After making the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar, here are the Teams: A total of 40 teams, spanning both Endurance and Gravity formats, have secured premier division status.
Source: press release
This ensures their participation in every round of the series in their respective formats, placing them at the forefront of the sport’s elite competition. After two seasons under the WBD Sports umbrella, the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is set to undergo some of the most significant changes in the sport’s history since the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup was first introduced in 1991.
These important developments aim to enhance the competitiveness of each UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, making the races more exciting for fans and riders alike, while establishing a clear development path towards the highest level of mountain biking.
For the 2025 season, new registration requirements were introduced. All teams had to register with the UCI to be classified as a UCI Mountain Bike Team or WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team (formerly known as UCI MTB Elite Team).
A total of 101 teams from 22 countries across four continents have registered for the upcoming season. Of these, 40 teams across Endurance and Gravity have achieved WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status, securing participation in every round of the respective formats:
How else can teams participate in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series?
For teams that have not achieved WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status, eight Wildcard spots per format are available at each UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. These Wildcard teams will be chosen at the discretion of the UCI and WBD Sports, considering factors such as UCI team results and their individual athlete profiles. More details on the eligibility criteria are available in the UCI regulations.
And what about private individuals?
Individual riders are still eligible to participate in a round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series based on the following criteria:
- Samples: any reigning Olympic champion, UCI world champion, continental champion or national champion.
- Cross-country: any Elite athlete ranked in the top 100 or any U23 athlete ranked in the top 200 according to the latest UCI individual ranking Cross-country Olympic (XCO) dated before the closing date for entries at the round event.
- Downhill: any Elite athlete ranked in the top 50 or any Junior athlete ranked in the top 100 according to the latest UCI individual ranking Downhill (DHI) dated prior to the closing date for entries to the round event.
There are also five “Golden Ticket” up for grabs for the top five runners in any Elite or U23 race (Cross-country) or Elite or Junior race (Downhill) in any round of a Continental Series (although the rider cannot be registered with a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series team). The Golden Ticket allows the rider to participate in one round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series during the same season.
Starting in 2026, the top five riders in the final standings of each category in any of the Continental Series from the previous season will also qualify to compete in all rounds of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, provided they are not already registered with a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series team.
For more information on the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series
