Intensity and home support fuel a standout Downhill weekend in Les Gets.
Race Highlights, Elite Women, Les Gets Rd7
DH World Series Rd7 Les Gets: Women’s Elite results
| # | Rider / Team | Time | Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harriet HARNDEN (GBR)AON RACING | 4:11.966 | – | 200 |
| 2 | Marine CABIROU (FRA)CANYON DH RACING | 4:13.198 | +0:01.232 | 160 |
| 3 | Valentina HÖLL (AUT)COMMENCAL SCHWALBE BY LES ORRES | 4:13.392 | +0:01.426 | 140 |
| 4 | Gloria SCARSI (ITA)MS-RACING | 4:13.829 | +0:01.863 | 125 |
| 5 | Anna NEWKIRK (USA)FRAMEWORKS RACING / TRP | 4:14.081 | +0:02.115 | 110 |
| 6 | Lisa BAUMANN (SUI)COMMENCAL SCHWALBE BY LES ORRES | 4:14.567 | +0:02.601 | 95 |
| 7 | Tahnee SEAGRAVE (GBR)ORBEA FMD RACING | 4:16.040 | +0:04.074 | 80 |
| 8 | Nina HOFFMANN (GER)SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | 4:17.797 | +0:05.831 | 70 |
| 9 | Lisa BOULADOU (FRA)SANTA CRUZ BURGTEC BY GOODMAN | 4:17.912 | +0:05.946 | 60 |
| 10 | Myriam NICOLE (FRA)COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF BY RIDING ADDICTION | 4:18.014 | +0:06.048 | 55 |
Race Highlights, Elite Men, Les Gets Rd7
DH World Series Rd7 Les Gets: Men’s Elite results
| # | Rider / Team | Time | Gap | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max ALRAN (FRA)COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF BY RIDING ADDICTION | 3:27.924 | – | 200 |
| 2 | Andreas KOLB (AUT)SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | 3:29.574 | +0:01.650 | 160 |
| 3 | Jackson GOLDSTONE (CAN)SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | 3:30.238 | +0:02.314 | 140 |
| 4 | Richard RUDE JR (USA)YETI / FOX FACTORY RACE TEAM | 3:30.794 | +0:02.870 | 125 |
| 5 | Antoine PIERRON (FRA)COMMENCAL SCHWALBE BY LES ORRES | 3:30.964 | +0:03.040 | 110 |
| 6 | Asa VERMETTE (USA)FRAMEWORKS RACING / TRP | 3:31.032 | +0:03.108 | 95 |
| 7 | Jordan WILLIAMS (GBR)SPECIALIZED GRAVITY | 3:31.280 | +0:03.356 | 90 |
| 8 | Troy BROSNAN (AUS)CANYON DH RACING | 3:31.378 | +0:03.454 | 85 |
| 9 | Martin MAES (BEL)ORBEA FMD RACING | 3:31.888 | +0:03.964 | 80 |
| 10 | Ryan PINKERTON (USA)MONDRAKER FACTORY RACING DH | 3:32.021 | +0:04.097 | 75 |
Race reports and photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery Sports:
HOME HERO ALRAN AND HARNDEN STAR IN LES GETS, HAUTE-SAVOIE, AS HÖLL CLAIMS FIFTH OVERALL CROWN
Maiden UCI Downhill World Cup victories for Max Alran and Harriet Harnden headlined an unforgettable weekend in Les Gets, where Valentina Höll secured a fifth overall crown. Jonty Williamson wrapped up the Men Junior title with two rounds to spare and Aletha Ostgaard strengthened her grip on the Women Junior standings with a third consecutive victory.

Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) and Max Alran (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) mastered the ever-changing conditions in Les Gets to claim their maiden UCI Downhill World Cup victories. The French round also saw Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) secure a fifth Women Elite overall title as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series drew thousands of fans to the slopes of Haute-Savoie.
After a six-week summer break, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returned for its final European stop of the season. While wet weather had dominated Saturday’s qualifying sessions, conditions improved for race day, creating a constantly evolving and unpredictable track.
Last rider down the hill, Alran brought the home crowd to its feet as a sea of tricolour flags erupted in celebration of the teenager’s breakthrough UCI World Cup victory. In doing so, he denied Santa Cruz Syndicate a long-awaited win, with Andreas Kolb and Jackson Goldstone finishing second and third respectively.
In the Women Elite race, Harnden’s precise and composed riding proved decisive. The Briton stormed to her first-ever UCI Downhill World Cup victory in an emotional triumph. Behind her, Höll’s third-place finish was enough to mathematically secure the overall series title with two rounds still to come. Marine Cabirou (Canyon DH Racing) finished runner-up on home soil, delighting the French fans.


The junior categories delivered equally commanding performances. Jonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) and Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) kept their composure to take victory, with Williamson also clinching the Men Junior overall title with two rounds remaining.
In the team standings, Canyon DH Racing emerged as the top-scoring squad of the weekend and climbed to second overall. With two rounds left in the season, COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction maintains the lead, but by a slender margin of just 36 points.

HARNDEN BREAKS THROUGH AS HÖLL CLINCHES FIFTH OVERALL CROWN
Harriet Harnden completed her transition from Enduro to Downhill by claiming the first Women Elite UCI Downhill World Cup victory of her career. A former UCI Enduro World Cup overall winner, the 25-year-old Brit made the switch to downhill racing last season and has steadily established herself among the format’s elite. After narrowly missing the podium with fourth place at the season opener in MONA YongPyong (South Korea), Harnden has been a consistent top-10 finisher throughout 2026. In Les Gets, she took the final step to the top of the podium.
The rider she succeeded on the top step, Gracey Hemstreet (Norco x adidas Race Division), endured a frustrating weekend. The Canadian was forced to advance through Q2 on Saturday and saw her hopes of defending her Les Gets victory disappear after crashing in the upper section of the course.
Home favourite Myriam Nicole (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) showed immense determination as she continued her comeback from surgery on a broken and dislocated finger. Racing through the pain, the Frenchwoman secured a top-10 finish in front of her home crowd.


Former Les Gets winner Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing), also still finding her way back after a lengthy injury layoff, finished 12th after struggling with the track’s physical demands.
Entering the weekend second in the overall standings, Lisa Baumann (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) was the only rider capable of delaying teammate Valentina Höll’s title celebrations. Despite qualifying ninth, the Swiss rider produced a much stronger race run, finding significant pace throughout the course to finish sixth.
Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing / TRP) looked poised to challenge for victory until a mistake in a rut near the finish cost her crucial seconds, dropping her to fifth place. Newly crowned European Champion Gloria Scarsi (MS-Racing) continued her impressive recent form, delivering one of her strongest performances of the season to take fourth.
Having qualified third the previous day, Harnden excelled where it mattered most. The Brit looked composed and committed through the technical wooded sections before producing a near-flawless lower half of the run to move into the lead, guaranteeing herself a podium place with only two riders left on the mountain.

Penultimate starter Marine Cabirou (Canyon DH Racing) came out of the gate aggressively and posted some of the fastest times in the upper sectors. However, the French National Champion could not match Harnden’s pace in the closing stages and crossed the line 1.2 seconds adrift of the Brit to take second place.
All eyes then turned to Valentina Höll. The Austrian knew that a top five finish would be enough to secure a fifth overall Women Elite title. She flew out of the start gate, carrying impressive speed through the upper sections and into the woods, where she built an advantage of almost three seconds. But Harnden’s technical mastery proved decisive. The Brit clawed back time sector after sector and Höll eventually finished third, 1.4 seconds behind the winning ride.
Following her breakthrough victory, Harnden said: “It’s unbelievable. I’ve always wanted to do this and to actually pull it off doesn’t feel real yet. Having so many friends and family here supporting me means everything. I felt good on track this morning and had a feeling it could be my day, but you never know and you still have to put everything together. Everyone else was absolutely flying at the top. I gave everything I had in the lower sections and found something that really worked for me. I’m having so much fun on the bike and living the dream. It was such a surreal moment. I can’t believe it.”


Höll’s third-place finish was enough to secure her fifth Women Elite overall title, drawing level with French legends Sabrina Jonnier and Anne-Caroline Chausson on five series crowns. Harnden’s victory also elevated her to second in the overall standings, where she now holds a slim 33-point advantage over Baumann.
Reflecting on her title-winning performance, Höll said: “I’m pretty stoked. I’ve qualified first in Les Gets a lot of times before and lost it in the final section. Maybe next year I won’t just focus on maximum watts all the way down. I was a little too cautious and comfortable at the bottom. It’s a good lesson to learn ahead of next week’s World Championships. I’m happy, healthy and ready for the challenge.”
A STAR IS BORN: ALRAN THRILLS FRENCH FANS IN LES GETS
Max Alran crowned his first season in the Men Elite ranks with a flawless performance that sent the home crowd into raptures. The 19-year-old thrived under the pressure of racing in front of his local fans, topping qualifying before delivering a blistering race run to secure a breakthrough maiden elite victory.
Fellow rising star Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing / TRP) rolled off early after progressing through Q2 on Saturday but kept his overall title ambitions alive with a hard-fought fifth-place finish.
Having twice finished runner-up in Les Gets, Andreas Kolb (Santa Cruz Syndicate) looked determined to go one better. The Austrian attacked the technical wooded sections with aggression and precision to set the benchmark time, one that would ultimately be surpassed by only one rider. Richard Rude Jr (Yeti/Fox Factory Race Team) and Antoine Pierron (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) both threatened Kolb’s lead but eventually settled for fourth and sixth respectively.
UCI World Champion Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), who will defend his rainbow stripes next weekend, once again showcased the fearless riding that carried him to the overall title last season. The Canadian clawed back time on teammate Kolb through the wooded sectors and unleashed some huge jumps in the lower sections to secure third place.


Elsewhere, overall title contender Amaury Pierron (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) appeared on course to challenge for victory before a crash in the lower part of the track ended his hopes. Overall leader Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity) also lost valuable points, a conservative run leaving him seventh on the day.
Penultimate starter Martin Maes (Orbea FMD Racing) had impressed throughout qualifying but saw his podium hopes unravel when he unclipped a foot mid-run, eventually crossing the line in ninth. All eyes then turned to final starter Alran. With the French crowd packed trackside in anticipation, the teenager delivered under immense pressure, producing the fastest times in the final two sectors to stop the clock at 3:27.9, an astonishing 1.6 seconds clear of Kolb and enough to seal a dream home victory.


Following his triumph, he said: “I don’t know how to feel, I’m just so stoked. It’s insane. I was feeling great up top and wasn’t stressing at all. Starting last puts the pressure on everyone else and it paid off. It feels unreal. I couldn’t be more proud. My parents, my friends and my brother were all here shouting for me.”
With two rounds remaining, Williams continues to lead the overall standings, holding a 143-point advantage over Vermette and Finn Iles (Specialized Racing), who missed the Les Gets round through injury.
JUNIOR TITLE GLORY FOR WILLIAMSON, ANOTHER WIN FOR OSTGAARD
Jonty Williamson continued his dominant 2026 campaign by claiming a sixth Men Junior UCI Downhill World Cup victory of the season and, in the process, securing the overall series title with two rounds still to race.
British privateer Elliot Smith had announced himself as a rider to watch by topping qualifying on Saturday in only his second Men Junior UCI Downhill World Cup appearance. But with the track drying out and conditions changing significantly for finals, it was New Zealanders Williamson and Malik Boatwright (Continental Atherton) who emerged as the class of the field.
Boatwright threw down the gauntlet, shaving three seconds off the previous fastest time to take over the hot seat. However, series leader Williamson once again rose to the occasion, edging out his compatriot by just two tenths of a second to extend his remarkable winning streak. Final starter Smith could not match the pace of the New Zealand duo and completed the podium in third.


Williamson’s victory not only secured a sixth win of the season but also made him the first New Zealander to win the Men Junior UCI Downhill World Cup overall title. With an unassailable lead of 124 points and two rounds remaining, the crown is already his.
Following his victory, Williamson said: “I’m so happy to put down a good run and get on the top step of the podium. I struggled all week with the conditions and tyre choice, and the track was super physical. Winning the overall is so cool. I’ll head to the World Championships next week and try to bring the same consistency to my racing.”
In the Women Junior category, overall series leader Aletha Ostgaard continued her imperious run of form with another commanding victory in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie.
Rosa Marie Jensen (Specialized Gravity), one of the most consistent riders in the category this season, once again delivered a strong performance and set the benchmark time for the final two riders to beat. Cassandre Peizerat, racing as a guest rider for COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction, showcased her immense potential by going six seconds quicker than Jensen to move into the lead. But Ostgaard was once again untouchable. The American produced yet another masterclass on the drying track, carrying speed and precision throughout the run to stop the clock at 4:19.3, more than six seconds faster than Peizerat and comfortably enough for a third consecutive UCI Downhill World Cup victory.


Ostgaard now holds an 85-point lead in the overall standings as she continues her charge towards the series title. Following her victory, she said: “This one was definitely rewarding for me. It was such a long and physical course, and the mud was changing every lap. To put together a clean run in those conditions felt really good. I’m stoked. Everyone was struggling because one minute it felt dry and the next it was incredibly slippery. I love riding in the mud.”
UCI DHI World Cup Women Elite Overall Standings
| # | Rider / Team | Total points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valentina HÖLL (AUT)COMMENCAL SCHWALBE BY LES ORRES | 1455 |
| 2 | Harriet HARNDEN (GBR)AON RACING | 850 |
| 3 | Lisa BAUMANN (SUI)COMMENCAL SCHWALBE BY LES ORRES | 817 |
| 4 | Anna NEWKIRK (USA)FRAMEWORKS RACING / TRP | 797 |
| 5 | Gloria SCARSI (ITA)MS-RACING | 786 |
UCI DHI World Cup Men Elite Overall Standings
| # | Rider / Team | Total points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jordan WILLIAMS (GBR)SPECIALIZED GRAVITY | 989 |
| 2 | Asa VERMETTE (USA)FRAMEWORKS RACING / TRP | 843 |
| 3 | Finn ILES (CAN)SPECIALIZED GRAVITY | 811 |
| 4 | Amaury PIERRON (FRA)COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF BY RIDING ADDICTION | 794 |
| 5 | Ryan PINKERTON (USA)MONDRAKER FACTORY RACING DH | 736 |
WHOOP UCI DHI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES 2026 CALENDAR:
Round 1 / May 1-3: Race of South Korea, South KoreaRound 2 / May 28-31: Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, FranceRound 3 / June 11-14: Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland, AustriaRound 4 / June 19-21: Lenzerheide, SwitzerlandRound 5 / July 3-5: La Thuile-Valle d’Aosta, ItalyRound 6 / July 8-12: Pal Arinsal, AndorraRound 7 / August 14-16: Haute-Savoie, France- Round 8 / September 25-27: Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia, Canada
- Round 9 / October 2-4: Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York, USA
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Not sure how many have seen this.
At the end of Ben Cathro’s PB race report vid there’s some pretty shocking footage from within the finish area after the crowd surge.
So viewer beware.
Not great viewing, if you think it might be triggering don’t watch it.
And this is why I will NEVER take my family to a WC DH event in France.
Hope all those who were injured make a full and speedy recovery.
^ The end of Cathro’s video is sombre viewing. From a distance people say it’s just an exuberant crowd showing their enthusiasm but there needs to be some control to prevent a tradgedy
Interesting comment under the vid on YouTube from a marshall that was there:
Sounds like it very nearly ended up with a fatality.
I ended our Morzine trip at the World Cup, the atmosphere was amazing, both the racing and the whole town getting involved in the event.
World Champs will be bigger next year!