WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series 2024 in Saalfelden Leogang – All you need to know

With the downhill, enduro, and e-enduro disciplines already underway for the season, preparations are in full swing in Saalfelden Leogang for the big event weekend from 7-9 June. As a newly awarded UCI Bike Region, Saalfelden Leogang has gone to great lengths to provide riders, teams, and festival-goers with an outstanding experience.

UCI Downhill World Cup: Another double victory for the local heroes? 
Two weeks ago, downhill riders made their mark at the UCI World Cup opener in Fort William, Scotland. The reigning world champion and overall World Cup winner, Valentina Höll (AUT), along with the current overall World Cup champion and five-time world champion, Loïc Bruni (FRA), made the strongest impressions in the Highlands, placing themselves at the top of the UCI Overall World Cup standings. In the Elite Women category, Nina Hoffmann from Germany, British rider Tahnée Seagrave, and Switzerland's Camille Balanche were  following closely. In addition to these familiar names, Italian enduro rider Gloria Scarsi caught attention with a fifth-place finish in the overall standings during another downhill outing. Among the Elite Men, Troy Brosnan (AUS), Finn Iles (CAN), Dakotah Norton, and Luca Shaw (both USA) closely trailed Bruni's performance. Andi Kolb currently holds the ninth position in the overall standings. Austrian rider Kolb showcased his prowess on the Leogang Speedster track last year when he, along with Vali Höll, secured the first-ever Austrian double victory in the UCI Downhill World Cup – and on home turf, no less. The steep and rugged track combines challenging rock gardens and root carpets with switchbacks and massive jumps, demanding everything from riders who can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h here. The "Valis Hölle" gap jump is as famous as it is notorious. Whether Austria's fairy tale repeats itself will be revealed on Sunday, 9 June. But before that, the downhill circus can "warm up" at the UCI Downhill World Cup in Bielsko-Biała.

Enduro and E-Enduro enter their second year – who will triumph in Austria's largest bike-region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn? 
Enduro and E-Enduro riders are returning to Saalfelden Leogang for their second UCI World Cup season, ready to compete for best times far beyond the borders of the Epic Bikepark. The stages are spread across the entire area of Austria's largest bike-region Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, offering a variety of challenging downhill sections, not to mention the sweat-inducing uphills between each stage. Last year in Leogang, reigning overall World Cup winner Isabeau Courdurier (FRA) and Rhys Verner (CAN) claimed victory in the enduro category, while reigning overall World Cup winners Florencia Espiñeira Herreros (CHL) and Fabien Barel (FRA) secured victory in the E-supported category. With wins at the UCI Enduro World Cup opener in the Finale Outdoor Region last weekend, Harriet Harnden (GBR) leads the pack ahead of Isabeau Courdurier and Ella Conolly (GBR), while reigning overall World Cup champion Richie Rude (USA) leads the men's category ahead of Charles Murray (NZL) and Martin Maes (BEL) for the Leogang World Cup. In the first UCI E-Enduro World Cup race of the season, Florencia Espiñera Herreros claimed victory ahead of Tracy Moseley (GBR) and Laura Charles (FRA). Austrian rider Anna Spielmann finished fifth, raising hopes for the home World Cup. German rider Sofia Wiedenroth secured fourth place. In the men's competition, Ryan Gilchrist (AUS) took the top spot ahead of Manuel Soares José Borges (POR) and Cecce Camoin (FRA). Germany's Johannes Fischbach finished in ninth.

Festival atmosphere with concerts, signing sessions, and the latest news in mountain biking 
Almost as impressive as the UCI World Cup races in Saalfelden Leogang are the numerous side attractions: warm-up events, after-parties, signing sessions, and much more make the event a truly special experience. New this year are two concerts, perfect for rounding off the World Cup days. After the final stage of the UCI Enduro World Cup on Friday, "the strangers" will entertain the crowd from 7:30 pm onwards. A special highlight will be the concert by the "Glueboys" on Saturday, also starting at 7:30 pm Both concerts are free of charge. The Flying Bulls team, led by stunt pilot Dario Costa, will once again be part of the event this year, providing a spectacular show.
The bustling Team & Expo Area offers plenty of additional experiences for the expected 20,000 visitors. This area hosts much of the UCI World Cup action outside of the races, giving visitors the opportunity to get close to the teams and watch the pros at work. Renowned exhibitors will also showcase the latest and most exciting innovations in the mountain biking world, ranging from bikes and components to protective gear and clothing. Austria's largest bike-region, Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, and its winter counterpart, the Skicircus, will also have their own booth in the Expo Area, offering signing sessions, competitions, and more, building excitement for another highlight event of the region: the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Saalbach 2025.

Travel and sustainability 
The Saalfelden Leogang region and the Epic Bikepark, as hosts of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, are actively working to minimize the ecological footprint of this major event. Visitors to the UCI World Cup play a significant role in supporting these efforts.
One convenient way to contribute is by using public transportation for your arrival and departure. Saalfelden Leogang is easily accessible via the railway junctions of Salzburg, Innsbruck, Munich, and Klagenfurt. Local public transportation in the state of Salzburg and additional shuttle buses (every 30 minutes) are available free of charge with the event ticket. Additionally, there will be a special concert shuttle to and from the concerts. Traveling by train is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective. 
When it comes to environmentally friendly modes of transportation during a bike event, one thing is essential: the bike itself. Accordingly, this year there will be a guarded (and free) bike parking lot next to the Hotel Rivus for the first time. This allows visitors to cycle to the event area, securely store their bikes, and pick them up after the races.
Furthermore, Saalfelden Leogang places great emphasis on proper waste separation at designated collection points and the use of reusable cups at the festival grounds. Visitors are encouraged to take everything they brought to the UCI World Cup back with them or dispose of it properly. Enjoying seasonal and regional foods also contributes to sustainability. Local products are marked with the green quality seal "Echt.Gsund.Guad" (Real.Healthy.Good) on-site. 

All information at a glance: All the above information and much more will be provided again this year in the official World Series app. Visitors can find all the latest information on the races, results, and be guided to the right place with the map – Tip: enable push notifications to receive all news immediately.
 

Schedule:

Friday, 7 June: 
UCI Enduro World Cup Finals
 
Saturday, 8 June: 
UCI E-Enduro World Cup Finals
UCI Downhill World Cup Qualifications (Juniors & Elite) 
UCI Downhill World Cup Semi Finals (Elite)
 
Sunday, 9 June:
UCI Downhill World Cup Finals
 

Tickets for this top-class bike weekend are available online www.mtb-weltcup.at and as we know from experience, are highly sought-after. It is worth being quick! New for this year is the family special: When purchasing one adult ticket for Saturday or a 2-day ticket, you'll receive a 50% discount on a child ticket.  

For more information on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Saalfelden Leogang, visit www.mtb-weltcup.at.
All those who cannot attend the thrilling action from Saalfelden Leogang onsite, can follow the final race live on different channels: Servus TV, Eurosport, Discovery+ and MAX.