August 01, 2014 – The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has published the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup calendar on its website. The world’s leading mountain bike series will comprise nine rounds: three exclusively for Downhill (DHI), two for Olympic Cross-country (XCO), and four combining the two specialties.
The season will kick off on April 11th and 12th with round one of the DHI in the new venue of Lourdes (France). Although new to the World Cup calendar, Lourdes has already hosted the French Cup, and will present riders with a 2.5km long course that descends 600m in altitude.
The other first-time destination next year is Lenzerheide, Switzerland, which will organise a double event (DHI and XCO) on July 4th an 5th. This will be the first of three consecutive rounds (2015-2017) in the Swiss resort as it prepares to host the World Championships in 2018.
Often voted best XCO event of the World Cup, Nove Mesto na Morave (Czech Republic) will host round one of the XCO on May 23rd and 24th. This will serve as a final rehearsal before the 2016 World Championships for XCO and Cross-country Eliminator (XCE). After the Czech Republic, the World Cup will move to Albstadt (Germany) for the third consecutive year then the downhill Mecca of Fort William (Great Britain) and the Austrian resort of Leogang, another regular World Cup venue and host of the World Championships in 2012.
The World Cup’s two destinations on the American continent will be held the first two weekends in August: the popular Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada), which has hosted a round every year since the creation of the World Cup in 1991, and Windham (USA).
The overall World Cup winners will be crowned in Val di Sole, Italy, on August 22nd and 23rd. The Italian resort is known for its difficult DHI track, and returns to the World Cup calendar after a break in 2014.
“The 2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup will combine some of our most traditional and popular destinations with first-time venues that are new to the riders”, said UCI President Brian Cookson. “We are fortunate to have the support of our committed long-term organizers as well as new organizers eager to come on board.”
Although XCE will not be represented in the World Cup this format will remain an important part of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup calendar
– DHI # 1 April 11-12 Lourdes (France)
– XCO # 1 May 23-24 Nove Mesto na Morave (Czech Republic)
– XCO # 2 May 30-31 Albstadt (Germany)
– DHI # 2 June 6-7 Fort William (Great Britain)
– DHI # 3 June 13-14 Leogang (Austria)
– XCO # 3/ DHI # 4 July 4-5 Lenzerheide (Switzerland)
– XCO # 4/ DHI # 5 August 1-2 Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada)
– XCO # 5/ DHI # 6 August 8-9 Windham (United States)
– XCO # 6/ DHI # 7 August 22-23 Val di Sole (Italy)