Most of us are still recovering from the multidiscipline throw-down at Mont Saint Anne, Canada, a few weeks back. Letting it sink in, we’ll have to wait until next year for more action. However, for 2024, the UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar destinations are different. There are now six new venues and it appears they are dropping one iconic U.S. stop (and the only U.S. stop for DH).
SnowShoe World Cup Off the List For 2024
Without knowing it, spectators filled Snowshoe, WV, cheering on their favorite riders, possibly for the last time. The venue hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup for many years, previously hosting rounds of the USA Mountain Bike National Championships and, more recently, the final stop for the Cross-Country Marathon World Cup.
Why the change?
Traveling outside the US to the resort’s remote location was challenging for many athletes. Getting to Snowshoe means lots of time in the car. The closest airports are all nearly a four-hour drive from the resort. Nevertheless, you’re sitting on the plane and then in the car. The next stop on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series is Mont-Sainte-Anne (MAS), Canada, a 15-hour drive from the Snowshoe, WV.
The New UCI Mountain Bike World Series U.S. Stop — Mt Van Hoevenberg
Olympic followers will remember Mt. Van Hoevenberg (MVH) as the Olympic Games host in 1932 and 1980, home to the “Miracle on Ice.” The venue boasts miles (and miles) of single track and beautiful landscapes. The drive from MVH to the next UCI Mountain Bike World Series stop, MSA, is about five hours. This shorter commute will make the trip to North America much more accessible for team athletes and staff.
What does this mean for downhill?
The Mt. Van Hoevenberg venue will showcase only cross-country Olympic (XCO) and short track (XCC); no downhill (DHI) racing will occur at the new venue. There is no stop in the US for downhill competition in the UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Series Calendar
The full calendar for the UCI World Cups in cross-country Olympic (XCO), short track (XCC), downhill (DHI), and enduro (EDR), and now including E-enduro (E-EDR).
The series will cover 15 weekends of racing, with all formats enjoying both stand-alone and combined events. The UCI Mountain Bike World Series season starts with cross-country featuring back-to-back race weekends in Brazil. The kick-off features new venues in Mairiporã and Araxá, Minas Gerais. Joining them as first-time hosts are Bielsko-Biala in Poland, Crans-Montana and Aletsch Arena, Bellwald in the Valais region of Switzerland. Mt Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid in the USA will be the penultimate stop before Mont-Sainte-Anne.
David Lappartient, President of the UCI, said: “With its innovative new format bringing together all the major formats in the discipline, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was a huge success in 2023, with, for the first time, a round in Haute-Savoie, France hosting all the specialties on the series program.”
“There will be something new next year, too, with new venues included in this flagship mountain bike series in Europe and North and South America. This testifies to the sport’s popularity, which the International Olympic Committee has just confirmed will be on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games program. Mountain bike continues to develop internationally, and the UCI World Cup is undoubtedly a key element in this progress.”
For more on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series, go to: ucimtbworldseries.com
