Finn Treudler reveals the reason for his disappearance from the World Cup

When Finn Treudler burst onto the scene at the XCO World Cup 2026, he seemed destined to become one of the great stories of the season. The reigning U23 world champion surprised everyone in his elite debut in YongPyong (South Korea), where he was competitive from the very first moment against the best riders in the world. However, after that promising debut, he disappeared from the calendar and missed the Nové Město event without many details emerging. Now, it has been the Swiss rider himself who has publicly explained what is happening to him.

Finn Treudler confirms he has mononucleosis caused by the Epstein-Barr virus

Through a medical update posted on his social media, Treudler revealed that he has been diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, responsible for infectious mononucleosis, a condition that can require long recovery periods for high-level athletes.

According to the Cube Factory Racing rider, the infection has had particularly significant consequences for his body.

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“I was diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus, which causes infectious mononucleosis. In my case, it caused severe inflammation of the spleen.”

The Swiss explained that during the first two weeks, he experienced significant weakness and various symptoms associated with the illness. Although he began to feel better afterward, the complete recovery is taking much longer than expected.

“In the first two weeks, I felt quite weak and had some symptoms of illness. After that, I started to feel better, but the spleen and liver need a lot of time to recover. So I still can't do much at the moment.”

An unexpected halt for one of the sensations of the season's start

The news is particularly hard because Treudler had become one of the great revelations of the World Cup during the season opener in South Korea.

In the Short Track, he achieved a surprising sixth place after spending much of the race among the favorites. Two days later, he confirmed that it was not a fluke.

In the XCO of YongPyong, he was riding in the top positions alongside Dario Lillo and showed spectacular physical form in the most demanding parts of the circuit. A recurring mechanical problem with the transmission ultimately ruined his chances of fighting for the podium, but he still made it clear that he had the potential to compete from day one with the world elite.

Additionally, that weekend he drew attention for competing with a prototype of the future Cube AMS Zero99, a bike that became one of the most talked-about technical developments in the paddock.

No date for a return to competition

One of the most frustrating aspects for Treudler is that there is still no clear forecast on when he will be able to return to normal training and subsequently return to competition.

“As you can imagine, it is quite hard for me at this moment, with many important races taking place. Especially because it is not possible to make an exact prediction of when I will be able to fully train again and ultimately compete.”

Despite this, the 23-year-old rider remains optimistic thanks to the progress he has made in recent medical check-ups and the support of those around him.

“Between each medical check-up, I have been making progress, which makes me confident in the coming weeks. I have great support around me, and I am convinced that I will come back stronger.”

Treudler's absence represents a significant setback for both Cube Factory Racing and one of the riders who had generated the most anticipation at the start of the season. After his brilliant debut in YongPyong, many expected to see him establish himself among the best in the elite category, but now his priority will be to complete a full recovery before putting on a race number again.