Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports today announces the launch of an annual awards ceremony, The Golden Arrows, created to recognise and celebrate riders, teams, organisations and professionals across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
The inaugural awards gala will take place on Sunday 4th October at the Lake Placid Olympic Centre, following the final round of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series at Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York (USA).
As an iconic Olympic destination with a rich history of hosting major international sporting moments, Lake Placid offers a fitting setting for the awards ceremony. Its combination of world-class facilities, experienced delivery and strong connection to elite sport provides an ideal backdrop to celebrate the achievements of athletes, teams and stakeholders across the series.
Individuals and organisations across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series ecosystem will be recognised, highlighting excellence both on and off the bike; with fans, WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series teams and expert panels playing a key role in judging and selecting those who have made the most meaningful impact on the series across a range of award categories:
Event of the Year: awarded to a venue that delivered an outstanding event experience throughout the season. The award recognises excellence in organisation, facilities, course design, operations, atmosphere, and overall delivery.
Rookie of the Year: honouring the most outstanding first-year elite cross-country and downhill athlete who have made a significant impact during their debut season.
Legacy Award: recognising teams and Local Organising Committees (LOCs) that go beyond the race tape to make a lasting impact, honouring initiatives that have delivered meaningful contributions in the field of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Best Professional Photograph: celebrating the image that best captures the essence, emotion, and spectacle of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
In addition, The Summit team trophy will be presented to the top-performing team in each WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series format, while the overall UCI World Cup winners in each category will also be recognised with their overall trophy, The Globe.
The prestigious Mountain Bike Hall of Fame will also feature at The Golden Arrows, with four new inductees welcomed into one of the sport’s highest honours in recognition of exceptional careers and lasting contributions to mountain biking. Founded in 1988, the Hall of Fame has honoured between three and seven pioneers of the sport each year. This marks the first time the inductions will take place outside of California since 2015.
More details on the award categories, eligibility requirements, as well as the entry and judging criteria, will soon be available here.
