UCI Enduro World Cup finale in Loudenvielle
Jesse Melamed gets sixth place overall at the muddy finale of the UCI Enduro World Cup in Loudenvielle, France.
The final round of the UCI Enduro World Cup in Loudenvielle – Peyragudes was an unforgettable showdown, with both the men’s and women’s overall titles hanging in the balance. The challenging conditions of the Louron bike park in the French Pyrenees, paired with some seriously unpredictable weather. High winds on the upper mountain resulted in Stage 3 being canceled and moments of heavy rain created a sloppy, muddy unforgiving course.
Stage 1: Couralets
In the women’s category, the battle for the overall title was fiercely competitive. Harriet Harnden (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) and Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) were separated by just 63 points coming into the final round. Harnden made a strong start, winning the muddy 2.7km opening stage, while Courdurier finished third, keeping the fight alive with a 17-second gap.
For the men, Richie Rude (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) aimed for his fourth overall title. Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Charles Murray (Specialized Enduro Team) were the only riders who could challenge Rude, but he showed dominance right from the start, finishing the stage in 7:01.468, placing him in a strong position for the overall title.
Stage 2: Nabias
Stage 2 brought even more chaos as the track conditions worsened. The mud caused havoc for the riders. Mélanie Pugin was the only woman to finish under 10 minutes, while Harnden struggled, finishing 56 seconds behind Pugin. Courdurier faced even worse luck, suffering multiple mechanicals and falling two-and-a-half minutes behind, dropping to 11th in the overall standings.
The men’s race saw riders slipping and sliding through the mud, but Richie Rude remained steady, finishing second behind Belgian rider Martin Maes. Lukasik and Murray’s chances of claiming the title were diminishing, as Rude maintained his consistent performance.
Stage 4: Zebre
Stage 4, the shortest of the day, was crucial for Courdurier, who needed every point to have a shot at retaining her title. She secured the stage win, but Harnden’s seven-second deficit was enough to keep her comfortably ahead. Meanwhile, Pugin maintained her lead in the day’s overall standings, with Morgane Charre close behind.
In the men’s race, Maes won the stage, extending his lead, while Rude’s third-place finish kept him in contention for the overall title.
Stage 5: Tourteres
The final stage saw the women’s title decided. Harnden, with a 14-point lead coming into the stage, only needed to finish within one-and-a-half minutes of Courdurier to secure her first overall title. She crossed the line 20 seconds ahead, sealing her victory. Charre claimed her second win of the season, leapfrogging into third place overall.
In the men’s race, Maes secured his first win since 2021, while Rude’s third-place finish was enough to claim his fourth overall UCI Enduro World Cup title, capping off an incredible season.
U-21 Champions Crowned
In the U-21 category, Emily Carrick-Anderson won her second race of the season, while Simona Kuchynkova clinched the overall title. Canada’s Elly Hoskin took third place trailing the leader by just over an hour (she won stage 1 and stage 5), and securing her second place overall for the season.
In the men’s event, Jakub Pivnicka took the win, while Bailey Christie narrowly secured the overall title despite a challenging performance.
Conclusion
The UCI Enduro World Cup finale in Loudenvielle proved to be a thrilling end to the season. With Harriet Harnden and Richie Rude claiming the overall titles in challenging conditions, their victories solidified their legacies in the sport. Canadian elite rider Kasper Woolley ended up eighth on the day, placing as high as fourth on stage 5. Canuck Jack Menzies placed ninth at the finale and Jesse Melamed took 20th place. These results concluded the season putting Melamed in sixth overall, Woolley in seventh and Menzies tenth. Elliot Jamieson took 13th and Rhys Vernor took the 2oth spot.