After two seasons under the WBD Sports umbrella, the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series will undergo some striking changes in the history of the sport since the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was introduced in 1991. These developments are aimed at improving the quality of each of these World Cup races, making the races even more exciting for fans and riders, while creating a clear development pathway to the highest level of mountain biking.

New eligibility requirements have been introduced for the 2025 season. All teams had to register with the UCI to be classified as either a "UCI Mountain Bike Team" or a "Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team" (formerly known as UCI MTB Elite Team).

A total of 101 teams from 22 countries across four continents have registered for the upcoming season. Of these, 40 teams from the Endurance and Gravity divisions have secured Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status, which guarantees them participation in every round of their respective format.

The other starting options

For teams that have not secured World Series team status, eight wildcard places per format are available at each World Cup. These wildcard teams will be selected at the discretion of the UCI and WBD Sports, taking into account factors such as UCI team rankings and individual athlete profiles. Further details on the eligibility criteria can be found in the UCI regulations.

And what about private riders? Individual riders are still eligible to compete in a Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series race if they meet the following criteria:

• Champion: Any current Olympic champion, UCI World Champion, Continental Champion or National Champion is eligible to compete, even if they are not part of a team with World Series status.
• Cross Country: Any elite athlete ranked in the top 100 or any U23 athlete ranked in the top 200 based on the latest UCI world rankings dated prior to the registration deadline for each round.
• Downhill: Any elite athlete ranked in the top 50 or any junior athlete ranked in the top 100, based on the latest UCI Downhill World Ranking list dated before the closing date of the respective round, is eligible to start.

Furthermore, there are five "Golden Tickets" up for grabs for the top five riders in an elite or U23 race (cross country) or an elite or junior race (downhill) at any round of a continental series. Of course, only riders who are not registered with a World Series team are eligible. The Golden Ticket entitles the rider to participate in one round of the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series in the same season.

From 2026 onwards, the top five riders in each category in the final classification of any continental series from the previous season will also qualify to compete in all Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series races, unless they are already registered with a team with World Series status.

ucimtbworldseries.com