2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup
The race marked the start of the 2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup, the first stage hosted by the Capoliveri Legend Cup’s impeccable Organising Committee. The 65 km on Elba Island saw Wout Alleman, from Belgium, and Rosa Van Doorn, from The Netherlands, take home the win and the first points of the UCI World Cup.
Capoliveri Legend Cup marked the official start of the 2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup.
Out of the 2,247 cyclists competing on the 65 km and 2,400 hm trail, a good 208, representing 24 countries, have also signed up to the 2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup. Of these 208, 189 are Elite and 19 are Master Licence. Among the former, Wout Alleman, from Belgium, from Team Buff-Megamo was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 02:59:42 He said: “Today was an exceptional day, because I was in tip-top shape. I knew these tracks as I’d competed here in 2021 during the Marathon World Cup. At this round, me, Eskil Evensen from Norway, and Gioele de Cosmo – my former team mate, who I know well – kicked off really well. I’m over the moon I get to wear the UCI World Cup leader jersey at the next race”.
Gioele de Cosmo, from Italy, representing Team Torpado Kenda FSA came in second at 03:00:01, while the third place on the podium went to his team mate Fabian Rabensteiner, behind by 00:39
In the women’s ranking Rosa Van Doorn, from The Netherlands, representing Team Buff-Megamo, won the day, completing the demanding Elba trail in 03:37:15
She said: “During yesterday’s press conference I said my slogan is “go with the flow”, and that’s how it went. After the start, there were five of us, and at km 20 I saw the others break away – but I focused and started clawing my way back up, rushing past everyone until I was on my own, cycling the last kilometres in a race against time. An amazing race – the trail, the island’s beauty, and our team, as Wout also won. Well, I say I’ve definitely deserved some gelato now!”
The women’s podium saw the second place go to Lejla Njemcevic, from Bosnia, just 05:36 behind the winner, while the third place went to Adelheid Morath with a time of 03:43:33.
The 2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup allows even Master Licence cyclists, i.e. amateurs who are regularly enrolled in a National Federation affiliated with the UCI, to compete for the World Cup. The winner of this special category was Andrea Bravin, from Italy, in the Men’s Category, while Kamila Gurzynska from Poland won the Women’s category.
And what about the take of the Organising Committee on the 2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World? Gerhard Vanzi, Chairman of the 2025 HERO UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Cup, says: “We were aware of the top-notch organisational skills of the Capoliveri Legend Cup as it hosted the 2023 UCI international marathon – and it showed today. We’re incredibly satisfied of this first stage. We can now focus on the second stage in Andorra where another exciting race awaits!”
The winners of the 2025 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World’s first stage wore the World Cup’s leader ranking jersey on the podium – the very same they’ll wear in three weeks in the Pyrenees for the second stage on 1 June 2025: the Naturland Andorra.
Complete overall rankings are available online at https://www.heroucimarathonworldcup.com/
