Whiteface DH Debut Draws Largest Spectator Turnout Since 1980 Winter Olympics

Blevins Makes History: First U.S. Rider in 30 Years to Win UCI Cross-Country World Cup — on Home Soil in New York State

The New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) reports a successful weekend as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returned to Lake Placid, October 3–5, delivering exciting competition and measurable community and economic impact.

The three-day event featured elite international racing across two disciplines – Downhill (DHI) at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington and Cross-country (XCC, XCO) at Mt Van Hoevenberg – drawing athletes, fans, and media from around the world. Lake Placid remains the only U.S. stop on the World Cup circuit.

Event Highlights:

Attendance & Economic Impact

Over an action-packed three days, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series drew 17,400 total attendance, including credentialed UCI WBD partners, media, broadcast teams, workforce, and volunteers, with more than 8,100 on-site at Whiteface Mountain on Saturday alone. Attendance surpassed last year’s inaugural event, contributing to increased regional visitation and early indicators of a substantial direct economic impact.

Broadcast + Media Impact

Fans around the world tuned in to the only U.S. stop on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar, with coverage spanning every continent.  Finals were streamed live on HBO Max (USA), FloSports (Canada), HBO Max and Eurosport (mainland Europe), TNT Sports and discovery+ (UK and Ireland), Stan Sport (Australia), and MTBWS TV worldwide. Junior Downhill finals were also made available free-to-view on discovery+, HBO Max, and MTBWS TV, expanding access for new audiences.

Media Coverage

A total of 134 accredited media attended on-site, including credentialed journalists who produced extensive photography, video content, feature stories, and digital reports distributed throughout international outlets. Among them were representatives from global syndicate Getty Images, top cycling magazines, and leading mountain biking digital platforms. This broad editorial and visual coverage amplified the event’s global reach, further enhancing Lake Placid’s reputation as a world-class event destination.

Social + Digital Impact

During UCI Week, the Olympic Authority combined promotional social media channels — including @vanhoevenberg, @lakeplacidlegacysites, and @whiteface_mt — delivered strong results, with in-feed posts generating 123,400 likes, 1,138 comments, and 12,882 shares, reaching more than 1.5 million users (and growing) and producing over 4.2 million impressions. With 82 collaborations and an engagement rate of 12.75% — more than nine times the industry average of 1.39% (Rival IQ) — the campaign connected with audiences worldwide. These results, which continue to grow as fans and teams share and tag content, demonstrate the value of UCI Week in showcasing Lake Placid as a world-class destination.

Since the UCI landing web page went live in April, it has received over 81,000 views, while the LakePlacidLegacySites.com website has seen more than 185,000 visits. During the week of UCI (Monday to Sunday), the site received 35,000 views. During the same period, the Lake Placid UCI landing page attracted over 32,000 unique first-time visitors, representing 22% of all new website traffic. These figures exclude UCI’s own social media channels, which further expand reach but are not publicly reported.

Youth & Community Engagement

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid extended beyond elite racing to engage the local community. Four school groups brought 300 students and staff to the event, and more than 100 youth participated in community races and a ride with the pros — building local interest and supporting the region’s growing pipeline of competitive riders.

Friday evening’s Bike Jam drew more than 350 participants, over half of whom were under the age of 18, highlighting the sport’s growing popularity in the region. That enthusiasm continues through initiatives like LakePlacidMTB.com, which connects local riders with trails, training opportunities, and community events inspired by Lake Placid’s role on the World Cup circuit.

Athlete Development and Elite Competition

The 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid strengthened the athlete development pipeline in the U.S. and Northeast, offering emerging riders a rare chance to compete at the World Cup level on home soil. Over three days, 381 athletes from more than 30 countries participated, including 15 U.S. riders—five from the Adirondacks and the greater Northeast—representing national teams and professional squads. The Junior and U23 categories at Whiteface and Mt. Van Hoevenberg provided developing athletes with a proving ground, with several achieving personal-best finishes. This collaboration between the Olympic Authority, USA Cycling, and regional clubs underscored Lake Placid’s growing role as a hub for mountain bike talent.

Standout performances across all disciplines defined the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Lake Placid:

    • Downhill (DHI) Elite Winners:
      • Men’s Elite: Luke Meier-Smith (Australia, Giant Factory Racing) secured his first World Cup win, finishing with a time of 3:05.946.
      • Women’s Elite: Valentina Höll (Austria, YT Mob) clinched her first UCI Downhill World Cup victory of the season, also securing the overall title with a winning time of 3:32.748.
    • Cross-country Short Track (XCC) Elite Winners:
      • Men’s Elite: Christopher Blevins (USA, Specialized Factory Racing) achieved a double win, taking both the XCC and XCO titles at Lake Placid. First US athlete in more than 30 years for this discipline.
      • Women’s Elite: Jenny Rissveds (Sweden, Canyon CLLCTV XCO) mirrored Blevins’ success with victories in both XCC and XCO events.
    • Cross-country Olympic (XCO) Elite Winners:
      • Men’s Elite: Christopher Blevins (USA, Specialized Factory Racing) dominated the XCO race, securing the win and clinching the overall World Cup title. For the first time in 34 years, a US athlete won.
      • Women’s Elite: Jenny Rissveds (Sweden, Canyon CLLCTV XCO) broke away midway through the second lap, holding the lead to earn her first elite world title in the XCO event.

These results highlight the exceptional talent and competitive spirit displayed by the athletes during the event.

Images from October 3-5, 2025, competition days HERE

Photo Credit: Olympic Regional Development Authority

Next Events

This marks the second year of a three-year partnership between the Olympic Authority and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports, with Lake Placid serving as the penultimate stop on the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar, which concludes October 9–12 in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Québec.

Lake Placid will host the final stop of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series from October 2–4, 2026 — a thrilling conclusion for visitors to experience.

Pre-sale tickets for the 2026 UCI event: Lake Placid UCI Sign-Up Form

Columbus Day weekend offers the last chance to experience fall at Whiteface Mountain before its seasonal closure after October 13, while Mt Van Hoevenberg remains open year-round. This weekend, Flaming Leaves at the Olympic Jumping Complex will wrap up the fall festival and event season.

Flaming Leaves Festival: Olympicjumpingcomplex.com