The first medals of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole-Trentino will be awarded on Wednesday, August 26th. Switzerland, Italy and United States are among the favourites for the cross-country Team Relay. France’s Jérôme Gilloux and Austria’s Anna Spielmann are the riders to beat in the E-mountain Bike Cross-country. The Opening Ceremony will take place in Malé on Tuesday, August 25th
There are just 24 hours to go until the first medals are awarded at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Val di Sole-Trentino (August 26th–30th). The first riders arrived in the paddock at the Daolasa di Commezzadura race venue on Tuesday, August 25th, beginning to familiarise themselves with the Cross-country and E-mountain Bike Cross-country tracks.
Wednesday, August 26th, will be the opening day of racing in Val di Sole, with the first three rainbow jerseys of the Championships on the line. This will begin with the two E-mountain Bike races – the Elite women’s event at 10:00 CEST and the Elite men’s event at 11:30 CEST – followed by the cross-country Team Relay at 17:00 CEST. In the traditional team event, six riders will represent each nation: one man and one woman in each of the Elite, Under-23 and Junior categories. The order in which the riders take to the course will be decided at the sole discretion of the national team coaches.
It was here, in Daolasa di Commezzadura, that Jérôme Gilloux first demonstrated his dominance in the E-Mountain Bike Cross-country in 2021. The Frenchman will now be chasing his fifth World Championship title. He could be challenged by 2023 world champion Joris Ryf (Switzerland), as well as Stéphane Tempier (France) and Daniele Braidot and Mirko Tabacchi (Italy). In the women’s event, the rider to beat is Austria’s Anna Spielmann, the defending champion, with her compatriot Tamara Wiedmann expected to be her main challenger.
Switzerland will be among the leading favourites in the cross-country Team Relay, alongside Italy and United States. The Swiss Team aiming for a record-equalling eighth UCI XCR world title.
One thing is certain: Val di Sole is ready to get fans into the rainbow spirit on Tuesday, August 25th, with the Opening Ceremony in Malé at 18:00 CEST. Representatives of all 52 participating delegations will take part in the parade. Among the attendants will be UCI Vice-President Enrico Della Casa and Trentino’s Councillor for Sports Mattia Gottardi.
Access to the cross-Country Team Relay and E-Mountain Bike races on Wednesday, August 26th, is free, as it is for the events of Thursday, August 27th and Friday, August 28th, while tickets will be required for Saturday, August 29th (Downhill) and Sunday, August 30th (Cross-country). Tickets are available at www.valdisolebikeland.com
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