UCI DH World Cup: Seagrave and Bruni dominate the season opener in Bielsko-Biała
Peter Nilges
· 19.05.2025
Seagrave triumphs in the women's race
The opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup 2025 in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, presented the riders with extreme challenges. Snow and mud transformed the already demanding course at the Szczyrk Mountain Resort into a course that demanded the highest technical skills and mental strength. In the women's competition, Tahnée Seagrave from Team Orbea / FMD Racing put in an impressive performance. The 29-year-old Brit mastered the course in a time of 3:34.340 minutes, clearly setting herself apart from the competition. Seagrave, who has struggled with injuries in recent years, impressively demonstrated her return to top form. Her aggressive driving style and precise line choice despite the adverse conditions underlined her ambitions for overall victory this season. Germany's Nina Hoffmann completed the podium in third place behind Anna Newkirk.
Bruni narrowly wins the men's category
In the men's competition, Loïc Bruni from Team Specialized Gravity and Oisin O'Callaghan from YT MOB fought a thrilling duel for victory. Bruni, who was narrowly beaten in the same place last year, came out on top this time with a wafer-thin lead of 0.156 seconds. The Frenchman, who had recovered from a collarbone injury, produced a near-perfect ride and once again demonstrated his exceptional ability under pressure. With this victory, Bruni equalled the podium finishes of his role model Nicolas Vouilloz, but modestly put this success into perspective compared to the achievements of the French downhill legend.
Amaury Pierron leads the way for a long time
Danny Hart (Norco Race Division) set the first serious time of the day, but Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) dominated the action until the end. The sixth starter of the afternoon pulverised the rest of the field with a time of 3:05.675 and ended up in third place as the only other rider within a second of Bruni. For over an hour, it looked as if no-one would be able to overtake his best time. Many started faster than Pierron, but neither Benoit Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) nor Ronan Dunne (Team Mondraker Factory Racing DH), Andreas Kolb (YT MOB), Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour) or Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) were able to finish the race successfully.
Enduro champion Richie Rude (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) also came extremely close to beating Pierron's time. This season, the American has focussed on the pure gravity discipline, as has Martin Maes from the Orbea FMD Racin Team. Rude sparked the competition with a fast, powerful run, finishing just seven tenths behind Pierron. In the end, Rude was rewarded with a strong fourth place. Pierron was eventually toppled by 'Double O' Oisin O'Callaghan, who produced a magical run - a position he held until the final run of the day as Bruni topped his time. From a German perspective, the solid eighth place of Max Hartenstern (Cube Factory Racing) was impressive. His intensive preparation for the season seems to be paying off. We are looking forward to the upcoming races.
Challenging conditions characterise the race
The weather conditions in Bielsko-Biała presented all participants with enormous challenges. Snowfall and soft ground made the course an endurance test for man and material. Many riders had to contend with crashes and technical problems. Among the women, Veronika Widdmann from Team Mondraker Factory Racing DH was the first to complete the course without any major incidents. The following athletes sometimes had to use unconventional techniques to make progress on the slippery piste. This highlighted the versatility and adaptability of the downhill elite.
Surprises and strong performances
In addition to the victories by Seagrave and Bruni, there were some remarkable performances and surprises. Anna Newkirk from Team Frameworks Racing / SDEV put in a strong ride and secured second place in the women's race. The Utah American set the fastest time for a long time and underlined her potential for the coming season. Oisin O'Callaghan surprised everyone with his outstanding performance in the men's race. The young Irishman from the YT MOB Team demonstrated that he is one of the top riders on the scene and will be a serious contender for top placings this season.
Focus on technical innovations
The first race of the season also offered insights into technical innovations and developments in downhill racing. The use of a geared bike with belt drive by Gloria Scarsi from the MS Racing Team was particularly striking. The Italian rider used this technology to gain an advantage on the demanding course. The organisers had offered prize money of 100,000 euros for victory with such a system, which underlines the importance of technical innovation in downhill racing. Even though Scarsi missed out on the win, the use of such systems shows that development in the mountain bike sector is continuing to progress.
Outlook for the coming season
The exciting start in Bielsko-Biała gives hope for a high-calibre UCI Downhill World Cup season in 2025. Tahnée Seagrave made it clear that she wants to get back on the attack after her injury problems and compete for overall victory. In the men's race, there are signs of an intense battle between Loïc Bruni, Oisin O'Callaghan and other top riders. The power density in the field is high, and the changeable conditions in the opening race have shown that surprises are always possible. Fans can look forward to more thrilling races and duels at the front.
