Kate Courtney and Keegan Swenson Win Cross-Country Marathon World Titles at 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships

Team USA dominated the Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) events at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. Americans Kate Courtney (Kentfield, Calif.; She Sends Racing) and Keegan Swenson (Midway, Utah; htSQD) claimed victory over 125 kilometers of racing from Verbier to Grimentz.

Just before sunrise, the riders rolled out of Verbier, with the leaders hitting the first time check in Nendaz at about 1 hour 20 minutes. Familiar faces from the UCI Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) World Cup were right up front, with Swenson sitting in fifth as part of the lead group. By the third checkpoint in Evolène, nearly four hours in, Swenson had taken charge, riding at the front alongside Cink and Páez León.

With roughly 100 of the 125 kilometers behind them, Swenson was still on top, clocking 5:04:27 at checkpoint five (L’A Vieille). Italy’s Samuele Porro, Páez León, Smeenge, and a surging Valero Serrano were all within a minute of the lead, setting up a nail-biting run into the final hour of racing. From there, the course pitched upward toward the Pas de Lona at 2,787 meters before dropping into Grimentz at around 1,600 meters.

At the last checkpoint in Moiry, Swenson held a one-minute lead on Porro, with Páez León nearly three minutes back. Valero Serrano and Austria’s Hermann Pernsteiner were less than a minute behind, keeping the fight for the podium wide open.

In the end, Swenson held strong to the line, taking the win in 6:01:44, averaging an impressive 20.7 km/h over the brutal course.

1. Keegan Swenson (USA) – 6:01

2. Samuele Porro (ITA) – 6:02

3. Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (COL) – 6:05

17. Bradyn Lange (USA) – 6:15

18. Cole Paton (USA) – 6:15

63. Alex Wild (USA) – 6:55

75. Danny Van Wagoner (USA) – 7:11

85. Cody Iverson (USA) – 7:42

86. Quentin Loxtercamp (USA) – 7:52

89. Patrick Collins (USA) – 8:12

The women rolled out at 6:45 a.m., just five minutes after the men’s start. Ninety minutes in, the race was already taking shape: USA’s Courtney and Switzerland’s Anna Weinbeer had opened a sizable gap on the field.

At the first checkpoint, Courtney, the 2018 UCI XCO World Champion in Lenzerheide, was putting together a bold ride in search of another rainbow jersey on Swiss soil. She and Weinbeer stayed together with a 30-second buffer over Austria’s Mona Mitterwallner, the defending three-time UCI Marathon World Champion.

The top three held steady through Hérémence, the lowest point on the course. By the time they reached Eison, 100 kilometers in and more than five hours deep, Courtney had stretched her lead to 3:33. Behind, Weinbeer and Mitterwallner had switched places. Courtney was the only woman to reach checkpoint six in under six hours, sitting four minutes ahead of Weinbeer and nearly seven clear of Mitterwallner.

Courtney executed the final stretch of racing perfectly, powering down to Grimentz and sealing the victory in 7:10:11.1, averaging 17.4 km/h on a brutally demanding course.

1. Kate Courtney (USA) – 7:10

2. Anna Weinbeer (SUI) – 7:13

3. Mona Mitterwallner (AUT) – 7:15

7. Alexis Skarda (USA) – 7:33

12. Hannah Otto (USA) – 7:44

15. Chelsea Bolton (USA) – 7:52

53. Abigail Snyder (USA) – 11:05

USA Cycling’s participation in the World Championships is made possible through the support of dedicated donors and partners. To support the USA Cycling National Team, members can donate to the USA Cycling Foundation here. Our supporting partners who have a shared mission to elevate the sport of cycling include, HOVERAir, Visit Bentonville, and Visit Arkansas.