A few days ago, the 2026 season of the Hero UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Cup came to a close. This second season of the Mountain Bike World Cup in the marathon distance, managed by Hero, leaves the mountain biking world with far more than just an overall standings list.

From Spain’s Costa Blanca to Elba in Italy, from the Pyrenees in Andorra to the Italian Dolomites, from Germany’s Black Forest to the Costa Brava—back in Spain: The 2026 race calendar brought together some of the most iconic destinations for mountain bike marathons and consisted of a total of six races in four countries.

High-level competitive sports

The race series’ positive growth is clearly evident when looking at the participant numbers: In 2026, a total of 879 elite riders from 28 countries registered, representing a five percent increase in the number of elite athletes and a 17 percent increase in the number of countries represented. These figures confirm the series’ growing international appeal and its increasing establishment as a benchmark event in the world of mountain bike marathons.

In addition to the professionals, more than 7,000 riders from 54 countries competed in the Elite, Master, and Amateur categories across the six races in the series. Compared to the previous year, this represents a 12 percent increase in total participants and, in particular, a 51 percent increase among Master riders. This demonstrates the event’s ability to bring together both the top professionals and the large community of amateurs under the same sporting umbrella.

Beyond the racecourse

This is further underscored by the race series’ international media coverage. In 2026, the Hero UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Cup was covered in approximately 1,000 news articles. This represents a 26 percent increase compared to 2025. These articles reached over 300 million people through print and online publications, as well as TV and radio coverage. The total reach has increased by over 200 percent, a sign of the race series’ growing international relevance and its ability to appeal to an ever-wider audience.

At the same time, TV broadcasts reached 24 countries, representing a 26 percent increase compared to the 19 countries in 2025. This also helped ensure that the World Cup season had a significant presence well beyond the borders of the host nations. This, in turn, provided the host destinations with an international showcase. The TV audience also grew substantially in terms of numbers, with an 188 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Significant growth was also seen in the digital sphere. The content published during the competition season generated over 25 million views and impressions. That is about 340 percent more than in 2025. At the same time, interactions on the official channels increased by 350 percent. The volume of published content itself rose by 77 percent. These figures also confirm the interest in and enthusiasm for mountain bike marathons and their participants.

Live broadcasts and race coverage on the UCI’s official YouTube channel, as well as the sharing of this content on the federation’s social media channels, contributed significantly to these results. This made it possible to reach a very clearly defined target audience with a strong passion for cycling.

Even more striking than the numbers, however, is the clear direction the sport is taking: The mountain bike marathon discipline is appealing to an ever-wider audience, and the race series itself has, in just two editions, established its own identity with an increasingly international character.

“The second season of the Hero UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Cup has confirmed that the marathon movement has everything it needs to continue growing in an increasingly competitive market. The results encourage us to continue on this path. Together with the UCI, the organizers, and our partners, we want to further develop this discipline and showcase all levels of performance, from the highest professional level to the amateur sector,” said Gerhard Vanzi, coordinator of the Hero UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Cup.

A Look to the Future

The extension of the agreement between the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Hero, under which Hero will serve as coordinator and organizer through 2030, also contributes to this outlook. This collaboration ensures the continuity of the project and supports the race series on its journey to becoming one of the most important events of the coming decade for this sport.

After all, the year 2030 will bring a major event: The Hero South Tyrol Dolomites—a stage of the race series and, moreover, the race that inspired the World Cup—will host the UCI Marathon World Championships. This is a milestone that represents another opportunity for growth for the entire mountain bike marathon world.

With the 2026 edition now complete, preparations for the next season have already begun. With steadily growing participation numbers, increasing internationalization, and the inclusion of some of the most prestigious events in this discipline, the Hero UCI Cross-Country Marathon World Cup looks to the future on a solid foundation and with an increasingly global vision for mountain bike marathons.

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