The Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon marked the fifth and penultimate round of the
2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup 2026.
The Men’s race was won by Wout Alleman who clinched the race in the second half. The Belgian cyclist caught up with the breakaway group – among them Leo Paez (always one to keep an eye on) representing Leecougan Basso Factory Racing Team (who placed 4th today) and Simon Stiebjahn, from Germany, racing for Singer KTM Racing. Alleman set his own pace by working together with Spain’s David Valero Serrano, Klimatiza Orbea Team, the Marathon World Cup’s current lead in the ranking. Paez and Stiebjahn dropped behind on the Aftersteg climb, making way for Davide Foccoli and his extraordinary recovery – the cyclist from Brescia was in fine form today!
With only a few kilometres to the finish line in Kirchzarten, Foccoli was in prime shape to lead the sprint but, some long downhills and Wout Alleman’s extraordinary condition and performance saw him fall behind the Belgian cyclist. Alleman crossed the finish line in 4:14:07, followed by Valero in 4:14:20, making the Italian athlete third with his 4:14:26.
Alleman said: “Well, I’m overjoyed! I felt good today and I’m very satisfied. I hadn’t felt the thrill of winning in some time, and I finally made it to the top podium. The last World Cup race awaits in Girona – and, like always, I thirst for victory.” His thirst paid off, as he placed second in the overall ranking last year, behind Andreas Seewald, cycling for Singer KTM Racing, who this year placed ninth during the Black Forest.
A great day for Spain’s David Valero Serrano, the current ranking leader. “I’m happy and satisfied. The race was a nice one, asking us to think strategically, and really sprint on an-old style track boasting ups and downs where we never let up for one second.”
Turning to the Women’s race, the 2025 World Cup Winner, Rosa Van Doorn, was a surprise DNS – paving the way for Anna Weinbeer. During last year’s Black Forest Ultra Marathon, the Swiss cyclist surprised everyone (especially her Elite rivals) by smashing the race despite being in the Amateur category. Today, the KTM Spada powered by Brenta Brakes cyclist confirmed her 2025 victory and her current red leader jersey were not just haphazard but spoke to her skills as an excellent cyclist. From the very first kilometres of the 2026 round, Weinbeer set a pace which nobody could keep up with, barring another Swiss cyclist: Steffi Haeberlin. For a day, Haeberlin – Swiss road cycling champion – returned to her old flame and hopped on a mountain bike. For around 20 km, the two kept the same pace until Weinbeer sped off on her own. Her 4:55:11 won her the race – and by adding up all her points, she automatically won the 2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup!
“Words can’t describe how happy I am – what an extraordinary day! I won the race and the World Cup with my family and friends cheering me on. How great is that? I’m overjoyed. I’ll enjoy the moment, especially after the last, challenging period– but I managed to overcome it.” Four wins out of five World Cup races –
any regrets? “Goodness no, not in the least. It just wasn’t my day on the HERO Dolomites, and I’m happy Claudia won a home race. “What does the future hold?” The World Championships and the last round in Girona still await – that’s something new and I’m curious to see what happens,” September will be a busy month for Weinbeer, no doubt!
The remaining places on the podium saw Spain’s Natalia Fischer Egusquiza, Extremadura Ecopilas, 4 minutes behind Weinbeer, battle against Claudia Peretti for the second spot. The Italian cyclist couldn’t catch up with Egusquiza in the race’s second half, finishing the round in 5:02:53, while Haeberlin, from Switzerland, placed fourth.
A good 156 Elite and Master Licence cyclists from 20 countries signed up to the 2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup and rode up to the starting line for the 118 km and 3.500 hm track. Just like in every other race in the circuit, countless amateurs also joined in and raced in Kirchzarten.
A veritable battle of skills and wits took place in the Master Licence category, which saw Spain’s Xavier Calaf Garcia win the Men’s race, and Poland’s Anna Magon-Romanow win the Women’s race.
The 2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup’s leaders are now ready for the season’s last race in Spain, in Costa Brava’s Girona on 20 September 2026. The race will crown the Men’s winner of the HERO UCI World Cup – whereas Switzerland’s Anna Weinbeer can already enjoy the spoils of her hard work and revel in winning the circuit.