29.03.2026Addis Ababa (ETH)
City Mountainbike Eliminator Pro League
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Tormena and Van Eck end Rainbow Reign with glory in Leuven
Is there a better way to say goodbye to a world title than by winning one last time? Probably not. In Round 2 of the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup in Leuven, Belgium, outgoing UCI World Champions Gaia Tormena (ITA) and Jeroen van Eck (NED) marked the end of their reigns with dominant victories — their final races in the iconic rainbow jerseys before new champions are crowned.
Is there a better way to say goodbye to a world title than by winning one last time? Probably not. In Round 2 of the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup in Leuven, Belgium, outgoing UCI World Champions Gaia Tormena (ITA) and Jeroen van Eck (NED) marked the end of their reigns with dominant victories — their final races in the iconic rainbow jerseys before new champions are crowned.
Round 2 was the highlight of a full weekend of racing in Leuven, offering riders of all levels the chance to compete in Eliminator format races right in the heart of the historic Flemish city. After youth and amateur events on Saturday, elite riders from 28 nations lined up on Sunday for the World Cup showdown.
Just three weeks ahead of the UCI World Championships in Sakarya, Türkiye, the level of racing in Leuven was exceptionally high. Legends like Titouan Perrin-Ganier and Simon Gegenheimer were knocked out in the early heats, as was last year’s winner, Theo Hauser. In the women’s competition, UCI World Cup leader Mariia Sukhopalova didn’t make it past the qualifying time trials after a crash.
Despite the fierce competition, Gaia Tormena and Jeroen van Eck showed no signs of weakness. Tormena topped the qualifying time trials, dominated each of her heats, and powered to a commanding victory in the big final. The young Italian prodigy finished ahead of Marion Fromberger (GER) and Madison Boissière (FRA). With two second-place finishes in the opening rounds, Fromberger now takes the lead in the overall UCI World Cup standings.
In the men’s race, Edvin Lindh recorded the fastest time in the qualifiers—for an impressive eighth time in a row—but the Swede didn’t make it to the big final. World Champion Jeroen van Eck did, taking control from the start and securing a confident win. German Champion Louis Krauss showcased his talent by finishing second, while UCI World Cup leader Jakob Klemencic of Slovenia claimed third.
The win in Leuven was especially meaningful for Tormena. “This could have been my last race in this jersey. The UCI World Championships are a one-day race—anything can happen. I’m very happy to honor the jersey here in Leuven, just as I did last year. I felt in control all day, and I’m proud of that. I still have a lot of work to do before Sakarya, so I wasn’t expecting this yet.”
For Van Eck, the victory carried extra emotional weight. “Winning in this jersey feels good—especially because of the way I rode. I trusted myself and my strengths. I felt the flow, moving fast through the corners and over the obstacles. I also had another reason to win today. Last week, I lost a good friend from high school—only 30 years old. This win is for him too. Wish you the best, mate.”
Results
Men’s results – UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup Leuven
1. Jeroen van Eck (NED)
2. Louis Krauss (GER)
3. Jakob Klemencic (SLO)
4. Ede-Karoly Molnar (ROU)
5. Thibaut Kahlhoven (FRA)
Women’s results – UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup Leuven
1. Gaia Tormena (ITA)
2. Marion Fromberger (GER)
3. Madison Boissière (FRA)
4. Didi de Vries (NED)
5. Merili Sirvel (EST)
Standings
Men’s UCI World Cup standings after Leuven
1. Jakob Klemencic (SLO) – 168 points
2. Edvin Lindh (SWE) – 150
3. Jeroen van Eck (NED) – 110
4. Ede-Karoly Molnar (ROU) – 110
5. Simon Gegenheimer (GER) – 90
Women’s UCI World Cup standings after Leuven
1. Marion Fromberger (GER) – 190 points
2. Madison Boissière (FRA) – 148
3. Gaia Tormena (ITA) – 120
4. Didi de Vries (NED) – 113
5. Mariia Sukhopalova (URK) – 110
