The UCI and Warner Bros Discovery have announced the full calendar for the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup which features thirteen rounds around the world, including two enduro rounds in Tasmania and two in North America with the others taking place in Europe.
One of the highlights from last year's calendar was the incredible scenes in Les Gets, France as Loïc Bruni won his 5th downhill mountain bike world championships and the UCI returns to Haute-Savoie in 2023. The region will host all the major mountain bike formats for the first time in the history of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
The cross-country Olympic, cross-country short track and downhill competitions take place in Les Gets, while the cross-country marathon, enduro and e-enduro events will be held in Châtel and Morzine. Organized over 10 days, including two weekends from 7th to 17th September it's an unprecedented event and brings together the entire world mountain bike community in a festival atmosphere.
David Lappartient, the UCI President adds, "We still have the incredible images and atmosphere of the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Les Gets fresh in our minds, and so look forward to returning to Haute-Savoie next year for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
"This region has hosted the discipline’s UCI World Cup on several occasions, as well as two editions of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, which demonstrates its strong commitment to our sport. With the round in Les Gets, which will bring together all the major mountain bike formats, we will once again benefit from the fantastic organization and enthusiastic welcome that characterize the Haute-Savoie region."
Also included in the calendar are the cross-country marathon XCM and EDR-E (e-enduro) rounds, two formats that will have UCI Mountain Bike World Cup status in 2023. The XCM calendar will kick off in Nové Mĕsto, Czech Republic with visits to Italy, Austria, France and North America. The EDR-E will join the XCM at the iconic enduro venue Finale Ligure in Italy to kick off its season, before moving on to Austria, returning to Italy and a further two rounds in France.
As part of the UCI and WBD's commitment to mass participation events and the creation of pathways to elite sport, amateur races will be offered for EDR (enduro) and XCM next season. All four XCM rounds will be open to participation (no pre-qualification required). In EDR and/or EDR-E, six of the seven venues will offer amateur racing. All EDR rounds will give UCI ranking points, rewarding the best-placed riders with the possibility to enter the elite competition.
In June 2022, the UCI entrusted WBD with the mission of developing and promoting mountain bike within an eight-year agreement. WBD will deploy its resources and expertise, notably through Discovery Sports Events and ESO Sports, to elevate mountain biking to a new level and bring it to a global audience.
With the UCI announcing new rules last week for downhill, XCM and enduro, and a whole new broadcasting format coming from WBD, an exciting season awaits for fans of all disciplines of mountain biking.
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