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 major developments aim to enhance the competitiveness of each UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, making the races more thrilling for both fans and riders while establishing a clear development pathway to the highest level of mountain biking.

For the 2025 season, new entry requirements were introduced. All teams were required to register with the UCI to be classified as either a UCI Mountain Bike Team or a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team (previously known as UCI MTB Elite teams).

A total of 101 teams from 22 countries across four continents registered for the upcoming season. Of those, 40 teams across both Endurance and Gravity have secured WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status, ensuring their participation in every round of their respective formats:

How else can teams take part in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series?

For teams that haven't secured WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status, there are eight Wildcard spots available per format 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 rankings and the profiles of their individual athletes. More details on the eligibility criteria can be found in the UCI Regulations.

How about privateers and individuals?

Individual riders are still eligible to enter a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series round based on the following criteria:

• Champions: Any current 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 based on the last UCI Cross-country Olympic (XCO) Individual Ranking dated before the event entry closing date of the round.
• Downhill: any Elite athlete ranked in the top 50 or any Junior athlete ranked in the top 100 based on the last UCI Downhill (DHI) Individual Ranking dated before event entry closing date of the round.

There are also five ‘Golden Tickets’ up for grabs for the top-five riders in any Elite or U23 race (Cross-country) or Elite or Junior race (Downhill) at any round of a Continental Series (although the rider can’t be registered with a WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team). The Golden Ticket enables the rider to enter one round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series during the same season.

Starting in 2026, the top five riders from each category’s final standings in any of the previous season’s Continental Series 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 visit ucimtbworldseries.com