Strong broadcast performances, growing digital engagement and more than 300,000 fans attending in person have defined the first two blocks of racing - in Asia and Europe - of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series*. With two-thirds of the 2026 calendar now complete, the series heads into its final stretch with a block of North American events still to come, including two new venues in Soldier Hollow (Midway, Utah - USA) and Whistler Mountain Bike Park (British Columbia, Canada).
RECORD-BREAKING VIEWERSHIP ON HBO MAX
WBD continues to air the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series to a truly global audience thanks to its owned channels (HBO Max, Eurosport, TNT Sports and discovery+) complemented by agreements with over 20 broadcast partners, including a dedicated MTBWS TV platform.
After 11 weekends of racing and 38 UCI World Cup races broadcast live, WBD’s flagship streaming platform, HBO Max, has delivered record viewership in 2026, surpassing previous benchmarks since its first mountain bike broadcast in May 2024. Average HBO Max views per round are up 45% compared with 2025, while total watch hours have also increased by 46%. Total HBO Max views this season are already close to last year’s full-season total, with three rounds of live and highlights coverage still to come. This growth has been supported by stronger digital and on-site promotion, alongside HBO Max’s global subscriber growth as the platform continues to expand into new markets.
ALWAYS ON CONTENT
WBD’s coverage extends beyond a race weekend’s on-site action and live broadcast with a 360-degree ecosystem that documents the twists and turns at every stage of the season.
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series social channels are posting more content to more fans than ever before, with total social reach surpassing 280 million in 2026. So far this year*, the channels have generated nearly 200 million video views, close to 10 million engagements and gained more than 130,000 new followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebookand YouTube.
YouTube has also delivered record audiences, with the channel nearing a quarter of a million subscribers. The Elite Men’s UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup highlights from Nové Mĕsto Na Moravĕ set a new video views record with more than 330,000 views, while highlight packages across all formats are attracting higher average audiences per race weekend than in 2025.
This success has also been recognised by the industry, with the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series social media channels shortlisted for the SportsPro Awards 2026 alongside some of the biggest names in global sport.
The official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series website has also continued to play an integral role, providing news, updates and event information to users from across the world, with 3.5 million total page views since the start of the 2026 series, a significant increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Alongside the official website, the brand-new WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Fan App was also launched in May 2026, allowing fans to stay connected with the latest news and event updates wherever they are. Since launch, it has generated 13,000 downloads across iOS and Android users, creating another way for fans to access always-on content.
STRONG ON-SITE ATTENDANCE
At the heart of it all are the UCI World Cup rounds themselves and the unparalleled race-day experience. From the opening round in MONA YongPyong (South Korea) to the final European stop in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France), over 300,000 fans have lined the courses of iconic and new venues alike, creating a vibrant and electric atmosphere that’s been felt both trackside and by viewers around the world.
They are extremely engaged with what they experience on-site too, with on site survey respondents finding that 98% would attend another WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series event again, while ranking the ‘quality of racing’ at 9.1/10.
THE TEAMS AND BRANDS DRIVING SUCCESS
Beyond the growth in audiences and fan engagement, the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series season has showcased outstanding performances from the sport’s leading teams and bike brands.
In cross-country, Specialized Factory Racing, Canyon XC Racing and Origine Racing Division have emerged as the most successful teams so far this season in terms of Elite UCI World Cup victories. Their success has been driven by some of the sport’s biggest stars, including Sina Frei, Laura Stigger and Adrien Boichis for Specialized Factory Racing, Jenny Rissveds for Canyon XC Racing, and Martina Berta and Mathis Azzaro for Origine Racing Division, all of whom have delivered standout performances throughout the campaign.
In downhill, Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres, Specialized Gravity and Frameworks Racing / TRP have consistently produced winning performances across the opening two-thirds of the season. Five-time UCI Downhill World Cup overall winner Valentina Höll and her teammate Lisa Baumann have spearheaded the success of Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres. Meanwhile, victories from overall Elite Men leader Jordan Williams and teammate Finn Iles have helped establish Specialized Gravity among the most successful teams in the discipline this season. Rising stars Asa Vermette and Anna Newkirk have played a key role in Frameworks Racing / TRP’s strong results throughout the campaign.
These results also underline the strength of the brands powering the sport’s top athletes, with Specialized, Canyon and Commencal standing out as the most successful bike manufacturers in Elite UCI World Cup competition so far in 2026.
CREATING A LEGACY
As part of its commitment to growing mountain biking, WBD Sports is also focused on creating a lasting legacy through its corporate social responsibility work. Its CSR roadmap has been in development since 2023, with several initiatives launching this year to spotlight the activities of WBD and its partners.
This year has seen historic change through the Women in Mountain Bike initiative – a central pillar of WBD Sports’ CSR roadmap – and the creation of a Women in MTB Working Group. Notable achievements include the first-ever rescheduling of the downhill running order at Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland (Austria) with the Women Elite stars closing the show, while there have been numerous Women in MTB Events that provide networking and social meetings to bring women at the forefront of the sport together.
The first edition of the Legacy Award will also see the CSR actions of riders, teams and local organising committees rewarded and celebrated as part of the new Golden Arrow Awards ceremony on Sunday 4th of October, following the final WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round of the year in Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA).
