XTERRA World Cup: Down to the Wire in Trentino

What started out with a gigantic bang in Taiwan is now set to create even more noise as the XTERRA World Cup comes down to the absolute wire in the final double-feature stop of the series in Trentino, Italy. 

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The condensed circuit of 12 races across 7 stops promised to raise the level of XTERRA pro racing and in every way possible - it has. The start list of almost all 10 races so far has resembled that of a World Championship race, putting the best against the best more times than ever before to collectively raise the game, and the stakes, of off-road triathlon. 

The series has also delivered on another promise - to bring the beauty and brutality of XTERRA racing at the highest level to fans and spectators around the world. Through the 6 stops so far that have passed through Taiwan, the USA, Belgium, Czech, Germany, and the USA once again, we’ve seen battles spill over from one race to the next, champions fall and rise, seasons ended unexpectedly, and an ever changing series leaderboard.

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Now, with everything to win and everything to lose, it comes down to the final 2 races - one Short Track race and the XTERRA World Championship. Four men and three women are within reach of the title, while others could jump as many as 4 positions to claim a larger share of the €100,000 series bonus. This is how any World Cup should end, and the action begins in less than 24 hours. 

Four men and three women are still in the running to become the first ever XTERRA World Cup Champion, and given the fact that a win in the World Championship race would seal the deal - they could also become the first ever double champion in XTERRA history. But there are still 2 races to go and the points available in each will have the final say on who ends the series on top. 

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🇫🇷 Alizée Paties - 456 Points

Paties has led the series from start to finish in what can only be described as a breakout year that has seen her on the podium 8 times in 10 races. Her lead is considerable but not insurmountable and the French athlete now has an interesting decision to make. Her 3 Short Track wins leaves her with the perfect ST score and therefore she is unable to better her score in tomorrow’s Short Track race. This means she must decide whether to take it easy and save her energy for the World Championship race knowing her lead will become smaller, or go full gas and claim the points that would otherwise go to her rivals. 

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🇨🇭Loanne Duvoisin - 425 Points

Duvoisin’s consistency in the World Cup - 2 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze - sees her in second place and within reach of the title. The current European Champion is also strong in the short format and will likely close the gap between herself and Paties with a good result in the Short Track race. It then comes down to the Championship race where a big points swing is possible. The winner of the World Championship walks away with 120 points whereas 4th place takes just 90 to create a potential 30-point swing. A win for Duvoisin and a less than perfect race for Paties could see the Swiss athlete as the World Cup winner.

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🇫🇷Solenne Billouin - 418 Points

The defending XTERRA World Champion finds herself in much the same position as Duvoisin. She is still able to improve her Short Track score to close the gap between her and Paties and then will be looking for a big point swing in the World Championship race. If anybody can do this, it’s Billouin. She won here this time last year and has only improved in all 3 disciplines since then. But as a result of the World Cup, so has her competition. The battle between Billouin and Paties has played out on 3 continents so far in this series and will no doubt deliver fireworks once again in the series decider. 

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🇫🇷Arthur Serrières - 414 Points

The reigning XTERRA World Champion has worked his way to the top of the leaderboard with an impressive 5 golds and 1 silver. He now stands the chance to not only defend the title he won here last year but also become the first ever double champion in the process. However, his lead at the top is not a convincing one and he finds himself with the same predicament as Paties as he too cannot improve his Short Track score. The 3 athletes below, however, can and will improve their score in Thursday’s Short Track race, meaning the Frenchman will have no choice but to repeat his 2022 performance to clinch the series win.

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🇫🇷Felix Forissier - 402 Points

The younger of the Forissier brother’s rise to 2nd place has been calm and calculated, and the feeling is there that he has timed his season perfectly with momentum behind him heading into the final stop. The current European Champion has shown that he can now keep pace with Serrières on the run and the two Frenchman have now become the most entertaining battle to follow. Forissier will likely be within 10 points of Serrières after the Short Track, meaning the first across the line on Saturday is the 2023 World Cup winner.

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🇩🇰Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen - 391 Points

Consistency has been key to Sloth Nielsen’s World Cup campaign, claiming 3 silvers and 4 bronzes to find himself in 3rd position on the leaderboard. However, it’s that top step of the podium that has eluded thus far that now becomes his only path to victory. The Dane is easily one of the top bikers in the series and he’ll be looking to take advantage of that come Sunday. Weather conditions will likely also play a big factor as wet conditions will not phase him the way they will phase many others. A win for Sloth Nielsen would be one of the greatest story lines of the series and vindication for the man who led the series for so long. 

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🇪🇸Ruben Ruzafa - 384 Points

If Sloth Nielsen has the potential to be one of the greatest story lines, Ruzafa still trumps this with ease. The 39 year old Spaniard has waited years for the concept of an XTERRA World Cup to become a reality, and still sets the pace on the bike for elites that are nearly 20 years his junior. He had to make a last minute trip to the US to stay in contention and his efforts were rewarded by him finding himself within reach of the win. The 3x XTERRA World Champion has been an ambassador and an inspiration for newcomers to the sport for years, and many, many fans would love nothing more than to see ‘The Boss’ clinch the first ever World Cup title from a fourth place position.

If you’re in Molveno, head down to the lake and get ready to get loud as the final two races settle the series. There is plenty of room on the shore of the lake to watch the swim start and from there the bridges and ramps in the race village provide a front row seat to the action. 

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And for those around the world, both races will be livestreamed direct and for free on the XTERRA Live page, so click through and ring the bell to get notified when the action begins. 

The Short Track race is on Thursday with the livestream starting at 14:00 local time. The women’s race is up first at 14:10 with the men following at 15:10. 

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The World Championship will also be livestreamed on Saturday, starting at 10:00 local time. It’s the single biggest race in off-road triathlon, and with the World Cup title hanging in the balance, this one will be a race for the ages.