Tom Pidcock and Samara Maxwell take wins in Andorra XCO World Cup

Andorra XCO World Cup Highlights – Pal Arinsal, Andorra

Elite Men
Fresh off a demanding 12 months that included the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tom Pidcock returned to mountain biking with intent at the Andorra XCO World Cup, and it showed. The British all-rounder skipped the 2025 Tour de France to re-centre his form and focus on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. That decision paid off with a commanding XCO win in Andorra, where he rode away solo in classic Pidcock fashion.

Racing his new Pinarello Dogma XC, Pidcock showed no signs of rust. He launched a clean attack mid-race on the steep Pal Arinsal circuit and held the gap through to the finish, all at altitude, where mistakes can be race ending.

In skipping the Tour, Pidcock not only protected his MTB form, he made a statement. He’s back in the XCO mix, but he may not be for long, with the Vuelta Espana road race quickly approaching..

Elite Women
Samara Maxwell proved why she’s the rider to beat in the 2025 UCI Cross-Country World Cup, powering through crashes, a puncture, and a stacked elite women’s field to take a gritty win at Pal Arinsal, Andorra.

Starting strong, Maxwell led early before a rear wheel puncture and two separate crashes dropped her behind race favourites like Alessandra Keller and Jenny Rissveds. But the Kiwi stayed calm, riding her way back into contention on the steep Andorran climbs before reclaiming the lead on the final lap. Her final winning margin was just nine seconds over Keller, with Rissveds a further six seconds behind.

More than just a race win, Andorra was a statement: Maxwell isn’t just surviving in the elite ranks, she’s dominating them. The 2024 U23 World Champion now leads the overall World Cup standings with 1,535 points, holding a commanding lead over Nicole Koller (1,090) and Rissveds (980).