UCI MTB World Cup (All forms!)

[glassmoon]

My gut is telling more that Cannondale has gone for a U23 Women, close to home. Now let's see if the indirect signs I saw are right this time.

would make Jolanda fit as the day to day mentor and tech skills lecturer/adviser for the youngsters... while still able to race and hopefully snatch a good result here and there when healthy....

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Interesting to see Red Bull are now involved, sponsoring another Road team.......
I know they sponsor individual riders, but I wonder if they've ever thought of a Red Bull MTB team?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

The new Continental series has been announced;

https://twitter.com/x/status/1869707817978081549

View: https://x.com/UCI_MTB/status/1869707817978081549



Whilst not surprised, no round for the UK.....So we can't get a World Cup, or a Continental Cup. Not looking great for off-road racing in the UK, especially when we have riders on top teams.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Annika Langvad will return to racing with Specialized next year. When she retired it was with a wish of starting a family before it was too late, but it sadly still turn out to be a lengthy struggle for her and her partner to become pregnant, before she gave birth to a daughter five months ago.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/warner-bros-discovery-sports-claims-record-breaking-viewerships-after-successful-second-season.html

 

[Wyndbrook]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/warner-bros-discovery-sports-claims-record-breaking-viewerships-after-successful-second-season.html

Not sure how it was measured, hope they did not just add the GCN viewers like me who were forced to migrate.
But yippee, must mean lots more sponsors will want to bring their money into oursport!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I'm afraid we've all heard similar things before; the proof will be what these figures mean. Sponsorship & improved/ better media coverage.
Outside of the usual MTB media, has the coverage from the non MTB media improved, as that is what they need. At the moment, nothing has changed - I'm not sure what they were expecting.

Just look at this site; MTB news is sparse, and tends to be linked to well known road racers in MTB racing.

 

[pastronef]

Litscher, Fini, Degn will leave Lapierre-Unity

Fini was spotted training with an electronic RockShox fork and Sram brakes. I'd say he'll go Decathlon (they leave TRP and Manitou, they'll go full Sram)

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Yes, and Orbea have also had a clear out.........

 

[pastronef]

yes, Orbea and KMC had some clear-out

Cink confirms he's off Mondraker-Primaflor. waiting for Rebecca's news. the rumor is there is a manage change between Orbea and Primaflor. the bikes will be Orbea, just 1 team will remain.

I wonder where Mona will end up. Orbea has the cash.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I really wonder about her; the rumours mentioned her concentrating on XC Marathon, but there is no decent programme for Marathon racers, with the World Cup binned.
I still think she can do well in the XCO races that suit her.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Q36.5 team announced - no Filippo Colombo; though he only rode one race last year for them.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

End of the Primaflor Mondraker Racing Team

The news had been circulating for a few months but the confirmation represents a new era for national mountain biking.

en.brujulabike.com

Not the biggest surprise.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

And a long instagram post from Bec Henderson........And as ever in MTB, no clue to where she is riding.

Also, looks like Loana will be on a BMC - was seen wearing a BMC helmet, and a bike with a red stem.

 

[glassmoon]

Loana to BMC was pretty much to only logical direction she could take...

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Loana to BMC was pretty much to only logical direction she could take...

Yeah, there didn't seem to be too many other options - maybe Decathlon Ford, another French team, but I doubt they had the $$$ or space.

She doesn't seem to have ever had interest from WWT road teams, and seems to be a pure XC rider.

 

[pastronef]

Mona rumored to Human Powered health on the road! (MTBR forum)

 

[Ricco']

Mona rumored to Human Powered health on the road! (MTBR forum)

It's official.

Three-time MTB world champion joins Human Powered Health

Austrian Mona Mitterwallner signs through 2026.

humanpoweredhealthcycling.com

Not a lot of talk about conciliating disciplines, rather why road is better for her compared to mountain bike.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Mona Mitterwallner leaves Cannondale and signs with a road team:

It remains to be seen if Mitterwallner will try to combine road cycling with mountain biking, although rumors suggest that he might.

en.brujulabike.com

I did wonder whether the Road would be better for her; XCO is too explosive, and she loses far too many positions. XC Marathon is a road to nowhere for someone as young & talented as her.

But, it's yet another top talent leaving for the Road.........

 

[glassmoon]

does she even know how to ride in the pro road peloton? i haven't been checking thoroughly but i can't say i ever saw her racing any pro road race ever... i might be completely wrong though.

ps: she looks rather chunky on those photos

 

[pastronef]

does she even know how to ride in the pro road peloton? i haven't been checking thoroughly but i can't say i ever saw her racing any pro road race ever... i might be completely wrong though.

ps: she looks rather chunky on those photos

she has puffy cheeks, always. in winter they are a bit puffier

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Worryingly, from a XC MTB point of view, 3/4 of World champions will start 2025 on WT/WWT Road teams.

Junior XCO - Philipsen (Lidl-Trek), Chaldanova (Visma)
U23 XCC - N/A, Holmgren (Lidl-Trek)
U23 XCO - N/A, Holmgren (Lidl-Trek)
Elite XCC - N/A, N/A
Elite XCO - Hatherly (JaycoAluLa), Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck)
XCMarathon - N/A, Mitterwallner (Human Powered Health)

 

[Wyndbrook]

Looking at First Cycling Mona was 11th in the 2021 European u23 champs, also rode the 2020 Watersley challenge. Also 11th overall. That appears to be it other than perhaps at a lower level.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Looking at First Cycling Mona was 11th in the 2021 European u23 champs, also rode the 2020 Watersley challenge. Also 11th overall. That appears to be it other than perhaps at a lower level.

She also rode a selection race ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, after she had lost the MTB spot to Stigger, but she also missed out there, which obviously turned out pretty well for the Austrians.

 

[stonerider]

she has puffy cheeks, always. in winter they are a bit puffier

She has looked puffy for the last year or so, starting at Cape Epic 2024. She was so thin when she came into XCO elites. I really don't see her performing well on the road. She talks about recovering well for stage races in the article but she is a vegan, so if she doesn't have her supplement routine correct that's out the window as well.