Mountain bike racing
Encyclopedia
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI) recognised the sport of mountain bike racing relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Purgatory, Colorado. The first mountain biking world cup series took place in 1991. Its nine-race circuit covered two continents—Europe and North America—and was sponsored by Grundig
Grundig
Grundig AG is a German manufacturer of consumer electronics for home entertainment which transferred to Turkish control in 2004-2007. Established in 1945 in Nuremberg by Max Grundig, the company changed hands several times before becoming part of the Turkish Koç Holding group...
. In 1992, the Grundig-UCI world cup circuit expanded to ten races, and remained a trans-Atlantic series. Cross-country racing was the only world cup sport at this time, then in 1993 a six-event downhill world cup was introduced. In 1996, cross-country mountain biking events were added to the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. NORBA
Norba
Norba, an ancient town of Latium , Italy. It is situated 1 mile northwest of the modern town of Norma, some 1575 ft. above sea-level, on the west edge of the Volscian Mountains or Monti Lepini...
refers to the Board of Trustees that represent the sport of mountain bike racing for USA Cycling. There are three USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Calendars: Endurance, Gravity and Ultra-Endurance. USA Cycling runs the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. In 2006, cross-country mountain biking events became part of the World Deaf Cycling Championships for the first time in San Francisco, USA. There are mountain bike racing types that are not recognized by the UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
, such as mountain bike orienteering
Mountain bike orienteering
Mountain bike orienteering is an orienteering endurance racing sport on a mountain bike where navigation is done along trails and tracks. Compared to foot orienteering, competitors usually are not permitted to leave the trail and track network. Navigation tactics are similar to ski-orienteering,...
, that are governed by the IOF
International Orienteering Federation
The International Orienteering Federation is the international governing body of the sport of orienteering. The IOF head office is located in Helsinki, Finland....
.
Types of mountain bike races
- Cross-countryCross-country cyclingCross-country cycling is the most common discipline of mountain biking. While less publicized than downhill cycling as it is more difficult to televise, it garners the highest levels of participation both recreationally and competitively....
- Cross-country (XC) racing is held on a varied terrain circuit, it is normally around 6-8 kilometers (km) and is always a massed-start race. Under the controversial new 2006 UCI rules, elite, U23, and Junior Expert riders at UCI sanctioned races, are allowed technical assistance, but only in designated zones and only by an authorized team mechanic. However, riders in the same team can help each other at any point in the race. Under NORBANorbaNorba, an ancient town of Latium , Italy. It is situated 1 mile northwest of the modern town of Norma, some 1575 ft. above sea-level, on the west edge of the Volscian Mountains or Monti Lepini...
rules, no technical assistance is allowed. Professional level races are longer in distance, around 50 km. - Short track Cross-country - Short Track Cross Country (XCC). A very short XC style event of about 800m in length but generally about 1 minute 30 seconds in winning time. A short, sharp exciting event to watch and participate in.
- DownhillDownhill cyclingDownhill biking is a gravity-assisted time trial mountain biking event. Riders race against the clock, usually starting at intervals of 30 seconds , on courses which typically take two to five minutes to complete. Riders come from all around the world. Riders are timed with equipment similar to...
- Downhill (DH) racing is a time trial event. Riders start at intervals that can vary from 30 seconds to three minutes-depending on the stage of the competition - and the rider with the lowest time wins. As the name of this discipline implies, DH races are held in steep, downhill terrain, resulting in higher speed than in cross-country racing. The terrain is also significantly rougher than in cross-country racing. The bike is designed with long travel suspension and hydraulic disc brakes. - Super D - Super D (SD) is a blend of cross-country and downhill. Most of the race is downhill, on trails similar to the downhill segment of a cross-country race. There are also short (100–500m) uphill sections which make the use of downhill bicycles difficult, as a result, most riders use cross-country or 'trail bikes'. Depending on the trail and race venue, the start may either be seeded (riders start in short intervals), or Le Mans mass start (riders run to their bikes, timing is started when the riders start running). Probably the most famous of this type is the MegavalancheMegavalancheMegavalanche is a mountainbike downhill marathon style event that mixes gravity-assisted excitement with enduro levels of fitness, guaranteed to test both nerve and physique...
. - FreerideFreerideFreeride is a discipline of mountain biking closely related to downhill cycling and dirt jumping focused on tricks, style, and technical trail features. It is now recognized as one of the most popular disciplines within mountain biking....
- Freeride (FR) competitions are not so much a race as they are a competition of skill. Courses contain varying cliffs, drops, obstacles, and ramps. There are usually a large number of ways in which to complete the course, and scoring is dependent on the competitor's choice of routes, the fluidity of riding and tricks performed (style), and sometimes also the time in which the course is completed. - Dual Slalom/Dual - Dual Slalom (DS) is a ski-inspired event which pits two riders against each other on two identical man-made tracks side-by-side with the same jumps and berms, with a rider on each track, and the first across the line wins. The contest has a knock-out format. Dual (DL) events are similar, only two riders share the same course/track. So dual is a contact sport.
- Four cross - (4X, also known as 'mountain cross' or 'bikercross') inspired by the dual format and by BMX racing, this event pits four riders on the same course from starting gates to finish. There can only be one winner per event, so the races can quickly eliminate riders making the progression faster for a day's events. This is the reason it was chosen as the race-format to replace Dual-Slalom by the UCI at World Cup events. 4X also replaced Dual in the UCI World Cup series in 2002. There is a difference between 4x and mountain cross. The difference is that in 4x, riders are each given a run down the course which is timed and the top 50% of the field then progress to the elimination rounds. In mountain cross, riders are given 3 heats against 3 other riders and points are allocated for your position in each heat. once again, the top 50% progress to the elimination rounds. 4x is the format raced in world cup however mtnx, is the preferred format for amateur races.
- MarathonMarathon mountain bike racesMarathon mountain bike races, often referred to as cross country marathon , are a very demanding form of mountain bike races covering at least 40 kilometers usually in mountainous terrain. Events held in Europe are typically just a little longer than the average cross country mountain bike race...
- Marathon (XCM) is perhaps the toughest form of mountain biking because riders often have to cover more than 80 km in one race on mountaineous terrain. The distances usually vary from 60 km to 100 km. Races often exceed 100 km, but are then termed Ultra-Marathons. Recently UCI has inaugurated the Marathon World Cup. Basically it equals point-to-point (PP) discipline and that means that riders have a mass start from point "A" and they finish at point "B". - Enduro - Enduro (ND) is a relatively new format which appears to have taken some inspiration from both car rally and motorbike enduro racing. Mountain bike enduro is essentially the competitive side of the mountain biking format often referred to today as "All-Mountain". It is a stage-race format where the winner is the rider who accumulates the lowest combined time from the various timed sections. Mountain bike enduro competitions typically take place over the course of 1 or 2 days, however, week-long enduro competitions do also exist. A typical one-day enduro race consists of 3 to 5 timed "special" stages which take place on technically demanding, generally descending terrain. These special stages are linked by predominantly ascending "liaison" stages. Although a rider's specific performance on the physically demanding liaison stages does not affect his or her result, the liaisons are often associated with a time-cut off (i.e. a latest permitted arrival at the summit of the next special stage). Due to this eclectic combination of attributes, enduro racing is increasingly recognised as the truest test of the all-round mountain biker. The sport has taken root in mostly in the Northwest of United States, a location known for its miles of winding single-track trails alongside old growth forest and bubbling creeks. Northwest Epic Series is the most famous series in Washington state that offers race distances ranging from 30 miles all the way to 100 miles.
- Stage Races - Stage Races consist of several races - 'stages' - ridden consecutively, usually over a period of several days. A stage is usually similar in length and structure to a MarathonMarathon mountain bike racesMarathon mountain bike races, often referred to as cross country marathon , are a very demanding form of mountain bike races covering at least 40 kilometers usually in mountainous terrain. Events held in Europe are typically just a little longer than the average cross country mountain bike race...
mountain bike race. The competitor with the lowest cumulative time to complete all the stages is declared the overall, or General Classification (GC), winner. Stage races may also have other classifications and awards, such as individual stage winners. - Bike trials - Slow negotiation of man-made and natural obstacles where setting a foot down constitutes a penalty.
- Dirt jumpingDirt JumpingDirt jumping is one of the names given to the practice of riding bikes over cement type jumps of dirt or soil and becoming airborne. The idea is that after riding over the 'take off' the rider will become momentarily airborne, and aim to land on the 'landing'.Dirt jumping can be done on almost...
- Dirt jumping (DJ), similar to freeride, it is a competition of skill, differing that it involves the rider to jump off mounds of dirt to perform the best tricks with the best style. It differs to freeriding that the jumps are usually much larger and designed to lift the rider higher into the air and the bicycle is different to its counterpart. - Mountain bike orienteeringMountain bike orienteeringMountain bike orienteering is an orienteering endurance racing sport on a mountain bike where navigation is done along trails and tracks. Compared to foot orienteering, competitors usually are not permitted to leave the trail and track network. Navigation tactics are similar to ski-orienteering,...
(MTB-O or MTBO) is an orienteeringOrienteeringOrienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
sportSportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
on a mountain bike where navigationNavigationNavigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
is done along trails and tracksTrailA trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
. The major focus becomes route choiceRoute choice (orienteering)Route choice is a tactic in orienteering and related sports such as rogaining and adventure racing. These sports involve navigation from one control point to the next and, in most cases, the choice of route is left to the competitor. This is provided the rules permit route choice and the course...
while navigatingNavigationNavigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
at bike speedSpeedIn kinematics, the speed of an object is the magnitude of its velocity ; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance traveled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as...
. Special equipment used is a mapOrienteering mapAn orienteering map is a map specially prepared for use in orienteering competitions. It is a topographic map with extra details to help the competitor navigate through the competition area....
holder attached to the handlebar of the bike. The sport is governed by International Orienteering FederationInternational Orienteering FederationThe International Orienteering Federation is the international governing body of the sport of orienteering. The IOF head office is located in Helsinki, Finland....
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Mountain bike events by country
- AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- Australian 'Jeep 24hr' Mountain Bike Race
- Crocodile Trophy, a 10 day stage race
- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
- Canal Days Mountain Bike Race in Port Colborne, Ontario
- Paris to Ancaster in Ontario, Canada
- Lake to Lake in Ontario, Canada
- Off-Road Squeezer in Ontario, Canada
- 24 Hours of Adrenalin24 Hours of Adrenalin24 Hours of Adrenalin is a mountain bike event series in North America. In 2005, over 10,000 enthusiasts participated. 24 Hours of Adrenalin claims the title of "fastest growing mountain bike event series in North America"...
- Crank The Shield in Haliburton, Ontario
- CrankworxCrankworxKokanee Crankworx is a week-long celebration of mountain biking held each summer at Whistler-Blackcomb in Whistler, British Columbia at Whistler Mountain Bike Park. In the six years since its inception Kokanee Crankworx has become one of Whistler’s biggest annual events.-Festival:A central aspect...
, a week-long event in Whistler, British ColumbiaWhistler, British ColumbiaWhistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver... - TransrockiesTransrockiesThe TransRockies is an annual 7-day, 600 km mountain bicycle race from Fernie, British Columbia to Canmore, Alberta. Described as the "toughest mountain bike race on earth", the TransRockies has a reputation for tough climbs, long days, relentless mud and highly changeable weather.Attracting...
, a 7 day stage race in British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... - BC Bike RaceBC Bike RaceThe BC Bike Race is a seven day mountain bike stage race held in British Columbia, Canada. It is traditionally held during the week of Canada Day .The BC Bike Race claims to have the most singletrack riding of any similar multi-day race.-The Route:...
, a 7 day stage race,the Ultimate Singletrack Experience in British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
- IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- MTB HimachalMTB HimachalThe MTB Himachal is an annual mountain bike race held in the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, India. Started in 2005, the race covers nearly in a span of 9 days.-Venues:...
- MTB Himachal
- IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
- Irish National Downhill Mountain Bike Points Series
- Irish National Cross Country Mountain Bike Points Series
- MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- ChupacabrasChupacabras (race)Chupacabras is a 100 km mountain bike race in Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The annual race has taken place every October since 1997. It is sponsored entirely by the private sector and draws more than a thousand competitors each year, primarily from Mexico and the southern states United States...
, a race in JuárezCiudad JuárezCiudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
- Chupacabras
- MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
- Central Mongolia Mountainbike Challenge CMMC 2010
- New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- 125 km race around Lake Hawea, Central Otago
- PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
- Lang Team Grand Prix MTB Series
- Powerade MTB Marathon Series
- Beskidy MTB Trophy
- South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
- Cape EpicCape EpicThe Cape Epic, under current sponsorship as the "Absa Cape Epic", is an annual mountain bike team race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. First staged in 2004, the race covers more than , and typically lasts eight days. As the best known and most prestigious mountain bike stage race, the Absa...
- Crater Cruise
- MTB Challenge
- Cape Epic
- Timor-Leste
- Tour de Timor
- USA
- The Iceman Cometh Challenge (Michigan)
- Northwest Epic Series Mountain Bike Race (Washington State)
- Southeast Mountain Bike Racing
- Attack on Swayback (Wetumpka, AlabamaWetumpka, AlabamaWetumpka is a city in Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 5,726.The city is the county seat of Elmore County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state....
- Capitol Forest 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race (Olympia, WashingtonOlympia, WashingtonOlympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
) - Bump N' Grind (Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham, AlabamaPelham, AlabamaPelham is a city and suburb of Birmingham in Shelby County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 14,369, but has grown to 21,352 recorded by the 2010 census. It was named for famed Confederate American Civil War officer John Pelham...
) - Championship Series
- Utah State Downhill Mountain Bike Series
- Minnesota State Championship Series
- Wisconsin Off-Road Series
- Mountain Bike Skills Camps
- Mountain States Cup Mountain Bike Series
- Oklahoma Tour de Dirt
- Sea Otter ClassicSea Otter ClassicSea Otter Classic is a bicycling and outdoor life sports festival and trade show held on the former Fort Ord in Monterey, California since 1990. The classic is named in honor of the sea otter, an indigenous mammal which flourishes on the neighboring Pacific Coast.The Sea Otter Classic offers...
- Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival
- UK
- Sleepless in the Saddle
- British National 4X Series
- TwentyFour12
- Dusk 'til Dawn
- Kielder 100
- Strathpuffer
- Friday Night Summer Series (FNSS)
- Whyte Winter Series
- Gorrick 12:12 Torq in your Sleep
- 12 & 24 Hours of Exposure
- Mountain MayhemMountain MayhemMountain Mayhem is a 24 hour mountain bike race held in the UK. It has been held annually since 1998 and usually occurs on the weekend nearest to midsummer.The 2011 event will be held at Eastnor Castle's Deer Park, Herefordshire.-Levels of competition:...
- Mud Sweat and Gears, The Eastern Region Mountain Bike Series
See also
- Bicycle MotocrossBicycle motocrossBicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
- Bunny hop (cycling)Bunny hop (cycling)The bunny hop, or bunnyhop, is a bicycle trick that allows the rider to launch their bike into the air as if jumping off a ramp. The pedals on the bicycle seem to stick to the rider's feet as the bike becomes airborne very much like the way the skateboard seems to stick to the feet of the skater...
- Cyclo-crossCyclo-crossCyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
- Mountain bikeMountain bikeA mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
- Mountain bikingMountain bikingMountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
External links
- National Off-Road Bicycling Association (NORBA), USA
- NORBA competition
- Mountain Bike Roots - photos and race results from 1980s events
- asilvertouch mtb e-zine covering mtb racing
- Ride424.com - Calendar of Ultra-Endurance MTB Races
- Mountain Bike - News and Competition Results
- Mountain Bike - Europe's Largest 4X Series News and Competition Results
- MTB Race News - News, Race Calendar, and Results for Mountain Bike Racing in United States and Canada