Van der Poel returns at the XCO World Cup in Les Gets: favorites, times and how to watch

From August 28 to 31, Les Gets becomes the world epicenter of mountain biking with a triple event of the World Cup where Enduro, DH, and XCO/XCC races will be held. This will be a key event on the calendar as bikers will use it as a dress rehearsal for the World Championship that will take place a few days later in Switzerland.

Schedule and how to watch the XCO/XCC World Cup in Les Gets 2025

All elite races can be followed live through Eurosport and the digital platform MAX, and you can also follow minute by minute on brujulabike.com. The event will have five days of activity in the French Alps, although the official XCC and XCO races will be concentrated between Friday and Sunday.

Friday, August 29 - Short Track (XCC)

• 09:45 - XCC Women U23
• 10:35 - XCC Men U23
• 18:00 - XCC Women Elite
• 18:40 - XCC Men Elite

Sunday, August 31 - Cross-country Olympic (XCO)

• 09:00 - XCO Women U23
• 11:00 - XCO Men U23
• 13:00 - XCO Women Elite
• 15:00 - XCO Men Elite

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After several hot days, a sudden change of weather typical of this time of the year in the French Alps has arrived in Les Gets. The riders have been training for a couple of days on the course in heavy rain and muddy conditions and although intermittent showers are expected for the Short Track on Friday, the XCO race on Sunday looks set to be sunny and 21 degrees Celsius.

UPDATE: The layout for the Short Track race has been modified at the last minute due to the conditions of the circuit and for safety reasons. The big rock garden has been removed and the organization will provide an alternative route.

This change will only affect the XCC race and the rock garden will be kept for the XCO circuit on Sunday.

The changing conditions of the circuit can be one of the keys to the competition because of the large number of variables and tests that riders need to control in their set-ups, configuration and tire choice.

Les Gets, an emblematic venue for mountain biking

With over three decades of hosting major cycling events, Les Gets has been the venue for UCI World Championships, World Cups, Crankworx, and numerous national events. It was also the starting point for a stage of the Tour de France in 2023.

In 2025, Les Gets will once again bring together the best specialists in the discipline as part of a double event in the Haute-Savoie region, following the start in Morillon with Enduro races. In addition to the competition, the organization has prepared concerts, exhibitions, and interactive areas for fans.

Van der Poel arrives ready to shake off bad luck in mountain biking

In the men's category, Specialized Factory Racing is having one of its best seasons, although its riders have experienced significant ups and downs in recent events. Nevertheless, Chris Blevins, Martin Vidaurre, and the Frenchman Victor Koretzky are clear contenders for the podium.

All eyes will once again be on the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, who aims to break one of his recent worst streaks in mountain biking. Since the Tokyo Olympics, he has competed in five events and has only been able to finish one, abandoning the others due to falls. Despite this, his quality remains unquestionable and, if he manages to complete a race without setbacks, he can fight for victory.

Among the young promises of XCO, Luca Martin and Charlie Aldridge (both from Cannondale Factory Racing) stand out, as they have already stepped onto the podium in Andorra. It is expected that they will be at the forefront again, especially Martin, who will be racing in front of his home crowd.

The current world champion, Alan Hatherly (Giant), cannot be ruled out either, as he won here in 2024, although far from his best form. The list of candidates also includes the Swiss riders Filippo Colombo (SCOTT SRAM), the great revelation of the year, Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon), and Nino Schurter (SCOTT SRAM), who has already announced his retirement but can still surprise one last time.

Top contenders for winning the XCO in Les Gets 2025

After the summer break, the XCO World Cup returns with an event that could mark a new starting point. The form of the favorites is unknown, and it will be interesting to see if the weeks of training have helped improve performance... or if the rest has taken its toll.

The most consistent rider of the year has been Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford), the current leader in the overall standings, who should once again be fighting for top positions. On the other hand, the world champion Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) dominated clearly in Nove Mesto and Val di Sole, but showed some ups and downs in Andorra. Additionally, during the break, she has been competing in the Tour de France, so her performance is a mystery. However, she won in Les Gets in 2024, so repeating victory would not be a surprise.

The group of favorites expands with riders like Jenny Rissveds (Canyon), the Frenchwoman Loana Lecomte (Canyon), the South African Candice Lill, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon), Laura Stigger (Specialized), or Jennifer Jackson (Orbea), all with arguments to step onto the podium.