June 16/11 14:15 pm - UCI Announces 2012 MTB Calendar

Posted by Editoress on 06/16/11
 

The UCI Management Committee, which is meeting in Maastricht, the Netherlands, today approved the calendar for the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano.

Next year’s edition of the World Cup series will comprise 10 events in nine countries on three continents. There will be seven rounds for each of the traditional mountain bike disciplines: Olympic cross-country, downhill and four-cross. 2012 will also see the introduction of the cross-country eliminator, in which several rounds will go towards a final ranking. This format of racing will also feature for the first time on the programme of the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.

2012 season to kick off in Pietermaritzburg

As in 2011, the 2012 World Cup will open in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Traditional venues such as Fort William (GBR), Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN), Val di Sole (ITA) and La Bresse (FRA) once again feature on the 2012 calendar. However La Bresse, known for its downhill course, will this year organise a round of Olympic cross-country in honour of Julien Absalon, multiple World Champion and double Olympic Champion, who lives just 15km from the French World Cup venue.

A new triple event will be organised in Val d’Isère (FRA), site of the 2009 World Ski Championships. This will be the final cross-country event of the World Cup season, and the last time these specialists will meet before the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, the final downhill and four-cross events will take place in a new venue, the Hafjell Bike Park (NOR), which hosted the 2010 European Championships.

Other venues for the 2012 Mountain Bike World Cup are Houffalize (BEL) returning to the calendar after one year’s absence, and Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) which hosts an event for the second time. One round on the (N) American Continent remains to be confirmed.

New format for World Championships

The 2012 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in Austria will be held over two weeks: the downhill and four-cross competitions will take place in Leogang from August 31st to September 2nd, while the Olympic cross-country, cross-country eliminator and trials specialists will confront each other in Saalfelden from September 6th to 9th.

UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Series

The UCI Management Committee today also approved the first four events of the new UCI Mountain Bike Marathon series for 2011 – 2012. This series, which will be qualifying for the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, will begin after the 2011 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Worlds, which will be held in Montello (ITA) on June 26th.

Courtesy UCI

Code:

XCO - Cross Country

XCE - Eliminator

DHI - Downhill

4X - 4Cross

XCM - Marathon