SAALFELDEN LEOGANG – SALZBURGERLAND: WHEN IS IT? WHO IS RIDING? HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION?

The start of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series might still be five months away, but there’s plenty of action for fans to sink their teeth into during the off-season transfer window.Although the number of moves has been a bit less than last year – where rider’s UCI points could help determine a team’s WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status – there has still been plenty to digest and analyse, with new announcements coming almost every day.Here are the transfer headlines ahead of the 2026 series.DOWNHILLThe most anticipated transfer of the 2025-26 off-season has been the destination of Vali Höll. After YT Mob disbanded at the end of the 2025 season following YT Industries’ insolvency, the reigning overall series champion found herself without a team. However, after months of speculation, it was finally confirmed that she will join the French-based Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres squad for 2026.In the same context, her compatriot Andreas Kolb has secured a new home as well, joining 2025 men’s Elite overall winner Jackson Goldstone at Santa Cruz Syndicate, with Brit Laurie Greenland appearing to make way for the Austrian pinner; Oisin O’Callaghan move to Trek Unbroken DH and enduro-turned-downhill rider Kasper Woolley head to MS-Racing.Another team making moves during the off-season are Mondraker Factory Racing DH. The Spanish factory team resigned Ryan Pinkerton on a three-year deal, while Oli Clark has been rewarded with a move from MS-Racing after a solid season in the Junior ranks, which included a UCI World Cup win at Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria).Clark will be filling Dakotah Norton’s shoes with the American joining season-long wildcard team Scott Downhill Factory for 2026 and looking to revive the Swiss manufacturer’s fortunes on the world stage. New Zealander Jess Blewitt has also made the switch from Cube Factory Racing.Finally, one of the biggest transfers is Aaron Gwin’s move to Frameworks Racing / TRP. The icon and five-time overall champion has led his own Gwin Racing team for the last two years but moves to the US-based team alongside Anna Newkirk and Asa Vermette, where it is hoped he will contribute competitive results while also acting as a mentor for the rest of the young team.ENDUROImpact of the YT Mob closure wasn’t limited to Downhill, with Jack Moir and Christian Textor both competing for the outfit in the UCI Enduro World Cup. While Textor had announced his retirement at the end of the 2025 season, Australian Moir has only just announced his own – calling time on a successful career that spanned both Downhill and Enduro.They aren’t the only two riders who won’t be present in the new series with 2026’s second-place finisher Jesse Melamed (Canyon CLLCTV) also partially stepping back from racing – the Canadian announcing that he won’t be at every round of the new season.CROSS-COUNTRYThe biggest headline of the Cross-country off-season has been the news from Samara Maxwell. The 2025 UCI XCO World Cup overall champion announced a contract extension with Decathlon Ford Racing until 2028 before confirming that she will take a season-long sabbatical in 2026 instead of defending her title.The other main story is the closure of Ghost Factory Racing after 15 years in the sport. The German team was the home of Anne Terpstra, Nicole Koller and Caroline Bohé, but all can be expected to be snapped up by other teams with announcements forthcoming.Elsewhere, Nina Graf has moved from Lapierre Unity Racing to Trek - Unbroken XC after some impressive top 10 performances in 2025, while Madigan Munro and Gunner Holmgren will leave the American factory team. Tyler Orschel has joined KMC Nukeproof MTB Racing Team – the Canadian privateer joining Bart Brentjens’ team after almost stepping away from the sport at the end of the 2025 series.Looking to the Under-23 ranks, Men U23 UCI XCO and Cross-country Short Track (XCC) World Cup champion Finn Treudler has had his contract extended with Cube Factory Racing to 2028 as he makes the step up to the Elites.

WBD Sports and the UCI are pleased to announce the 40 teams to have earned WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status for the 2026 season.The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series status guarantees their participation in every round of the series within their respective formats, placing them at the forefront of the sport’s elite competition.For the first time, the top 10 teams in the UCI Ranking (across Endurance and Gravity) have secured a two-year licence, underscoring their position among the sport’s elite.SECOND SEASON UNDER THE NEW QUALIFICATION FRAMEWORK After three years under WBD Sports’ guidance, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is set to embark on its second season since redefining the teams’ qualification criteria for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.The overhaul, introduced ahead of the 2025 season, established WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams (previously known as UCI MTB Elite Teams) for the first time. This protected status guarantees participation in every round of their respective formats.The goal was to help teams build greater value, offering more benefits to athletes and the sport, creating a clear group for fans to rally behind, delivering more thrilling races, and establishing a clear pathway to the pinnacle of mountain bike. Early results speak for themselves – the 2025 series ranked among the most competitive in recent memory.For the 2026 season, a total of 83 teams from 20 nations registered as UCI MTB Teams across all formats. Of those, 40 teams across both Endurance and Gravity have secured WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status:REFINED SELECTION CRITERIAEach format’s 20 selected teams feature the top 15 from the UCI Team Rankings plus five full-season wildcard spots awarded through a scoring matrix.A team’s UCI points are calculated by combining the points of the team’s four highest-ranked riders, regardless of category (Men Elite, Men Junior/U23; Women Elite, Women Junior/U23). These points are earned at Finals across all UCI-registered events (not just WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series rounds). The ranking cut-off was 28 October 2025.Ahead of the 2026 series, the selection criteria for WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status were refined. The key change: unlike in 2025, riders no longer carry their points when transferring teams during the off-season. This means a team secures its World Series Team status based on its 2025 performance—even if the riders who delivered that success have since moved on.Also for the first time, the top 10 ranked teams in both the Endurance and Gravity formats have secured a two-year licence, while teams ranked 11-15 receive a one-year licence:ENDURANCE2-year licenceSpecialized Factory RacingDecathlon Ford Racing TeamCanyon XC RacingCannondale Factory RacingThömus MaxonWilier-Vittoria Factory TeamOrbea Fox Factory TeamCube Factory RacingScott-SRAM MTB Racing TeamBIXS Race Team1-year licenceTrek - Unbroken XCOrigine Racing DivisionKMC Nukeproof MTB Racing TeamGiant Factory Off-Road Team - XCLapierre PXR RacingWildcards (1-year licence)BH Coloma TeamLiv Factory RacingMondraker Factory Racing XCBMC Factory RacingAlpecin-Premier TechGRAVITY2-year licenceCanyon DH RacingSanta Cruz SyndicateCommencal/Muc-Off by Riding AddictionOrbea FMD RacingMondraker Factory Racing DHYeti / Fox Factory Race TeamCube Factory RacingSpecialized GravityTrek - Unbroken DHCommencal Schwalbe by Les Orres1-year licenceNorco X adidas Race DivisionMS-RacingNukeproof Axess RacingUnno Factory Racing DHGiant Factory Off-Road Team – DHWildcards (1-year licence)Santa Cruz Burgtec by GoodmanScott Downhill FactoryFrameworks Racing / TRPAON RacingContinental AthertonHOW ELSE CAN TEAMS TAKE PART IN THE WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES?For teams that haven't secured WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status, up to eight Wildcard spots per format are available at each UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. These Wildcard teams are announced ahead of each WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round and are selected based on factors such as UCI Continental Series results, UCI team rankings and individual athlete profiles.HOW ABOUT PRIVATEERS AND INDIVIDUALS?Individual riders are still eligible to enter a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round based on the following criteria:Champions: Any current Olympic Champion, UCI World Champion, UCI Continental Champion or National Champion.Cross-country: any Elite athlete ranked in the top 100 or any U23 athlete ranked in the top 200 based on the last UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) Individual Ranking dated before the event entry closing date of the round.Downhill: any Elite athlete ranked in the top 50 or any Junior athlete ranked in the top 100 based on the last UCI Downhill Individual Ranking dated before the event entry closing date of the round.There are also additional spots up for grabs for the top Elite, Under 23 and Junior riders in any round or in the final standings of the UCI Continental Series, provided the rider is not registered with a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team. More information is available in the UCI Regulations (art. 4.10.001 and 4.11.001).The 2026 season of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series kicks off on May 1 with the Race of South Korea – marking the return of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to the Asian continent for the first time in 25 years.

The 22‑year‑old has spent much of the past year racing and training in Europe, a period marked by intense physical effort, travel, and time spent far from home. Following the close of the season, Maxwell has made the decision to step away temporarily from elite competition to prioritise her long‑term well‑being.In 2026, Maxwell will focus on rest, recovery, and personal reconnection, stepping back not only from racing but also from media duties, social media, and public appearances. The break will allow her to reset physically, recharge mentally, and spend valuable time with family and the communities that shaped her.Sammie Maxwell said: “This is the perfect time for me to take a break, breathe, and reconnect with my roots. I want to spend time with my family, recharge, and prepare for the challenges ahead,”Despite pausing her racing schedule next year, Maxwell’s focus continues to be a return to competition with renewed energy as she works toward her ultimate goal - representing New Zealand at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.We wish Sammie a restorative year ahead and look forward to welcoming her back to the start line when the time is right!