After the Enduro series finale in Morillon, Haute-Savoie, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series remains in the French Alps, while the UCI World Cups of cross-country e downhill They take place on the trails near Les Gets, in Haute-Savoie.
Source: press release
We take a look at everything you need to know about the Les Gets, Haute-Savoie stage of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, including when the Cross-county Short Track (XCC) events will take place, Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill, who will compete and how to watch it.
WHEN?
The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stage in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France) will start with the cross-country Under 23 women's short track at 09:45 (UTC+2) on Friday 29 August and will conclude with the Olympic World Cup race cross-country UCI Men's Elite at 15:00 (UTC+2) on Sunday 31 August.
Below are the main times for the race weekend. All times are UTC+2 (EST+6/BST+1/CEST):
Friday August 29th
- 09:45 – UCI World Cup Cross-country Short Track | Women U23
- 10:35 – UCI World Cup Cross-country Short Track | Men U23
- 18:00 – UCI World Cup Cross-country Short Track | Elite Women
- 18:40 – UCI World Cup Cross-country Short Track | Elite Men
- 12:45 a.m. – UCI Downhill World Cup | Women's Elite Qualifying Round 1
- 13:15 a.m. – UCI Downhill World Cup | Men's Elite Qualifying Round 1
- 14:25 PM – UCI Downhill World Cup | Junior Women's Qualifiers
- 14:50 PM – UCI Downhill World Cup | Junior Men's Qualifications
- 15:45 a.m. – UCI Downhill World Cup | Women's Elite Qualifying Round 2
- 16:10 a.m. – UCI Downhill World Cup | Men's Elite Qualifying Round 2
Saturday August 30th
- 10:50 a.m. – UCI Downhill World Cup | Junior Women's Finals
- 11:15 PM – UCI Downhill World Cup | Junior Men's Finals
- 12:10 PM – UCI Downhill World Cup | Elite Women's Finals
- 13:10 PM – UCI Downhill World Cup | Elite Men's Finals
Sunday August 31st
- 09:00 a.m. – UCI Olympic Cross Country World Cup | Women's U23
- 11:00 – UCI Olympic Cross Country World Cup | Men U23
- 13:00 a.m. – UCI Olympic Cross Country World Cup | Elite Women
- 15:00 PM – UCI Olympic Cross Country World Cup | Elite Men
WHERE CAN I WATCH?
There will be several ways to follow the progress of the final French races of the 2025 season.
The UCI Downhill World Cup qualifying day can be followed in direct and on social media.
For the seventh edition of the UCI Olympic Cross-Country, Short Track Cross-Country, and Downhill World Cups, you can follow the finals live from anywhere in the world. Both the UCI Men's Junior Downhill and Women's Junior Downhill World Cups will be broadcast live on discovery+ (with paywall), HBO Max* (with the sports add-on), and MTBWS TV (included in the subscription), while the Elite Finals will be broadcast on one of the following channels or streaming services:
North America
Canada - Flosports
United States –HBO Max
South and Central America
All territories of Central and South America – MTBWS TV
Caribbean – Rushsports
Asia
Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand – Eurosport
China - Zhibo.TV (Live Elite Downhill races only)
All other Asian territories - MTBWS TV
Oceania
Australia - Stan sport
New Zealand - MTBWS TV
Africa
All African territories - MTBWS TV
Europe
Andorra – HBO Max, Eurosport, ATV
Austria – discovery+, Eurosport
Belgium – HBO Max, Eurosport, LN24 (Live Elite XCO races only)
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Max, Eurosport
Bulgaria – HBO Max, Eurosport
Croatia – HBO Max, Eurosport
Czech Republic – HBO Max, Eurosport, CT Sport+ (Live Elite XCO and XCC races only)
Denmark – HBO Max, Eurosport
Islands Faroe – HBO Max, Eurosport
France – HBO Max, Eurosport and The Channel The Team (Live Elite XCC and XCO races only)
Germany – discovery+, Eurosport
Hungary – HBO Max, Eurosport
Ireland – TNT Sports
Italy – discovery+, Eurosport
Moldova – HBO Max, Eurosport
Montenegro – HBO Max, Eurosport
Netherlands – HBO Max, Eurosport
Macedonia of the North – HBO Max, Eurosport
Norway – HBO Max, Eurosport
Poland – HBO Max, Eurosport
Portugal – HBO Max, Eurosport
Romania – HBO Max, Eurosport
Serbia – HBO Max, Eurosport
Slovakia – HBO Max, Eurosport
Slovenia – HBO Max, Eurosport
Spain – HBO Max, Eurosport
Sweden – HBO Max, Eurosport
Switzerland - MTBWS TV , SRF/RSI (Elite XCO and XCC races live online only)
Turkey – HBO Max, Eurosport
Kingdom Unito – discovery+, TNT Sports
All other European territories - MTBWS TV
RUNNERS TO WATCH
In the downhill, all eyes are on the battle between Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) e Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity). The two have shared the spoils so far this season – Goldstone leading Bruni by four wins to two – but the Frenchman's victory at Pal Arinsal (Andorra) ended the Canadian's record-breaking winning streak in the last edition. With four races remaining in the series, every point and every finish takes on even greater importance in the title race.
Whatever happens, it is likely to be an all-French race, with the last non-native to have won at Les Gets in Haute-Savoie being Steve Peat in 2002. Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing – SR Suntour), Bruni e Benoît Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) have all won on this track since it rejoined the UCI Downhill World Cup circuit in 2019, and they are all in contention for Saturday’s final.
While the home athletes have not been as dominant in the women's category, it is expected that Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) e Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) give the crowd something to cheer about.
Elsewhere, the series leader's quest for victory Valentina Hell (YT Mob) continues, but with four second places this year it's only a matter of time for the Austrian, while Tahnee Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) appear the most likely to challenge the reigning UCI Downhill World Champion for the top spot.
Flanking the downhill are XCC on Friday and XCO on Sunday, with both series becoming increasingly interesting as they near their conclusion.
Previously, it was difficult to look beyond Christopher Blevins (Specialized Factory Racing) e Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in the XCC, but both riders' winning streaks were interrupted at altitude in Pal Arinsal. Although the pair are aiming to bounce back, they have proven they are not infallible.
In the men's category, Luke Martin (Cannondale Factory Racing) became the only rider to beat Blevins all year and is eager to repeat the feat in front of his home crowd. Alexandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), meanwhile, has shown that he is not to be underestimated in the overall standings and will aim to catch the championship leader Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing – Pirelli) on a course he won in 2024.
On Sunday, Martin and Blevins will be back in contention, while the American's teammate Martin Vidaurre Kossman (Specialized Factory Racing) will aim to return to the XCO podium. Also Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is likely to challenge for the win, as the Dutchman switches to mountain biking ahead of his challenge at next weekend's XCO race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. The race will also be the penultimate UCI XCO World Cup in Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team), the best Swiss ever who announced the his retirement at the next stage of the Bike Kingdom of Lenzerheide (Switzerland). The 39-year-old has won in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie, twice in his legendary career, including the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, and few would bet against him turning his experience into a fairytale with a third-place finish this year.
In the women's field, the focus is on an athlete at the other end of her career: Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team). The New Zealander is having a breakthrough year with two wins and four second-place finishes so far and seems unassailable in the overall standings. A result in France would make the title a foregone conclusion.
The rider with the best chance of stopping her is Pieterse. The Dutchwoman returns to mountain biking after a quiet Tour de France Femmes by her standards, and she hopes to return to victory after a disappointing weekend in Pal Arinsal.
The races will begin on Friday 29 August in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie.
The full program and event details are available HERE .
