Will the Mountain Bike World Championships be the only racing we’ll see this year?

Benjamin Haworth

Currently due take place 7-11 October at Leogang, Austria

After consulting the UCI, organisers have now officially announced the schedule for the 2020 Mountain Bike World Championships on 7-11 October.

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With bike racing events forever getting postponed, re-rescheduled and ultimately cancelled, it would be a brave soul who committed to any meaningful international bike racing happening in 2020. But there is a glimmer of hope that this year’s World Champs may actually take place. Possibly even ‘behind closed doors’ (with no spectators, in other words).

Current 2020 Mountain Bike World Championships schedule

Leogand was always set to host the Downhill World Champs but, as you can see below, they are also now tasked by the UCI as hosts of the Cross-Country World Champs that were supposed to happen in Albstadt, Germany in June.

  • Wednesday, October 7: XC Team Relay
  • Wednesday, October 7: E-MTB
  • Thursday, October 8: XC Juniors
  • Friday, October 9: XC Under 23 Men
  • Friday, October 9: Pump Track
  • Saturday, October 10: XC Under 23 Women
  • Saturday, October 10: XC Elite Women
  • Saturday, October 10: XC Elite Men
  • Sunday, October 11: DH Juniors
  • Sunday, October 11: DH Elite Women
  • Sunday, October 11: DH Elite Men

On the question of whether any public will be allowed to attend, bearing in mind all of the uncertainty caused by Covid-19 pandemic, the organisers are apparently trying to make the event accessible to spectators. Ultimately though, at time of writing, a decision has not yet been made.

How are Leogang now hosting a quadruple World Championships?

Organiser Marco Pointer: “The UCI contacted us and asked if we saw an opportunity to integrate the Cross-Country and E-MTB competitions of the World Championships from Albstadt into our Downhill and Pumptrack World Championships. After we checked everything internally, it was clear to us that we could tackle a quadruple World Championships and that we wanted to take on the challenge.”

What are the biggest challenges for the organisers?

Organiser Kornel Grundner: “The short-term is not optimal and rather unusual. The tracks for the Cross-Country competitions have yet to be completed. But the biggest challenge is that we are prepared for all eventualities. We don’t know how the pandemic will develop. Thus, we are currently working on four different “corona-ready” concepts. First of all for all athletes and teams, then for the entire media sector from journalists to TV teams, for all our own employees and helpers, as well as for spectators along the track and in designated corridors. Of course, we want spectators on the track, that’s just part of it and what makes Leogang and mountain bike sport so special. But the top priority is that we can host the World Champs and not endanger anyone.”

Who are the reigning World Champs?

  • Tracey Hannah, DH Elite Women
  • Loic Bruni, DH Elite Men
  • Kate Courtney, XC Elite Women
  • Nino Schurter: XC Elite Men

How to watch it online

You can also watch from the comfort of your sofa – the World Championship events are usually broadcast globally on Red Bull TV.

What about the Mountain Bike World Cup series?

Fingers crossed for these!

  • September 5–6: (DH/XCO) Lenzerheide, Switzerland
  • September 19–20: (DH/XCO) Les Gets, France
  • September 29 – October 4: (XCO) Nové Mesto, Czech Republic (2 rounds)
  • October 15–18: (DH) Maribor, Slovenia (Two Rounds)
  • October 29 – November 1: (DH) Lousã, Portugal (2 rounds)