You know it from boxing: four different federations ride to world championship fights and have their global champion. Who is the best is never quite clear, but this also brings a little extra excitement to this discipline, which is at least as much a show as a competitive sport.
Something similar is emerging in the e-mountain bike sector. 2019 is the year in which the world governing body of cycling, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale), is getting serious about e-mountain bike racing. The "World E-Bike Series" starts in Monaco on the weekend of April 13-14. There will be a cross-country and an enduro race. The series will come to Ascona on May 4 and 5, while the races in northern Italy (Lake Maggiore) and Barcelona have not yet been scheduled. It is also certain that the first UCI e-mountain bike world champions will be crowned as part of the Mountain Bike World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne (Canada).

E-bike racing on the motocross track

And now the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) is turning its announcement of an e-bike racing series into reality. The concept is different: as part of certain motocross world championship races, e-bike races for conventional e-bikes (250 watts) are to take place on the motorcycle circuit - open to all, as the FIM writes. They are to last 30 minutes plus one lap (1.5 km each); the FIM promises to communicate the regulatory details soon.
The FIM is taking advantage of the large audience for motocross races (around 20,000) and the strong TV presence. The first race of the "FIM E-XBike World Cup" will take place in August as part of the Motocross World Cup races in Imola (Italy). It will be interesting to see what motocross fans think of the intermission entertainment in the form of a Jekami e-bike race.
The UCI warns riders with a UCI license not to take part in FIM races and threatens them with unspecified "disciplinary measures".
The gold-rush atmosphere in the e-bike market has brought another player onto the scene: Italian organizer Assoebike is calling its series the "EMTB World Cup" and inviting riders to the "EMTB Kick Off" from 27 to 30 June in Madonna di Campiglio. Other venues are implied with photos and country emblems (also in Switzerland), but neither a date nor a location is given.
The dispute between the FIM and UCI seems more serious. The FIM format would differ meaningfully from the CC and enduro races of the UCI - especially if the motocross association were to develop its races in the style of a supercross with more powerful engines. One would like to say: there is room for both. But in the tough battle for sponsorship money and media presence, the UCI in particular is probably afraid of not getting its money's worth if it tolerates other world series alongside its own.