How WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Wildcard Teams are decided

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe and GoPro are proud to confirm a new two-year partnership for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.The American technology company continues as Official Supplier of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, with the role of Official Wearable Camera Supplier across all UCI Downhill World Cup rounds.Cutting‑edge helmet-mounted GoPro cameras will deliver immersive live rider perspectives from the world’s most demanding mountain bike courses. Top downhill riders — including reigning Men Elite UCI Downhill World Cup overall champion Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and others — will provide fans with in‑depth course previews and exclusive content shared throughout the season on WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series and GoPro’s social channels, including @GoProBike Instagram and YouTube. GoPro integrations will also feature across Cross‑country and Enduro, where Carlson on Course will continue to offer expert course reviews alongside guest riders. As part of the partnership, GoPro will also receive dedicated on‑course branding visibility and a dedicated expo area on-site.GoPro makes the world’s best POV cameras for mountain biking—whether riders want the ultimate creative flexibility of the MAX2 360 camera or the unmatched, immersive perspective of HERO13 Black paired with the Ultra Wide Lens. GoPro’s Emmy® Award-winning HyperSmooth video stabilization, combined with a durable, waterproof design, helps capture unforgettable rider moments and perspectives—regardless of conditions. Learn more about GoPro’s mountain bike cameras and accessories at GoPro.com.Rick Loughery, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Digital Commerce at GoPro, said: “Continuing our partnership with the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is easy decision. GoPro is deeply committed to the mountain bike community, and we’re excited to empower riders and athletes to capture the speed, skill, and intensity of UCI Downhill World Cup racing with perspectives only GoPro can provide.”Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at WBD Sports, said: “We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with GoPro for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. This relationship is built on long standing trust and a shared vision, developed over many years of close collaboration. Our ambition is always to put fans right at the heart of the action, and no one does that better than GoPro. Their innovative camera technology delivers truly immersive perspectives, bringing the intensity, speed and emotion of racing to our broadcasts and digital platforms.”  The 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series season kicks off on May 1 in MONA YongPyong, South Korea – marking the return of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to the Asian continent for the first time in 25 years.

The Golden Ticket system will celebrate standout riders in the UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series, offering emerging talent a fast‑track opportunity to join the world’s elite. Riders who claim a Golden Ticket earn the right to enter any round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, marking a major milestone in their competitive journey.Launched in 2025, the UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series which are run in collaboration with the Continental Confederations, bring together high-level competitions across each region of the world.  In 2026, the five UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series comprise of 39 events across 27 countries worldwide in Cross-country Olympic (XCO) and Downhill (DHI). These Series provide a vital steppingstone between regional racing and elite international competition by offering UCI points and now, a direct pathway to the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.HOW GOLDEN TIKCETS WORKAt every qualifying UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series round, the top three finishers in each eligible category (excluding athletes already registered with a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team) will receive a Golden Ticket during the podium ceremony.A Golden Ticket grants that rider a coveted starting place at one WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round of their choosing within 52 weeks of receiving it, providing a springboard onto the world stage. The eligible categories are as follows:XCO: Elite Men, Elite Women, Under‑23 Men, and Under‑23 WomenDHI: Elite Men, Elite Women, Junior Men, and Junior WomenThis initiative puts a spotlight on emerging talent from the Continental circuit, rewarding standout performances with the opportunity to race alongside the world’s best and gain international exposure on the road to a long-term professional career.Find out more information on the UCI regulations here.Discover the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series calendar here.

The Women in Mountain Bike initiative has become a central pillar of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) roadmap.Since its inception in July 2024, marked by an inaugural networking breakfast for women from across the mountain bike community at the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round in Les Gets, Haute-Savoie (France), the initiative has continued to gain momentum and grow in scope.Building on that first milestone, the programme has expanded rapidly and is set to increase its influence throughout the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Its objective is clear: to help create a more accessible, inclusive and equitable environment, while increasing female representation at the pinnacle of competitive mountain bike.This International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to reflect on the initiative’s achievements over the past year, as well as to look ahead to what lies in store in the months to come.CREATION OF THE WOMEN IN MTB WORKING GROUPOne of the key milestones in 2025 was the appointment of a WBD Ambassador to lead the initiative: Anja Rodenbroker, who has been part of the core WBD Sports mountain bike team since the launch of the ambitious WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series project and roadmap in 2023.As a first step under her leadership, a Women in MTB Working Group has been established. The 19‑member collective brings together riders, team managers, partners, and industry and corporate representatives from across cross‑country, downhill and enduro disciplines.The group will meet regularly throughout the 2026 season to define a dedicated roadmap addressing the key challenges facing women in mountain bike.2026 INITIATIVES: FROM HISTORIC CHANGE TO TANGIBLE ACTIONWhile the Women in MTB Working Group is still in its early stages, it has already begun developing initiatives and immediate actions. These include:Rebalancing race scheduling: a landmark step will see the Elite Women’s race run last at a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series event this season, a decision that represents a historic first for the sport. This milestone moment is set to take place at the Saalfelden Leogang Salzburgerland UCI Downhill World Cup (11-14 June), where the women’s field, including local star Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres), will close the programme. Traditionally, men’s races have occupied the final slot and generally benefited from the prime broadcast window; this change marks a powerful shift in visibility, recognition and parity for women’s racing at the highest level.Education around RED‑S: Raising awareness of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED‑S) across the mountain bike community is a key priority. RED‑S is a condition that affects both men and women and is caused by an imbalance between the energy intake and the energy demands of training and competition, and can have serious consequences for health, wellbeing and athletic performance, affecting areas such as hormonal function, bone health, recovery, mental health and long‑term development. To support this, WBD Sports has engaged with Project RED‑S UK, a UK‑based initiative dedicated to advocating for and increasing awareness of RED‑S. The short‑term objective is to educate athletes, coaches, team managers, parents and all WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stakeholders on what RED‑S is, how to recognise its symptoms, how it impacts performance, and how to challenge the negative perceptions surrounding the condition.Storytelling and awareness: the production of a mini‑documentary exploring the health challenges faced by women in sport is underway. The film focuses on the often-hidden struggles of female mountain bike athletes and builds on a shorter version released last season. This expanded edition will feature additional interviews with leading athletes and address a wide range of topics, from menstruation to body image.Improving event facilities: a key focus is enhancing on-site sanitation and athlete‑dedicated facilities across all WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series events. While the objective is to improve conditions for all athletes, the need for this initiative was identified through discussions within the Women in MTB group, where specific challenges faced by female athletes and staff were highlighted.A SHARED COMMITMENTBeyond WBD Sports, other partners across the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series ecosystem have also launched their own initiatives to help address gender imbalance within mountain bike.The local organising committee for the 2026 season finale in the Lake Placid Olympic Sites (New York, USA), taking place from 2 to 4 October, has introduced a dedicated Women in Sport programme this year, alongside a series of women‑focused activations planned around the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series event. These initiatives will be amplified through WBD Sports’ Women in MTB Initiative, reinforcing a shared commitment to progress across the sport.