UCI MTB World Cup (All forms!)

[stonerider]

MvdP needs to drop the three week TdF if he wants to be good at XCO. Instead, he should do a one week TdF. Maybe go for a win in the first week, make the sponsors happy, develop a case of the sniffles and drop out of the race, and get back out on the MTB for "recovery" training. He's not going to win XCO races unless he spends a lot of time training on the MTB.

 

[jono]

I think that MvdP can do his preferred spring on the road and still be ready for WC XC, but only if his winter of CX is a winter of XC.

The issue isn't what van der Poel is busy doing in December and January. It's what he's busy doing in June and July.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Yeah, CX isn't an issue for is MTB racing. And neither are the Spring classics.........Again, 2019 is how it can work.

 

[AmRacer]

Yeah, CX isn't an issue for is MTB racing. And neither are the Spring classics.........Again, 2019 is how it can work.

Pidcock knows how it should be done

 

[jono]

Yeah, CX isn't an issue for is MTB racing. And neither are the Spring classics.........Again, 2019 is how it can work.

But 2019 only worked because Alpecin (Corendon-Circus, at the time) weren't invited to the Tour. As long as the team is going to the Tour, I don't know how the sponsors let their biggest rider stay away.

 

[jmdirt]

CX isn't a 'problem' but he could be working mtb specific instead of CX.

Yeah, CX isn't an issue for is MTB racing. And neither are the Spring classics.........Again, 2019 is how it can work.,

 

[Axel Hangleck]

But 2019 only worked because Alpecin (Corendon-Circus, at the time) weren't invited to the Tour. As long as the team is going to the Tour, I don't know how the sponsors let their biggest rider stay away.

As suggested above, do the first week, then drop out. He’s done his lot for sponsors, time he was allowed to do what he wants.

WB/Discovery try not to have a World Cup during the main part of the Tour, so he could in theory drop out and train on the MTB, and/or do lower level races…..

However, I’m not sure it will happen.

 

[jono]

As suggested above, do the first week, then drop out. He’s done his lot for sponsors, time he was allowed to do what he wants.

WB/Discovery try not to have a World Cup during the main part of the Tour, so he could in theory drop out and train on the MTB, and/or do lower level races…..

However, I’m not sure it will happen.

The one-week Tour could work, but I don't know if it helps a whole lot with this year's XCO schedule. Unless he got into some races in May and June, he'd only have one opportunity to race a World Cup, the week before the World Championships.

Looking forward to this weekend's racing in Korea. Is there an easily navigable site like PCS or FirstCycling for results, startlists, and the like?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/2026-xc-world-cup-preview-team-lists-race-details-and-more.html#cid4159955

Pinkbike normally put actual start lists the day before raceday.....

 

[Axel Hangleck]

"It’s a fact that we are losing great talents to road racing": Thomas Frischknecht on XC's future without the great Nino Schurter | off-road.cc

There was barely a dry eye in the crowd at the finish of last year’s closing European round of the Whoop UCI World XCO Series in Lenzerheide. Those tears of mixed emotions were all for the greatest cross-country mountain biker of all time, Nino Schurter, who said goodbye to cross-country racing...

road.cc

 

[Wyndbrook]

Its been a long wait, but we are almost there.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tech-randoms-south-korea-xc-world-cup-2026.html

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/south-korea-xc-world-cup-preview-track-details-entry-lists-and-race-predictions.html

 

[Wyndbrook]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/tech-randoms-south-korea-xc-world-cup-2026.html

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/south-korea-xc-world-cup-preview-track-details-entry-lists-and-race-predictions.html

I could not see Keller on the short track start list, would you know is she is not riding, PCS lists her as riding a home race a few weeks ago, so I assume she's fit and healthy.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Mathieu van der Poel treft Tom Pidcock als hij deelneemt aan WK MTB

Ontdek de spannende clash tussen Mathieu van der Poel en Tom Pidcock tijdens het WK mountainbike in Val di Sole. Blijf op de hoogte van hun plannen en prestaties!

www.wielerflits.nl

Pidcock down for Nove Mesto, where he's unbeaten.......U23, Elite XCO races......


Some interesting racing in Korea; Specialized with team tactics in the women's XCC, and none of the big names featuring in the men's. And now Blevins has broken a collar bone in XCO training.......

 

[jmdirt]

Spoiler:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDBaLOcT1yY


GREAT race MA!
IMO, the climb was too long for short track.

 

[jmdirt]

Spoiler:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN_Ebmo0LJs


Asa! When I saw his quali result I dreamed that he could win his debut!

 

[jmdirt]

Spoiler:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbrbM2g73i0


SF drillin' it!

 

[jmdirt]

Spolier:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB8x99L1ZaY


VH strong!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

That was freaking BRUTAL!!! Great ride by Frei and super cool to see Munro do that well.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

It was pretty brutal; lots of running and as ever when rain/ muds arrives - huge times gaps........

And a surprising show of dominance in the men's race; Lillo just riding away from everyone to win his first Elite XCO World Cup. Cannondale's Monster boys complete the podium......

I still think XC mud tyres aren't worthy of the name.....they're pretty hopeless, and don't seem to have proper knobs providing grip. The 'rolling resistance' reason doesn't wash with me.....in mud grip is everything. Learn from motorsport....

 

[AmRacer]

It was pretty brutal; lots of running and as ever when rain/ muds arrives - huge times gaps........

And a surprising show of dominance in the men's race; Lillo just riding away from everyone to win his first Elite XCO World Cup. Cannondale's Monster boys complete the podium......

I still think XC mud tyres aren't worthy of the name.....they're pretty hopeless, and don't seem to have proper knobs providing grip. The 'rolling resistance' reason doesn't wash with me.....in mud grip is everything. Learn from motorsport....

Jenny said, 50 % running.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Jenny said, 50 % running.

Which is too much even for a CX race, let alone a XCO World Cup.......