A global stage, and a powerful beginning.
The 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Series opened in Mona Yongpyong, South Korea, a new stop on the calendar and a new proving ground for the world’s fastest racers. From the first run, Troy Lee Designs women set the tone: aggressive, composed and ready to define the season ahead.
A Winning Start for Vali Höll
Four-time world champion Vali Höll wasted no time making her presence be known in her debut with the Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres team. With a commanding run in Elite Women, she claimed the top step and opened her 2026 campaign exactly where she left off, at the front. Precision, control, and outright speed, this was dominance, delivered.
Junior Class, Rewritten
In the junior ranks, Aletha Ostgaard delivered one of the standout performances of the weekend. Not only did she take the win in Junior Women, but she also clocked the fastest time of any female rider on the day, elite included. A breakout ride that signals a serious force emerging in the field.
Depth Across the Field
Beyond the podiums, the strength of TLD athletes ran deep. Lisa Baumann battled into the top 10 in Elite Women, showing resilience in a stacked field. Over on Canyon Factory Racing, there were flashes of serious pace, most notably from Marine Cabirou, who was on a blistering run before an untimely crash cut her charge short. The speed is there, and it’s coming.
While the women led the charge, the men stacked results across the board. Antoine Pierron and Evan Medcalf put in the work with 12th and 13th place finishes in Elite Men, valuable points to open the season. For Canyon Factory Racing, Troy Brosnan and Luca Shaw followed with 15th and 16th, the kind of steady momentum that will build into something bigger.
More Than Results, A Shift in Momentum
From elite wins to junior breakthroughs, this wasn’t just a strong weekend, it was a signal. The next generation is here, the veterans are still setting the benchmark, and together they’re pushing the sport forward.
This is what it looks like when TLD women lead the charge.
TLD Highlights
· Elite Women Win: Vali H Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres)
· Elite Women Top 10 Finish (10th): Lisa Baumann (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres)
· Junior Women Win + Fastest Female Time: Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon Factory Racing)
· Junior Women Podium (3rd): Tilly Boadle (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres)
For more information on the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Series and to follow the action throughout the season, visit www.ucimtbworldseries.com.
