Val di Sole, Les Gets & Andorra Awarded World Championships

Sep 27, 2018
by Sarah Moore  
Amaury Pierron seems to have one speed these days in practice and it certainly isn t slow.

The UCI announced the locations for several upcoming World Championships in a press release today.

Following the 2019 World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada and the 2020 World Championships in Leogang, World Championships will be held in Val di Sole in 2021, Les Gets in 2022, and Vallnord in 2024. There hasn't been a decision made for 2023 yet, when the UCI will be combining the championships for multiple cycling disciplines for three weeks during the UCI Cycling World Championships.

In addition, Les Gets has been awarded World Cups on July 13-14 2019, and September 19-20, 2020, this after Crankworx announced earlier this week that there will not be a Crankworx World Tour event in Les Gets in 2019.


List of UCI Mountain Bike World Championships awarded:

2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships: Val di Sole (Italy)
Very experienced in the organisation of four-cross events, Val di Sole, one of the Meccas of off-road, is no less so for mountain bike cross-country Olympic and downhill. The region welcomed the discipline’s UCI Worlds in 2008 and in 2016 (downhill only that year), as well as several rounds of the UCI World Cup. The circuits are highly appreciated by the riders and public.

2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships: Les Gets (France)
The Gets ski resort, in the French Alps, has welcomed several major events such as the French Championships for mountain bike and the UCI Worlds for the discipline in 2004. Boosted by a deep tradition in the domain, it wishes to strengthen its position of excellence in sport. These World Championships will be an important step in this regard.

2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships: Vallnord Pal Arinsal (Andorra)
Situated in the Pyrenees, between Spain and France, this country, small in size, is an important player in the world of mountain bike, for which it welcomed the World Championships in 2015. The UCI World Cup has also stopped there several times. All these events encountered great success with the different stakeholders.

2020 and 2021 UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships: Pra-Loup (France)
Pra-Loup is situated in the Southern Alps of France, at an altitude of 1600m. Well known to road cycling enthusiasts, having welcomed the Tour de France on several occasions, the resort has also organised rounds of the French Cup for downhill as well as the UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships 10 years ago.

2019, 2020 and 2021 UCI Four-cross World Championships: Val di Sole (Italy)
The history of the UCI Four-cross World Championships is entwined with Val di Sole given that the event has already taken place there in 2008, 2016, 2017 and 2018. The Italian resort has a high-quality four-cross track, acclaimed by the athletes and public. The event will be held in conjunction with the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

Commenting on the awarding of this series of events, the UCI President David Lappartient said:

“We are happy to have been able to award a record number of UCI World Championships for the period 2020-2024.

“Our 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships which, and this will be a first, will bring together multiple disciplines – road, mountain bike (cross-country Olympic, cross-country Marathon and downhill), track, BMX Racing, Urban Cycling (BMX Freestyle Park, trials and mountain bike Eliminator), para-cycling road and para-cycling track, indoor cycling and Gran Fondo – and transform their host into a true world cycling capital for nearly three weeks, will in principle be awarded at the latest during the next Management Committee meeting to one of the candidates in contention.

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Racing and Events


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93 Comments
  • 97 10
 Dear World Champs:

We started this thing, and I thought we had a good time together. Please call me, or text me back, I haven't seen you since 2001!

Much love,
USA
  • 23 21
 you realize that the UCI is more corrupt than FIFA, and the fact that there's no one here in the states willing to bribe them to bring a stop over here, right? lol
  • 39 2
 Time to start a "UCI Bribery" Go Fund Me?

Or maybe we could use those shiny new bicycle import tariff funds?
  • 30 4
 @conoat: You make it sound like there a 10's of venues desperate to host it but not willing to pay backhanders to the UCI. MTBs is not big enough for that to make any sense.

It's about the venue being able to put together all the logistics and organisation needed to host the event in a way that they can make money. It's just not viable for almost all venues. Just like only a few venues hold WC skiing. Im pretty sure there is a hosting fee to the UCI and other bodies and im sure everyone would want for that to be less... but that's transparent to all parties. There are so many considerations, hotel beds, transport logistics, landowner issues, being able to get power up the hill, space for broadcasters, space for pits, local council support, etc etc..... Its more about making sensible business decisions rather than clandestine backhanders.

Listen to Spomers Interview with Martin Whiteley for some insight on all the moving parts that need to come together to be able to host an WC level event, and how thats super hard to do
  • 4 10
flag bman33 (Sep 27, 2018 at 12:35) (Below Threshold)
 @conoat: You hit the nail on the head.
  • 8 0
 Last round for 2019 looks like Snowshoe, West Virginia. Sept 6-8.
  • 3 1
 Ok
  • 17 3
 Dear Americans:

If you want to see a WC race in our soil, you better show up in person when that happen. Otherwise nobody is going to bid for a spot.


If you have been to the last few WC in the states (Windham), very few people showed up.
It is not even a venue issue as EWS and National DH do not get any crowd compare to Europe.
UCI would love to have a WC in the States...
  • 29 1
 @conoat: bring the evidence. UCI may be corrupt, but there is no fkng way in the world there is any international sport agency more corrupt than FIFA.
  • 8 1
 @creativefletch: No he didn't, he's full of shit. UCI maybe far too beurocratic but it ain't corrupt. Bid, prove you can do it, host the UCI's event and you get a WC. How many times on PB does the same conversation have to come up, the UCI doesn't pick venues, the venues bid to the UCI, no bid, no event. There really aren't as many places bidding as you'd think, and the UCI does actively seek out new venues. But the impetuous is on the location to make it happen.
  • 30 12
 I'm a little surprised the US hasn't created their own world champs, like they have in all those other sports that no one but them turns up to.
  • 12 3
 @T1mb0: We in the US bike community recognize that and distance ourselves from 'stick and ball' sports just like you do. We are all MTB brothers. Why talk shit?
  • 2 0
 @RedRedRe: 2019 and 2020 will have World Cups in the states. It hasn't been announced yet but you heard it here first. It should have a good turnout in 2019 since it's in the Mid-Atlantic and World's is scheduled for the same month.
  • 11 13
 @bman33: Really? Get over yourself.
How many times do you guys whinge when Bryceland and Hart talk... you give plenty of shit then (and shit to others too). Learn to take it back (not just give) and you'll enjoy life more. If you can't laugh at yourselves once in a while you'll never advance.
  • 8 4
 @T1mb0: "Get over yourself"? Wow. Why so bitter and angry? I am happy and loving life. Most of us over here love both those riders and don't talk shit about them. Not different than strong NY or Cajun accent over here. I was actually agreeing with you on the stick and ball comments. Sounds like you are the one who needs to chill.

Rubber side down man. Cheers
  • 5 17
flag timbud (Sep 27, 2018 at 13:17) (Below Threshold)
 @bman33: good golly, you're taking this all very seriously aren't you deary
  • 3 0
 @WAKIdesigns: FIA might be a contender.
  • 6 4
 Get some real DH tracks and some crowd to come, then we'll see
  • 4 0
 @WAKIdesigns: The Russian sports federation would win that battle,blind folded and with 1 hand behind its back !
  • 8 1
 @WAKIdesigns: More corrupt than the FIFA Yes there is - I'd say the Olympic comittee
  • 29 8
 Dear USA,

Your parties were great in 2001 but since something went wrong. The rest or the world makes your crib seem lame, and like 3 people turn up when you organize a party. Even a small town in Scotland can pack the house out, why can't you?

Call us back when you get your sh#t together and we can party again

The UCI
  • 3 1
 What thing did you start....
My dad did it before you invented it. Smile
  • 5 1
 @WAKIdesigns: Formula 1! A sports grounded in who can spend the most money that decides it's venues by making despots bid against each other to give the organisers the most money. FIFA's got nothing on Bernie Ecclestone, fella paid $100million to make bribery charges go away, presumably laughing like a bond villain the whole time. The new owners seems to be carrying on the same vein.
  • 5 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I'll see your FIFA and raise you with the IOC. I'm all in.
  • 6 0
 @RedRedRe: windham is also in the middle of butt f*ck nowhere New York. Honestly the best place to see a WC on the east coast would most likely be killington. They have the infrastructure there and it’s 20 minutes off a highway.
  • 5 8
 Bullshit. Want world champs USA? Then stop your bitchin get it sorted.
  • 4 3
 @ColquhounerHooner: Wow, what a bunch of butt hurt or aggressive aholes? I thought everyone is on the same MTB team.

Ski resorts here don't see much value in WC events because of what the UCI charges vs. turnout. They don't 'need' the UCI at all to make money. I live in Colorado and know many people in the resort industry. Same line across the board. Windham was having similar issues. Its what it is. Nothing to bitch about, that is just status quo here. Why the f*ck has everyone here devolved into a bunch of grammar school kids talking shit? Aren't we ALL fans of the same thing and on the same 'team' so to speak with MTB? Wow
  • 6 4
 @bman33: hi. Pretty depressing to see the first comment on this article to be just another complaint against the UCI from an American about the lack of UCI sanctioned events held on US soil. We all know this is not the fault of the UCI but of the US for not getting its shit together to stage the events.
Would love to have seen the first comment to have been a positive one. Have a nice day. Smile
  • 2 0
 @conoat: we are very impressed with the size of your brain...
  • 1 2
 @T1mb0: Top comment.
  • 3 1
 @Matt115lamb: I wrote "INTERNATIONAL sport agency".
@NoriDori : I doubt it, Olympic Commitee is under bigger scrutiny because they preach high fly values. UEFA and FIFA are preach no values, have virtually no antidoping protocols, football clubs are wealthy private companies, and here's the time to follow the money. Olympic Athletes to Football Players are what DH riders earn to roadies. You have a couple of ballers and then it deteriorates quickly. The more money the more power, the more corruption. Olympics happens once every 4 years. League of Champions happens most of the time. Eliminations to Football World Cup alone attract tenfolds more views than Olympics, off course counted in total. Betting on Olympics vs Football?

Football is awful piece of crap. Kids in my nearby football club go around selling lottery coupons. Why? To bring money to the club. Whenever there is a football match in my town hundreds of Police guard it. For my fkng tax money. So that fat rich a*sholes can sell piss beer commercials. And I haven't even started talking about the fans... I will never support this sewage of mankind, pile of worst garbage.
  • 3 0
 @betsie: Even I was doing it in the late 60's and 70's Wink
We called them 'tracker bikes', would dredge a dumped postie pashley from the canal, strip it down and put wide mx bars etc on them and then rag them through mud, fields, forests and hills till they fell apart!
My mates dad even put some moped front forks on for us once, but they weighed a ton though - ha!
  • 1 0
 @conoat: they just did!!
  • 1 0
 Dear Douche bag's, In 2024 I will be racing a 39er with 25mm travel and a picture of your sister on my jersey,,, How am I doing!
  • 18 1
 Related news that's also awesome: the 2019 start order will revert back to the 2017 start order & protected rider rules. Glad they pulled their heads out of the sand, that was a nightmare to make sense of. Next year looks sick!
  • 3 0
 Is this legit??? god i hope so
  • 9 0
 @DarrenV: It's legit, for some reason PB didn't cover it yet.

dirtmountainbike.com/news/uci-to-reverse-running-order-regulations-for-2019
  • 3 0
 @ka-brap: That's awesome, qualis will be exciting again
  • 20 0
 Whistler 2023
  • 3 1
 "world cycling capital"
  • 2 0
 On the yet to be built creekside world cup level DH course? That would be rad.

If it does happen I just hope we've not all been priced out of our homes by then.
  • 2 0
 Hmm... would call this out as pure speculation from anyone else but... Very interesting. They could certainly pull it off. Olympic infrastructure and experience. Amazing venue. Rabid local cycling fans and relatively easy international travel. Me thinks I’d be booking a ticket as soon as this would be announced.
  • 2 0
 @robwhynot: oh my comment is pure speculation, I have no inside info! but I do agree that we have the infrastructure and organizational chops to pull it off, and I'd personally LOVE to see it and have it here.
  • 12 0
 2019
27.-28. April: Maribor (Slowenien) DHI
17.-19. Mai: Albstadt (Deutschland) XCO/XCC
24.-26. Mai: Nove Mesto (Tschechische Republik) XCO/XCC
01.-02. Juni: Fort William (Großbritannien) DHI
08.-09. Juni: Leogang (Österreich) DHI
05.-07. Juli: Vallnord (Andorra) XCO/XCC/DHI
12.-14. Juli: Les Gets (Frankreich) XCO/DHI
02.-04. Aug: Val di Sole (Italien) XCO/XCC/DHI
09.-11. Aug: Lenzerheide (Schweiz) XCO/XCC/DHI
28.Aug -01. Sept: WM Mont Sainte Anne (Kanada) XCO/DHI
06.-08. Sept: Snowshoe, West Virgina (USA) XCO/XCC/DHI

2020
20.-21. März: Lousa (Portugal) DHI
25.-26. März: Lourdes (Frankreich)DHI
09.-10. Mai: Losinj (Kroatien) DHI
22.-24. Mai: Nove Mesto (Tschechische Republik) XCO/XCC
06.-07. Juni: Fort William (Großbritannien) DHI
19.-21. Juni: Vallnord (Andorra) XCO/DHI
25.-28. Juni: WM Albstadt (Deutschland) XCO
27.-28. Juli: Olympische Spiele Tokio (Japan) XCO
14.-16. Aug: Lenzerheide (Schweiz) XCO/XCC
21.-23. Aug: Mont Sainte Anne (Kanada) XCO/DHI
05.-06. Sept: Weltmeisterschaften Leogang (Österreich) DHI
12.-13. Sept: Val di Sole (Italien) XCO/XCC/DHI
18.-20. Sept: Les Gets (Frankreich) XCO/XCC/DHI
  • 3 0
 If that's real then yeeeeeeeerreessssss!
  • 4 0
 @russthedog: www.mtb-news.de/news/2018/09/27/mtb-world-cup-kalender/?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=teaser&utm_source=home&utm_content=2

At least it was reported that way
  • 1 0
 2019 is fkn lit dawg!!
  • 2 0
 Lousã for 2020!?!?
Bring it on!!!
  • 1 2
 Nice English-language scoop!
  • 4 0
 I guess the USA got out their bribe money to get that one Lol.
  • 1 0
 Having another round AFTER the WC doesnt make any sense.
  • 4 0
 Downvoted for congratulating someone on being the first person to report the WC schedule on an English-language MTB site? Cheeky! Glad to have the info regardless.
  • 1 0
 I guess it's going to be released on PB soon aswell, the german mtb News page had these News listed about 12h ago. Also the redefined starting order to be reverted back to the 2017 start order & protected rider rules was posted there a couple days back IIRC, so my guess is that we are going to see a big post coming in soon *-*
  • 2 1
 The Translation for 2019 for all those lazy ppl...

2019
27.-28. April: Maribor (Slovenia) DHI
17.-19. May: Albstadt (Germany) XCO/XCC
24.-26. May: Nove Mesto (Czech Republic) XCO/XCC
01.-02. June: Fort William (Great Britain) DHI
08.-09. June: Leogang (Austria) DHI
05.-07. July: Vallnord (Andorra) XCO/XCC/DHI
12.-14. July: Les Gets (France) XCO/DHI
02.-04. Aug: Val di Sole (Italy) XCO/XCC/DHI
09.-11. Aug: Lenzerheide (Switzerland) XCO/XCC/DHI
28.Aug -01.Sept: WM Mont Sainte Anne (Canada) XCO/DHI
06.-08. Sept: Snowshoe, West Virgina (USA) XCO/XCC/DHI
  • 16 5
 Leogang not a worthy world champs track.
  • 6 1
 Have you ever ridden it? Just because it might not look as spectacular on camera as other tracks does not mean it’s not challenging. A little bit of rain comes down and that track gets slippery as hell.
  • 8 0
 Lets Hope Whistler gets that Dh track up and running on Creekside...maybe thats are 2023 world champs Venu.... ANNNND rumor mill GO!!
  • 4 4
 Too many breaking bumps
  • 2 0
 Japan for 2023 champs with cup rounds in 21 and 22 as lead up after the olympics
  • 5 2
 Pinkbike should really run a comprehensive article on how venues are selected for DH races. This question of "why not in USA/Asia/SouthAm/etc" keeps coming up. I am surprised how many people have not yet come across an answer in the million of previous threads about how venues have to BID first, if they want to get a race.
  • 2 0
 Great idea. I suspect the real issue is that none of the venues want to put it on. I imagine its a lot of work to sort the logistics for teams, sponsors, media and then getting spectators to pay to watch
  • 2 0
 For the record, here are the bidding guides. One can say what he wants about the UCI but every single regulation is disclosed and opened to anyone willing to have a look at the uci.ch website.

www.uci.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2018_uci_mtb_wcup_bidding_guide_web.pdf?sfvrsn=960250a1_0
www.uci.org/docs/default-source/imported-library/2018-uci-mountain-bike-bidguide_en-ok_neutral.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=59cc8343_6
  • 4 0
 Sounds like I have around 4-years to save to go to this 2023 Cycling party thing...I'm down for getting amongst it! Bigger than the 'lympics, cause it has DH and all that Razz
  • 4 0
 Les Gets, finally \m/

I remember the world championships in 2004, good memories !
  • 4 0
 Somebody has got a big job on in 2023! Wow!
  • 1 1
 You left out:

“Turning to new specialities, the e-mountain bike, snow bike and pump track have been integrated into the UCI Mountain Bike Regulations. The UCI will organise World Championships for e-mountain bike from 2019. The first edition will take place during the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada).”
  • 3 0
 I cant believe, first DHI World Cup in Portugal in 2020 ???? *.*
  • 3 0
 2023 Maribor.
  • 2 0
 And MSA for the first EBike World Champ in 2019. No shit
  • 10 11
 Dear UCI,

You know there are mountains outside of Europe right???

Sincerely,
Asia, Americas, Australia, Africa and Antartica

p.s. the European Cup continues... Frown
  • 9 1
 Then those places should bid to host a World Cup. If no bids are placed, then the UCI doesn't go there. Simple as that. But, don't give up hope just yet- Snowshoe, West Virginia is on the calendar for next year.
  • 3 0
 They had it in Cairns Australia two years ago and St Pietermaritzburg in 2013 - but I get your point. I'm sure there is a mountain in Colorado that could deliver some sweet WC downhill and a wonderful area to host? Winter Park come on!
  • 3 0
 @orastreet1: Colorado for sure. They should do Crested Butte, their race track Captain Jack is pretty fun.
  • 3 0
 @Patsplit If you don't bid you won't have any WC and it doesn't seem to atract as many people in the US than in Europe
  • 1 5
flag tstep3 (Sep 27, 2018 at 15:26) (Below Threshold)
 @Whipperman: if you think venues in the states aren’t putting in bids then you’re foolish
  • 1 0
 @orastreet1: I think we'd have a better chance hosting an EWS race than a UCI World Cup event...
  • 2 0
 @pauldiggity: Northstar (Lake Tahoe, California, USA) EWS 2019.
  • 2 0
 @pauldiggity: EWS events are much easier to put on. Yes you need more trails but the logistics are much simpler. I was at La Thuile this year and there was 1 car park for the pits, 1 for camping and 1 for what passed for the trade village and thats it. No media support, no spectator support
  • 2 1
 @tstep3: source ?
  • 1 0
 @CM999: Absolutley. That's why I said we (Colorado) would have a better chance hosting an EWS... I looked over the host bidding protocol handbook from the UCI for an MTB event, and there's lots of infrastructure that would be needed for somewhere in Colorado to be able to host a WC Downhill race. Lots of hotels, transport, technology access, proximity to international airport are all taken into consideration when bidding.
  • 1 0
 @pauldiggity: Don't tell me there are no hotels/accomodations in Colorado and for the record the nearest large airport from Lenzerheide is in another country (Friedrichshafen, Germany) and it was a 153km +2h trip. Zurich airport was a further 173km. It didn't prevent them to host this year world championship and a world cup on a regular basis this last decade.
  • 1 0
 The UCI could wait for bids and let the series deteriorate to a European Cup or they could look at ways to work with locations to develop new race venues and grow the sport. One approach is proactive and one is reactive. Of course there's always more to the story. Yes, America doesn't seem to care about mtn bike racing compared to other sports and so all the major resorts will not put a bid in. The UCI could also be asking the resorts to shoulder quite a bit of the costs like the Olympic host cities, and therefore, if the resort doesn't feel it can recoup the investment in tourist dollars, they will not bid. In the end, the UCI could blame the resorts and the resorts could blame the UCI. No one wins unless they both come to the table and attempt to work together.
  • 2 1
 Great, like the French needed a home-field advantage lol
  • 2 0
 Finalmente!!!
  • 1 0
 New Zealand needs a wc event,make it happen
  • 2 2
 Uci please get some new tracks in the calendar, this is getting boring
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