The World Cup heads to La Thuile this weekend which hosts Round 5 of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Cross-country has been added to the La Thuile schedule following a hugely successful debut of the venue in 2025, which saw the steepest Downhill course in the series' history.
Women's Elite: Rissveds in a Class of Her Own
Jenny Rissveds arrives in the Valle d'Aosta wearing the leader's jersey and a confidence that is beginning to border on ominous. After four rounds, Rissveds leads the overall standings by 177 points, a gap built on a string of commanding performances that have left her rivals searching for answers.
At Lenzerheide, Rissveds forged on alone right to the line to take the win with a one-minute advantage. The week before in Leogang, it was more of the same. Rissveds secured her first XCO win of 2026 after a drama-filled race on the muddy Leogang course, crossing the finish line with a winning margin of 56 seconds against Puck Pieterse.
Rissveds enters 2026 as the rider everyone is chasing, having produced one of the great individual seasons in XCO history in 2025 — winning the Elite Women's World Championship and claiming both the XCC and XCO European Championship titles. With defending overall champion Samara Maxwell absent this year, the path ahead has never looked clearer for the Swede.
That said, the Italian mountains have a habit of producing surprises. Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) arrives as reigning XCC World Champion and is one of the most complete technical riders in the field — she has the short track speed to hurt Rissveds in XCC format and the endurance to stay competitive in XCO. On a technical European circuit, she will be dangerous
Evie Richards (Trek — Unbroken XC) comes in as the defending XCC World Cup overall winner and brings the form and confidence of a title defence campaign. The British rider thrives on punchy, technical courses and will be a podium threat across both disciplines. Puck Pieterse, who pushed Rissveds hardest in Leogang, will also be looking to build on that result as the season reaches its midpoint.
Men's Elite: Martin Finally Off the Mark — But Can He Keep it Going?
Luca Martin's 2026 season had a familiar feel heading into Lenzerheide: brilliantly consistent, relentlessly podium-worthy, and yet stubbornly without a win. Martin converted a run of second places into victory at Lenzerheide, turning the tables by claiming the top spot in the men's elite race after a long battle with Leogang winner Adrien Boichis. Boichis pushed on the climbs and launched a last lap attack before slipping out on the gravel and crashing — that was all Martin needed.
It was Martin's second career UCI XCO World Cup victory, and he continues into La Thuile as the series leader. The question now is whether the Cannondale Factory Racing rider can convert the momentum into a sustained title charge.
The men's field remains wide open. Adrien Boichis (Specialized Factory Racing) has shown he has the legs and the tactics to match Martin and will want to put the Lenzerheide crash behind him quickly. Bjorn Riley (Scott-SRAM), who completed the Lenzerheide podium in third, brings quiet consistency that has made him a factor on every start line this season.
Charlie Aldridge (Cannondale Factory Racing) enters 2026 as Britain's best hope, having scored his first World Cup win in 2025, and now rides alongside Martin at Cannondale Factory Racing. A strong showing in Italy would confirm the team's status as the one to beat in the second half of the season.
U23: Corvi and Schehl Looking to Cement Their Grip
The Under-23 categories have been anything but a sideshow in 2026. Valentina Corvi (Canyon XC Racing) delivered another masterclass at Lenzerheide, riding clear of her rivals to claim her third victory from four UCI XCO World Cup rounds this season, extending her advantage in the overall standings to 208 points. The young Italian will be racing on home soil this week — expect a reception to match.
Paul Schehl (Lexware Mountainbike Team) heads the men's U23 standings and will be eager to put on a similar display of authority. Both riders have been the dominant forces in their respective categories and arrive in La Thuile with the kind of form and confidence that makes them genuine favourites in front of what promises to be a passionate Italian crowd.
The Venue
La Thuile is in the middle of five consecutive weekends of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series racing, making it the centrepiece of the European summer programme. The XCC Elite races open proceedings on Friday, July 3 — women at 17:30, men at 18:20 — with the XCO U23 and Elite races rounding out the weekend on Sunday, July 5, culminating in the Men's Elite XCO at 15:30.
With the standings tightening in some categories and a record already being stamped on the women's side, La Thuile could prove to be a defining round. Whether it delivers a coronation or a shake-up, the Valle d'Aosta will not disappoint.
Schedule
Friday, July 3
10:35 - XCC Women U23
11:25 - XCC Men U23
17:30 - XCC Women Elite
18:20 - XCC Men Elite
Sunday, July 5
9:00 - XCO Women U23
11:00 - XCO Men U23
13:30 - XCO Women Elite
15:30 - XCO Men Elite