UCI Downhill World Cup Preview
After the Downhill National Series kicked off at the end of last month, several of Ireland’s best Downhill Mountain Bike riders are looking forward to the first round of the UCI Downhill World Cup.
The best Downhill mountain bikers in the world will descend on Lenzerheide, Switzerland, from June 8th to 11th for the season’s first World Cup.
Eight UCI Downhill World Cup events will be held across the season as well as the Downhill event in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Scotland on August 4th and 5th.
National Champion Ronan Dunne and teammate Chris Cumming racing with Nukeproof Factory Racing are among six Irish riders competing in Lenzerheide this weekend to kick off their Downhill World Cup campaign. Former Junior Downhill World Champion Oisin O’Callaghan (YT MOB), Henry Kerr (Canyon CLLCTV Pirelli) and Ross Ennis (IND) will also be competing in the elite event. Callum Morris (IND) will compete in the junior event this week.
With the schedule featuring events in Austria, Italy, France, Andorra, USA and Canada, some of Ireland’s brightest lights in the discipline will be hoping to shine on the world stage this season.
The UCI Cross-country World Cup (XCO) also takes place this weekend in Lenzerheide for round two of the series with Cross-country National Champion Chris Dawson set to compete as he continues his preparation for the European Games which takes place in Krakow later this month.
2023 UCI World Cup and World Championship calendar
May 12-14: Nové Město, Czech Republic (XCO/XCC)
June 9-11: Lenzerheide (DH/XCO/XCC)
June 16-18: Leogang, Austria (DH/XCO/XCC)
June 30-July 2: Val di Sole, Italy (DH/XCO/XCC)
August 4-5: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships – Fort William, Scotland (DH)
August 9-12: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships – Glentress Forest, Scotland (XCO/XCC)
August 25-27: Vallnord, Andorra (DH/XCO/XCC)
September 1-3: Loudenvielle, France (DH)
September 7-17: Les Gets, France (DH/XCO/XCC)
September 29-October 1: Snowshoe, USA (DH/XCO/XCC)
October 6-8: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada (DH/XCO/XCC)
Where to watch
Junior category: available for free live on YouTube and the UCI Mountain Bike World Series website – also live on GCN+, Eurosport and Discovery+
Elite semi-finals: available for free live on YouTube and the UCI Mountain Bike World Series website – also live on GCN+, Eurosport and Discovery+
Finals: live on GCN+, Eurosport and Discovery+
More information on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series is available here.