Cross-country Eliminator (XCE) is a mountain bike race format where four cyclists compete against each other on a very short course. In each heat, the two fastest runners advance to the next round, while the two slowest runners are eliminated from the race. It is similar to the four-cross, except the course is not downhill.
Alexandra Engen and Ralph Näf were the first XCE world champions in 2012 in Saalfelden. In 2017 the event was moved to the new UCI Urban Cycling World Championships. From 2017 to 2018 it was included in the program of the urban cycling world championships, while from 2019 it is included in a specific world event.
HISTORY
First introduced in 2010 in Germany, the elimination format cross-country it was tested in two UCI events: in Pickering (as part of the world cup in Dalby Forest) (UK) and Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) in 2011. It was officially integrated into the World Cup in 2012 with three events in Houffalize (BEL), Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) and La Bresse (FRA).
The first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup XCE race took place on 13 April 2012 in Houffalize, Belgium, and was won by Brian Lopes (USA) and Annie Last (UK). The discipline was removed from the World Cup after 2014, then reintroduced in 2017.
