The UCI Management Committee, which is meeting in Maastricht, the Netherlands, today approved the calendar for the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano.

Next year’s edition of the World Cup series will comprise 10 events in nine countries on three continents. There will be seven rounds for each of the traditional mountain bike disciplines: Olympic cross-country, downhill and four-cross. 2012 will also see the introduction of the cross-country eliminator, in which several rounds will go towards a final ranking. This format of racing will also feature for the first time on the programme of the 2012 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships.

2012 season to kick off in Pietermaritzburg

As in 2011, the 2012 World Cup will open in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Traditional venues such as Fort William (GBR), Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN), Val di Sole (ITA) and La Bresse (FRA) once again feature on the 2012 calendar. However La Bresse, known for its downhill course, will this year organise a round of Olympic cross-country in honour of Julien Absalon, multiple World Champion and double Olympic Champion, who lives just 15km from the French World Cup venue.

A new triple event will be organised in Val d’Isère (FRA), site of the 2009 World Ski Championships. This will be the final cross-country event of the World Cup season, and the last time these specialists will meet before the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, the final downhill and four-cross events will take place in a new venue, the Hafjell Bike Park (NOR), which hosted the 2010 European Championships.

Other venues for the 2012 Mountain Bike World Cup are Houffalize (BEL) returning to the calendar after one year’s absence, and Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) which hosts an event for the second time. One round on the American Continent remains to be confirmed.

New format for World Championships

The 2012 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in Austria will be held over two weeks: the downhill and four-cross competitions will take place in Leogang from August 31st to September 2nd, while the Olympic cross-country, cross-country eliminator and trials specialists will confront each other in Saalfelden from September 6th to 9th.

2012 MAJOR MOUNTAIN BIKE EVENTS CALENDAR
EVENEMENTS / EVENTS
DATE
PLACE

UCI World Cup XCO/DHI/4X Round 1
17-18.03.2012
PIETERMARITZBURG (RSA)

UCI World Cup XCO/XCE Round 2
14-15.04.2012
HOUFFALIZE (BEL)

UCI World Cup XCO/XCE Round 3
12-13.05.2012
NOVE MESTO NA MORAVE (CZE)

UCI World Cup XCO/XCE Round 4
19-20.05.2012
LA BRESSE (FRA)

UCI World Cup DHI/4X Round 2
02-03.06.2012
VAL DI SOLE (ITA)

UCI World Cup DHI/4X Round 3
09-10.06.2012
FORT WILLIAM (GBR)

European Continental Championships XCO
07-10.06.2012
EUROPE

UCI World Cup XCO Round 5 / DHI/4X Round 4
23-24.06.2012
MONT STE ANNE (CAN)

UCI World Cup XCO Round 6 / DHI/4X Round 5
30.06-01.07.2012
TBC – AMERICA

National Championships XCO/DHI/4X WE 29
21-22.07.2012
WORLDWIDE

UCI World Cup XCO Round 7 Final / DHI/4X Round 6
28-29.07.2012
VAL D’ISERE (FRA)

Jeux Olympiques / Olympic Games
11-12.08.2012
LONDON (GBR)

UCI XCO/DHI/4X WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
31.08-02.09.2012 05.09-09.09.2012
LEOGANG (AUT) SAALFELDEN (AUT)

UCI World Cup DHI/4X Round 7 Final
15-16.09.2012
HAFJELL (NOR)

National Championships XCM
22-23.09.2012
WORLDWIDE

UCI MARATHON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
07.10.2012
ORNANS (FRA)