Chiara Teocchi of Estonia rides the berm during the UCI women’s cross-country World Cup in September 2024.
(Enterprise photo — Parker O’Brien)
LAKE PLACID — The UCI Mountain Bike World Series will return to Lake Placid from Friday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 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 and Cross-country Olympic at Mount Van Hoevenberg and Downhill at Whiteface Mountain.
With the addition of Downhill racing, Lake Placid becomes one of just seven destinations on the 2025 World Series calendar to host both formats on the same weekend. Lake Placid is also 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,” state Olympic Regional Development 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 Arax, Minas Gerais, Brazil and concludes Oct. 9 to 12 at Mont-Sainte-Anne in Quebec. The weekend will feature some of 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 last year 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 ORDA and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports, the global promoter of the series.
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.
Lake Placid made its debut on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar in 2024 with UCI XCO, XCC and Cross-country Marathon races at Mt Van Hoevenberg.
Last year, Specialized Factory Racing’s Victor Koretzky clinched both the XCO and XCC victories, while teammates Laura Stigger and Sina Frei secured the top two spots in the women’s XCC and XCO. This year’s race is expected to feature an all-star cast of returning champions, rising stars and legends of the sport.
Among the top contenders are: Valentina Hll, the 24-year-old reigning UCI Downhill World Champion; Loc Bruni, a five-time UCI World Champion; Alessandra Keller, the reigning UCI XCO and XCC World Cup champion; Haley Batten, who 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, an Olympian, who opened this season in dominant fashion, winning three of the four races; and Riley Amos, who finished seventh at the Paris Olympics.
Tickets for the event are currently on sale at tinyurl.com/2s4asm84. Admission is free for SKI3 season pass holders.
