Forissier, Chané and Duré: three Frenchmen with the 2026 XTERRA World Cup within reach

Three French off-road triathletes, Arthur Forissier, Maxim Chané and Nicolas Duré, go head to head this weekend in Suzhou, China, in the last of the 12 races of the 2026 XTERRA World Cup, which will crown the overall winner. On the women's side, defending champion Marta Menditto of Italy will have to watch out for French duo Emma Ducreux and Alizée Paties, both in peak form.

Professional off-road triathlon heads to Suzhou from Friday, October 30, on a site steeped in more than 2,500 years of history. Founded in 514 BC, the city was rebuilt under the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. Athletes will discover a city where XTERRA is now building a year-round hub for endurance sports, built around the Yuyang Bay Outdoor Sports Center and the Yuyang Mountain MTB Park.

Around Lake Taihu, Chinese and international athletes train side by side in natural areas that welcome beginner mountain bikers and seasoned pros alike, as well as open-water swimmers and trail runners.

Two races for the World Cup finale

The 2026 XTERRA World Cup final kicks off at Panmen Square on Friday, October 30, with the Short-Track, a compact and spectacular format: 400 m swim, 8 km bike and 3 km run, over a course of several loops around the historic landmarks. The waterways and the ancient Panmen ramparts will offer plenty of vantage points along the course.

The triathletes will be back at it on Sunday, November 1 for the Full Distance triathlon, a challenge on a whole other scale: a 1.4 km swim in Lake Taihu, then 26 km on the bike and a 9.5 km trail run. Local and international athletes will race over the wooded slopes of Mount Yuyang and through bamboo forests. Steep climbs, tight turns and rocky sections will alternate with open views over the lake.

These two races close out a global circuit of 12 races across seven stops on four continents, from the Australian coast to Greece, via the UK, the United States, Italy and the Czech Republic, before finishing here in Suzhou, China.

Three Frenchmen fighting for the 2026 title

In the men's race, three Frenchmen are battling for the 2026 title. Arthur Forissier wears the leader's jersey, with Maxim Chané and Nicolas Duré lurking close behind.

My two main rivals are two other Frenchmen, and we're separated by just 16 and 18 points, less than two places in the standings. There's absolutely no margin for error.
Arthur ForissierCurrent 2026 World Cup leader

Maxim Chané got his confidence back with a 5th place at the latest XTERRA World Championships, in a World Cup season that began well with a win at Oak Mountain in the United States. That helped him climb the standings and close in on second place.

For Nicolas Duré, who will be discovering China, this round is also a chance to take the overall title. "I hope I can share my passion with the Chinese fans who come out to support the race, and make them want to take on challenges, push their limits and find out what they're capable of through sport."

Italy's Michele Bonacina, who led the circuit earlier in the season, sits fourth in the provisional standings.

Marta Menditto with Emma Ducreux on her heels

In the women's race, Italy's Marta Menditto, the defending World Cup champion, leads the standings. Behind her come France's Emma Ducreux, buoyed by her 4th place at the latest Worlds (a career best), Britain's Isla Hedley and Australia's Hannah-Lee Young.

The French reigning world champion Alizée Patiès nonetheless arrives in China on a run of four straight World Cup wins, having taken both formats in Molveno, Italy, and then in Prachatice, Czech Republic. If she keeps that momentum going, she could well shake up the current order.