More than 300 of Biggest Cycling Race Events — Most of Any Streaming Platform — to Be Available for U.S. Max Subscribers via B/R Sports Add-OnIncludes Giro d’Italia, Classics, UCI Mountain Bike World Series, UCI Track Champions League & More.Today, Max and TNT Sports, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery, announced that the most expansive roster of live cycling across Road, Mountain Bike, Track, BMX and Cyclocross will be coming to the B/R Sports Add-On on Max for U.S. subscribers in February 2024.Live cycling coverage on Max will include more than 300 of the world’s biggest racing events, including the prestigious Giro d’Italia, all race weekends of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series, all rounds of the UCI Track Champions League, 53 women’s World Tour Pro Series broadcasts, the E3 Saxo Bank Classic, the Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne, and more. All in, Max will be the one to watch for U.S. cycling fans, offering more live cycling event coverage throughout the year than any other streaming service.Subscribers will also have access to “The Breakaway”, English-language pre- and post-race coverage which will harness the most immersive broadcast studio innovations to dissect the action for cycling fans.Through its global distribution, Warner Bros. Discovery has a proud cycling heritage and is well-known for broadcasting cycling in all its forms to viewers around the world, harnessing the sport’s foremost experts including two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, former World Road Race champion Philippe Gilbert, 17-year ex-pro and fan favorite Jens Voigt and 24-time Grand Tour stage winner Robbie McEwen to help better connect viewers with the sport during key events.The move to integrate live cycling content on the B/R Sports Add-On on Max follows the closure of the GCN+ service and app on December 19, bringing more sports and entertainment content together in one place.Max’s B/R Sports Add-On offers exceptional value with a full slate of premium live sports content included such as the MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA Men’s March Madness, U.S. Soccer, 24 Hours of Le Mans and a variety of non-live sports programming to appeal to every fan.
The global French company Motul is presented as the new Official Partner of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series for the 2024 season. This is the result of its ambitious growth plan in the bike care segment and the shared passion for fan engagement between Motul and the series. Founded in 1853, Motul has a strong heritage in the industry stretching back over 170 years. The brand has built an impressive global reputation and is known for its high-quality products, competitive spirit and innovation. The company produces high-performance lubricants, maintenance and care products, sold across 160 countries in the world and is the official supplier to some of the most demanding sport disciplines and its manufacturers. As part of a three-year agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, promoter of the championship, Motul will transfer its product expertise in maintenance and lubrication to develop a special product line, endorsed as an Official product of the series. Motul joins Vittoria, Oakley and GoPro as Official Partners of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Last month, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports (WBDS) and the UCI unveiled its calendar for the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series season with events set to take place in 10 different countries spanning Europe, North America and South America. The season starts on 12 April with back-to-back race weekends in Mairiporã, Araxá and Minas Gerais, in Brazil. 2024 will be the second season in an eight-year partnership between the UCI and WBD, which sees WBD Sports assume responsibility for the broadcast, promotion, and organisation of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Chris Ball, VP of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery, said:To be able to welcome a brand with the esteem that Motul enjoys as an Official Partner is a real coup for the series. There are clear common synergies between the brand values of what the UCI Mountain Bike World Series stands for and Motul and we are delighted to partner with them from the 2024 season alongside our other valued partners.Olivier Montange, Chairman of Motul’s management board said:Joining the UCI Mountain Bike World Series family of partners is a new major step in Motul’s strategy to grow on the bike care market. This partnership engraves the commitment we make to the community to become a reference for bike care products supplying high quality products through easy to use and clean formulas to protect our playground.
There's not many venues that can claim to be a classic mountain bike destination straight off the bat - but Loudenvielle-Peyragudes is one of them.In Loudenvielle-Peyragudes there lives both some of the finest enduro and e-enduro stages on earth, alongside one of the most-talked about downhill tracks of last season. Its return in 2024 will be not only welcomed, but highly anticipated by the pro paddock and race fans alike. Here’s everything that you need to know: Where is it? Loudenvielle is located in the commune of the Hautes Pyrénées of southwestern France right on the border with Spain. It’s a tiny town with ancient roots which has embraced tourism and holiday makers for many years. There is a lake at its centre and the area is extremely popular with paragliders who take off from the airfield high above, made famous by the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. It is also famous for some of its road bike climbs the most recent of which featured in the 2022 Tour de France as a stage finish that saw the Australian Michael Matthews (Team Jayco Alula) taste victory at the top of the airstrip. Has there been racing here before? Oui. Loudenvielle-Peyragudes made its enduro debut as rounds five and six of the 2021 season. That year, Jack Moir (Canyon CLLCTV) did the double whilst Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) and Hattie Harnden (Trek Factory Racing) split the wins. E-Enduro featured last season with Flo Espiniera (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) and Fabien Barel taking wins on their respective routes to their overall titles. The 2024 season will be the second time Loudenvielle-Peyragudes has hosted a UCI Downhill World Cup. The 2023 edition saw Valentina Höll (Rockshox Trek Race Team) clinch the win on a rain-soaked course, while in the men’s race it was none other than Loic Bruni (Specialized Gravity) who crossed the line fastest in front of his home crowd. What’s the course like? Enduro-wise, the stages here are tight and treelined, not unlike those found in southern Scotland at the Tweed Valley rounds. They are extremely popular with riders and having become a staple on the calendar the big local tests have come to be tweaked, finessed, known and respected. Loudenvielle-Peyragudes made its downhill debut last season across what was a difficult weekend of weather. That said, not much could dampen the enthusiasm for the track that the local team and expert shaper Romain Paulhan had sculpted. Man-made features melded perfectly with the contours of the hillside and some typically Pyrenean steep stuff to form what for many was one of if not the track of the season. What else can we expect? The downhill race in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes was one of the biggest races of last season, especially considering the weather that led up to it. The crowds were superb and lined the track almost from top to bottom and with the proof having well and truly been in the pudding in terms of the racing that they were treated to, we can envisage an even bigger, rowdier turn out this season. This will be the final race of the enduro and e-enduro seasons and as a result, titles will be on the line. Last season, the crunch final battle took place in Châtel during the UCI Mountain Bike World Series Festival Haute-Savoie and so once again, France will decide where the crowns of stage racing will reside. For downhill fans, it will be the penultimate round of the season before the series moves to Mont-Sainte-Anne for the decider and so, for European fans, it will be the last time to see their heroes on home soil. Who are the favourites? As ever, it’s hard to predict this far in advance but given that Loudenvielle-Peyragudes arrives at the pointy end of the enduro and e-enduro seasons it’s hard not to say the reigning overall title holders Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) and Richie Rude (Yeti Fox Factory Racing) won’t be involved in the conversation. The former has won at this round before, the latter has not but has a brace of second places to his name. In e-enduro it really is anyone’s guess as to whom will emerge triumphant but with the area’s propensity for overnight showers and slick terrain, only those most comfortable when traction gets limited will likely prosper. When it comes to downhill, as ever, all eyes will be on the French stars who will be under pressure to shine brightest in France. However, it’s hard to argue against Valentina Höll and Loïc Bruni remaining the ones to beat in 2024. Loudenvielle-Peyragudes will take place 06 – 08 September 2024, you can learn more here!
Crans-Montana, and the Valais region, are well known and beloved to the snow sports fraternity, and in the warmer months, a superb mountain bike racing venue. The destination is truly a four-season resort with hiking, mountain biking, shopping, culture and gastronomy which entertain visitors all year-round. The busy town of Crans-Montana offers stunning views of the Swiss alps no matter which way you turn and, in 2024, will represent the third brand-new venue of the year on the calendar. Here’s everything that you need to know: Where is it? Crans-Montana, Valais, as the name would suggest is within the Valais canton of Switzerland in the southwest of the country. Switzerland is a famously beautiful country, but this is one of its most staggeringly scenic corners. Every vista seems somehow painted on or that it may have been borrowed from The Big Book of Beautiful Swiss Backdrops. As mentioned, it is just as famous for its summer as it is its winter sports. With a packed event schedule all year round, it hosts the Alpine Ski World Cup between November and February. In September, the European Tour’s Omega European Masters golf tournament, plus both the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie are regular visitors whilst it also hosted a Tour de France stage finish back in 1984. In 2025, Crans-Montana will also host the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships as well as the FIS Alpine Ski World Championship in 2027. Has there been racing here before? In addition to Tour de Suisse, Tour de Romandie, and Tour de France, in 2023 Crans-Montana also hosted a stage of the Giro D'Italia and the Cross-country Olympic and Cross-country Short Track Swiss Championships. Crans-Montana became the UCI Enduro World Cup’s Swiss round back in 2021 and quickly became a rider favourite. The international racing scene was still emerging from the grips of the global pandemic and the stages of the debut venue were a welcome jolt of adrenaline to the system. This is the first time we will see Endurance athletes taking to the same landscape and when you consider that Cross-country racing is so popular in Switzerland it becomes an even more tantalising proposition. What’s the course like? That remains to be seen! The Enduro stages surrounding the town of Crans-Montana were beautifully crafted by talented trail builders who clearly knew not only how to sculpt trails but how to build racetracks, so expectations are high. Back in 2021, the theme was wide open, high speed, high alpine bike park tops depositing riders into ultra steep, tight and technical, natural sections lower down. All skillsets were tested, and they proved to be great levellers. It’ll be interesting to see if the Cross-country tracks can pull off the same trick. What else can we expect? Switzerland has two of the biggest names in Cross-country racing of all time. Ten time Olympic World Champion Nino Schurter ( Scott-Sram MTB Racing Team) and the reigning Olympic champion and Crans-Montana ambassador, Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing) have both elevated not only the domestic but international profile of the sport exponentially. The result will be a huge and massively partisan Swiss crowd. And that’s all before you consider all their many other home favourites. It promises to be a lairy one. Who are the favourites? Neff and Schurter will gain untold additional horsepower solely based on the volume levels alone. Aside from them expect Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Swiss Mountain Bike Racing Team) to receive substantial backing. Keller won both Cross-country Olympic and Short Track overall titles in 2022 and just so happens to be piloting a Swiss-made bike for an all-Swiss team. Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon Swiss Mountain Bike Racing Team) had a redemptive 2023 season wherein he took victory against the backdrop of some of the toughest conditions of the year in Pal Arinsal Andorra and pushed Nino Schurter right to the final round of the season in the Cross-country Olympic overall standings. A Swiss-on-Swiss showdown, in Switzerland? Yes please. Crans-Montana, Valais will roar into life on the 21 – 23 June, you can find out more here.
Greg Minnaar, the most successful elite men’s UCI Downhill World Cup rider in history, will not race for the Santa Cruz Syndicate in 2024. The announcement was made via the team’s social media channels yesterday evening and included the following: After 16 epic years of racing, puzzling, and making incredible memories together, Greg Minnaar is hanging up his Syndicate jersey. We wish Greg nothing but the best and want to extend a huge thanks for everything he and the Santa Cruz Syndicate have accomplished together. From the dominant 00’s to his current status as the Greatest Of All Time. It’s been one hell of a ride.As yet, there is only speculation as to whom he may be riding for in 2024 with several large brand names currently being mooted. Rumours have persisted over the last several seasons regarding the 42-year-old’s potential retirement from the sport but that is not something acknowledged within yesterday’s statement. Greg Minnaar has four sets of UCI World Champion’s rainbow stripes to his name having won the title in 2003, 2012, 2013 and 2021. He also has three UCI World Cup overall titles to his name with wins coming in 2001, 2005 and 2008. The Pietermaritzburg native has won 23 UCI World Cups included in his 60 podium appearances.
Trentino in northern Italy is a region steeped in mountain bike racing heritage. The steep walls of its valleys hold within them a venue that has become both recognised, respected and revered in equal measures by fans of both Endurance and Gravity sides of the sport. In 2024, the racetracks of Val di Sole Trentino will offer those fans their first chance to see both tribes converge onto the same schedule. The Cross-country track is a superb balance of climbs and technical descents, but it is the Downhill track, The Black Snake, that inspires real carnage. Here’s everything that you need to know: Where is it? Just over half a million souls call the province of Trentino ‘home’. Constitutionally it is interesting as combined with South Tyrol it is recognised as the autonomous province of Trentino-Alto. It is famously mountainous with its Dolomite range being considered the heart of Italy’s mountain sports scene. The capital city of the province is Trento. The Marmolada is the highest peak in the region at 3343m above sea level. Despite its mountainous terrain, Trentino-Alto is famous for its agriculture and each year presents over 50% of Italy’s crop of apples alongside being an important area for the production of grapes used in white and sparkling wines. Has there been racing here before? Oh yes! Val di Sole Trentino burst onto the radars of race fans all over the world when it hosted the UCI DownhilI World Championships in 2008. A regular UCI Downhill World Cup slot arrived in 2010 before being added to the Cross-country rotation in 2013. In fact, there have been no fewer than three sets of UCI World Championships hosted at the venue; 2008, 2016 and 2021. The first two were Gravity only whilst Endurance was added for the third. There have been 12 topflight Gravity races in Val di Sole Trentino in total. What’s the course like? The Cross-country course is a finely balanced pair of loops incorporating technical, punchy climbs and fast, even more technical descents. There are a couple out in the open which are where traditionally the rowdiest fans congregate to roar the racers on. The Black Snake however is a very different, altogether more extreme beast. The track is 2.2km in length and drops 510m of vertical, in other words, it’s extremely steep. In fact, it’s as steep as UCI World Cup tracks come. The track begins in the open through some fast, sweeping turns across the piste before hitting the treeline. Once it does, its complexion changes completely. The gradient kicks up massively and doesn’t relent until the handful of meters before the final jump at the finish line. What makes it truly ferocious is just how battered it has become over the years. The dirt here is scorched in the heat of summer to almost talc-like levels. It settles in the deep holes between roots and lingers long enough to catch out even the most experienced racer. For the 2023 running of the race the organisers moved an incredible amount of material to alleviate some of the savagery. It was a well-received effort that increased speeds through some of the rougher sections. What else can we expect? In terms of downhill, a win on Val di Sole Trentino’s hallowed slopes matters more than it does in other venues. It suits the most technically adept riders who, come race day, are prepared to go deeper and brake harder and later than anyone else. It is no respecter of reputations (see Sam Hill’s 2008 last turn implosion) and some of the out and out bike riders’ bike riding over the years has played out here. It hasn’t always necessarily been in accordance with who the form riders were at that particular moment in the sports history. Who are the favourites? As mentioned, some of the biggest of big names have been caught out here in the past and correspondingly some of the most talented if not necessarily consistent have risen to the occasion. Danny Hart’s win here in 2016 is a standout amongst them, as was Rachel Atherton’s (Continental Atherton Mountain Bike Race Team) win at the same event. For all the drama of its final handful of meters, Sam Hill’s run at the UCI World’s in 2008 is still regarded by many as one of the best race runs in history. On the other hand, The Black Snake, has never favoured Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) one of the definitive riders of his or any other generation. In 2023, Sacha Earnest (Transition Factory Racing) announced her arrival on to the big stage with a breakthrough Junior victory in Trentino by nearly 12.5secs. It was form that the young Kiwi struggled to replicate for the rest of the UCI World Cup season but, if she can do it in Val di Sole Trentino, she can do it anywhere! Val di Sole Trentino will be back in 2024 on the 14 – 16 June, you can find out more here.
The slopes of Saalfelden Leogang in Salzburgerland are amongst the most famous in mountain bike racing. The merest mention of the famous venue can spark hours' worth of conversation amongst mountain bike race fans regarding their favourite moments to have transpired in that particular corner of Austria. It offers one of the biggest juxtapositions of breath-taking scenery coupled to bike breaking high speeds found anywhere. Saalfelden Leogang always delivers a thrilling race, without fail. Here’s everything that you need to know: Where is it? Based at the heart of the state of Salzburg, Leogang is a municipality in the district of Zell am See. It is just over an hour southwest of the city of Salzburg and nestles amidst the stunning surroundings of the Southern Limestone Alps which are part of the Eastern Alps. In short, it’s beautiful and every year does a thorough job of putting the ‘mountain’ into ‘mountain biking.’ The area is extremely popular in terms of winter sports and then hiking and mountain biking in the summer. The result is a busy event full of hardcore race fans and inquisitive tourists alike. Has there been racing here before? Outside of the twin bastions of Fort William in Scotland and Mont-Saint-Anne in Canada, Saalfelden Leogang in Austria is one of the longest serving venues on the UCI World Cup calendar having hosted racing every season since 2010. This includes two sets of UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 2012 and 2020. Enduro was a new addition to the roster at a busy Leogang in 2023 and it will return once again in 2024 on the 07 – 09 June. Those who want to look further into the future can look forward to the third UCI Mountain Bike World Championships. From the 30 August to the 03 September 2028, Saalfelden Leogang will once again become the global centre of mountain bike sports. What’s the course like? The downhill course in the Epic Bike Park Leogang has constantly evolved since its international debut over a decade ago. The bones of the track remain the same even though just about every part of it has been massaged or altered through the years. Once upon a time the Leogang track would receive criticism for being ‘too bike park’ and not technically challenging enough. The organisers listened and managed the highly commendable balancing act of doubling down on the extremely high-speed nature of the track whilst also adding in high-risk root and rock gardens alongside some of the biggest jumps on the calendar. The track in Leogang is now as close to motorsport as downhill mountain biking really comes – every fraction of a second counts and any mistake comes at a high price. Year on year, it delivers one of the tightest spreads of podium times. The Epic Bike Park Leogang also features a famous stump garden carved with the names of past winners including Stevie Smith as tribute to his iconic 2013 UCI World Cup overall title. The enduro course in 2023 was chunky. Some 71km of high alpine action across Austria’s largest bike region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, on six stages dropped the racers over 4500 vertical meters. It’s a high alpine test that instantly established itself as a bike and body breaker. What else can we expect? Huge home support. Last season, Saalbach resident Vali Höll and Andreas Kolb (Continental Atherton MTB Race Team) brought home historic double wins. It was the first time that Austria had done so in a UCI Downhill World Cup and the reaction of the home crowd was huge. Not only is this an area full of people passionate about their outdoor sports but it is near a couple of big cities, and you can bet that those wins are still resonating and will result in a huge turnout come race day in 2024. Who are the favourites? How can we not say Höll and Kolb?! The Saalbach riders future remains slightly mired in the mists of the transfer market after comments she made about moving teams at the end of the 2023 season, but the latter spent the rest of that season backing up his newfound credentials as one of the fastest in the world. Whoever Vali signs for, she will, if fully fit, arrive in Leogang as one of the favourites. Only Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Aaron Gwin have won more than one elite men’s DHI race at the Austrian venue. They share six between them between the years 2010 and 2017. It has had a different winner for the last six editions. Eight different elite women have won in Leogang, the best recent record belonging to Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal) who won three on the bounce between 2020 and 2022. Saalfelden Leogang-Salzburgerland will be back in 2024 on the 07 – 09 June, you can find out more here.
The Czech Republic round of the UCI Cross-country World Cup is amongst the most famous and is a dyed-in-the-wool fan and rider favourite. The track through the densely forested Vysočina Arena remains unique in style on the calendar and the crowd that flock to line it are amongst the most raucous in mountain biking. Often the opening round of the season, Nové Město na Moravě will this year represent the third round of the endurance calendar. Fast, frenetic and no stranger to a bit of precipitation it will be the first well-known quantity in terms of track design of the season. Here’s everything that you need to know: Where is it? The stadium itself is in the centre of the Czech Republic, just over an hour northwest of one of its biggest cities, Brno. It is just outside of the centre of the town of Nové Město na Moravě, a town in Žďár nad Sázavou District in the Vysočina Region. Just under 10,000 people reside there. The Vysočina Arena itself has hosted some of the biggest biathlon contests in Europe and offers state-of-the-art event infrastructure. Has there been racing here before? Yes. A lot! Since its debut in 2011, Nové Město na Moravě has seen some of the classic moments of modern Cross-country play out around its famous track. Nino Schurter (SRAM Scott MTB Racing) won here at the second time of asking in 2012 and since then, only four riders have ever beaten him in the Cross-country Olympic distance race. One of whom was one of Czech cycling’s most famous stars; Jaroslav Kulhavý. The former Olympic Champion’s attack on Nino Schurter on one of the tracks arrow-straight climbs in 2015 is one of XCO’s most famous moments. Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Ineos Grenadiers) won her debut UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup here in 2015, whilst still young enough to compete in the U23 category. It signalled her arrival as one of the sports biggest names. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deceuninck) achieved similar status here with her debut elite level victory in 2023. Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) is undefeated around Nové Město na Moravě. What’s the course like? Nové Město na Moravě perhaps best resembles the fast-flowing technicality that mountain bikers all over the world seek out every weekend, and that’s why the pro’s love it. It’s a high intensity, distilled burst of all that is fun on a mountain bike. The climbs are steep but short and the descents are fast and reward risk and line choice. There are drop offs, huge rock gardens and even a couple of sets of double jumps along the way alongside a literal grandstand finish in the heart of the arena. Weather has often been a factor over the years which just makes the roots of the Vysočina Arena all the more treacherous. In short, it’s a course that rewards the best mountain biker in attendance. What else can we expect? The opening rounds of the 2024 season, back-to-back contests in Brazil, are an unknown quantity for the majority of UCI World Cup racers. Nové Město na Moravě represents the exact opposite. This is a track and venue that is very much a ‘known quantity’. As a result, it will offer those whose season didn’t get off to the start that they had hoped for a ray of familiar light. The opening rounds will be fascinating but it’s in the Czech Republic where the battle in the overall will become very real. Who are the favourites? So much of who the favourites for the weekend in Nové Město na Moravě will depend on what happens in Brazil beforehand. That said, there are a couple of standouts before we even get there. Reigning UCI World Champion Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) is undefeated in the Vysočina Arena. It’s an Olympic year so a lot will depend on various riders' schedules but if Pidcock is there, he’ll be in the running. With five wins in the Czech Republic (amongst 10 top three performances), Nino Shurter is also a safe bet to be in amongst it. All five of those wins came between 2013 and 2019 and were punctuated only by two second places. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin Deceuninck) will be in a similar position but her debut victory there last season spring boarded her into being one of the biggest names in XCO. That kind of victory and the confidence that it will inspire will be colossal. Nové Město na Moravě will be back in 2024 on the 24 – 26 May, you can find out more here.
At the end of a long summer of downhill racing, many of the big teams find themselves in the position of having a pit full of riders each mired in their own very different battles. They can be personal as much as they can be about positions in the UCI DHI World Cup overall.Trek Factory Racing have a downhill roster that is the envy of many of the big brands. In Bodi Kuhn they have the young and hungry phenom, in Loris Vergier they have one of the most successful and consistent talents of his (or any other) generation and in Kade Edwards they have… Kade!The British rider has reserves of talent that few can match. Such are his skill levels and touch on a bike that the constraints of the race course and regimen surrounding it can often be a battle. The 2023 season was tough for Edwards – the prodigious talent often seemed unrewarded by the clock.The Trek Factory Racing Downhill squad raced at the absolute limit in 2023. Nothing came easy, from podiums and champagne one week, to crashes and heartbreak the next. Ride along with Loris Vergier, Kade Edwards and Bodhi Kuhn in one of the most revealing looks at life on the UCI DH World Cup circuit you'll ever see, and learn what it takes — both mentally and physically — to compete in one of the most cruel and thrilling sports in the world.Trek Factory RacingJoin the TFR squad for a detailed look at the end of the season full of candid insights and reactions from team staff around some of the huge challenges and hurdles that they had to overcome.
For the big, established teams of the pro pits of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series, travelling to different continents to compete is a well-drilled operation. Packing lists and paperwork combine to result in a seamless relocation from one base to another. For newer teams, such as Commencal IC Studio, logistics may not always be just that smooth but when you have a rider roster studded with some of the most stylish stars on the circuit, things tend to work out as soon as the rubber hits the dirt.Commencal IC Studio had already had a seriously impressive season. A resurgent Thomas Estaque was finally firing on all cylinders again, Hugo Frixtalon was maintaining his wildman reputation and Matteo Iniguez was impressing everyone with somewhat of a breakthrough streak.MSA and Snowshoe was two hard races for me with punctures and crash.. but we learn a lot and find good settings for next year with my mechanics! We have the chance to have this group of people with us to work all the year. Now it’s time to work to prepare 2024 season.Thomas Estaque, Commencal IC StudioThe team will be back to take on the world in 2024, but for the time being enjoy their assault on the final two rounds of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Snowshoe, West Virginia and Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada.
As the popularity of mountain bike racing continues to grow and diversify, more and more new nations are making their debut on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar. The latest of which is Poland in the form of the highly rated Bielsko-Biała which will see the gravity athletes of downhill and enduro compete under the same roof for the first time of the year. Already a mountain biking mad corner of Europe, the trails there are legendary in Poland. Now it’s time to let the fastest riders in the world loose on them during a jam packed week of flat-out action. Where is it?Bielsko-Biała is situated in southern Poland two hours west of the city of Kraków. Around 166,000 people call Poland’s 22nd biggest city home but it is to the south of the main urban area where the trail gold lies. The Beskid Mountains are home to the Enduro Trails network which are amongst the country’s most famous mountain bike venues. Has there been racing here before?The venue of Bielsko-Biała is one a hot spot for national-level racing. Most recently the Polish national enduro championships were held there in 2022 - Katarzyna Burek and Damian Konstanty took top honours. As far as downhill racing is concerned it’s going to be a completely blank slate. The Enduro Trails network has really ridden the wave of popularity of stage racing and a brand-new track is now being prepared for the second round of the UCI Downhill World Cup. What’s the course like?As mentioned, the downhill course is still under development so it remains to be seen what the talented local team come up with. The Enduro Trails network is famed for its high speed but natural terrain with things erring towards the steep and technical so indications are good. The enduro course will be one of the most technical of the year. Like previous rounds held in the Tweed Valley and Finale Outdoor Region, the sheer amount of trails available for them to build a course from is almost boundless. The team in Bielsko-Biała are also well-versed in working out what combinations work well and are toughest when it comes to race course design.What else can we expect?This is a part of the world that has a thriving local mountain bike community yet is appearing amongst the top tier of international racing for the first time. It’s a huge moment in Polish mountain bike history and so it’s easy to predict plenty of fanfare and a crowd to match.Amazingly, it will be the third new venue out of the opening five rounds across both formats. When it comes to Gravity alone, it will be the first of four venues to host both formats; Downhill and Enduro giving fans of descending a hectic week of events, signings and chances to meet their heroes. Who are the favourites?Slawomir Lukasik (Yeti Fox Racing Shox) is undoubtedly one of Poland’s biggest mountain bike stars alongside the Godziek brothers on the freeride side of the sport. Lukasik’s teammate Richie Rude, whose physical strength and penchant for searing race speed he mirrors so admirably, spent the final two rounds of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series aboard the turquoise brand's latest downhill bike. Will we see his Polish stablemate on a big bike come Bielsko-Biała? Or will he remain committed to enduro? Whichever, Lukasik will be roared home by a no doubt partisan crowd. Also, this will be the first opportunity for many Polish fans to get trackside and see their heroes in action and as a result you can expect just about every rider, not just the big names, to feel warmly at home throughout the week. The UCI Mountain Bike World series will be hosting both the UCI Downhill World Cup and UCI Enduro World Cup in Bielsko-Biala, Poland on the 17 - 19 May, 2024. You can find out more here.
When it comes to firing a new year of international mountain bike racing into life you really need a venue that lives and breathes drama, it needs to understand the big stage and, most importantly, offer the kind of racing that inspires greatness. Enter the Finale Outdoor Region.The small town on the Italian Riviera has a story that is intertwined through the very fabric of UCI Enduro World Cup racing. It almost single handedly showed the world what can happen when a small but passionate community of purists throws their collective weight behind a particular sport. For years it was the traditional curtain closer, but this year it’s the all-important curtain raiser.Where is it?Finale Outdoor Region nestles on the world famous Italian Riviera on the Mediterranean coast between Genoa to the south and Nice to the north. The island of Corsica lies out to sea and Finale’s beaches have long been tightly-congested affairs, attracting summer sun-seekers from all over Europe. But then something changed.30 years ago, a small group of committed local mountain bikers and entrepreneurs convinced the local administration and businesses that they needed to look to the hills behind Finale Ligure and not just the beaches for the future of tourism. The network of trails that sprawled forth now takes in an area including more then 20 municipalities between Vado Ligure and Pietra Ligure. The Finale Outdoor Region is not just a European powerhouse when it comes to riding destinations, but a global one.Has there been racing here before?Finale Outdoor Region first hosted Cross-country Marathon races as a way to showcase its sizable trail network. Then, as the trails became rowdier and rowdier, enduro came to the fore. Finale Outdoor Region is the only venue to have featured on every Enduro World Series and then UCI Enduro World Cup schedule since the former's inception back in 2013.Pietra Ligure and Finale Ligure have both been at the forefront of developing e-enduro racing over the last several seasons and as such frequently sees some of the best battery-assisted stages of the year.What’s the course like?Welcome to one of the big things that makes Finale Outdoor Region so great - such is the scope of trails to choose from that it’s impossible to tell just which of its chocolate box of classics will star. The local topography is manna for trail builders and with the area now being home to some of the world’s very best, it’s often the new stages you haven’t heard of that become the most talked about.What else can we expect?It will be hard on bikes and bodies alike. One of the things that makes a win in Finale Outdoor Region so coveted comes from the terrain itself. In an age where enduro race bikes are all but bulletproof, the exposed limestone, savage gradients and torturously high speeds of the trails here can still break machinery like nowhere else. Amongst the earliest of enduro skillsets was managing the attrition of your machine, that has ebbed over the last decade but in Finale, it’s still key.The crowd here is also huge. It’s an ultra-passionate part of the world when it comes to just about everything and over the years stages like Men’s Downhill have routinely been lined by crowds four to five deep. The lure of the parties in the piazza is irresistible and when you add racing, the beach, the party and some of the best eateries in Europe into the mix it makes for a lively time, post-race...Who are the favourites?Last season's UCI Enduro World Cup overall title winner, Isabeau Courdurier has developed a bit of a bogey round when it comes to the race courses perched above this particular corner of the Med. Despite being the dominant force in modern enduro racing the Lapierre Zipp Collective rider has won there but ‘only’ as part of Team France’s Trophy of Nations winning team, never as an individual.A factor in this has been the strength of one of her closest rivals, Morgane Charre (Pivot Factory Racing) can summon from the same rocks. Charre has won the same Trophy of Nations titles there, but also has a brace of individual victories to her name too. Charre calls the area ‘home’ and having narrowly missed out on the overall last season virtually on the final stage, will be keen to come out of the gates strongly.Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV) won in Finale Outdoor Region last season and his experience will make him hard to stop there again this season. Reigning overall title holder Richie Rude (Yeti / Fox Racing Shox) will also be one to watch. With elite men’s enduro seeing almost a different winner at every round though, it’s a pretty tricky crystal ball to read.In terms of e-enduro, Flo Espinera (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) was beaten in Finale Outdoor Region by Laura Charles (Miranda Factory Team) whilst Fabien Barel won the elite men’s race ahead of Antoine Rogge (Lapierre Zipp Collective). Can the French come back out on top this year?The Finale Outdoor Region will be back in 2024 on the 10 - 12 May, you can find out more here.
For those stuck in the northern hemisphere the winter months can seem interminable as the long wait for the next fix of racing action can seemingly take forever. But fear not, Jack Moir of the YT Mob is here! Jack’s YouTube channel (MoiMoiTV) has long been a hit with the big Aussie vlogging his way around the international circuit complete with a supporting cast of international superstars. The man from the central coast of New South Wales is one of those southern hemisphere army of riders who live the dream of the endless summer. They make an annual pilgrimage from the end of their summer straight into Europe and North America’s sunny months for the race season. Metal Monday’s do exactly what they say on the tin - on a Monday Jack drops a fresh riding video set to a heavy metal track. No more, no less. Just jaw dropping bike control from one of the UCI Enduro World Cup’s biggest stars set to occasionally questionable, never low tempo rock ‘n’ roll music. Moir made the switch to Enduro from Downhill full-time back in 2020 and has since busied himself with clocking some of the most consistently high finishing numbers in the sports history. He was rewarded with the overall title in 2021. Last year was a tough season for the newly-signed YT Mob rider - his last top flight win was back in 2022 at the Enduro World Series in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Will we see him back on the top step again in 2024? We hope so. For now, enjoy regular doses of Metal Monday!
The UCI Mountain Bike World Series takes place all over the world and in any and all conditions. Racing is tough, but never tougher than when mountain weather turns nasty. Some riders open their hotel room curtains in the morning and shudder in fear whilst for others it’s just the opportunity that they’ve been waiting for. For Jolanda Neff, Evie Richards and the rest of the Trek Factory Racing Cross-country squad the mixed conditions and high altitudes of the final rounds of the 2023 season were just such an opportunity. When the weather gets truly bad that’s when racers with reserves of bike handling skills really shine. Jolanda Neff, the reigning Olympic champion, after what was (by her standards) a disappointing season showed signs of rallying with a couple of hard fought podiums, Evie Richards took victory in Snowshoe in the Cross-country short track (XCC) and there were huge plaudits for Riley Amos. The Colorado-based U23 rider shone amidst the murk of Andorra taking his debut Cross-country Olympic win before making it a brace in Canada to secure second in the overall title race. Don’t miss any of the action from the UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2024. Highlights packages as well as rider and tech insights are all available right here. Learn more about the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar here.
You know the old saying, ‘If you wait for a bus long enough then two will come along at once’? In 2024 the UCI Mountain Bike World Series will kick off with the Endurance athletes continuing their Brazilian escapades at round two in Araxá, Minas Gerais.Yet again, there will be Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) racing a plenty and with the first round of the season well and truly in the not-so-recent history books, all eyes will turn to yet another level playing field. Where is it?The second venue of the year is located roughly seven hours north of the first, Mairiporã. Araxá is a municipality in the Western Minas Gerais region in the south of the country. Its highest point is 973m above sea level and its population stands at just over 107,000 people. For those racers feeling the inevitable strain of their return to action the weekend before there is some good news - Araxá is famous for its spa and wellness facilities. At its heart is the Grande Hotel Termas de Araxá. First opened in 1944, the sprawling resort put the region on the map highlighting its medicinal mud and mineral waters. Has there been racing here before?Yes - plenty of it too! The venue celebrated 20 years of UCI-level international racing this year and it’s set to start its third decade with a UCI World Cup debut. The course which winds its way through the forest to the rear of the main resort building is well ridden with some of the most epic bar-to-bar battles in Brazil’s top flight having been duked out around it. What’s the track like?The track is cut into the forest itself and features a good mix of flatter, power-sapping high speed sections and fast, natural descending through the trees. The general slant is a bit more towards the technical and it can become a handful should the fast rolling red clay become drenched. What else can we expect?Just as with the previous round, crowds! Despite there being over six hours hours between the two opening venues, South America is mad for mountain bike racing and as such the organisers are expecting a sell-out crowd across the week. The region’s focus on tourism means that there is plenty of on-site infrastructure to support such a crowd and the slightly further flung location (compared to round one) should ensure that there’s a ‘pilgrimage’ aspect to attract the hardest of hardcore race fans. Expect noise. Who are the favourites?For many seasoned UCI World Cup fans, the second round of the year is often the most interesting because it can be about one of two things; tightening a grip or a strong response. The UCI Enduro World Cup traditionally started with two big ‘fly away’ rounds and those who could board their flights home with the most points in the bank were often in the driving seats for the rest of the first half of the season. Winning at round one is always huge, but backing it up or, conversely, fighting back is also crucial. It’s of course impossible to say just who will come out on top in Araxá but in 2022 it was Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV) and Nino Schurter (Scott SRAM MTB Racing) who took top honours at the second round in Lenzerheide, Switzerland in XCO. They would finish the year in second and first places respectively in the overall. Over the course of the season every point matters and on leaving Brazil, the big guns will want to have amassed as many of them as possible. Click here to buy tickets for the UCI World Cup in Araxá, Brazil!
