Höll's liberation

The downhill finals on Sunday start with a bang: double world champion Myriam Nicole (FRA) leaves injuries behind her and rides to the best time in every sector, more than seven seconds ahead of all previous riders. Neither Norway's Mille Johnset, three-time European Champion Monika Hrastnik (SLO) nor the US American Anna Newkirk, back after a hand injury, can threaten the eight-time World Championship medallist.

The Swiss Lisa Baumann (24) and Camille Balanche, 2020 World Champion and now at her last World Championships before retiring, provisionally ride into second and third place - but Nicole remains more than two seconds ahead. France's Marine Cabirou, silver medal winner in 2021, then moves into second place. Three riders are still at the top: British 2024 bronze medallist Tahnée Seagrave, Canadian World Cup winner Gracey Hemstreet and Valentina Höll, three-time World Champion from Austria.

Seagrave starts strongly, loses six seconds in the lower section and finishes seventh. Hemstreet doesn't quite keep up and finishes in fourth place.

Now it's all down to Höll. The 24-year-old has not won a race since her World Championship victory in Andorra in 2024. She is 1.4 seconds ahead after two splits, loses some time, but saves a 0.667 second lead to the finish and celebrates her fourth World Championship title.

It is Austria's third women's gold at these World Championships after Anna Spielmann (E-MTB Cross-Country) and Rosa Zierl (Junior Downhill).

"World Championships are always something special and they bring out the best in you," says Höll overjoyed and adds: "This year was definitely not easy, I didn't find my fire. To be honest, I didn't expect anything for this race, I didn't feel like this season was mine. I just wanted to do my best and not think about the result. Today I relied on my confidence and the reason why I started riding - to have fun - and that's what I wanted to get back."

Results

Goldstone confirms World Cup form

In the men's final, Ethan Craik (GBR) set an early best with the first time under Jackson Goldstone's qualifying mark, riding over 50 km/h on average. The German Junior World Champion from 2023, Henri Kiefer, even beat the three-minute mark shortly afterwards.

Former world champions such as Aaron Gwin (USA), Charlie Hatton (GBR) and Danny Hart (GBR) had no chance. Ronan Dunne (IRL), winner of the World Cup in Les Gets, missed Kiefer's time by just 0.05 seconds. Austria's 2024 European Champion Andreas Kolb was on course for the best time, but crashed.

This means that only three riders can stop Kiefer: World Cup overall leader Jackson Goldstone (CAN), defending champion Loris Vergier (FRA) and five-time world champion Loïc Bruni (FRA).

Goldstone rides an outstanding run, 1.946 seconds faster than Kiefer. Vergier misses the pace, Bruni crashes - and Goldstone takes the rainbow jersey for the first time.

"That was probably one of my best performances on the mountain bike. I struggled the first two days, but from the qualifying run onwards, I felt like I was on a roll and I left all my energy on the course," said Goldstone.

He dedicated his run to Canadian downhiller Stevie Smith, who died in 2016 after a motorcycle accident.

"When I came over the meadow section, it felt like I was riding a wild horse and just hanging on," adds the new world champion.

Results

Zierl confirms qualifying best time

Austria's Lina Frener, winner in Loudenvielle, is the first woman to exceed 45 km/h and is well ahead at times. Then New Zealander Eliana Hulsebosch took the lead with a time of 3:37.826. The US American Aletha Ostgaard, World Cup winner in La Thuile and Pal Arinsal, moves into a close second place.

Everything now depends on the last starter: Rosa Zierl. The 17-year-old, fastest in qualifying and already a three-time World Cup winner in her first junior season, alternated between advantages and disadvantages in the sectors, but held her nerve in the end. With a time of 3:35.962 (46.908 km/h), she takes the World Championship title.

Silver goes to Hulsebosch (+1.864), bronze to Ostgaard (+2.316). Frener narrowly missed out on a second medal for Austria.

"It's so good," said a delighted Zierl. "I didn't even realize how good my run was. I just wanted to finish. It's incredible! [The course] was definitely better than yesterday, but still difficult to ride. I just wanted to stay on the bike and get down - and that's what I did!"

Gianna Nef got off to a fast start and was in sixth place overall at the first intermediate time. After that, the Swiss racer loses some ground, but still rides to a good eighth place. Nef's feelings are mixed: "After a big crash in the last training run, the race didn't go as I had hoped. Even though I wasn't completely ready and it was tough both mentally and physically, I'm happy to be in the top 10."

Results

Two medals for the Alran brothers

Swiss racers Raoul Schneeberger, Noé Forlin and Marius Krähenbühl are in the lead at times, but a duel is developing between New Zealand and the Alran brothers in the men's junior race. Nevertheless, Schneeberger, Forlin and Krähenbühl deliver a remarkable team result with eighth, tenth and eleventh places.

New Zealander Zac Bradley-Hudson interrupts the Swiss lead before Frenchman Till Alran takes over with a lead of 1.972 seconds.

Defending champion Asa Vermette (USA) is unlucky: a defect takes away all his chances. New Zealander Oli Clarke, World Cup winner in Saalfelden Leogang, is also in the lead for a long time, but is slowed down in the lower part of the course.

Then comes Max Alran. The Frenchman, already a three-time World Cup winner this season, rides away from everyone. With a time of 3:00.878 (50.254 km/h), he puts himself 3.379 seconds ahead of the competition and ousts his brother from the throne.

Only New Zealand's Tyler Waite can get in between and takes silver. With that: Gold and bronze for France, silver as well as fourth and fifth place for New Zealand.

"Yes, it was really good! I'm super happy," says Max Alran. "Last year I was second, that hurt. This year I'm the fastest. It's a shame for my brother that he only came third - I would have preferred to see us in first and second. But I'm super happy, I'm now wearing the rainbow jersey. That means you're the best in the world!"

Results

Champéry, the downhill kingdom

The Champéry-Morgins-Les Crosets bike park is located in the heart of the Portes du Soleil ski resort and is a true Eldorado for mountain bike fans. With its 10 downhill trails, including the legendary World Cup slope, a pump track facility, four cable cars/chair lifts and six rental/repair points, the bike park welcomes everyone from beginners to experienced professional athletes from the end of May to the end of October. In total, the Portes du Soleil area provides access to 600 km of marked trails, 24 lifts and five interconnected bike parks in Switzerland and France.

But of course the region and Champéry owe their legendary reputation above all to the World Cup slope: It was launched in 2006 and achieved historic status in 2011 with Danny Hart's mythical run. After a decade of absence, the course was modernized with the help of the Swiss army and Ben Walker's shaping team. In 2024, it celebrated its big comeback at the European Championships before returning to the world stage this year. With an average gradient of 33 percent and sections with gradients of up to 60 percent, roots, boulders and tight bends, the Champéry course demands top performance from even the best downhill riders in the world.

Record number of spectators in Champéry

The crowds flocked to Champéry, confirming the unbroken appeal of downhill competitions. Several thousand spectators had already followed the races on Saturday, creating a memorable, great atmosphere. On Sunday, the number of spectators broke all records for the elite race. The legendary Champéry track was transformed into a real natural arena, where the riders were loudly cheered at every turn and every jump. In total, there were more than 15,500 people in Champéry that weekend (public, athletes, staff and volunteers) and more than 18,000 people throughout the event.

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