Cross-Country World Cup 2026

Cross-country is the only mountain bike discipline in the Olympics, which means it attracts the broadest talent pool and the most crossover athletes. Tom Pidcock won Olympic gold in Tokyo while also racing the Tour de France. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot has won world titles in XCO, road, and cyclocross. The fitness demands are closer to road racing than to Downhill — you need a 400W FTP and the technical skills to ride it at race pace.

The 2026 format includes both XCO (the traditional ~90-minute multi-lap race) and XCC (a 20-minute short circuit held the day before), both awarding World Cup points. The XCC has transformed the weekend into a two-day spectacle and reshuffled the pecking order — pure sprinters now have a path to the overall that didn't exist five years ago.

Nino Schurter has won 9 world championships and is still competitive at 38. Pidcock is the obvious heir apparent. The women's field is arguably the most competitive in any cycling discipline — Ferrand-Prévot, Lecomte, Courtney, and Jolanda Neff have all held the world title in the last five years.