WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Returns to Lake Placid October 3–5

Three-Day Event Includes UCI Downhill World Cup at Whiteface and UCI Cross-Country World Cup at Mt Van Hoevenberg

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LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (April 16, 2025) – The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) announces that the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will return to Lake Placid from Friday, October 3 through Sunday, October 5. The three-day event will feature men’s and women’s UCI World Cup races in both endurance and gravity disciplines, including Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Cross-country Olympic (XCO) at Mt Van Hoevenberg, and Downhill (DHI) at Whiteface Mountain in adjacent Wilmington.

With the addition of Downhill racing, Lake Placid becomes one of just seven global destinations on the 2025 World Series calendar to host both formats on the same weekend. Lake Placid is the only stop in the United States.

“We’re thrilled to build on the success of last year with the addition of downhill mountain bike racing at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington,” Olympic Authority spokesperson Darcy Rowe Norfolk said. “Our goal is to deliver an exceptional experience for both athletes and fans, while showcasing the world’s best mountain bikers across two disciplines. Events like this not only elevate the profile of the Olympic Region and its thriving cycling community, but also generate meaningful economic impact for the area.”

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 Mt 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 Olympic Authority and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) 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. Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling in all its forms.

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 Mt 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 Mt 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 Mt 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. ​ ​

ABOUT THE OLYMPIC AUTHORITY
Established in 1982, the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) was created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid. The Olympic Authority operates Whiteface, Belleayre, and Gore Mountains, Mt Van Hoevenberg, the James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval, the Olympic Jumping Complex, and the Olympic Center. As host to international, national, regional and local events, the Olympic Authority’s venues are destinations and economic catalysts of the regions it serves.

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