The Golden Arrows celebrates the people, images and initiatives of the 2026 WHOOP UCI MTB World Series season.
To recognise excellence across the sport, a panel of respected leaders from cycling, photography, media and industry have been brought together to judge the Legacy Award and Best Professional Photograph categories.
Legacy Award
The Legacy Award recognises teams and Local Organising Committees that have created a lasting positive impact beyond competition through sustainability, community engagement, inclusion, youth development, trail stewardship and wider social responsibility. The panel include:
Katerina Nash
UCI Vice-President and President of the UCI Mountain Bike Commission
A five-time Olympian across both cross-country skiing and mountain biking, Katerina Nash combines elite sporting experience with a leadership role at the highest level of international cycling governance.
Otis Guy
Director, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame
One of the sport's original pioneers, Otis Guy is widely respected for his contribution to mountain bike history and heritage, bringing a lifetime of knowledge and perspective to the judging panel.
Ravi Rajcoomar
Vice President, Business Network, PeopleForBikes
An award-winning sports marketing and events specialist, Ravi Rajcoomar has held leadership positions across some of the world's most recognisable sports and cycling organisations, helping to shape programmes, partnerships and communities throughout his career.
Ties Van Dijk
Advocacy and Strategy Specialist, Shimano Europe
Ties Van Dijk leads initiatives focused on increasing access to cycling and supporting sustainable trail development, with a strong emphasis on creating long-term benefits for riders and communities.
Best Professional Photograph
The Best Professional Photograph Award celebrates the image that best captures the drama, emotion and spirit of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series season.
Chris Burkard
Photographer, Explorer and Creative Director
Chris Burkard is one of the world's most influential outdoor photographers, renowned for documenting adventure, landscapes and human stories through powerful and distinctive imagery.
Michal Červený
Mountain Bike Photographer
With almost two decades spent documenting UCI Mountain Bike World Cups across the globe, Michal Červený has played a significant role in defining the visual identity of modern mountain biking.
Bethan Fallon
Vice President, European Theatrical Marketing, Warner Bros. Discovery
With more than 20 years of experience leading marketing campaigns for some of the world's biggest film franchises, Bethan Fallon brings a unique perspective on creativity, storytelling and visual impact.
Paweł Kopczyński
Global Sports Editor, Reuters Pictures
A highly respected photo editor and former Reuters photographer, Paweł Kopczyński has spent more than three decades shaping visual storytelling at the world's most prestigious sporting events.
The inaugural WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Golden Arrow Awards will take place on the 4th October 2026, at the Lake Placid Olympic Centre.
The prestigious Mountain Bike Hall of Fame will also feature at the awards, 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.
