Finale Ligure is considered the birthplace of modern enduro racing and hosted the UCI Enduro and E-Enduro World Championships for the first time. Races have been held in this Italian coastal region since 2008. The World Championships featured six special stages spread over 60 kilometers, with 1,850 meters of elevation gain and 2,850 meters of elevation loss across the stages. Following the E-Enduro titles won by Helen Weber and Adrien Dailly on Saturday, the focus shifted to the classic Enduro races on Sunday.

Gilchrist Keeps His Cool

Ryan Gilchrist secured his first Enduro World Championship title after a thrilling four-way battle. The Australian took the lead as early as the first stage but had to hold off defending champion Richie Rude, Elliot Jamieson, and fellow Australian Luke Meier-Smith until the very end.

While Meier-Smith won two stages, Jamieson signaled his title ambitions with a strong run on the penultimate stage. Before the decisive descent on the legendary “DH Uomini,” the four fastest riders were separated by just eight seconds. Rude won the final stage, but Gilchrist held on to a four-second lead over Jamieson at the finish. Rude took bronze, just three-tenths of a second behind the Canadian.

For Gilchrist, this is already his second rainbow jersey following his 2024 Pump Track World Championship title. “This is the most legendary stage in enduro. Riding down the DH Uomini and then returning to the venue with my friends at sunset was incredible. I was able to call my family and my girlfriend back home, and I have everything I need right here. It’s just fantastic. This is my second rainbow jersey. Winning it in enduro, my great passion, makes it even more special. I love this sport.”

Urien Minuty delivered a consistent performance with stage results ranging from 8th to 19th place (except for 34th on Stage 5). This put the Swiss rider in 18th place. Not far behind, Moritz Silberhorn finished as the top German in 22nd place, and Max Pfeil also made it into the top 30.

Results

Richter Wins Thrilling Race by a Second

The women’s race was even closer. Raphaela Richter secured her first World Championship title with a lead of just one second over Isabeau Courdurier. Nadine Ellecosta rounded out the podium, trailing by three seconds.

Richter got off to a blistering start and gained nearly ten seconds on her competitors in the first stage. What followed was a thrilling back-and-forth battle. Ella Conolly, Ellecosta, and Richter shared the remaining stage wins, while Courdurier kept the pressure on.

On the final DH-Uomini stage, Courdurier was six seconds faster than her closest pursuer. But Richter held on to her slim lead to the finish and celebrated her greatest career achievement, ten years after her victory at the Enduro World Series in Finale. For Courdurier, the silver medal was also remarkable, given that she had become a mother just one year earlier.

“The day went pretty well. In the morning, I was calm and a little nervous, but less so than earlier in my career. I know everything will be fine as soon as I’m on the bike. So I just tried to do my best. I’m always proud when I can compete at the front in the World Cup. I still can hardly believe that I made it all the way to the top today,” Richter said happily.

The two Austrian riders, Lisa Mitterbauer and Hanna Hüttenmeyer, finished in 23rd and 24th place, while the Swiss riders Franca Rudolf and Selina Schweizer finished in 27th and 28th place.

Results

Marti Montessinos Caps Off His Dream Season

In the junior class, Hugo Marti Montessinos continued his impressive season. After winning the overall Enduro World Cup title, the Frenchman also secured the World Championship title. With three stage wins and a strong performance on the penultimate “Blitz” stage, he finished 13 seconds ahead of his competitors.

Behind him, a close battle for the medals unfolded. Jules Janniaud clinched silver by less than two-tenths of a second over Nolan Weiss, who secured bronze with a victory on the final stage.

“It was incredibly tough and physically demanding. Even the first stage was brutal. I was able to save a little more energy for the fifth stage, which was also extremely tough. Jules was right behind me and pushed me to go even faster. “It’s crazy,” explained the new Junior World Champion.

As the top Swiss rider, Noé Forlin finished eighth with top-ten stage times and a slip-up. A solid performance, considering he’d focused on downhill rather than enduro for the entire season. Quirin Bach followed in 14th place. The German posted solid stage times and stood out on the penultimate descent with the third-best time.

Results

Libnik Defends Title with Ease

In the junior women’s category, Nežka Libnik left no doubt about her superiority. The Slovenian, who had already won the overall World Cup, dominated five of the six stages and defended her World Championship title with a 59-second lead.

Daisy James secured silver, while Chloe Cres Clement overtook her French compatriot Bélinda Baudet on the final stage to win bronze. Libnik even weathered a minor fall on the final stage without jeopardizing her victory.

“It was a fantastic but very tough race. The day started well, even though the first stage was extremely challenging. After that, things continued to go well. The fifth stage was really tough again, but we made it through. The sixth stage was legendary. I couldn’t hold my lines and crashed, but it was still incredible. I’m overjoyed.”

Swiss rider Elena Frei was in fifth place at the start, but then lost some time and finished the race in a solid eighth place.

Results