Martin Vidaurre claims his – and Chile’s – first Elite World Cup victory in Daolasa, while Puck Pieterse dominates the women’s field once again. WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Val di Sole ends with record crowds and a clear outlook: the road to the 2026 World Championships has begun.
Few events deliver mountain biking’s raw essence like Val di Sole. On Sunday June 22nd, the roar of thousands in Daolasa underscored what the numbers already show: this corner of Trentino is one of the sport’s great theaters. Four races, dry and dusty trails, tactical shakeups, and solo exhibitions — the Cross Country finale of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series served up everything fans and riders could ask for on a sunny and scorching-hot day.
The Elite Men’s race saw Chile’s Martin Vidaurre (Specialized Racing) make history with his first career victory at this level — the first ever for his nation in the Elite XCO World Cup. In the women’s race, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) backed up her Short Track triumph with another commanding performance, solidifying her place among the sport’s most dominant forces.
The excited and loudy crowd made itself heard for Luca Braidot (Wilier-Vittoria), who brought a gutty charge for the big prize in the Men’s Elite race, eventually having to settle for fourth place after a mistake in the penultimate lap spoiled his podium hopes.
In the U23 Women’s race, 20-year-old Valentina Corvi (Canyon CLLCTV) made a winning return from injury, clinching her first World Cup victory, imitated by Dutchman Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley) among Under 23 Men.
Val di Sole wraps up one of its most memorable editions in recent years, praised by teams and insiders alike and celebrated by the enthusiastic crowd of 22.000 spectators who packed the venue over three days of racing. The perfect springboard for a new chapter on the world stage: the road to the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole (August 26–30) starts now.
VIDAURRE BREAKS THROUGH IN DAOLASA
On a day that many expected to be defined by Chris Blevins and Nino Schurter, it was Martin Vidaurre who turned heads. The former U23 World Champion, already a consistent performer this season, put together a calculated and bold second half to claim his maiden Elite World Cup win — four years after taking the rainbow jersey on this same course.
He attacked on lap six, bridged up to France’s Mathis Azzaro, and never looked back. Switzerland’s Fabio Püntener rounded out the podium, taking advantage of a late error from Luca Braidot (Italy), who had animated the early laps alongside Filippo Colombo before ultimately finishing fourth.
Vidaurre’s performance was as emphatic as it was historic. “I love racing in Italy, the energy was incredible,” said the Chilean. “This win is huge — for me and for my country. I knew I had the legs, and I just went all-in.”
Azzaro continues to confirm his status as one of the season’s revelations, while Püntener also earned his first Elite podium. Chris Blevins finished eighth and retains the leader’s jersey in the overall standings with 1282 points, ahead of Vidaurre (952) and Victor Koretzky (866).
Among Under 23, Dutchman Rens Teunissen Van Manen (KMC Ridley) celebrated ahead of Switzerland’s Finn Treudler (CUBE Factory) and Germany’s Benjamin Kruger.
PUCK PIETERSE CONFIRMS FORM
Two days after controlling the Short Track, Puck Pieterse left no doubt about her dominance by adding another win in the Olympic XCO format. From the first lap, the World Champion set a searing pace that even Olympic gold medalist Jenny Rissveds couldn’t match. After one lap, the Swede was forced to ease off as the Dutch rider extended her lead.
Behind her, Samara Maxwell once again impressed, working her way steadily through the field after a conservative start to claim second place, 26 seconds back. Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory) completed the podium after a tight contest with Rissveds and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory).
Pieterse said: “I knew Jenny would go out hard — she always does — but I felt good and focused on keeping my own rhythm. It wasn’t a race I could relax in, the gap stayed tight. But I’m happy with the performance — and with how I’m feeling right now.”
Maxwell remains the overall World Cup leader with 1253 points, ahead of Koller (912) and Pieterse (850).
The day was opened with a powerful solo ride by Italy’s Valentina Corvi, who returned from injury to take her first World Cup win in the U23 Women’s category. She led from start to finish, while Switzerland’s Fiona Schibler came from behind to claim second ahead of Sara Cortinovis, who had set the early pace.
Corvi’s win marks an emotional comeback and puts her in strong position ahead of the U23 Worlds later this summer.
A SUCCESSFUL EDITION WITH EYES ON 2026
The 2025 edition of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Val di Sole closed with high praise from teams, fans, and international stakeholders. Tens of thousands of spectators lined the course across three days, confirming Val di Sole as one of the most cherished venues in global MTB.
Luciano Rizzi, President of APT Val di Sole, and Fabio Sacco, Director of Grandi Eventi Val di Sole, expressed their pride in the event’s growing status. “We’ve hosted world-class racing in a truly electric atmosphere. The response from the public and the global mountain bike community has been outstanding.”
As the final podiums were celebrated, attention immediately turned to the next chapter. From August 26 to 30, 2026, Val di Sole will host the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships — featuring Cross Country, Short Track, Downhill, E-MTB and Team Relay disciplines.
Daolasa di Commezzadura (Italy), June 22nd, 2025
