Mountain Biking·Individual Sports

UCI

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UCI Cycling Regulations — Part 4: Mountain Bike Races· 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Regulations — covers XCO, XCM, XCE, XCC, DHI, PUT, 4X, Enduro formatsOpen source

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Section 1: Introduction

Mountain Biking is the off-road cycling discipline governed internationally by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), defined in Part 4 of the UCI Cycling Regulations. UCI sanctions multiple race formats: Cross-Country Olympic (XCO) — the Olympic medal discipline since 1996; Cross-Country Marathon (XCM); Cross-Country Short Track (XCC); Cross-Country Eliminator (XCE); Downhill (DHI); Pump Track (PUT); Four-Cross (4X); and the Enduro discipline (under UCI MTB World Series since 2022). The 2026 calendar features the integrated UCI Mountain Bike World Series alongside the UCI MTB World Championships.

Section 2: Equipment

Bicycle frame: rigid or suspended; minimum wheel diameter 26" (66 cm), max 29" (74 cm); 27.5" and 29" dominant in pro XCO
Hydraulic disc brakes required at UCI level (front + rear)
Handlebar width limited to 1000 mm max
Tyres: knobbed off-road; tyre width minimum varies by discipline (XCO ~2.2", DHI ~2.4-2.5")
XCO bikes: hardtail or full-suspension; ~10 kg full-suspension typical
DHI bikes: long-travel full-suspension (~200 mm travel), heavier (~16 kg), single-crown or dual-crown fork
Mandatory helmet (CE / Snell-certified); full-face helmet required for DHI + 4X

Section 3: Playing Area

XCO: circuit 4-6 km/lap, 4-7 laps, ~80-100 min target winning time; mix of climb/descent/technical features
XCM: point-to-point or large loop, 60-160 km
XCE: short (~1-1.5 km) circuit with technical features; heat-format eliminator
DHI: single-run descent course (~2-3 km, 2-5 minute winning time), gravity-only
PUT: closed-loop pump-track circuit, bracket head-to-head
Course homologation by UCI commissaires; safety zones, escape paths, medical posts marked

Section 4: Players & Officials

Individual sport; nations may field teams for relay events
UCI categories: Elite Men, Elite Women, U23 Men/Women, Junior Men/Women
Officials: race director, commissaires (line judges, technical, finish), medical staff, course marshals
UCI license required for international competition

Section 5: Rules of Play

Mass Start (XCO/XCM/XCE)

Riders gridded by UCI ranking; mass start with countdown
Riders complete prescribed laps; first across finish line wins
Lapping: lapped riders pulled when caught (XCO)

Time-Trial (DHI)

Riders descend one at a time, separated by ~30s starts
Single seeded qualifying run; finals = fastest qualifiers in reverse order
Fastest aggregate time wins

Knockout (XCE / 4X / PUT)

Heat-format brackets; top finishers advance through quarterfinals/semis/final

Course Conduct

Riders must complete every section under their own power (running with bike permitted)
Outside assistance restricted to designated tech zones

Section 6: Scoring

Individual races: finishing time + position
UCI World Series: points awarded per round → series standings; series leader's jersey awarded
UCI World Rankings: rolling 12-month aggregate; informs Olympic qualification
UCI MTB World Championships: rainbow jersey to discipline winner

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Cutting course: time penalty or disqualification
Outside assistance: outside tech zones — disqualification
Mechanical doping (motor): immediate disqualification + suspension + fine
Anti-doping violations: WADA Code (UCI is signatory)
Rider conduct: dangerous riding, bridging the gap (drafting motor vehicles in XCM) → penalty or DQ

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Mandatory CE-certified helmets; full-face helmet + knee/elbow pads required for DHI, 4X, PUT. Course inspection prior to competition; commissaires authorized to neutralize sections in unsafe conditions. UCI requires on-site medical service (ambulance + first responders at every checkpoint on DHI). Trail-side marshals positioned every ~200 m on technical descents. Concussion protocol per UCI Medical Rules — mandatory rest period after head impact. AED on-site; helicopter evacuation plan filed for remote courses. Weather-stop authority granted to race director for lightning, extreme heat, or course flooding.

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Full Rulebook(11 sections)

Overview

How to win

The game

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: Equipment

Section 3: Playing Area

Section 4: Players & Officials

Section 5: Rules of Play

Mass Start (XCO/XCM/XCE)

Time-Trial (DHI)

Knockout (XCE / 4X / PUT)

Course Conduct

Section 6: Scoring

Section 7: Violations & Penalties

Section 8: Safety Considerations

Playing the ball

Fouls & penalties

Equipment

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