Lake Placid Olympic Region Returns with Downhill on the Agenda For the First Time

The Enduro Open gives amateur riders the chance to ride the very same stages as the UCI Enduro World Cup on the same weekend, and now, for 2026, even on the same days. It’s as close as it gets to racing like a pro!At its core, enduro has always been about adventure. The discipline was born from long days in remote mountains where self‑sufficiency mattered as much as skill. That spirit lives on today in the Enduro Open - a focus on fun, exploration and community, with a competitive edge for those who want to push their limits. Whether you're chasing seconds or just soaking in stunning views, you’ll put your fitness, riding skills and problem‑solving to the test.Enduro Open Calendar:28–31 May: Loudenvielle – Peyragudes (France)11–14 June: Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria)26–28 June: Val di Fassa – Trentino (Italy)17–19 July: Aletsch Arena – Bellwald (Switzerland)14–16 August : Morillon, Haute‑Savoie (France)New for 2026A major evolution arrives this season as Enduro Open Racing will now run on the exact same course and the same days as the UCI Enduro World Cup. The participants will drop in just hours before the pros and then wait for the world’s best at the finish line in order to compare their times directly with them on the same terrain under the same conditions and on the very same taped course while being at the finish to cheer the Elite riders of the discipline.New race categories:For 2026, race categories have been expanded and are now fully age‑based, creating more competitive, more balanced and more rewarding racing by grouping riders into narrower bands.17–18 Male / Female19–34 Male / Female35–39 Male / Female40–44 Male / Female45–49 Male / Female50–54 Male / Female55–59 Male / Female60+ Male / Female​​E-MTB Male 17+​​E-MTB Female 17+​​Pairs 17+ (mixed or gender specific)​Upcoming entries:Entries for Loudenvielle – Peyragudes (France) and Saalfelden Leogang - Salzburgerland (Austria) will open on 3 April.Entries for the remaining Enduro Open races in Val Di Fassa – Trentino (Italy), Aletsch Arena – Bellwald (Switzerland), Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France) will be opening on 17 April. Stay tuned to our official website and social media channels for updates or sign up for our newsletter by entering your email address at the bottom of the webpage.Entry requirements: There are no entry criteria for Enduro Open races. All you need is a bike and the desire to enjoy a truly unique and unforgettable mountain biking experience. However, spots are limited to 300 riders per round, so speed is key if you want to secure your place on the Enduro Open start line. More details on the races, pricing, and included services:28–31 May in Loudenvielle – Peyragudes (France):Alongside world‑class competition, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series at Loudenvielle–Peyragudes, presented by FACOM, gives amateur riders the opportunity to race between the tapes through Open Racing. Riders can put their skills to the test in Enduro and E‑Enduro categories, tackling the exact same course used by the UCI Enduro World Cup’s elite.Below you’ll find everything you need to know, including race formats, pricing, and what’s included.Entry fee: €130, with a reduced fee of €80 for Junior categories (17–18)Services included:-        Official race entry and number board-        Training day access-        Access to feed stations and water points-        Uplift / shuttle / gondola access where applicable-        Timing equipment-        Access to professional technical support-        -        Welcome goodie bag-        Free Bike Park Day with lift access on Sunday 31 May to ride the park-        Free Balnéa Spa resort access valid for the weekendMake a weekend of it! Loudenvielle offers much more than racing. Bring friends and family and enjoy the full festival atmosphere:-        Watch the UCI Downhill World Cup Finals on Sunday 31 May-        Explore the event village with activities for all ages-        Kids’ races, Monster FMX shows and live music-        Food stalls, entertainment and a lake ride for the whole family.Click HERE for registration. The process is quick and straightforward: simply log in with your existing account or create one if you don’t have one yet. Then complete your personal details, sign the waivers, and select your races.11–14 June in Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland (Austria):Set in Austria’s largest mountain biking region, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads to the Epic Bikepark Saalfelden Leogang. For the first time ever, Leogang is opening its race to Open entries, giving riders from around the world the chance to compete at this iconic venue as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.Riders can put their skills to the test in Enduro and E‑Enduro categories, tackling the exact same course used by the UCI Enduro World Cup’s elite.Below you’ll find everything you need to know, including race formats, pricing, and what’s included.Entry fee: €150, with a reduced fee of €80 for Junior categories (17–18)Services included:-        Official race entry and number board-        Training day access-        Access to feed stations and water points-        Uplift / shuttle / gondola access where applicable-        Timing equipment-        Access to professional technical supportMake a weekend of it! Leogang offers much more than racing. Bring friends and family and enjoy the full festival atmosphere:-        Watch the UCI Cross-country Short Track World Cup on Friday 12 June-        Watch the UCI Downhill World Cup Finals on Saturday 13 June-        Watch the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup on Sunday 14 June-        Explore the event village with food stalls, entertainment and activities for the whole family.Click HERE for registration. The process is quick and straightforward: simply log in with your existing account or create one if you don’t have one yet. Then complete your personal details, sign the waivers, and select your races.26-28 June in Val di Fassa, Trentino (Italy):Join the world’s best as they race one of the most iconic venues on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar. The Enduro Open in Val di Fassa - Trentino, presented by Shimano, never disappoints, with infamous trails, unbeatable gelato, and a true enduro atmosphere.A landmark venue in the discipline, Val di Fassa made history in 2024 as the first location to host the UCI Mountain Bike Enduro & E‑Enduro World Championships. Now, the challenge awaits once again: will you take on the legendary Tutti Fruitti ridgeline alongside the UCI Enduro World Cup athletes in this two‑day epic race?Entry fee: €150, with a reduced fee of €80 for Junior categories (17–18)Services included:-        Official race entry and number board-        Training day access-        Access to feed stations and water points-        Uplift / shuttle / gondola access where applicable-        Timing equipment-        Access to professional technical supportEntries open 17 April17-19 July in Aletsch Arena – Bellwald, Valais (Switzerland):With steep, demanding, technical and untamed trails, Enduro Open racing in Aletsch will push every rider to their limits. This venue delivers a truly raw enduro experience and it’s no surprise it was selected to host the UCI Enduro & E‑Enduro World Championships in 2025.Riders will have the chance to test their skills on the exact same course raced by the UCI Enduro World Cup stars, tackling the challenge across two intense days of competition.Entry fee: €150, with reduced fee of €80 for 17-18 categoryServices included:-        Official race entry and number board-        Training day access-        Access to feed stations and water points-        Uplift / shuttle / gondola access where applicable-        Timing equipment-        Access to professional technical supportEntries open 17 April14-16 August Morillon, Haute-Savoie (France):The final round of the 2026 UCI Enduro World Cup season will unfold on the pine‑lined trails of Morillon, Haute‑Savoie. Join the heroes of the sport at this iconic venue and take on the very same trails at the Enduro Open, presented by Shimano racing shoulder to shoulder with the world’s best on a fitting stage for the season finale.Entry fee: €150, with a reduced fee of €80 for Junior categories (17–18)Services included:-        Official race entry and number board-        Training day access-        Access to feed stations and water points-        Uplift / shuttle / gondola access where applicable-        Timing equipment-        Access to professional technical supportEntries Open 17 April

Today, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports announces the return of original series Race Bikes, following the success of its debut season.Season two will air on WBD across mainland Europe (via Eurosport) and the UK and Ireland (via TNT Sports) as well as its streaming platform HBO Max. The behind-the-scenes four-part docuseries follows host Ric McLaughlin as he looks to lift the lid on some of downhill and cross-country’s most iconic bikes, meeting the riders and designers behind them and weaving each machine’s story together with rich archive footage.The first episode airs on Tuesday 7 April at 17:45 CEST (check local listings) with a deep dive into Loris Vergier’s Commencal Supreme – one of the most successful downhill mountain bikes of all time. The 30-minute episode includes interviews with the man whose name it bears – Max Commencal – shot at the manufacturer’s HQ in Andorra.Week two sees McLaughlin turn back the clock and head in search of 2011 and 2012’s most-winning bike – Aaron Gwin’s Trek Session 9.9. The American won nine UCI World Cup victories and two UCI World Cup overall titles aboard the Trek World Racing rig over the two seasons, becoming the first American to do so. McLaughlin’s search takes him to ex-manager Martin Whiteley’s house in Spain, where the pair delve into one of the most iconic periods in the sport’s history – and the bike that led the way.Episode three turns its attention to cross-country and one of the most cutting-edge designs to line-up on the current start grid – the Cannondale Scalpel. The show delves deep into the American manufacturer’s story and how it went from underdog to the top of the world, while also covers the career of 2020 Olympic gold medallist and Cannondale Factory Racing rider, Jolanda Neff.The series wraps up with one of the most mysterious bikes to grace the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series – Loïc Bruni’s Specialized Project Black. Developed out in the open but always kept relatively unmarked and under wraps, it’s the most cutting-edge bike to be covered yet on Race Bikes, and the first that McLaughlin has got to experience himself.Ric McLaughlin, Producer, Director and Presenter of Race Bikes, said: “Race Bikes is all about the bikes, but behind each one is a fascinating person and an equally fascinating story - how the bike was created and how it ended up where it is today. If you’re a core fan, you’ll definitely take something from it, but even if you only rode bikes as a kid and haven’t touched one in 20 years, there’s still something here for you.”This season follows on from the success of season one, where the four-episode series reached 3.3M viewers on linear TV (Eurosport and TNT Sports). All episodes of season one are currently available to stream on HBO Max.Schedule (timings subject to change, check local listings):Episode 1: Loris Vergier’s Commencal Supreme, Tuesday 7 April, Eurosport / TNT Sports, 17:45 CEST.Episode 2: Aaron Gwin’s Trek Session 9.9, Tuesday 14 April, Eurosport / TNT Sports, 17:30 CESTEpisode 3: Jolanda Neff’s Cannondale Scalpel, Tuesday 21 April, Eurosport / TNT Sports, 18:00 CESTEpisode 4: Loïc Bruni’s Specialized Project Black, Tuesday 28 April, Eurosport / TNT Sports, 17:45 CESTAll episodes will be available on demand on HBO Max.In addition to Race Bikes, WBD Sports’ documentary The Cycle is now available to stream on HBO Max. The 60-minute documentary follows five riders including WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series stars Lachlan Stevens McNab (Trek - Unbroken DH) and Evie Richards (Trek - Unbroken XC) and goes behind-the-scenes to reveal what it means to live as a professional rider.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. Live and on-demand coverage of every race is available through WBD’s channels and platforms including Eurosport (Europe) and TNT Sports (UK & Ireland) with streaming on HBO Max, as well as around the world through WBD’s broadcast partners.

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.