For the first time, the top-ranked male and female mountain bike racers in the world are South African.
Based on the current world rankings, updated after this past weekend’s races, Alan Hatherly and Candice Lill are ranked Number 1 in the world for men and women’s XCO.
By Sean Badenhorst
This is an historic moment for South Africa, which has a relatively small XCO racing community compared to many European and North American countries. Hatherly had an incredible 2024 season, which saw him become the first South African to win a UCI XCO World Championship. That, combined with World Cup high-finish consistency, including several wins and bronze at the Olympic Games in Paris, saw Hatherly collect armfuls of UCI points.
Although he hasn’t contested any XCO races this year, with 2419 points, Hatherly still holds the top spot, which he occupied since October 2024 at the end of the regular XCO racing season. A distant second is Frenchman, Victory Koretzky on 1856 points.
Alan Hatherly after winning the only mountain bike race he has entered this year, Momentum Health Attakwas Extreme, presented by Biogen. | Photo: Giant Factory Offroad
Lill, who had a breakout international season last year, finished 2024 ranked second behind Swiss ace, Alessandra Keller by just 18 points. However, a recent racing stint in Greece, which saw Lill claim victories at UCI-graded races, boosted her points score from 2024.
The UCI rankings work on a rolling system, so Keller lost some points in the past week, which moved Lill into the top-ranked spot. As of today, Tuesday 25 March 2025, Lill has 1988 points with Keller on 1956 points. Lill is the only rider ranked in the top 10 that doesn’t race on a UCI-registered team, preferring to remain a privateer.
“I’m not even sure what to say. If you had told me that I would be in this position last year this time, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s a really fun way to start the season, and at the same time, big shoes to fill… I’m trying not to let any sort of pressure hold me back from just ‘doing my thing’ the way I always have,” said Lill on Tuesday morning.
“I hope this will help other young South African women/girls believe that they are powerful and capable of achieving big dreams. Thank you to my sponsors for supporting me even when all odds were against me,” added Lill.
“Candice’s rise is a testament to her ability to understand and engage with the true demands of XCO. I don’t create an athlete’s success, but I try to help them understand the path to it,” said Barry Austin, Lill’s coach.
“Since I started my journey in XCO with Pauline (Ferrand-Prevot) a few years ago, I realised that while there was a lot of good intention in the sport, there wasn’t always clear understanding. So, I set about learning it for myself and then teaching it.
“With Candice, our focus has been on building that understanding – of herself, of the terrain, of the competition – so that she can make the best decisions in the moment. Her success is her own, built on her willingness to engage, learn, and apply that knowledge curiously and intently,” added Austin.
Thanks largely to Hatherly and Lill’s individual success, South Africa is currently ranked fifth in the men’s nations and 10th in the women’s nations on the UCI list.
