The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series finale runs Oct. 2-4 with short track on Friday, XCO on Saturday and downhill wrapping up the entire season Sunday. The cross-country races take place at Mt. Van Hoevenberg while the downhillers head to Whiteface Mountain.
Rissveds and Frei have two titles to settle
Jenny Rissveds heads into Lake Placid with a healthy 220-point advantage over Sina Frei in the women’s XCO standings, but with 330 points still available, it’s not over yet.
Rissveds could wrap up the XCO overall during Friday’s short track. She just needs to scores 30 more points than Frei, the title is hers before Saturday’s XCO even starts.
But Frei leads Rissveds by 100 points in the XCC standings and a podium Friday guarantees Frei the overall. Rissveds needs to win and have Frei finish fourth or worse to have a shot at taking it away.
Rissveds has done well here in the past: she won both the XCC and XCO at Lake Placid last year.
Of course one person we’ll all be watching closely is Jenn Jackson. After a summer off due to a broken patella, she’s back and doing well. She placed 9th in XCO in Utah a couple weeks back.
Martin has one title, but another is still up for grabs
On the men’s side, Luca Martin’s XCO overall is essentially settled. Adrien Boichis, the only rider who could challenge him, has switched over to road racing for the end of the season. Martin had an incredibly consistent year that included five consecutive World Cup podiums and two wins.
The XCC title is another story.
Martin leads Mathis Azzaro by 96 points among the riders competing in Lake Placid. A podium guarantees Martin the title. Azzaro needs to win and Martin needs to finish outside the top three.
So Friday’s short track should be worth watching. And we’re here for whatever Cole Punchard decides to do. The scrappy Canadian placed 2nd in Utah a couple weeks back and is always an exciting rider to watch.
Gracey Hemstreet is still fighting for second
It’s old news that Valentina Höll has already wrapped up the women’s downhill overall. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t in it to win it. Her victory in Whistler was her sixth World Cup win of 2026.
Behind her, things are still up for grabs. Gloria Scarsi currently sits second overall with Harriet Harnden and Canadian Gracey Hemstreet close behind. Six women are still mathematically capable of finishing second, although Scarsi, Harnden and Hemstreet are the main contenders.
For Hemstreet, that makes Sunday’s final one last opportunity to cap off an already massive season.
Asa Vermette has the advantage
Then there’s the men’s downhill. And this one should be good. Asa Vermette’s incredible winning run in Whistler moved the first-year-elite into the overall lead ahead of Jordan Williams. Amaury Pierron remains mathematically alive too, making it a three-rider title fight.
Vermette leads Williams by 96 points and can finish as low as fourth regardless of what Williams does and still take the overall.
Williams’ best route is straightforward, although not particularly easy: win the race and have Vermette finish fifth or worse. Pierron’s route is considerably more complicated. He needs to win, Williams needs to finish fourth or worse and Vermette needs to finish 10th or worse.
After what Vermette did in Whistler, he’ll be the guy everyone is watching.
But this is racing and one never knows how things are going to shake out. No doubt Jackson Goldstone, Finn Iles and the Jewett brothers would love to throw a couple wrenches into the mix too.
Lake Placid World Cup schedule
All times below are Eastern.
Friday, Oct. 2 — XCC
Women U23 XCC — 9:20 a.m.
Men U23 XCC — 10:10 a.m.
Women elite XCC — 11:45 a.m. (televised on Flobikes)
Men elite XCC — 12:35 p.m. (televised on Flobikes)
Saturday, Oct. 3 — XCO and downhill qualifying
Women U23 XCO — 9 a.m.
Men U23 XCO — 11 a.m.
Downhill elite Women Q1 — 12:30 p.m.
Downhill elite Men Q1 — 1 p.m.
Women elite XCO — 2 p.m. (televised on Flobikes)
Downhill elite Women Q2 — 3 p.m.
Downhill elite Men Q2 — 3:30 p.m.
Men elite XCO — 4 p.m. (televised on Flobikes)
Sunday, Oct. 4 — downhill finals
Junior men DH final — 11:30 a.m.
Junior women DH final — 12:15 p.m.
Women elite DH final — 1 p.m. (televised on Flobikes)
Men elite DH final — 2:10 p.m. (televised on Flobikes)
How to watch in Canada
Obviously the best way to watch this event is in Lake Placid.
For those of us that can’t make it, you’ll need a FloBikes subscription. And unfortunately the only live streaming that will happen is of the elite men and women races. Unless of course the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel decides to live stream the junior races (always worth checking!).
*Affiliate links present. Canadian Cycling Magazine may receive commissions.