Only five teams have registered for the 2026 UCI Enduro World Cup (EDR). The year before, there were still twelve. And the label "World-Cup" seems a bit high-falutin', given only more four Central European countries - France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland - across which the six races will be held. For comparison: in 2022, the race calendar of the then Enduro World Series (EWS) still comprised eleven races, including the format "Trophy of Nations" even twelve, on three continents in ten countries. What happened in these four years?"

The UCI

One reason often cited for the rapid decline of the Enduro World Cup is said to be the takeover of the race series by the International Cycling Union (UCI). From 2023, the race series will operate under the umbrella of the UCI MTB World Series instead of being organized as an independent series as before. With this change, the broadcasting rights for the races also went to UCI partner Warner Bros Discovery. Instead of the eleven or twelve races mentioned in 2022, there were suddenly only seven races in four countries in the 2023 season - but still two continents, as two stops were retained in Australia. In Europe, races were only ridden in France, Italy and Austria. 

At the time, there was talk of the enduro sport being sold off, which the founder of the EWS, Chris Ball, was responsible for with the takeover by the UCI. Ball founded the EWS in 2012 and the first races took place in 2013. Although he was the face of the sport, there were more people behind the EWS than Ball alone. Many believe that the beginning of the end can be seen even before the UCI takeover. Namely in 2019/2020, when the pros were separated from the amateurs at the EWS - which was necessary for organizational reasons. However, this meant that an important part of the "Spirit of Enduro" lost. The opportunity to ride races with his idols.

The media

Enduro racing has always struggled with the problem of medialization. A race that takes place over several stages and where the action happens simultaneously at different locations is difficult to broadcast live. There have been various attempts to counteract this. They tried summaries afterwards, but this cannot replace the excitement of watching the action live. Watching the live timing worked reasonably well until the UCI takeover. But it takes a special dedication to the sport to enjoy it. 

Even for spectators on site, it was always somewhat difficult to experience the excitement of a race. At iconic locations, such as Finale Ligure, the atmosphere was electric as spectators gathered there to cheer on the riders as they raced past. In the finish area of an Enduro race, however, there was always very little atmosphere compared to downhill or XC races. Last year, for example, an attempt was made to change this in La Thuile with a spectacular night stage.

In the coming season, enduro racing will also lose two video bloggers and riders, Jack Moire and Ed Masters, who were able to inspire enduro fans with their YouTube videos of the races. At least more than the official coverage had managed. This loss will be painful.

E-bikes

E-mountain bikes are also seen by some as the reason for the Enduro World Cup's problems. Integrating them into the race series has not brought the success that the manufacturers and organizers had hoped for. In the end, there were hardly more than 30 starters, and some of the women's races were even canceled due to a lack of competition. Austria's Anna Spielmann, who won the overall E-Enduro World Cup title in 2024, will no longer be riding any races in the series in 2026, as she says. Spielmann is convinced that the UCI is not interested in the E-Enduro World Cup. And you can feel that as an athlete. This season, she is therefore concentrating on the European E-MTB Enduro Tour, which will include five stops. As well as the Bosch e-MTB Challenge launched by manufacturer Bosch, which offers races as part of major events such as the Bike Festival in Riva del Gards or at Crankworx in Whistler. 

The bike manufacturers

World Cup teams cost a lot of money. Affording an XC, a downhill and an enduro team is beyond the financial means of many bike manufacturers in times of the post-corona crisis. Especially because the advertising that can be generated by an enduro team is manageable due to the lack of the previously mentioned coverage. Bernhard Kerr, team manager of Pivot, made it very clear in an interview two years ago that sponsors openly told him that there was no money to be made in enduro racing. As a result, the format became a pure cost factor.

Conclusion: it's complicated

What ails enduro racing is a combination of unfavorable factors, such as those mentioned. The format itself still has its charm for the practitioners. The start lists of many races, which still have well over 100 participants, bear witness to this. There are also still many privateers at the start in the EDR, who "Spirit of Enduro" live it up. However, it is still unclear how this spark can be passed on to the spectators.

We would have liked to publish the UCI's opinion on the crisis in enduro racing and its future at this point. But unfortunately, multiple inquiries on the subject have gone unanswered for days. After all, they say that the dead live longer. And many people still have bad memories of how dead downhill racing already was. Nevertheless, it has managed to catapult itself back into the limelight. May Enduro be granted a similar comeback.