When the mass of elite mountain bikers rolled out of Verbier before dawn for the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, nobody really expected a clean sweep by Team USA. That kinda thing only happens in the Mighty Ducks and Hollywood remakes. However, on paper, Courtney and Swenson were the ones to beat, and they proved it to the world. Both Keegan Swenson and Kate Courtney each powered their way to elite world titles. Marking a milestone — the first time American riders have claimed both XCM rainbow jerseys in the same year.
The Course – The Cauldron of Valais
The course lived up to its legendary billing. Covering 125 km from Verbier to Grimentz, the route hugged alpine valleys, tackled high altitude—including the imposing Pas de Lona at 2,787 meters—and tallied nearly 5,000 meters of ascent. Imagine a marathon with climbing (and a nice hike-a-bike) worthy of the Alps, terrain that punishes battered legs and rewards calculated patience. The course was challenging enough; the stacked field didn’t help the unprepared.
Keegan Swenson: Precision and Persistence
In the men’s race, Swenson buried himself within the front chase group early on. By the third checkpoint at Evolène—around the four-hour mark, he seized the lead, similar to his tactics in the LifeTime Grand Prix races. From there, he orchestrated a masterclass in pacing. He passed L’A Vieille (checkpoint 5) with most threats still lurking nearby, but he carried composure into the final climb up Pas de Lona and held steady through the descent to Grimentz. Swenson crossed the line in 6:01:44.3, averaging about 20.7 km/h, securing gold over Samuele Porro (–25 sec) and Héctor Paez León (+3:42)
“It feels good,” Swenson said afterward. “This was a big one for me this year… Racing in the Alps is always brutal. But winning here—that’s unforgettable.”
Kate Courtney
Courtney put the field on notice early in the women’s race. She rode shoulder-to-shoulder with Switzerland’s Anna Weinbeer initially, but dug a decisive gap by 100 km. From there, it was power and handling punishing alpine terrain, soaking up altitude, and enduring a flat tire in the final 20 minutes, all while maintaining her lead. She crossed the finish in 7:10:11.1, winning by a commanding 3:44 over Weinbeer, with the XCO Super Austrian Mona Mitterwallner rounding out the podium.
Courtney captured her second world title, seven years after winning XCO on that same Swiss soil. She later called the ride “one of the hardest and most unexpected races of my career”. This win comes after she shattered the Leadville women’s record earlier this year.
What Makes This Sweep So Significant?
It’s rare to see domination in both the men’s and women’s elite marathon titles by riders from the same nation. That’s what Team USA pulled off in Valais—a statement of depth, training, and strategic grit. The fact that it came just weeks after both riders also won Leadville 100 offers a glimpse into how gravel and endurance racing are injecting fresh approaches into MTB Worlds
