After a long, six-month wait, the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is set to get underway in Mairiporã, Brazil for the first race of the season this weekend. And if the last time the UCI World Cup visited Brazil is anything to go by - the 2022 season opener in Petropolis – the riders can expect a carnival atmosphere as passionate local fans line the course and bring some Latin American noise. Although it hasn’t featured in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series before, Mairiporã won’t be new to some of the field, having hosted high-level cross-country races since 2019, including last week’s UCI Class C1 race at the MTB Festival. An hour north of the centre of São Paulo on the South American country’s south coast, it’s the first of a Brazilian Cross-country double header – the first time a country has hosted back-to-back UCI Mountain Bike Cross-country Olympic World Cup (XCO) races at different venues since Canada (Bromont and Mont-Sainte-Anne) in 2009. Up next is another new venue, with the mountainous Minas Gerais region’s Araxá hosting round two a week after the dust has settled at Mairiporã’s Arena iMTB Bike Park. FIREWORKS GUARANTEED The Mairiporã course is designed to promote overtaking and close racing, making it a fitting location for the opening UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and UCI Cross-country Short Track (XCC) races of the year – if one thing’s for sure, fireworks are guaranteed. The first race after a long off-season can make picking favourites for the race difficult, but in the women’s Cross-country, Austrian Mona Mitterwallner (Cannondale Factory Racing Team) and Frenchwoman Loana Lecomte (Canyon CLLCTV XCO) are likely to resume their battle for supremacy. Meanwhile in the men’s field, Switzerland’s Nino Schurter (Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team) is still the man to beat. The 37-year-old won the last time the UCI World Cup came to Brazil in 2022 and claimed his ninth title at the final race of the 2023 season in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Despite strong challenges by Jordan Sarrou (Team BMC) and Mathias Flückiger (Thömus Maxon) Schurter appears to defy aging, using his years of experience to overcome riders more than 10 years his junior, as seen in a third-place finish at the 2024 Absa Cape Epic. Two riders who won’t be making the trip to South America include the 2023 women’s UCI Cross-country Olympic overall champion Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck), and reigning men’s UCI World and Olympic Champion Tom Pidcock (Ineos-Grenadiers), who have both decided to focus on the road instead. Local fan favourite Henrique Avancini also won’t be lining up in Mairiporã having retired at the end of last season but will be on site supporting the team that bears his name, Caloi Henrique Avancini, is filled with Brazilians ready to shine on the world stage. In the Cross-country field, reigning overall champ Pieterse’s absence opens the door for the likes of Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon) and Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing Pirelli) to steal an early advantage in the women’s competition. In the men’s, Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) finished the 2023 season with a hat-trick of victories, so will be aiming to stretch his hot streak across seasons to make it four wins in a row. Racing gets underway in Mairiporã on Friday. Full schedule and events details. Find where to watch all of the racing action live in Mairiporã.
The final grains of sand are rumbling about the bottom of the hourglass – it’s nearly time to go racing yet again at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. And what a year it’s stacking up to be. For the Endurance stars there’s the small matter of Paris 2024 on the horizon and for the Gravity riders there are new venues aplenty. But who are the riders in the pack’s crosshairs? Who are the ones that they all want and need to beat? Here are the most dominant names heading into this brand-new season. Valentina Höll (The YT MOB) DHI (average finishing position last season: 3rd) The pre-season favourite did a number on her rivals and despite the late surge of Marine Cabirou (Scott DH Factory) it more often than not felt like the only rider capable of stopping Vale was Vale herself. An off-season switch to familiar surroundings (she had competed for six seasons on a YT already) will do little to tarnish her starting this season as the favourite in the Elite women’s field. Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) DHI (average finishing position: 8th) The Elite men’s title race was a frenetic affair in 2023 with only one rider (Jackson Goldstone, Santa Cruz Syndicate) winning more than once and three out of seven races going the way of first year elites. But when you are as experienced and as wily as Loïc Bruni, you can use that diffuse spreading of the points to your advantage. The Frenchman won the overall title, his third, with many fans now salivating the resumption of hostilities between Bruni and his great rival, Amaury Pierron (Commencal MucOff by Riding Addiction), this season. Puck Pieterse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) XCC, XCO The biggest XC breakthrough since the 29in wheel, Pieterse made 2023 her own. She won the first XCO of the year in the Czech Republic. She added to that in Austria and Italy and then refused to drop below seventh place in either XC format anywhere else. A cyclocross femme fatale, Pieterse is one of the big Olympic favourites this season heading into Paris. There’s speculation that she’ll miss the opening rounds in Brazil to compete in the road classics but Puck is one of those athletes that should she be in attendance at any race she’ll be counted amongst the favourites. Nino Schurter (Scott SRAM MTB Racing) XCC, XCO ‘Only’ two UCI World Cup wins for Nino last season in XCO races in Lenzerheide and Val di Sole Trentino, but what a season and what a force. Still. The former was an exhibition display of just how untouchable the 37 year-old still is and sealed him the wins record of 34 UCI XC World Cups. Perhaps more worryingly for his competitors it’s the newly-found relaxed air around Schurter these days – he seems to be a rider content in winning titles over a season and not having to bulldoze every round. Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon CLLCTV) XCC (average finishing position: 3rd) Three XCC wins and an almost omnipresence at the front of both XCC and XCO races saw Luca Schwarzbauer lay claim to being one of the breakthroughs of last season. He boasts unreal reserves of power couple with a singularity of focus which few can match. Schwarzbauer’s presence at the front of both formats is now well established, once he starts converting them into wins he will be a real danger man. Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) EDR (average finishing position: 2nd) Four wins and then never finished outside of the top four for the rest of the year – that was the story of Isabeau Courdurier’s dominant 2023 campaign. It saw her seal her third Enduro overall title which put her deservedly into the history books. A win this season would put her in a class of one. She has openly talked about targeting the new UCI Enduro World Championships title and then potentially stepping away from the sport to start a family. Courdurier’s clarity of goal could make her even harder to stop than before. Richie Rude (Yeti Fox Racing Shox) EDR (average finishing position: 4th) Rude was never outside of the top 10 all season and grabbed one win in Derby before three further podiums. His previous overall titles came by ways of steamroller-like dominance of the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Last time out may not have featured just as many top steps but the relief having come so close to that third crown so many times since was palpable. A top 20 performance on the downhill bike to round out last year in Mont Sainte Anne may be enough to tempt the big man from Connecticut back into the ring this time out. Flo Espiniera (Orbea Fox Enduro Team) E-enduro (average finishing position: 1st) One of the most dominant performers of last season with no fewer than three out of five wins, Espiniera has been a beacon of success for the Spanish brand, Orbea. E-enduro remains perhaps the toughest place to win a UCI World Cup thanks to the meteoric pace of technical development in the sport. The Chilean who calls Whistler home will be back to take on 2024 and will remain the rider to beat. Fabien Barel (average finishing position: 8th) We’ve all done it. We’ve all got carried away on holiday and ended up taking something further than we meant to. Fabien Barel, two time UCI DHI World Champion, entered the opening round of the last season as ‘something to do’, won it and then, well, one thing lead to another and he ended up winning the UCI E-enduro World Cup overall. Just standard Fab stuff. Just another page in the history books. If he commits to falling down the same rabbit hole this season then he may take some stopping. Lejla Njemčević (Alle Bike) (average finishing position: 2nd) A win and two second places all but guaranteed Lelja the title with run round to go but she still clocked a fourth at the final stop in Snowshoe, WV. Njemčević’s exploits last season were one of the big good news stories of the season as she became the first person from Bosnia and Herzegovina to win a UCI World Cup race and then title. Often pugnacious and searingly open in her post-race interviews, she won a lot of fans last time out and will be hopeful of defending that title this season. Fabian Rabensteiner (Willier-Vittoria Factory) XCM (average finishing position: 5th) Rabensteiner snatched the title by boxing clever throughout the season having secured his one and only victory in Nove Mesto na Morave at round one. Without doubt he did it the hard way with a few titanic fight backs thrown into the mix but to win a UCI XCM World Cup, never mind a title, is far from easy. A fifth place alongside teammate Samuele Porro at the ABSA Cape Epic will not have been the top step he will have coveted but may just be fuel for the fire for the season opener. Don’t forget that we are only a couple of weeks away from the opening round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series getting underway in Mairiporã, Brazil 12-14 April. Find out more here.
Benoit Coulanges pursues his dream of victory in this second episode of Until the Line. Faced with a dip in results and difficulty with managing the pressure, despite obvious speed, Benoit did not want to miss his chance again. As if by destiny, it was in Les Gets, on a track he loves the most that he achieved that first World Cup win that he wanted so bad! Come ready to ride, and join us in Fort William 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale now. Crédit : @commencalbikesFilm & Edit : @dorian.jouvenal
There isn't a moment to waste on the Cross-country World Cup circuit. Offseason preparation will be pivotal to Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC's success in one of the most pressure-filled seasons in the program's history. Go behind the scenes at team camp as the riders get fitted on their bikes, rack up miles on the road, and work their mountain bike skills in rain and shine so that they can accomplish their most ambitious goals this coming summer and fall. Catch the Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli Cross-country team in Mairiporã, Brazil 12-14 April for the start of the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series! Photos @rossbellphoto Video @wearepeny / @c.u.productions
As we approach the 2024 season, the Orbea FOX Enduro Team once again gears up to face the pinnacle of enduro racing. Following Flo Espiñeira’s nearly flawless season, having won the E-Enduro circuit on their Wild, they return this year wanting more. Martin Maes and Edgar Carballo have prepared this season with the same focus, more excited than ever to give their best in Enduro and E-Enduro. Throughout the winter, the team has been training and testing equipment in various conditions, fine-tuning their bikes to suit their individual needs and objectives. Enduro has evolved in a way where every fraction counts, which is why all the details are important and we must pay attention to them if we really want to fight for victory. This preseason, we have worked a lot on adapting the Orbea Rallon for Martin and Wild for Edgar and Flo, and we believe that we have reached the perfect settings for each rider. Primož Štrancar, Team Manager for the Orbea FOX Enduro Team. THE BEST EQUIPMENT, ANOTHER YEAR In the EDR category, Martin will use the newly updated Rallon, featuring new geometry, with a head angle of 63.5º, down from 64º, and increased travel, with the fork extending from 160mm to 170mm and the rear travel from 160mm to 167mm. These modifications make Rallon an even faster, more capable bike in high-level racing. As usual, Martin will configure his bike with different options within the range depending on the course and conditions, including 29” front and rear wheels or Mullet option, an air or coil shock, and other possible configurations. For E-Enduro, Flo and Edgar will once again rely on Wild, the most winning ebike in the industry to date. Both riders will continue to benefit from features such as the Bosch CX-R motor or Steep N Deep technology, which will complement the bike’s lightweight maneuverability. The team will sport Metallic Spark Silver as Wild’s primary color in 2024, accented with Anthracite Glitter and Pure Red. Rallon will also feature the Speed Heritage Faded Orange graphics. These colors and graphics are available through the MyO personalization platform and in any store. FOX remains a pillar of this project and has equipped the team with a FOX 38 fork on both Wild and Rallon. Oquo wheels also returns as a fundamental team sponsor for 2024, showcasing their performance and reliability even in the most challenging usage conditions. Moreover, the bikes will serve as a global platform to showcase all the available details and personalization options from MyO. Alongside these brands, Race Face, Bosch, Maxxis, FI’zi:k, Bluegrass, Met, Galfer and Crankbrothers are essential for the continued success of the Orbea FOX Enduro Team. Another crucial component to the team’s success is its staff. Primož Štrancar will continue to lead as Team Manager, supported by mechanics Eneko Prado and Gilles Frank, physical therapist Gregg Combes, and filmmaker Sandro Szukat. You can catch the Orbea FOX Enduro Team in the Finale Outdoor Region, for the first UCI Enduro World Cup of the season on the 10 - 12 May.
Come test out the latest Shimano components on a dedicated course at the Nevis Range on site at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Fort William event across 03-05 May. The Shimano Test Track will offer insights into the latest technological developments, with a chance to experience more than you're usually able to at your local dealer or in store. It's a great opportunity to give the latest components a try for yourself at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series event and is completely free once you have accessed the event. Check and reserve a bike before you arrive, so you're ready to ride! New for 2024, visitors will be able to ride E-MTB's with the latest FREE SHIFT and AUTO SHIFT technology at the Shimano test track on site, with a team of experts on hand to answer any questions about the technology. Come ready to ride, and join us in Fort William 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale now.
One of the biggest pre-season WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series news stories has been the injury sustained by the Santa Cruz Syndicate’s Jackson Goldstone to his knee at Red Bull Hardline. For the first time, he has gone public about the extent of the injury admitting at the end of the first episode of his team’s new video series that he has torn both ACL and MCL ligaments on his left knee. The Canadian wrote his way into the history books becoming a two-time Elite winner in his first senior season last time out. Now, with round one of 2024 in Fort William only weeks away, the atmosphere is very different. With a second place to his name as a Junior in 2022 in the Scottish Highlands, Goldstone will have been hoping to get his season off to winning ways given the strength of his performances towards the end of the last campaign. Tickets for the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William 03-05 May are on sale now.
Three days of wall-to-wall action to kick-start Haute-Savoie round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series on 28-30 June French resorts of Megève and Combloux to host WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series races for the first time further strengthening the Haute-Savoie region’s reputation as one of the world’s leading cycling destinations Cross-country Marathon (XCM) takes place in Megève and Enduro (EDR) and E-Enduro (E-EDR) in Combloux, setting the stage for the second Haute-Savoie weekend of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Les Gets Located in the Haute-Savoie department in the world-famous French Alps, Megève and Combloux are poised to make their debuts on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar by hosting an exhilarating weekend of racing from 28-30 June. Mont Blanc, French Alps Nestled just four kilometres apart, with sweeping views of the towering apex of the Alps, Mont Blanc, Megève and Combloux form a picturesque duo in the Portes du Mont-Blanc and Evasion Mont-Blanc ski areas. Offering an array of activities for outdoor enthusiasts year-round, from skiing and hiking to biking and horseback riding, both towns promise unforgettable experiences amidst stunning landscapes. Situated approximately 70 kilometres southeast of Geneva (Switzerland), they provide an accessible escape into the heart of alpine beauty and adventure. In Megève, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has partnered with renowned mountain biking event, MB Race, to host the UCI Cross-country Marathon (XCM) World Cup and the amateur Marathon of Megève. Since 2010, MB Race, famous for its demanding and breathtaking courses on the trails of Megève, has been a unique event open to riders of all ages and abilities. Its flagship race MB Ultra Somfy, split into 70km, 100km and 140km courses, is recognised as one of the toughest in the sport. For the UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup, riders will take on the challenging 100km course which features a 5,000m elevation gain. On the same weekend (Friday and Sunday), Combloux will host UCI Enduro and E-Enduro World Cup events. The venue is renowned amongst the road cycling community for regularly being the theatre of epic battles between Tour de France contenders on the Côte de Domancy. This year, with Mont Blanc as a stunning backdrop, Enduro amateur and elite athletes will have the chance to write their own story in this iconic location, whether for fun, or for all important UCI Enduro World Cup qualifying points. BUILDING ON A MEMORABLE 2023 SEASON Last season, fans witnessed remarkable record-breaking action from Châtel and Morzine in the Haute-Savoie region. Vera Looser claimed gold in the women’s Cross-country Marathon, becoming the first Namibian to ever win a UCI World Cup race, whilst 42-year-old Leonardo Páez won the men’s event. Richie Rude (YETI / FOX FACTORY RACE TEAM) and Isabeau Courdurier (LAPIERRE ZIPP COLLECTIVE) each clinched podium finishes, which helped them to secure their overall Enduro titles. In the inaugural season of the UCI E-Enduro World Cup, Flo Espiñiera (ORBEA FOX ENDURO TEAM) claimed victory in the Alps and went on to secure the first E-Enduro overall title alongside men’s champion Fabien Barel (CANYON CLLCTV). Isabeau Courdurier (LAPIERRE ZIPP COLLECTIVE) In 2023, 168 teams competing across 26 individual races attracted more than 100,000 fans to the Haute-Savoie region. In total, 417 amateur riders from 37 nations also took part across six races in one of the most celebrated international mountain bike events. WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Haute-Savoie, Les Gets 2023WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES HONES IN ON HAUTE-SAVOIE The Haute-Savoie department will once again play host to all formats of the international series on consecutive weekends. During the first of two back-to-back weekends of topflight competition, Megève will host the UCI Cross-country Marathon (XCM) World Cup whilst Combloux will stage Enduro (EDR) and E-Enduro (E-EDR) UCI World Cup events. The second weekend of action featuring Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC) and Downhill (DHI) UCI World Cup rounds will take place in Les Gets. Both weekends will see a huge programme of fan events, spectator activations, expos and entertainment. The new season of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series begins with the first round of the UCI Cross-Country World Cup in Mairiporã, Brazil on 12 April.
The first race of the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is now only weeks away. The opening round of the year will take place at the debut venue of Mairiporã, Brazil 12-14 April. Race fans all over the world are on tender hooks at the prospect of that most hotly anticipated of things; an Olympic race season. Cross-country is the only mountain bike format to be an Olympic sport and as such it’s a huge year for the Endurance athletes with the chance to represent their countries at Paris 2024 up for grabs. Paris 2024 aside, there is a packed season of UCI Cross-country World Cup racing and of course the UCI World Championships to play for. More information about the full calendar can be found here. In the meantime, tune in as our roving reporter Josh Carlson and lead commentator Ric McLaughlin discuss the highlights of the season ahead. They caught up a few weeks ago at the UCI’s headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland. Don’t forget that the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will be getting underway in Mairiporã, Brazil 12-14 April.
Mini Downhill is back! Get ready to welcome young riders to the big stage with the return of the Mini Downhill Final to the slopes of Aonach Mor, as part of an action-packed event weekend in Fort William from 3–5 May. Imagine the thrill for any young rider, rubbing shoulders with the very best in the world and sampling the electric atmosphere of a roaring home crowd, before taking in the best of the action at the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup. Scottish Cycling’s Mini Downhill event take place on site at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Fort William, on Saturday 4th May 2024. It’s a platform for any budding young mountain bike talent to shine, stepping onto the main stage and competing on the same day as the world’s best riders at the iconic Nevis Range venue. Riders can gain priority entry to the final with two regional qualification events taking place. Get all the details on qualifying regional events and how to sign up over on the Scottish Cycling website. Mark your calendars for the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William, Scotland 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale now, and stay tuned for more updates on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Fort William event!
Iconic Haute-Savoie site, in the heart of the French Alps, gears up for an exciting rendezvous of Endurance and Gravity racing as part of consecutive weekends of two-wheeled action. The popular ski resort of Les Gets, located in the Haute-Savoie department in the northern French Alps, is set to host a thrilling weekend of WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series racing from 4-7 July. Close to the Swiss border, Les Gets is part of the Portes du Soleil ski domain, one of the largest ski areas in the world with an extensive network of trails offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Known for its charming alpine atmosphere and located just one hour away from popular destinations such as Geneva and Annecy, Les Gets offers a welcoming, family-friendly environment with picturesque surroundings. It is a year-round resort for outdoor activities: a traditional winter destination but also a mountain biking paradise during the warmer months. TOPFLIGHT RACING PROGRAM In 2024, both Endurance and Gravity formats will be represented in Les Gets with Cross- country Short Track (XCC), Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill (DHI) UCI World Cup rounds all taking place in the town. It will be the second of two back-to-back weekends of topflight off-road competition: just like last year, the Haute-Savoie department will again play host to all formats of the international series on consecutive weekends. The first weekend (28-30 June) will feature Enduro (EDR), E-Enduro (E-EDR) and Cross- country Marathon (XCM) UCI World Cup events. Details on the location of these events will be announced soon. MEMORIES FROM A SUCCESSFUL 2023 SEASON In 2023, fans were treated to one of the highlights of the season when French riders dominated the Haute-Savoie podiums. Wins for Marine Cabirou (Scott Downhill Factory) and Benoît Coulanges (Dorval AM Commencal) on the famous Downhill track alongside an historic Cross- country Short Track and Cross-country Olympic double for Victor Koretzky (Specialized Factory Racing) were headline news. Isabeau Courdurier (Lapierre Zipp Collective) also made history when she claimed her third Enduro crown whilst Fabien Barel scooped the first ever E-Enduro overall title. The two weekends of racing in Haute-Savoie featured 168 teams competing across 26 individual races. On site, more than 100,000 fans enjoyed one of the highlights of the calendar. Open racing was also one of the core components of the Haute-Savoie event with 417 amateur riders from 37 nations taking part across six events. The new season of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series begins with the first round of the UCI Cross-Country World Cup in Mairiporã, Brazil on 12 April.
It’s all eyes on Fort William as the season opener of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup approaches. Gear up for the ultimate weekend of downhill mountain bike racing with a discount available for Young Scot members to watch the very best riders in the world compete on British soil as part of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. There’s still time to grab your tickets and be a part of the action, and Young Scot members can get a 10% ticket discount by applying the discount code when you buy tickets. This exclusive discount aims to make the thrilling world of mountain biking more accessible to young people throughout Scotland, and young fans will have the opportunity to witness the world’s best riders in action at the iconic Nevis Range race venue to experience the exhilarating sport of downhill mountain biking for themselves. If you’re a Young Scot member, make sure you don’t miss out on discounted access to the ultimate weekend of mountain bike racing in Fort William from the 03-05 May. Simply head over to the Young Scot website and click ‘Get Now’ to reveal your discount code to use when buying your tickets.
Laurie Greenland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) has spoken openly about the health issues which effected his race weekends during the 2023 UCI Downhill World Cup season. In a video released by the team Greenland, 27, talks candidly about his struggles with a stomach parasite and Epstein Barr virus. The UK’s best results last time out came at the Lenzerheide series opener where he scored a fourth place and in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes where he finished third. The Bristolian often cut a despondent figure in the pits with his one, and so far only, win coming in Val di Sole Trentino back in 2019. Greenland signed with the Santa Cruz Syndicate in 2022 and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most technically gifted athletes. After an off-season spent recuperating, surfing and hitting the road with the team he could well be back to his spellbinding best come the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William, Scotland 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale now.
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will be available to Canadian viewers via the FloSports cycling streaming platform - FloBikes. The move is great news for race fans in one of mountain biking’s spiritual homes. Canadian Elite athletes had a superb season last year, particularly amongst the Gravity rounds. Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was the only Elite male to score two wins in the UCI Downhill World Cup, Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) held the overall leaders jersey in the same competition and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Factory Racing) had a breakthrough Elite season. In the UCI Enduro World Cup, Squamish’s Rhys Verner (Forbidden Synthesis) scored his debut win whilst Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV) was narrowly pipped to the overall title by Yeti Fox Racing Shox’ Richie Rude. FloSports was founded in 2006 and delivers live events, award winning original content, always-on social experiences, and comprehensive sports data solutions to passionate and underserved sports communities interested in more than 25 different sports. Its FloBikes vertical is tailor-made for today's cycling fan, reaching them across the globe. The opening round of this season’s Endurance side of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series takes place in Mairiporã, Brazil from 12-14 April. The Gravity competition will get underway in Fort William, Scotland from 3-5 May with the season finale of the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series returning to Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada in October (4-6), where this year’s ultimate Downhill and Cross-country champions will be crowned. In addition to Mountain Bike, Flosports will also provide fans with streaming access to the greatest number of live cycling races across all disciplines of any platform. Covering nearly 200 cycling events with nearly 450 stages of live cycling, all the world’s biggest road races will be featured for streaming including the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, La Vuelta, Strade Bianche, the UCI World Championships and more. Every race from the UCI Track Champions League will also be available. Trojan Paillot, SVP Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndications at WBD Sports Europe, said:We are delighted to partner with FloSports to leverage our unrivalled global rights portfolio to provide mountain bike fans in Canada with access to every single race from the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Our world-class production and cycling expertise coupled with the accessibility and reach of the FloSports platform in Canada is an incredibly powerful proposition for consumers. We know Canadian cycling fans will enjoy the benefits of having the entire WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series as well as an unrivalled selection of other cycling events in one place.Ryan Fenton, Director of Global Rights and Acquisitions at FloSports, added: Combining this WBD Sports portfolio with ours provides cycling fans the ultimate destination to view the world’s very best races all in one place - there’s no need to go anywhere else. It also advances our mission to grow the sport as we make FloBikes the ultimate authority in cycling.To catch all the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series action, fans in Canada should subscribe to FloSports and register for either an annual or monthly pass.
The Momentum Project are a new Canadian team setting out to take on their first season of UCI Downhill World Cup racing. Mark Wallace and Jon Mozell will be piloting their still-in-development We Are One Composites bike.Starting a new team would of course be a huge undertaking but doing so around a Prototype race bike is even more daunting again. Wallace, for years Canada’s top Downhill pro, is charged with providing the feedback and attention to detail to make the We Are One Composites machine a winner. He’ll be joined by one of the standout talents from a junior men’s field filled with standout talents, Jon Mozell. The pair know each other well from years of riding on Vancouver Island together. The latter came second in Les Gets last season.During the first episode of their new web series, The Momentum Project open their doors to a busy first team camp where Mark and Jon got to ride the sleek prototype for the very first time. The We Are One Composites bike is handmade in Kamloops based on the company’s dual link suspension platform. The shock is mounted horizontally as opposed to vertically as on their Arrival Enduro frame. The company already manufactures a wide range of carbon fibre rimmed wheelsets and has openly dabbled in cockpit components so will likely use their new Downhill squad to further develop future products.The Momentum Project will be setting their sights on the opening round of the gravity side of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Fort William, Scotland 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale now.
Forbidden Synthesis’ Rhys Verner lit up the time sheets during last season’s UCI Enduro World Cup. He took his debut win in Leogang-SalzburgerLand and became one of the most complete packages on the Gravity circuit in the process. Verner, 26, finished the extremely arduous EDR season in a highly commendable fourth place in the overall last season and will be amongst many people’s favourites for this seasons title. Filmed in his local stomping grounds of Squamish and North Vancouver, the first part of the series showcases his love of getting into the outdoors on both his bike and skis. The video was produced by Verner’s fellow Canadian pinner, Magnus Manson. Rhys Verner will be back in action at the opening round of the UCI EDR World Cup in Finale Outdoor Region 10-12 May.
Ireland’s Greg Callaghan has announced that he will race under the new GC Racing banner for the 2024 UCI Enduro World Cup season. The winner of three UCI Enduro World Cup rounds split from Devinci Global Racing earlier this off-season and is now set to compete on a program of his own construction. The 32 year-old from Dublin will campaign a custom specced Ibis HD6 at all rounds of this seasons calendar. “My main target has been to build a package that will allow me to perform to my full potential in 2024. Chasing performance over finances you could say. With that in mind, I’ve hand chosen brands and products that I believe are the best around and I’m super stoked with how it’s turned out! While this is a 1 year setup right now, I’m excited to build long lasting relationships with these brands into the future and build my programme year on year.” - Greg Callaghan, GM Racing Callaghan competed at the Spanish DH Cup in Barcelona at the weekend and took third place, the first and last time the Irish national champ is slated to race Downhill this season. Amongst a well-stacked field, it was a strong result for the Dubliner which bodes well for the season ahead. Greg Callaghan will compete at the opening round of the UCI Enduro and E-Enduro World Cup in Finale Outdoor Region 10-12 May.
FMD Racing’s How We Roll returns to our screens for a second series off the back of a hugely well-received first series. The latest edition will chronicle the 2023 UCI Downhill World Cup season for the Canyon-backed squad. How We Roll was a hit with fans for all the right reasons; it opened the doors to a team built around family bonds and all that they entail, warts and all. Tahnée Seagrave’s battle back to not only the bike but to everyday life after a harrowing battle with concussion was covered indepth. Kaos Seagrave’s move away from racing to freeride and the meteoric rise of Phoebe Gale were also featured. A third place in Pal Arinsal, Andorra would be Seagrave’s best result of the season whilst first year elite Gale would clock two podiums, the best of which was a fourth place in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France. The FMD Racing roster remains unchanged for 2024 with Tahnée Seagrave returning to action alongside Gale, Oliver Zwar and junior rider Rudi Eichhorn. Their campaign will get underway at the team’s home round in Fort William, Scotland 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale now!
Brook Macdonald’s ultra-aggressive riding style has made him one of the most popular Downhill athletes in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. The 32 year-old Kiwi signed with Forbidden Synthesis this off-season to spearhead their UCI Downhill World Cup campaign in 2024. Macdonald’s split with previous employers, MS Mondraker, came after he re-joined the side in 2018. His second stint for the Austrian outfit started well with a first place in qualifying at the opening race of the year in Lošinj, Croatia before a crash in his race run left the Hawke’s Bay native with a broken collarbone and ribs. Disaster struck again in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec in 2019 when the man they call ‘The Bulldog’ in testament to his ingrained toughness, was left with a broken back after a crash in practice. The road back to full speed has been a dogged one for Macdonald but, on the evidence of his latest video on board his all new Forbidden Supernaught downhill bike, the 2024 season may well see him roar back to his superb best. Macdonald clocked his first and as yet only win back in Val d’Isére, France in 2012. Fans will get their first chance to cheer on Brook Macdonald at the opening round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series Downhill World Cup 2024 in Fort William, Scotland 03-05 May. Tickets are on sale, now.
The 2011 and 2016 UCI Downhill World Champion, Danny Hart, has put pen to paper with the new-look Continental GT Racing team ahead of the opening round of the Gravity side of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Fort William, Scotland. Hart became the third British male rider to win a gold medal and the rainbow stripes in the wet in Champery, Switzerland via what is still widely celebrated as one of the great downhill race runs of all time. The 32 year-old has won four UCI Downhill World Cups throughout his lengthy career as a pro which saw him enter the elite category in 2008. Continental GT Racing are widely perceived as one of the good news stories of recent years having grown from a tiny family squad built around Chris Cummings and Rónán Dunne into an outfit which consistently punches above their weight. For the new season they have made the switch from Nukeproof Bikes to GT and added Hart into the seat vacated by Dunne. The latter will compete aboard the all-new Mondraker Factory Racing team this season. Danny Hart will join Chris Cumming, Vero Widmann and Harry Molloy on the team. It has been a tempestuous off-season for the squad but team owner, Mark Cummings, has been buoyed by their recent big name signing: Coming off the success of 2023 we never expected the turmoil that would engulf us as a team, it’s been a roller coaster! A genuine big thank you goes out to Continental Tires for their continued support and belief in the programme and a massive welcome to GT Bicycles for stepping in at the very last minute as a frame sponsor. 2024 is looking prime with the addition of Kenny Clothing, TRP and Renthal. Everyone held fast as we worked through our plans to secure our 2024 race programme and I am indebted to all our sponsors who have remained with us. Everyone in Continental GT Racing, athletes, mechanics, and road crew are stoked to be associated with such iconic brands.The North Yorkshire-based speed monger has had a well journeyed career having ridden for nine different bike brands (10 if the de-badged Nukeproof he rode at the recent UCI Snowbike World Championships is included). Hart’s home round will be the opener of this season’s UCI Mountain Bike World Series Downhill World Cup. Fort William, Scotland will kick things off for the Gravity athletes 03-05 May. Tickets for Fort William are now on sale HERE.