UCI Enduro World Cup Val di Fassa – Trentino: Round Three Ends with Changing Weather, Great Racing and Strong Italian Performances

The third round of the UCI Enduro World Cup Val di Fassa – Trentino, together with the only Italian round of the 2026 Shimano Enduro Open, came to an end after four intense days of mountain biking in the Dolomites.

For the Val di Fassa Bike District, this marked the eleventh international enduro event hosted in the valley, the result of years of dedication, consistency and a shared growth process involving the Local Organising Committee, the local community and tourism operators across the destination.

A total of 500 riders from 31 nations took part, divided between the UCI Enduro World Cup and the Shimano Enduro Open. After two days of practice and two days of racing, the combination of lift-assisted transfers and pedal transfers allowed riders to accumulate thousands of metres of elevation while exploring four of the area’s main mountain sectors – Col Rodella, Belvedere, Ciampac and Arabba – even crossing into the Veneto region.

If the format allowed competitors to experience the Val di Fassa area in all its variety, the race itself confirmed from Day 1 how demanding the course really was. Considered by many riders to be one of the toughest tracks of the season, it highlighted not only technical skills but also physical preparation and the ability to manage energy throughout the race. In such a high-level field, the Italian riders immediately proved to be among the main protagonists.

Day 1 of the 2026 UCI Enduro World Cup Val di Fassa Trentino ended with Tuscany’s Tommaso Calonaci (Ottoracing Technology) leading the Elite Men standings. After more than thirteen minutes of timed racing, Calonaci held a three-second advantage over French rider Alex Rudeau on Commencal Bikes, UCI Enduro World Champion right here in Val di Fassa in 2024. Although he did not win any of the three special stages, he built his lead thanks to an extremely consistent ride, always finishing among the fastest riders. Dutch rider Tristan Botteram was provisionally third, almost six seconds behind the leader.
Another strong Italian performance came from Tommaso Francardo (Abetone Gravity Team), who ended Day 1 in fifth place, only seven seconds off the lead. With such small time gaps, Sunday promised to be a completely open race.

After two days of practice and a sunny Saturday with warm temperatures, Sunday brought a completely different scenario.
A violent thunderstorm reached Val di Fassa and the surrounding valleys just as the Elite Men were making their way to the start of Stage 4 – Titans. Strong electrical activity forced the immediate closure of the lift system, leaving Race Direction with no option but to suspend the competition and bring all riders back to the paddock, putting the safety of riders, marshals and staff first.

After around one hour of waiting, the decision was made to cancel Stages 4, 5 and 6 for the Elite Men and restart the race only on the final stage, Stage 7 – Ciasates. For the Shimano Enduro Open, the final classification was instead based on the four stages that had already been completed.

For the Elite riders, it turned into an exceptionally long day. Their only special stage on Sunday did not begin until late afternoon, with Tommaso Calonaci starting at 6:04 pm. Hours of waiting, tension and concentration before suddenly switching back into race mode and tackling the short but highly technical Ciasates stage in front of the large crowd gathered in the Event Village finish bowl.

The decisive twist came on the final stage. After already setting the fastest time on Ciasates EWS on Saturday, Tristan Botteram was again the fastest rider on Ciasates World Champs, taking back 6.5 seconds from Calonaci and securing his first-ever UCI Enduro World Cup victory by just six tenths of a second over the Italian.
Behind the Dutch winner, Tommaso Calonaci secured an outstanding second place, while Tommaso Francardo, thanks to a very consistent race and an excellent ride on the wet final stage, moved up to third overall.

For Italy, it is a historic result: two Elite riders on the podium of a UCI Enduro World Cup round, right here on the trails of Val di Fassa.

Here the full results of Elite Men Category.

In the Elite Women category, Day 1 had belonged to Ella Conolly on Cannondale bikes. The British rider won Saturday’s opening special stage, the long Tutti Frutti, before holding on to the overall lead through the following two stages and finishing the first day at the top of the standings.
Day 2, however, completely changed the race. The Elite Women managed to complete Stage 4 – Titans before the lifts were closed and, riding in the rain, French rider Mélanie Pugin Team Le Speed Project produced an impressive comeback. Starting the day in sixth place overall, she gained almost thirty seconds to move into the lead with more than ten seconds over Conolly.

On the final stage, Stage 7 – Ciasates, raced after the restart, Pugin strengthened her advantage by gaining around another six seconds, securing victory with a 17-second lead over Ella Conolly. Australia’s Winnifred Goldsbury Specialized NZ finished third, while Nadine Ellecosta Abetone Gravity Team was the best Italian rider in sixth place.

Here the full results of Elite Women Category.

Among the Junior Men, Lorenzo Cesari claimed an excellent third place in a field of 38 riders. Victory went to Australia’s Harper Nelmes, ahead of France’s Hugo Marti Montessinos.

Here the full results of Junior Men Category.
Here the full results of Junior Women Category.

In the Shimano Enduro Open, Christian Tonazzolli finished third overall, while local rider Martino Fruet delivered another remarkable performance on his home trails, taking an excellent fourth place overall.

Here the full results of Shimano Enduro Open overall.

The race results tell us who won, but an event like this leaves much more behind.
Mountain enduro constantly challenges everyone involved. Riders must read the terrain, manage their energy and adapt to conditions that can change within minutes. The same is true for those organising the event. Every edition is an opportunity to learn, and every challenge overcome helps build an even stronger foundation for the future.

For a destination like the Val di Fassa Bike District, this means continuing to invest in trail quality, developing the bike product and hosting world-class events. Riders choose Val di Fassa for the beauty of the Dolomites, the quality of its trails and the authenticity of the riding experience it offers.

It is no coincidence that, at the beginning of this week, WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Event Manager Francesco Gozio presented Val di Fassa with the “Trusted Location” award. More than a symbolic recognition, it celebrates the destination’s organisational quality, reliability, the standard of its race courses and the contribution that Val di Fassa has made, year after year, to the growth of international enduro.