September 22/11 12:09 pm - 4-Cross Dropped From MTB World Cup, Windham Remains on Calendar

Posted by Editoress on 09/22/11
 

Four-cross has been dropped from the Mountain Bike World Cup, beginning next season.  The UCI slipped it in quietly as part of their announcement on the 2012 calendar, with no official notification that it was being dropped other than the lack of any events listed in the official calendar that was approved by the Management Committee yesterday.  A backhanded reference was made in today's release that the event will stay on the world championship program.  The complete calendar appears below.

The decision does not come as a huge surprise - dwindling participation, teams and sponsors all contributed to its downfall, as did the significant cost to organizers of building a temporary track for an event that lasted less than two hours from start to finish.  Tracks could cost upwards of $100,000 and usually had to be dismantled afterwards, since they were built on ski hills.  The event also saw many top riders drop out this year (and likely next) to prepare for the BMX competition at the Olympics.

This does not mean the complete removal of head-to-head heats competition, since the introduction of the Eliminator at three World Cups next year will provide an opportunity for riders in this type of short course, spectator-friendly event.

The only U.S. stop on the World Cup calendar - Windham, New York - looks like it will return, despite concerns over finances and the recent hurricane damage, both of which delayed confirmation of the event by approximately three months

2012 UCI MTB Calendar