THE NEXT STEPS OF THE 2025 HERO UCI MARATHON WORLD CUP

We’ve reached the midway point of the 2025 HERO UCI Marathon World Cup. The circuit debuted only a few months go on the island of Elba and, today, there are only a few weeks left until round four in Kirchzarten in Germany. The Black Forrest ULTRA Bike Marathon and its 118 km and 3,550 hm await, with the race track wending its way across the Dreisam valley and the upper Black Forest.

The first three rounds put on quite a show, and we know the next two won’t disappoint. The rankings aren’t set in stone, and cyclists still have a shot at becoming the next World Cup Champion. What do the ranking’s current top athletes think? We went and found out.

ÈLITE MEN

The spotlight is on the ranking’s top positions. After three rounds, Andreas Seewald, from Germany, from Singer KTM Racing Team, leads the ranking by 580 points. Leon Paez from Colombia and Wout Alleman from Belgium trail jointly in second position, only 40 points behind Seewald.

Andreas Seewald says:

“After three races, I’m leading the UCI World Cup ranking. That’s great. I expect the final two rounds to be tougher and more exciting, because the routes aren’t as selective as the ones before. While mentally speaking it’s daunting to start the race wearing the leader jersey, I cannot wait to compete at ‘home’ in Kirchzarten, where I celebrated some of my first victories some years ago.”

What does HERO veteran Leo Paez think about all this? The 43-year-old Colombian is going through somewhat of a renaissance.

He says:

“I’m overall very satisfied after the HERO Dolomites, the calendar’s third round. I wanted to perform well in Selva Val Gardena, and dreamt of winning the HERO for the 9th time. I guess I’ll have to keep dreaming a bit longer. Looking at the ranking, I’ve still got a fighting chance to become first, which is incredibly motivating. It’s going to be neck and neck, and they’re all incredibly strong athletes. It won’t be a walk in the park, so I’ll be pulling out all the stops.”

Wout Alleman from Belgium had to pass on the leader jersey – but that doesn’t mean he’s about to give up.

“I knew that the Andorra and HERO Dolomites races would have been tough for me. Yet I believe I performed rather well, and placed well in the overall ranking. After this week’s races in Belgium, I’ll be taking a quick break, to then prepare for the last two UCI World Cup races which should be more in line with my type of profile. The overall ranking is still open to changes – it’s going to be tough. But I cannot wait to face this battle.”

ÈLITE WOMEN

The race to top is just as exciting in the women’s grid, although, for now, Rosa Van Doorn is still holding on tight to her position with 610 points, followed by Sandra Mairhofer, from Italy, and winner of the last HERO Südtirol Dolomites, with 590 points. Lejla Njemcevic, from Bosnia, secured the third place with her 450 points.

Rosa Van Doorn says:

“I’m ecstatic I’ve retained the leader jersey in the UCI World Cup ranking after the HERO. It wasn’t my best race. I had to face some inconveniences the week prior, but that’s part and parcel of our sport. Together with the team, our main goal was to maintain the top position of the overall ranking. The race was incredibly special, and it inspired me – so much so I’m definitely going to repeat it! And now, I cannot wait to take part in the next two races. I like cycling in both regions. The races are completely different from the other – the Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon, especially, will be a fast-paced race, similar to what we’re used to in The Netherlands.”

Yet she cannot rest on her laurels, as Sandra Mairhofer, for Italy, is gunning for that top position in the overall ranking. She explains that

“looking at the next rounds, I can say I’m mentally and physically prepared. I’ve got high expectations and got my sights set on another position on the podium. The race will be challenging due to the varied race layout, and you never know what can happen during a mountain bike race – there may be mechanical issues or you might just have a bad day. But you can’t plan for these things so, until then, I’ll enjoy riding my MTB, keep the energy levels high, and never forget to smile.”

Lejla Njemcevic is going all out for the last two rounds after having overcome the challenging start at the beginning of the season:

“The last two races, in Andorra and in the Dolomites, didn’t do justice to my normal form. Over the last years, May and June have always given me issues due to allergies. The same happened this year. I’m happy that I’m now better and hope to improve my third place in the overall ranking.”

THE MASTER CATEGORY

The overall ranking also includes a Master category, where the men’s top place is held by Alexandre Llado Diaz from Spain (650 points); followed by two Italian cyclists, Andrea Borgogno (520 points) and Vinicius Malaguti (410 points).

In the women’s ranking, Kamila Gurynska from Poland leads with her 450 points, followed by Sophie Johnson (250 points). The Brit is aiming to reach the first position during the next two rounds.

Who do you think will win the 2025 HERO UCI Marathon World Cup? Stay tuned to find out!