MTB Weekend Highlights: Best of XCO and DHI (April 25–27, 2025)

The last weekend of April brought several exciting races and strong performances in both Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill (DHI) disciplines to the international mountain bike calendar. We take a look at the standout names from competitions across America and Europe.

Pan American MTB Championship – Heredia, Costa Rica

The continent's most important event gathered the best riders from the Americas in Heredia for memorable performances. Canadian rider Jennifer Jackson clearly dominated the elite women's XCO category, showing her strength against Kate Courtney (USA) and Emily Johnston (Canada).

In the elite men's category, Mexican José Ulloa claimed gold in a closely contested race against Ulan Bastos (Brazil) and Catriel Soto (Argentina), reaffirming his leadership on the continent.

The U23 categories were completely dominated by Canada: Ella MacPhee won in the women's field, while Owen Clark secured victory in the men's, showcasing the promising future of Canadian cycling.

French MTB Cup – Guéret

In Guéret, France, the French XCO-XCC Cup and Junior Series saw the local riders shine with standout performances from Loana Lecomte in the elite women's category and Jordan Sarrou in the elite men's. Both French riders lived up to their status as favorites.

Young talents also made their mark, especially Lise Revol and Lucas Teste, who won in the junior women's and men's categories respectively, confirming the strong development of French MTB.

Portugal XCO Cup – Lousada International

The competition held in Lousada highlighted the local talent, with Ana Santos winning the elite women's race, ahead of Raquel Queirós and Beatriz Guerra, establishing herself as one of Portugal's top riders.

In the elite men's category, Spaniard Alejandro García Vázquez delivered an excellent performance, winning over Portuguese riders João Cruz and Ricardo Marinheiro and enhancing his international profile.

Czech MTB Cup – Zadov

In Zadov, Czech Republic, the Czech MTB Cup added another highlight to the weekend. Jitka Čábelická won the elite women's race with a strong performance, while Ondřej Cink claimed victory in the elite men's category, demonstrating his excellent form and reaffirming his status as one of the leading Czech riders.

The Czech riders showed solid form ahead of the upcoming World Cup events, particularly among the younger categories as well.

Shimano MTB Liga #1 – Sjælland, Denmark

In Denmark, local riders dominated the opening round of the Shimano MTB Liga. Caroline Bohé stood out in the elite women's race, showing authority on the circuit, while Mikkel Lose claimed victory in the men's race, beating strong competitors like Sebastian Fini Carstensen and Nikolaj Hougs.

III DHI Pozo do Demo – Verín, Spain

The third edition of DHI Pozo do Demo, held in Verín, Ourense, was a key event on the Spanish national downhill calendar. In the elite men's category, Daniel Castellanos Liberal claimed the win, followed by Ignacio García Ayora and José Borges. In the elite women's category, Swiss rider Camille Balanche dominated the race, with Kira Zamora Novales and Mireia Pi Madrenas completing the podium.

Portugal DHI Cup – Castro Daire, Portugal

The Portugal Downhill Cup stop in Castro Daire saw British rider Jack Reading take the victory in the elite men's race, showcasing his experience and technical prowess on the challenging Portuguese track. In the elite women's category, Mikayla Parton secured the win, solidifying her place as a leading figure in Portuguese downhill events.

iXS European Downhill Cup – Fort William, United Kingdom

The second round of the iXS European Downhill Cup was held at the iconic Fort William track. In the elite men's race, Matt Walker (GBR – Trek Factory Racing) finished second, while Danny Hart (GBR – Norco Race Division) secured third place.

These downhill events demonstrated the high level and competitiveness of the international downhill scene.

XCO Riders of the Weekend

• Jennifer Jackson (CAN): Undisputed leader at the Pan American Championship.

• José Ulloa (MEX): Commanding Pan American champion.

• Loana Lecomte (FRA) and Jordan Sarrou (FRA): Brilliant performances in the French Cup.

• Ana Santos (POR) and Alejandro García Vázquez (ESP): Key figures in the Portugal Cup.

• Caroline Bohé (DEN) and Mikkel Lose (DEN): Standouts at the Shimano MTB Liga in Denmark.

• Jitka Čábelická (CZE) and Ondřej Cink (CZE): Top performers in the Czech MTB Cup.

DHI Riders of the Weekend

• Daniel Castellanos Liberal (ESP) and Camille Balanche (SUI): Dominators at DHI Pozo do Demo.

• Jack Reading (GBR) and Mikayla Parton (GBR): Winners at Portugal DHI Cup.

• Matt Walker (GBR) and Danny Hart (GBR): Podium finishes at iXS European Downhill Cup.

You can check all the detailed results at MTBData.com.