The UCI Enduro World Cup in the Aletsch Arena comprised five stages with a total length of 54.5 kilometers, 4591 vertical meters downhill and 1583 vertical meters uphill. The alpine region of the Aletsch Glacier witnessed an exciting day of racing and will once again host the 2025 UCI Enduro and E-Enduro World Championships next year. The first battle for the world titles in these disciplines will take place in just two months' time, when the riders compete for the coveted rainbow jerseys on September 14 and 15 in Val di Fassa Trentino (Italy).

In the UCI Enduro Men's Elite World Cup, Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) remains in prime position to defend his 2023 overall title, but the American was unable to take the race win in Valais, finishing third. He was 21 seconds behind Jack Moir (YT MOB). The Australian won the last three of five stages and finished second on the first two stages, leading to the impressive victory.

Rude's teammate Slawomir Lukasik was relegated to second place, 14 seconds behind Moir, and the teammates shared the spoils with one stage win each. But Rude still holds a 342-point lead over the Pole in the overall standings, so the pair still have a good chance of claiming a double victory for the Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team at the end of the UCI World Cup.

After the race, Rude said, "It was tough, I felt like I wasn't that good on stages 1 and 4, my legs didn't feel like they were there. When it went downhill on stage 2, I felt like I was there, it was a tough day for sure. I wanted to be at the top and had the confidence to do it, but on stages 1 and 4 I struggled to find the pace and Jack was all over me all day so it was hard to keep the pace."

Best German is Christian Textor (YT MOB) in 23rd place, Patrick Lüthi (Scott) is best Swiss in 31st.

Results

Harnden makes it exciting for the overall victory

Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) had presented herself strongly at the top of the overall standings of the UCI Enduro World Cup Women's Elite, but with just one race left to decide the title, there is still time for one of her challengers to spring a surprise.

And that's exactly what happened in Valais: the 2023 title winner finished third in the Aletsch Arena, while Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) moved closer to Courdurier in the overall standings with her second win of the weekend.

The Brit won stages 1 and 4, while her compatriot Ella Conolly kept the pressure on Courdurier, relegating her to second place by less than two seconds. The Frenchwoman finished 30 seconds behind and is now just 63 points ahead of Harnden in the overall standings, while Conolly has moved up to third place, 322 points behind.

After the race, Harden said: "It's amazing, I can't believe I actually did it. I made a lot of mistakes, but obviously it was still very good. There's still one race to go and the overall standings are very close, so it's really exciting. I'll just give it my best shot."

The fastest Austrian is Hanna Steinthaler in twelfth place. Switzerland's Lea Rutz finished 15th after a solid performance, just ahead of her compatriot Sidonie Jolidon.

Results

ucimtbworldseries.com