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Want a good Downhill racing pub quiz question? When was the last time an Intense bike won an elite men’s UCI World Cup round, where was it and who was the rider? Pens down. It was Chris Kovarik, Mont-Sainte-Anne, 2006. And, crucially, it was for MS Intense Racing. The team ran by Austria’s Max Stöckl represented the full factory effort and was at different times home to such talents as Kovarik, Vanessa Quin, Claudio Caluori, Matti Lehikoinen, Anneke Beerten and JD Swanguen.Now, for the 2024 UCI DHI World Cup season, the two brands have reformed having not worked together for nearly two decades. MS Intense Racing will be fronted by David Trummer (AUT) , Eleonora Farina (ITL), Jacob Dickson (IRL) and Tuhoto Ariki-Pene (NZ).The roster is virtually unchanged from the 2023 season barring the departure of kiwi Brook Macdonald who is yet to announce who he will be riding for this season.Intense founder, Jeff Steber, had this to say:This year really feels like a return to our roots. Max and Lukas have developed such a successful and professional program over the years, and we are proud that they have chosen to work with Intense again. I’m very excited to see the new M1 under such a talented group of riders. It’s going to be a great season!Jeff Steber, Intense founder and CEOMax Stöckl of MS Racing expressed his excitement about the upcoming season:We all know that the bicycle industry is going through a bit of a crisis at the moment, and looking for a new partner was always going to be difficult, but honestly it’s so cool to be back with INTENSE again after so many years. Jeff and I go way back to my early race days, and I can’t think of a better brand to be working with, especially with the new M1, which has already proven to be an amazing bike. Everyone involved with MS, from the riders, mechanics and backroom staff, are looking forward to this new era and a successful partnership for years to come.Max Stöckl, MS Intense RacingThe team will be running Michelin tires, Shimano drivetrain and brakes, SDG saddles and seat posts, e*thirteen wheels and chain guides, Renthal for cockpit components and Kenny Racing as a new clothing partner.Stay tuned to the site for all the latest team and rider news ahead of the first round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William 03-05 May.

Canada’s Andréane Lanthier Nadeau has announced that she will not race for Rocky Mountain in 2024. She has competed, first in Cross-country and latterly in Enduro, aboard bikes from the storied North Shore brand. The Enduro rider is a former world number three and podium regular.Her formative years on a race bike were spent on the Endurance side of the sport but 2015’s shift to the Gravity at the Enduro World Series saw her join the Urge Rally team alongside Isabeau Courdurier on board Rocky’s.The high points really came as part of the Rocky Mountain RaceFace squad alongside Jesse Melamed and Remi Gauvin with 2019 proffering four podium appearances. She very nearly tasted victory at her home round in Whistler in 2022 only for a mechanical to intervene and relegate her to fifth.ALN has yet to announce who she will be racing for in 2024 whilst a statement from Rocky Mountain stressed that remain committed to racing and that they will release more details of their plans in the coming weeks.The opening round of the UCI Enduro World Cup will take place in Finale Outdoor Region 10-12 May.

Intense Factory Racing (IFR) have announced their line up for the 2024 UCI Downhill World Cup. The brand, so synonymous with downhill racing, have confirmed that Joe Breeden, Louise Ferguson, Oscar Griffiths and Ryder Lawrence will race for them this year. Aaron Gwin had already announced that he was leaving the squad but big question marks remain around where Dakotah Norton will be plying his trade this season.The IFR elite charge will now be led by the UK’s Breeden (24) and Ferguson (27). The former has been on Intense bikes since his pro debut for the UK Saddleback team whilst the latter is a new signing having competed last season for Continental Nukeproof. Her standout result came at the UCI World Championships Glasgow where she placed fourth at Fort William.  When I found out that the IFR team was finishing under the ownership of Aaron Gwin, I saw the opportunity to take on a new responsibility. I wanted to put a team in place that not only fitted my racing needs but also gave a platform for other riders to perform at their best, and provide the most value possible to the brands that are supporting us. The vision for the team is to offer an environment for personal growth, a place where we develop people and craft riders, providing a platform for champions to form.  Joe Breeden Oscar Griffths (17) is a highly-rated UK Junior rider who previously competed under the Resolute Racing banner. Ryder Lawrence is one of the most decorated young riders to emerge from the competitive US national ranks and will be making the step up to UCI Mountain Bike World Series level for the first time in 2024. His father, Randy, competed for Intense in the late 1990’s.  At the helm will be Olly Morris whilst Jon Stout will head up their mechanics. Intense Cycles founder, Jeff Steber expressed his excitement regarding the upcoming season: This year’s team reminds me of why I started INTENSE, and it feels like history is coming full circle after 30 years. The relaunch of the M1 combined with the introduction of a fresh, new IFR program combines old traditions with new possibilities. Joe has ridden INTENSE since his early days as a Junior. Ryder and Oscar are both very promising Juniors. Add to that the team’s exciting return to the Women’s Elite field with the super-talented Louise Ferguson. With such a great group, on a completely re-designed race rig, it’s bound to be a nail-biter of a season!Jeff Steber, INTENSE Founder and CEO The question of where both Aaron Gwin and Dakotah Norton will be racing this season remains. Norton stormed to a second place in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes last year, won the Fox US Open of Mountain Biking and scored another podium in Snowshoe, WV.  Stay tuned to our Team Changes story for all the latest rider moves and team news as we get ready to get the Gravity season back underway in Fort William 03 – 05 May.  

There is absolutely nothing cooler than race bikes. That is (probably) a scientific fact and the good news for those who love nothing more than mountain bike racing is that the new season has hatched its first full-factory race machine of 2024 – and it’s a good one.The Intense Factory Racing (IFR) M1 is here. It’s a bike perhaps already sagging into its suspension under the weight of the most famous moniker in downhill racing. For the new season it means business underneath Joe Breeden, Louise Ferguson, Oscar Griffiths and Ryder Lawrence.The finished production frame is the result of four seasons of development at UCI World Cup level. The raw aluminium prototypes had a few different names (including ‘The Gravy Boat’) applied to them throughout the process, but it shouldn’t be underestimated how big an accolade the M1 name is.In the mid-1990’s, the original M1 was formative in what many now regard as the downhill race bike. Its slab-sided alloy looks and total commitment to purpose rewrote the reference books and many brands simply bought an Intense only to sticker it up as their own. To call a bike ‘M1’ will not have been taken lightly by Intense founder, Jeff Steber. The frame, resplendent in the company’s famous blood red paint, features 203mm of rear wheel travel from a 6-link, high pivot platform all fashioned from hand-welded 6061-T6 aluminium.The angles ape those of the modern race pack in terms of length and aggression. It’s a mixed wheel size bike meaning that it runs a 29in wheel upfront and a slightly smaller 27.5in wheel in the back.Öhlins supply the suspension with their DH38 M.1 air-sprung suspension fork with is acclaimed TTX18 twin tubed damping system. The team bikes will be rolling on e*thirteen Race 6069AL rolling stock mated to Continental tyres being reined in by TRP brakes.The rear wheel travel comes courtesy of a TTX22m.2 coil-spring rear shock, also from Öhlins, which is famed for its adjustability. Interestingly, the IFR bikes will be banging through the gears courtesy of TRP’s Evo 7 DH transmission. The iconic Intense M1 will once again take to a UCI World Cup racetrack in Fort William 03 – 05 May. Stay tuned to the site for ticket details and how to ensure that you are there.

Winning a UCI Downhill World Cup is famously difficult, you need only look at how few athletes have ever actually managed it for proof. In Nina Hoffmann, the Santa Cruz Syndicate have won of just three elite women who managed to take to the top step in 2023.  The 27 year-old from Saalfeld in Germany tasted victory in Pal Arinsal Andorra and went on to utilise her consistency to push Valentina Höll to a final round title decider in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada. Her results also helped ensure that the Santa Cruz Syndicate would take the Team of the Year title to boot.  In her latest video release, Focus, Hoffmann goes into the detail of how mentally tough the sport of downhill mountain bike racing can be and how she has trained her mind, as much as her body, to be able to cope with the rigours of race weeks. It’s a revealing and extremely personal look behind the professional veneer of a topflight racer which sheds light on what goes on inside the helmet.  The 2024 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup kicks off in Fort William, Scotland 03 – 05 May. It’s a round that Hoffmann has won before and so will definitely be amongst the pre-race favourites to take the season opener. 

Thibault Daprela stunned race fans all over the world last week when he announced that he would be leaving Commencal MucOff by Riding Addiction to race for Canyon CLLCTV in 2024. The 22 year-old Frenchman took victory at the Pal Arinsal Andorra round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in 2023 and was already being touted by many to be a contender for this years crown.  The move to Canyon CLLCTV will see him team up with their in-house living legend, double UCI DHI World Champion and reigning UCI E-EDR World Cup overall title holder, Fabien Barel. Barel has worked closely with the brands Gravity riders since he joined them back in 2013.  Daprela’s move comes at the end of a formative 2023 season which saw him emerge from the shadow of the injured 2022 UCI DHI World Cup overall title holder, Amaury Pierron. In his absence, Daprela really came to the fore and took that victory at the fourth round of the season. His raw pace is widely regarded as being right there amongst the very fastest amongst the pro ranks but all too often mistakes in race runs have cost him the chance of a decent run at the overall title.  Canyon’s hope is that teaming him up with the experience of Fabien Barel will help to mould Daprela into a consistent top flight performer. As things stand, the rest of the Canyon CLLCTV roster remains unchanged which would see their new signing join Troy Brosnan, Luca Shaw and Mille Johnset.  Stay tuned to our complete list of 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series team changes right here as we continue our build up to the new season getting underway. 

Greg Minnaar, the winner of four UCI Downhill World Championships, has announced that he is joining Norco Factory Racing Team for the 2024 UCI Downhill World Cup season. The move comes after the news that the 42 year-old had parted ways with the Santa Cruz Syndicate, a team he spent 16 years with, broke at the end of 2023.   The Pietermaritzburg native made the Norco announcement in a chat with Warner Brothers Discovery Sports’ Ric McLaughlin. Details surrounding the rest of the team will become public later in the off season.  To keep up to date with the rest of the team changes and rider news as we head towards the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William, Scotland 03 – 05 May, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and subscribe to the UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel. 

The UCI Mountain Bike World Series can be a cyclical place when it comes to riders shifting race teams. Some off-seasons, there are very few big moves and in others it’s as though everyone has somehow decided to dawn new colours for the upcoming race season. This year, things have been busy already with plenty of new deals being penned up and down the pro pits.We are going to update this story as and when new announcements are made so make sure to check back regularly as January heats up.  JOE BREEDEN off Intense Factory RacingThe young Englishman had a frustrating 2023 where his abundance of speed never quite marrying up with good fortune. Breeden is a huge talent and wherever he lands will be getting a totally committed rider with big reserves of speed.  VALENTINA HOLL off RockShox Trek Race TeamValentina’s dramatic double title sweep of 2023 would be her last for the RockShox Trek Race Team. She announced as much minutes after stepping off of her race bike in Mont-Sainte-Anne finals where she claimed her second UCI World Cup overall title. Where she ends up will be one of the biggest stories in mountain bike racing in 2024. GREG MINNAAR off the Santa Cruz SyndicateFew saw this one coming. After a colossal 16 years, the 42 year-old South African, Greg Minnaar, has departed the squad he has become so synonymous with. Minnaar is one of the biggest stars of the sport and all eyes are on where he ends up next.  GUNNAR HOLMGREN joins KMC Ridley MTB Racing TeamEndurance legend Bart Brentjens has bolstered his roster for 2024 with the signing of emerging Canadian talent, Gunnar Holmgren. The second year elite level rider had some strong top 20 performances in 2023 and he will be looking to build on them into the new season.  BROOK MACDONALD off MS Racing MondrakerThe toughest Kiwi in the game steps away from the team he has called ‘home’ since 2018. Macdonald is one of the most experienced professional DHI racers in the world having been crowned UCI Junior Downhill World Champion back in 2009. MS Racing’s own break with Mondraker was also announced in December so it’ll be interesting to see who Markus Stöckl’s extremely professional outfit partner up with for 2024. JACK MENZIES off Polygon Factory RacingThe hugely impressive Canadian once deemed ‘the prince of privateers’ for his swashbuckling assaults on EDR leader boards has parted ways with the sizable Indonesian brand. Whoever snaps him up may have one of the signings of the year on their hands. HUGO MARINI off Commencal MucOff by Riding AddictionAs a young French Gravity talent, there is no name you want emblazoned across your chest more than that of Commencal Bikes. Hugo Marini was often the loan Commencal MucOff by Riding Addiction pilot in an injury ravaged season for the Andorran firm’s top tier squad, but they’ve opted not to renew his deal despite his season high performance of a third in Junior Men’s at the opening round in Lenzerheide at the start of the year. DIMITRI TORDO off Canyon CLLCTVOne of the most likable and toughest competitors in EDR has parted ways with the squad he became synonymous with for six seasons. The Party Boy himself, Dimitri Tordo, has left Canyon CLLCTV and will be taking his stylish, all-action riding to a new squad for 2024.  LUCA SCHWARZBAUER extends with Canyon CLLCTVOne of the biggest stars of Endurance, Germany’s Luca Schwarzbauer, has announced that he’s extending his contract with Canyon CLLCTV until 2026. The move makes sense for all parties and will hopefully provide the continuity Luca requires to continue to build.  JESS BLEWITT joins Cube Factory Racing DHSeen by many in the mountain bike media as quietly one of the moves of this off-season, Jess Blewitt has joined the Cube Factory Racing DH squad alongside the consistent Max Hartenstern and promising Simon Chapelet. An injury suffered at Red Bull Hardline blighted Blewitt’s 2023, will 2024 see the resumption of forward momentum? THIBAULT DAPRELA joins Canyon CLLCTVOne of the standout moves of this off-season sees Thibault Daprela depart Commencal MucOff by Riding Addiction for Canyon CLLCTV. Race fans the world over were awaiting the return of Amaury Pierron to the team the two once shared but, after his win in Pal Arinsal Andorra, right in front of the factory, Daprela has decided to depart. He is widely regarded as having the rawest of raw pace and, under the tutelage of Fabian Barel, he will be hoping to finesse some added consistency to the overall package. It’s a huge moment in the Frenchman’s career.  ETHAN CRAIK and Goncalo Bandeira join Scott DH FactoryA superb brace of signings see two of the most promising talents in elite men’s DHI join forces at Scott DH Factory. The squad of Marine Cabirou has parted ways with experienced campaigners Brendan Fairclough and Dean Lucas and in return has netted two superb talents. The Englishman’s podium ride in Mont-Sainte-Anne last season was one of the performances of the season.  Mckay Vezina retires from racing EDROn the face of it, sad news for race fans but it’s actually a positive in the sense that he will be taking up a new position as the Gravity side of Giant Factory Off-Road. The role was vacated by long time Giant employee Oscar Saiz earlier this off-season.  Aaron Gwin leaves Intense Factory RacingAnd now for a slightly strange one… Intense Factory Racing announced that the team was no more, star rider and former UCI World Cup overall title holder Aaron Gwin announced that his time as an Intense rider was over, only for the team to announce its phoenix-like return a day later. It has done so with four as-yet-to-be-announced racers silhouettes attached. Time will tell who will be taking to the helm of the big red bikes from California but for the meantime it’s just good to see such a pedigree marque commit to getting between the tapes once again.  Zakarias Johansen and Frederik Matz join Cube Actionteam Multiple Swedish national champion, Zakarias Johansen, was one of the EDR riders left out in the cold when his team announced that they wouldn’t contest the 2024 season. Good news has landed though; he has re-signed with a team he has ridden for before, Cube Actionteam, alongside the 19 year-old German, Frederik Matz. Bizarrely, and arguably not that interestingly, it will mean that Johansen’s professional career will have gone from Ibis Cycles, to Cube, to Ibis Cycles, to Cube.   

Long, exposed to the elements, lined with rock and huge jumps the downhill track in Fort William has been a fixture on the UCI World Cup calendar since the turn of the century. Its savagery seems to increase incrementally with each passing winter - and in 2024 it will be the first chance to see the stars of Gravity in action as it forms the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup.  It’s always one of the most hotly anticipated venues on the circuit for riders and fans alike. And any fans that want to be trackside next May should mark January 25 in their diary now – that’s when spectator tickets will go on sale right here on ww.ucimtbworldseries.com and they won’t be around for long! Here’s everything that you need to know: Where is it? Based in Nevis Range, just outside of the second biggest town in the Scottish Highlands on the west coast of the Scotland is a racetrack like no other. The shadow of Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak, is a long one and it attracts visitors from all over the world.  It lies at the southern end of the Great Glen and at the mouth of one of Scotland’s largest sea lochs, Loch Linnhe. Mountain biking aside, it also hosts the Scottish Six Day Trial every May. Has there been racing here before? Lots. Fort William has hosted an international downhill race each year since 2002, including two UCI World Championships in 2007 and 2023. It had a forced hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the global pandemic, but aside from that has been omnipresent.  Its second hosting of the UCI World Championships came as part of the historic Glasgow 2023 event which saw over 200 rainbow jerseys claimed over 11 days of competition that brought all cycling formats together for the first time.   What’s the course like? Legendarily tough. The start hut can be seen from the finish line as a spec on a green and brown marbled hillside high above, just to the viewers right of the top of Britain’s only gondola. The fact that a human being on a bicycle can make it from there to the finish line in well under five minutes feels laughable. But it’s no laughing matter.  The top section is exposed and fast. A sinew of hardpack through a bog that necessitates both full chat commitment but also the preservation of energy for what is yet to come. Then the rocks arrive, thick and fast. Accuracy is required at all times to maintain that forward momentum.  From the deer gate down, woods come into play and chances need to be taken in the mud before a huge set of jumps give way to a full speed descent into the noise of one of mountain biking’s most famous arenas. It is a course unique in its demands, length and requirements to conquer.  What else can we expect? There is a pilgrimage element to Fort William; to get there from just about anywhere you have to be serious about your racing. The result every year is a crowd like no other on the circuit, each one packing layer upon layer to ward of any and all-weather scenarios which will, without doubt, transpire throughout the weekend.  Crucially, this is the first round of the season. It’s a track that the majority of the world's fastest will know well and respect. Who will emerge on top may well set the tone for what is to come for the rest of the summer. Who are the favourites? The most recent monarch of the Great Glen was Valentina Höll (RockShox Trek Race Team) who captured her second consecutive set of UCI World Championship rainbow stripes there last year. Her run was virtually flawless and one of a handful that she laced together on race days which highlighted just how far ahead of the elite women’s field she really can be.  The Elite Men’s race will go down in the UK mountain biking history books as Charlie Hatton (Continental Atherton) took the win on home soil. His riding in the sloppy woods bordered on the sublime and as everyone else battled harder and harder against the track, Hatton seemed to just grow in stature and speed. The reception he’ll receive in Fort William in 2024 will be unlike any other that he will have experienced.  Fort William World Cup will take place 03 – 05 May 2024 and spectator tickets will be available on www.ucimtbworldseries.com from January 25th, 2024.For more information, click here.

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.