The three-day event includes UCI Downhill World Cup at Whiteface and UCI Cross-Country World Cup at Mount Van Hoevenberg
The area around Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain in New York is pretty spectacular in autumn.
But add to that an event where some of the best mountain bikers on the planet are battling for supremacy, and you have the ingredients for a truly unforgettable weekend.
The UCI Mountain Bike World Series will return to Lake Placid and the trails of Mount Van Hoevenberg for its second year October 3 to 5, 2025.
Over three days, the event will showcase the world’s top male and female mountain bikers competing in World Cup formats, including Cross-country Short Track (XCC), Cross-country Olympic (XCO), and — new in 2025 — Downhill (DHI).
These high-adrenaline competitions are thrilling for spectators, and Lake Placid will be the only U.S. stop on the 2025 World Series tour. It’s also one of just seven locations to host both downhill and cross-country racing during the same weekend.
Lake Placid serves as the penultimate stop on the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series tour, which opened April 3 in Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil and concludes October 9-12 at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec.
The weekend will feature the world’s best elite, U23, and junior riders battling for podium finishes and valuable points in the overall standings.
Cross-country races return to an updated version of the demanding course introduced in 2024 at Mount Van Hoevenberg, while Whiteface Mountain unveils its new downhill course — traversing roughly two kilometers of steep, technical terrain designed for high-speed descents that require both precision and fearless determination.
This marks the second year of a three-year partnership between the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, the global promoter of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
Races will be broadcast domestically on the B/R Sports hub via the Max streaming platform.
Riders to Watch
The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series features an all-star cast of returning champions, rising stars, and legends of the sport.
The following riders are expected to be among the top contenders:
- Valentina Höll (YT Mob, Austria): The 24-year-old reigning UCI Downhill World Champion enters the season seeking her fourth straight UCI DHI World Cup title after a commanding performance in 2024.
- Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity, France): A five-time UCI World Champion, Bruni secured his fourth UCI DHI World Cup overall title in 2024, solidifying his position as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
- Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon, Switzerland): The reigning UCI XCO and XCC World Cup champion dominated the 2024 season, finishing 296 points ahead of Laura Stigger in the overall standings.
- Haley Batten (Specialized Factory Racing, USA): Batten captured the world’s attention by winning an Olympic silver medal during last year’s Paris Games, the best finish ever by an American rider.
- Christoper Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing, USA): Blevins, an Olympian last year, opened this season in dominant fashion, winning three of the four opening races in Araxá, Brazil. He swept the second weekend with victories in both the UCI XCC and XCO World Cups and finished first (XCC) and second (XCO) in the opening round.
- Riley Amos (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli, USA): Amos finished seventh at the Paris Olympics and moves into the elite division this year after earning the U23 UCI XCO World Cup overall title last season.
Schedule
The competition schedule will kick off Friday with the Downhill qualifier at Whiteface and Short Track racing at Mount Van Hoevenberg. Saturday’s action all takes place at Whiteface as the Elite Men’s and Women’s champions are crowned following the Men’s and Women’s Junior finals. Sunday will see the Elite Men and Women and the U23 riders on the XCO course at Mount Van Hoevenberg.
2024 Recap
Lake Placid made its debut on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar in 2024 with UCI XCO, XCC and Cross-country Marathon (XCM) races at Mount Van Hoevenberg. Specialized Factory Racing’s Victor Koretzky clinched both the Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) victories, while teammates Laura Stigger and Sina Frei secured the top two spots in the women’s XCC and XCO.
Tickets On Sale HERE (Free Tickets For 2025/26 SKI3 Season Pass Holders Available HERE)
