerland) came to a close.
Ella Conolly looked poised to secure back-to-back UCI Enduro World Cup titles after another commanding performance, extending her advantage with a stage 5 victory. However, a puncture on stage 6 threatened to derail her celebrations. The Briton responded magnificently, limiting the damage and ultimately sealing the overall win by 33.4 seconds ahead of UCI World Champion Elly Hoskin.
In the men's race, Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) produced a stunning day-two comeback to claim the first UCI Enduro World Cup victory of his career. The Australian won the final three stages to surge to the top of the standings and finish more than 20 seconds clear of his rivals.
The Junior categories also provided plenty to celebrate. Switzerland’s Elena Frei delighted the home crowd by securing her maiden UCI World Cup victory in the Women Junior event, while Hugo Marti Montessinos continued his dominant season with a fourth Men Junior win, a result that also mathematically secured him the overall UCI Enduro World Cup title with one round to spare.
In the Teams Classification, Speed Project capped off its dominant season by mathematically securing the overall team title with one round to spare. Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team, winners of the Aletsch Arena-Bellwald round, remain second overall, while Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team completes the top three.
CONOLLY HOLDS HER NERVE AS THE TITLE BATTLE TAKES ANOTHER TWIST
After a consistently strong opening day, Ella Conolly turned up the pressure in the battle for the UCI Enduro World Cup title. The Briton mastered the demanding 3.3km-long Cow Safari stage, featuring 806 metres of vertical descent, to double her advantage at the top of the standings and build what looked to be a comfortable 51-second lead.
That cushion would soon prove invaluable. Reigning UCI World Champion Elly Hoskin bounced back from disappointment on stage 5 in emphatic fashion, claiming back-to-back stage victories. The Canadian delivered a flawless run on Lord of the Rims (Extended Cut) - a formidable 4.9km stage with 725 metres of descent - to claw back valuable time and move into second place overall. Despite suffering a puncture on stage 6, Conolly limited the damage impressively, finishing just 1.2 seconds ahead of Nadine Ellecosta (Abetone Vittoria Nencini Sport Factory Team).
The drama continued on stage 7, Into The Wild, where the unpredictable terrain and Conolly’s ongoing tyre issues reshuffled the leaderboard once again. The series leader endured one of her toughest stages of the season, dropping outside the top three on the stage while Hoskin reduced the gap to 35.8 seconds.
On the final test of the day, Back to the Roots, Ellecosta capped a strong performance by claiming her first stage win of the weekend. The Italian edged out Hoskin by just 1.2 seconds, denying the Canadian a hat-trick of consecutive stage victories and securing her place on the podium. Conolly, meanwhile, dug deep to bring her race home, finishing 3.6 seconds behind the stage winner and preserving a commanding overall advantage of 33.5 seconds over Hoskin.
Reflecting on another victory, Conolly said: “It’s been a pretty eventful weekend. We’ve had a huge amount of racing, almost 50 minutes in total. I had a small mechanical issue to deal with after one of the stages, but the hardest thing was simply keeping the pace up for that long. The body is exhausted. I was really struggling in the final stages; there was so much pedalling and my legs were spent. My lower back was hurting through all the corners as well, so in the end I was just trying to hold it together and make it to the finish line.”
UCI Enduro World Cup | Women Elite standings
GILCHRIST CLAIMS HAT-TRICK OF VICTORIES AS LIEF RODGERS LEADS OVERALL
The Elite Men’s race took yet another dramatic turn as Ryan Gilchrist (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) stormed to his first-ever UCI Enduro World Cup victory, while overnight leader Sławomir Łukasik (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) endured a difficult second day that saw his hopes unravel.
Raphaël Giambi (Speed Project) set the tone on stage 5 with an emphatic ride, claiming victory by more than 10 seconds after a disappointing start to the weekend in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald. Behind him, Łukasik’s advantage began to slip away as a series of costly mistakes allowed Adrien Dailly (Speed Project) to claw back almost 10 seconds and snatch a narrow 2.2-second overall lead.
Any hopes Dailly had of consolidating that advantage were short-lived. Stage 6, Lord of the Rims (Extended Cut), turned the race on its head as Gilchrist produced a stunning performance to claim the stage win and move to the top of the standings. The Australian maintained that momentum on the final two stages, completing a remarkable hat-trick of stage victories to secure the first UCI Enduro World Cup win of his career.
Behind him, Lief Rodgers delivered another composed and consistent performance to finish second overall and move to the top of the UCI Enduro World Cup standings. In contrast, Łukasik -who had recorded four top-five stage finishes on day one- was unable to replicate that form and slipped out of podium contention by the end of the weekend.
With Alex Rudeau absent following his disqualification on Saturday, Rodgers now leads the overall UCI Enduro World Cup rankings, setting up a thrilling title showdown heading into the final round of the season.
Reflecting on his breakthrough victory, Gilchrist said: “I’ve been doing this for a while now, so to finally take a win, especially here in Aletsch Arena-Bellwald, on such a demanding course and against riders at the very top of their game, means a lot. I couldn’t be more proud.
“The last couple of rounds were tough for me. I reached out to Mick Hannah, a former teammate, and told him I needed a bit of help. He gave me some really inspiring advice, and I took that into this weekend. He told me to ride like Ryan, and when Ryan rides like Ryan, good things happen.”
UCI Enduro World Cup | Men Elite standings
HOME VICTORY FOR FREI AS MARTI MONTESSINOS CRUISES TO VICTORY
There were celebrations on home soil for Switzerland’s Elena Frei, who claimed the first UCI Enduro World Cup victory of her career in the Women Junior category. Capitalising on overall leader Nežka Libnik’s misfortune on stage 3, Frei put together an impressive run of consistent performances, with a string of top-three stage finishes helping the 18-year-old secure victory by an emphatic 4:51.9 margin.
Despite her setback, Libnik bounced back in style on day two to retain her lead in the overall UCI Enduro World Cup standings.
Reflecting on her victory, Frei said: “Today was a really tough day. I crashed twice on stage 5 and hurt my shoulder quite badly. At first, I wasn’t sure if I could continue racing, but after the climb between stages it started to feel a bit better. Then I told myself, ‘let’s go, I can do this’. Stage 6 was really good and stages 7 and 8 felt good as well.”
UCI Enduro World Cup | Women Junior standings
In the Men Junior race, Hugo Marti Montessinos powered to another UCI Enduro World Cup victory. The French rider claimed two stage wins and, despite suffering a puncture on the final stage, held on to edge out closest challenger Nico Casey Schroder by just 4.9 seconds.
Speaking after the race, the 18-year-old said: “It was amazing to race in Switzerland over four days. I had a crash in training on Saturday, so I was feeling a bit tired. I had a puncture on stage 2, but I still had a lot of fun. Today was incredibly long and physical, but that’s exactly the kind of racing I love. I had another puncture right at the top of the final stage, so it was a tough way to finish, but I’m really happy to take the win.”
UCI Enduro World Cup | Men Junior standings
The result not only secured Marti Montessinos’ fourth UCI Enduro World Cup victory of the season, but also mathematically clinched the overall Junior Men’s title with one round still to race. The Frenchman holds an unassailable lead over Jules Janniaud heading into the season finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) where the UCI Enduro World Cup will conclude from 14–16 August.
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