Mountain biking has been relegated to a second-class sport by Beicio Cymru, formerly known as Welsh Cycling, with XC racing less worthy of support than track and road, and downhill ranked low enough to bump shoulders with cycle speedway.

That’s according to the recently published 2024-2030 strategy for cycling in Wales, which has given XC its silver support package until 2025, indicating it will receive less investment and resources than road and track, which both quality for gold support. Budding XC riders get no help from the Beicio Cymru talent development programme and its coaching then, or support at the XCO World Cup or other international events.

Budding downhill racers will have to look elsewhere for support, with DH racing now getting the Bronze support package from Beicio Cymru

Downhill racing is graded bronze until 2026, while enduro and e-enduro fare even worse, with no investment of resources despite the UCI recently declaring both world championship-worthy sports. Olympians will still receive support from Team GB, with the Paris Olympics cross country.

It’s hard to understand how this can be justified or fair

“It’s hard to understand how this can be justified or fair,” Robin Grant from advocacy group UK MTB Trail Alliance told us. “Mountain biking represents 42.7% of cycling participation, as compared to road cycling or racing’s 47.5% and track cycling’s 4.6% (figures from the Active Lives survey, Nov 23).”

Beicio Cymru strategy for 2024-2026

The Beicio Cymru strategy shows where investment and resources for racing will be channelled for the next six years, it’s the result of a consultation with stakeholders in the various cycling disciplines, and the idea is to focus investment where it’s needed most.

Track and XC grab the lions share of funding, with Gold support status

Gold support means riders can access talent development programmes and coaching, and is a GB Pathway potential, and Commonwealth Games Discipline prospect, according to the strategy. It also affords riders good enough international competition support. Silver suggests there will “access for riders” to events in Wales, but support only to increase numbers participating. Meanwhile, bronze support is aimed at new riders.

It’s not all bad news for mountain biking in Wales though, because Beicio Cymru has left the door open for MTB to move up the tiers and gain more support. The phased approach could see XC gain gold support levels in 2025 or 2026, with downhill getting silver in 2026 or 2027. Even so, Beicio Cymru does give itself some wriggle room here, stating that the calendar is “aspirational and dependent on income generation.”

There’s also good news in the approach being taken to recreational mountain biking, which is given plenty of support in terms of advice on where to ride, event entry for new riders, and a focus on youth programmes through schools. Beicio Cymru has pledged to collaborate with various cycling disciplines too, and keep talking to its partners rather than leaving the policy set in stone for the next half decade.

“It’s refreshing to see such a progressive approach taken by an NGB to the development of a new strategy,” Robin Grant says. “It’s also great to see the outcome – with such a fresh new brand, forward-looking and inclusive purpose, vision and mission statements, and importantly, a commitment to keep the conversation going.”

Real world riders

What this new mission statement means for real world riders – those of us who like to pedal round and tick off top quality singletrack at the weekend – is not exactly clear.

“Beicio Cymru wants to keep the conversation between themselves and riders going, so I’m optimistic that over time, if we, as mountain bikers, speak loudly enough, we can persuade them to give mountain biking its fair share of the budget,” Robin says. “I’m also hopeful that the new strategy should mean more money and effort will be spent on the recreational aspects of the sport, including on securing the future of the trails that we ride – without which there would be no mountain biking, of whichever flavour!”

We’ve approached Beicio Cymru for comment. Check out the Beicio Cymru strategy here. And The UK MTB Trail Alliance here.