The Union Cycliste Internationale has announced another significant change in the development of competitive mountain biking with the creation of the Continental Series, set to debut in 2025.
These new events will be included on the UCI international MTB calendar and aim to expand opportunities for riders from all regions of the world to reach the UCI World Cup.
Last September, the UCI Management Committee in Zurich (Switzerland) approved a series of events as part of a collaboration with WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series promoter Warner Bros. Discovery Sports (WBD).
These Continental Series events will award points equivalent to those of the Hors Classe (HC) events, and offer riders a great opportunity to advance in the UCI Individual Ranking.
The Continental Series will feature 28 events spread over three continents:
America: 12 events (7 XCO and 5 DH).
Europe: 9 events (4 XCO, 4 DH plus 1 double)
Oceania: 7 events (2 XCO, 4 XCO and 1 double)
It is worth remembering that from 2025 participation in all World Cup races will be restricted to only the 15 best-ranked teams plus 5 others invited by the organization. Apart from those, only some external cyclists will be able to compete according to different classifications, such as those of the Continental Series.
In the Anglo-Saxon world, the direct passes that allow you to enter a race are called Golden Tickets, and one of the key points of these Series is the possibility of qualifying for the World Cup races:
The creation of this Series follows the path of total renewal that mountain biking has begun since the UCI and Warner Bros partnered a couple of seasons ago.
Source: www.brujulabike.com