The only off-road cycling discipline of the Olympics will take place on a 4.4km course in Élancourt, a small town situated in Paris’ southwestern suburbs. The relentless route is fast and physical throughout and includes 110m of elevation gain per lap. In addition to sharp, switch backing singletrack and adrenaline-fueled descents, the course has several technical features like rock gardens and jumps that could prove decisive in the race for gold.
Mountain biking has been a staple of the Summer Olympics since Atlanta 1996 and Paris 2024 marks its eighth appearance at the Olympic Games. This year, the competition for gold is the fiercest it's ever been. From reigning Olympic champions looking to defend their crowns to legends of the sport where a gold medal would complete a glittering career, here are the favourites for Mountain Biking medals.
Reigning Olympic Champion, Switzerland’s Jolanda Neff, has announced that she will not defend her title at Paris 2024. Sina Frei confirmed as replacement.
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continued this weekend in the third new venue of the 2024 series: the trails of the Aletsch Arena in Bellwald, Valais, Switzerland. Poor weather in Valais pushed the weekend’s action back by a day, so Sunday saw a double-header of brilliant action across the UCI Enduro and E-enduro World Cups, happening on the same day for the first time.
The 2024 UCI Enduro and E-enduro World Cup overall series are approaching their pointy end as riders ready themselves to compete in the fifth, and penultimate, round of the season.
Due to the latest weather forecasts from multiple sources predicting several storms and persistent rainfall on Friday, July 12, the schedule for the UCI Enduro World Cup in Aletsch Arena - Bellwald has been revised.
After a thrilling Cross-Country and Downhill double header in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France), the Enduro and E-enduro action resumes to conclude six weekends of back-to-back mountain biking action. There’s no letup either, and riders will be tasked with tackling the trails of Aletsch Arena - Bellwald, Valais, Switzerland – the third new venue of the 2024 series.
In the last round of the UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) World Cup before the Olympics, Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing) put themselves in the strongest possible position by claiming commanding victories. Pieterse rode away from the field on the very first lap to win by more than two minutes from Candice Lill. Hatherly left it until the middle of his race to hit out solo, crossing the line 91 seconds ahead of Val di Sole second place, Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon).
Eleonora Farina (MS Intense Racing) won her first-ever UCI Downhill World Cup with an excellent display of control and skill on a rain-soaked course at Haute-Savoie, Les Gets, France. Home favourite Amaury Pierron (Commencal/MUC-Off by Riding Addiction) proved a popular winner as he produced a masterclass to clinch a dominant victory in the men’s elite race.
Due to the latest weather forecast from Météo France, indicating continued Vigilance Jaune status because of storms, heavy rains, and potential flooding, the existing schedule for the UCI Downhill World Cup on Saturday, 6 July 2024, will not proceed as planned.
After an imperfect experience in Val di Sole, Women’s UCI Downhill World Cup leader Valentina Höll (YT Mob) got her season back on track with an impeccable semi-final run in Les Gets. On the men’s side Dakotah Norton (Mondraker Factory Racing) put in two flawless runs to put himself in the optimal position for Saturday’s final.
Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Alan Hatherly (Cannondale Factory Racing) employed almost identical tactics to take similar sized victories in the women’s and men’s UCI Cross-country Short Track races in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France).
The Downhill, Cross-country Olympic and Cross-country Short Track pros were given a well-earned break last weekend as the Enduro and Cross-country Marathon Elite showed what they could do in the heart of French Alps, specifically in the villages of Combloux and Megève. The 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series resumes tomorrow just up the road, in the same French department, Haute-Savoie, centered on the cycling-crazy town of Les Gets.
The event served as a unique opportunity for women to connect, share experiences, and foster a sense of community within the mountain biking industry.
We look at everything you need to know about the Haute-Savoie, Les Gets round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races.
