Fixed teams and new licenses

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) have announced the 40 teams that will compete in all rounds of the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series in 2026. The series is divided into the endurance category (cross country) and gravity disciplines (downhill, enduro).

For the first time, the top ten teams in each category will receive a two-year license, while places 11 to 15 are secured for one year. Wildcards offer additional teams the chance to qualify for individual races.

The teams are selected on the basis of a combined points ranking. The points scored by the four best drivers in a team are used in the evaluation, regardless of age or gender. Unlike in 2025, riders who leave the team no longer keep any points for the team.

Endurance teams

2-year licence

• Specialized Factory Racing
• Decathlon Ford Racing Team
• Canyon XC Racing
• Cannondale Factory Racing
• Thömus Maxon
• Wilier-Vittoria Factory Team
• Orbea Fox Factory Team
• Cube Factory Racing
• Scott-SRAM MTB Racing Team
• BIXS Race Team

1-Year-License

• Trek - Unbroken XC
• Origine Racing Division
• KMC Nukeproof MTB Racing Team
• Giant Factory Off-Road Team - XC
• Lapierre PXR Racing

Wildcards (1-year license)

• BH Coloma Team
• Liv Factory Racing
• Mondraker Factory Racing XC
• BMC Factory Racing
• Alpecin-Premier Tech

Gravity Teams

2-year license

• Canyon DH Racing
• Santa Cruz Syndicate
• Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction
• Orbea FMD Racing
• Mondraker Factory Racing DH
• Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team
• Cube Factory Racing
• Specialized Gravity
• Trek - Unbroken DH
• Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres

1-one-year license

• NORCO X Adidas Race Division
• MS-Racing
• Nukeproof Axess Racing
• Unno Factory Racing DH
• Giant Factory Off-Road Team - DH

Wildcards (1-Year-license)

• Santa Cruz Burgtec by Goodman
• Scott Downhill Factory
• Frameworks Racing / TRP
• AON Racing
• Continental Atherton

Participation for individual starters

Individual riders without team status can also take part. This includes Olympic champions, world and continental champions as well as the best elite and young riders in the respective disciplines. Additional starting places are offered by the UCI Continental Series and the final rankings of the junior and U23 categories.

Season start and outlook

The 2026 season begins on May 1 in South Korea. The race marks the return of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to Asia after 25 years. The new licensing structure should ensure stable teams, clearly recognizable top riders and exciting races throughout the series.

ucimtbworldseries.com