The technical team behind the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships has made improvement of the spectator experience a key part of its planning for the event, scheduled for August 26–30 in Daolasa di Commezzadura, Trentino
Innovation is what keeps the sport moving forward. This philosophy has always guided the work of Val di Sole Bikeland. Ahead of the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, scheduled for 26–30 August in Daolasa di Commezzadura, Val di Sole Tourism Board and Grandi Eventi Val di Sole are undertaking efforts focused on technical course developments, expanded fan zones, and a continuous commitment to enhancing the spectator experience.
Led by the Local Organising Committee’s Technical Director, Sergio Battistini, the technical staff have worked extensively on all the courses where the battle for the new UCI rainbow jerseys and UCI World Championships medals will be fought. Particular attention has been devoted to cross-country and downhill, the most anticipated formats of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships week.
A NEW DIAGONAL SECTION FOR THE BLACK SNAKE
The most significant change to the iconic Black Snake Downhill track is the addition of a new diagonal section. This section was tested during the Italian Cup, where it received positive feedback from riders.
"This modification replaces the former Red Bull section with a new, highly technical segment featuring a sustained off-camber traverse followed by a particularly challenging corner", explained Battistini. "Additional work has focused on reinforcing the forest floor in the most erosion-affected areas and widening the Scott Jump zone, enabling us to create a larger, more engaging fan area."
The track's key figures remain unchanged: it is 2,100 metres long, has a vertical drop of 550 metres and an average gradient of 24%. However, race times could increase by a few seconds compared to the approximately 3 minutes and 40 seconds posted by Men Elite in recent years.
CROSS-COUNTRY: MORE EXCITEMENT FOR SPECTATORS THAN EVER BEFORE
The Val di Sole Bikeland technical team has continued the course development process initiated two years ago, with two goals in mind: to create a more compact layout and to significantly improve the spectator experience.
"From an elevation standpoint, very little will change: the course will still measure 3.5 kilometres per lap, with around 150 metres of elevation gain. We have redesigned the finish area, where the finishing straight will be longer and offer better visibility. In the natural woodland sections, we are working to streamline several climbing sectors by replacing the previous sequence of short climbs and descents with a single, continuous trail."
"Around the four-cross area - a side-event organised by Val di Sole Bikeland - we have focused on expanding the fan zone to enable spectators to follow the riders for longer. In the final section, we have introduced a pump-track segment, followed by a new woodland section featuring a challenging climb and two wooden and stone drops. This will be one of the key technical features of what promises to be the most spectator-friendly short track course ever held here, with almost the entire race visible from the finish area."
E-MOUNTAIN BIKE COURSE FOCUSED ON RIDER PERFORMANCE
The UCI E-Mountain Bike Cross-country World Championships, were hosted for the first time in Val di Sole in 2021. this format is set to deliver plenty of excitement thanks to a course designed to reward athletic performance rather than technical competition.
"The course is based on the cross-country layout and features several shortcuts, reducing the lap length to around 2.5 kilometres. We have prioritised sections where riders must pedal and generate their own power, ensuring that athletic ability remains the decisive factor," concluded Battistini.
From 26–30 August, the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will award seventeen UCI World Champion titles across five formats: Cross-country Olympic (XCO), Cross-country Short Track (XCC), Team Relay (XCR), Downhill (DHI) and e-MTB.
