UCI MTB World Cup (All forms!)

[Coffeeplanter]

well MVdP is potentially eyeing 2025 XCO WCH (cause he has 0 chance in RR next year) so they might just keep a spot for him - he will need to do some World Series racing if he really wants to have a chance to win the WCH.

He's been saying these sorts of things for years, it's getting pretty tiresome. I'm at a stage of put up, or shut up. XCO could use a boost with Pidcock on a hiatus and Nino on his last dance, but man... make up your mind.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

XCO could use a boost with Pidcock on a hiatus and Nino on his last dance.......

I don't think it needs a boost; it's a competitive discipline of cycling. And we've got the top U23s stepping up in both men's & women's. I Holmgren looks ready to take on the Elites in the women.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

All European CX championship races streamed live today, including the juniors on You Tube; something the MTB Worlds was unable to do.

More interesting rumours on MTBR; seems like Mondraker might be switching to Orbea. And the XCMarathon World Cup could well be discontinued.......

 

[glassmoon]

many predicted that UCI sellout to Dicovery and their incompetent management will be the end of this sport...

 

[Axel Hangleck]

many predicted that UCI sellout to Dicovery and their incompetent management will be the end of this sport...

Here my issue; XC, Downhill & Enduro are all run by the same people - they should be separate from each other. Their only connection is the term 'MTB'
.
Alpine ski-ing and XC skiing are never run together on the same venue - so why is XC & Downhill? It's time to separate them, and each one needs its own Promoter...

And as for Enduro, it's become multi stage Downhill - not what proper Enduro is meant to be about.
I don't think they know what to do with XC Marathon, as it seems lost - and gets poor coverage. A 15 min highlight video of a 4+ hour race isn't good enough for teams, sponsors, riders, etc

 

[pastronef]

All European CX championship races streamed live today, including the juniors on You Tube; something the MTB Worlds was unable to do.

More interesting rumours on MTBR; seems like Mondraker might be switching to Orbea. And the XCMarathon World Cup could well be discontinued.......

c'est à dire Primaflor (Bec Henderson, Ondrej Cink) could ride Orbea bikes instead of their long time sponsor Mondraker.
so what does it makes of the Orbea Factory Team?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Who knows what is going on inside the relatively small world of MTB racing. It's the MTB hibernation period, when nothing seems to happen...Well it is the off-season, and the MTB world seems to take it quite literally.

Imagine the road World Tour was like this - the road forum would go into meltdown......

 

[pastronef]

Who knows what is going on inside the relatively small world of MTB racing. It's the MTB hibernation period, when nothing seems to happen...Well it is the off-season, and the MTB world seems to take it quite literally.

Imagine the road World Tour was like this - the road forum would go into meltdown......

once again I say it's a massive marketing/promotion fàck up. a UCI World cup circus completely shutting down on info, news, ads etc, baffles me more and more. aside from us few hundreds fans on forums looking for info, the big net of fans have no idea and probably are not even thinking about xco mtb.
and brands LOSE INCOME THIS WAY. the promotion and advertising must be steady.
I cannot go on a forum, look for the racing 2025 thread and hope someone knows about what the current world champion and world cup winner does next season. it something so mad and weird and delusional by teams, brands, and UCI.

 

[Ricco']

once again I say it's a massive marketing/promotion fàck up. a UCI World cup circus completely shutting down on info, news, ads etc, baffles me more and more. aside from us few hundreds fans on forums looking for info, the big net of fans have no idea and probably are not even thinking about xco mtb.
and brands LOSE INCOME THIS WAY. the promotion and advertising must be steady.
I cannot go on a forum, look for the racing 2025 thread and hope someone knows about what the current world champion and world cup winner does next season. it something so mad and weird and delusional by teams, brands, and UCI.

Look at F1. Driver transfers? F1 organizers are the first to announce it on their social media, even if that happens during the season. We know that Lewis Hamilton will ride a prancing horse almost since the beginning of the season and no one has any problems with that. If Schurter, for example, knows he will ride a Ridley, what's the problem in saying that?

 

[pastronef]

Look at F1. Driver transfers? F1 organizers are the first to announce it on their social media, even if that happens during the season. We know that Lewis Hamilton will ride a prancing horse almost since the beginning of the season and no one has any problems with that. If Schurter, for example, knows he will ride a Ridley, what's the problem in saying that?

the only problem is me, you, Axel and a few hundred might find the news Schurter will ride a Ridley in 2025.
thousands of people won't know until next January at least, and will happily order a Scott Spark for Christmas.
that's how it works too.
the brands and teams try to block the info until Jan 1st. but blocking means radio silence, so much less promotion and adverts.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Look at F1. Driver transfers? F1 organizers are the first to announce it on their social media, even if that happens during the season. We know that Lewis Hamilton will ride a prancing horse almost since the beginning of the season and no one has any problems with that. If Schurter, for example, knows he will ride a Ridley, what's the problem in saying that?

It happens in most motorsport - MotoGP; transfers announced in season, The final race is usually at Valencia, then the next day, there is a test at the same track, and transferring riders will turn up and ride their new bike - sometimes in new overalls, but often in overalls with just personal sponsors. And the world carries on.

Cycling, but especially MTB has so much to learn and improve on.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

the brands and teams try to block the info until Jan 1st. but blocking means radio silence, so much less promotion and adverts.

I don't understand this secrecy - it's just counter productive. Road teams have the same contract dates, but allow transfer news from August 1st........

We heard Ric on commentary at the Worlds, and final MTB World Cups, mention the transfer merry go round, but nothing in the way of news. So 2 months later, and none of the major transfers have been announced......

MTB racing really doesn't help itself at all - yet people inside will moan they don't get a fair deal. It's 2024, not 2004......

 

[jono]

He's been saying these sorts of things for years, it's getting pretty tiresome. I'm at a stage of put up, or shut up. XCO could use a boost with Pidcock on a hiatus and Nino on his last dance, but man... make up your mind.

He rode MTB WC in 2023, targeted MTB Olympics in 2020, which turned into 2021, and stayed away from MTB during a few seasons when he was dealing with a chronic injury that appeared that it could be career threatening.

It's clear he has no interest in riding the Tour and would like to do more XCO. The only question is how much the team (and sponsors, obvs) values having their star ride around France in July