Valero battles for the 2026 XCM World Cup at “the most technical race in the world”: schedule, key points and where to watch

The XCM World Cup 2026 arrives this weekend at its final stop and will do so in one of the most unique settings of the entire season. The Tramun Sea Otter Europe will close the championship on Sunday, September 20, in Girona, with David Valero and Wout Alleman competing for the men's overall title and Anna Weinbeer arriving with the women's title mathematically secured.

The Tramun closes the XCM World Cup 2026: dates, times, broadcast, and key points

After five events held since last February, the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup will face its sixth and final date of the calendar in Girona. The Tramun will be, for the second consecutive year, the one to put the finishing touch to the season, also part of the Sea Otter Europe, which will take place from September 18 to 20.

The race will start on Sunday, September 20, at 8:30 from Les Planes d'Hostoles and will finish in Girona, within the Sea Otter Europe venue. The arrival of the first Elite riders is expected around 13:00, and the final World Cup ceremony will begin at 15:00.

But beyond deciding the overall standings, The Tramun stands out particularly for the nature of its course.

The most technical race in the world and 80% trails

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The Tramun has earned the popular consideration over the years of being "the most technical race in the world" within XCM. This fame is closely related to a course philosophy quite distant from marathons dominated by wide tracks and long ascents.

The data highlighted by the organization summarizes its character well:

• Distance: 78 km
• Positive elevation gain: 2,969 m
• Trails: 80%
• Category: UCI XCM World Cup

That 80% of trails is undoubtedly its most recognizable feature. The race links numerous technical sections through the forests of Girona, forcing participants to combine the endurance typical of a marathon event with a technical level much closer to pure MTB.

The start will be located in Les Planes d'Hostoles, and from there, participants will have to overcome a practically constant terrain of climbs, descents, and trails before reaching Girona.

David Valero arrives as leader and will compete for the World Cup with Wout Alleman

The men's classification is completely open for this final race. David Valero leads the overall with 940 points, while the Belgian Wout Alleman occupies second place with 865, only 75 points behind. Leonardo Páez is in third with 696 points, already too far to catch Valero considering that the victory awards 250 points.

This situation turns The Tramun into a direct showdown between Valero and Alleman for the World Cup. With 250 points for the winner, 200 for second place, and 160 for third, the positions they achieve in Girona will determine who finishes the season at the top of the championship.

The men's overall before The Tramun is as follows:

1. David Valero – 940 points
2. Wout Alleman – 865 points
3. Leonardo Páez – 696 points
4. Stefano Goria – 550 points
5. Samuele Porro – 535 points
6. Davide Foccoli – 511 points
7. Dario Cherchi – 493 points
8. Andreas Seewald – 472 points
9. Jakob Hartmann – 412 points
10. Luis Francisco Pérez – 388 points

Natalia Fischer arrives second but Anna Weinbeer has already secured the overall

In the women's category, the situation is different. Anna Weinbeer leads with 1,150 points, followed by the Spaniard Natalia Fischer with 895 and Claudia Peretti with 780. The difference between Weinbeer and Fischer is 255 points, and the maximum score available at The Tramun is 250, so the German has already mathematically secured the World Cup before the start.

Fischer, however, will still have a lot at stake in Girona. The Spaniard arrives in second place and will have to defend that position against Claudia Peretti, who is 115 points behind. The top five in the overall before the final race are:

1. Anna Weinbeer – 1,150 points
2. Natalia Fischer – 895 points
3. Claudia Peretti – 780 points
4. Paula Gorycka-Kurmann – 720 points
5. Amanda Bohlin – 584 points

Schedule and where to watch The Tramun live – XCM World Cup 2026

• Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026
• Men's Elite start: 08:30
• Women's Elite start: 08:35
• Expected men's Elite arrival: around 13:00
• Expected women's Elite arrival: around 13:50
• Broadcast: live through the official UCI YouTube channel

The Tramun will thus close a XCM World Cup 2026 that, with this new format, has settled well in the calendar and seems to be gaining the relevance that XCM deserved.