"It is an example of what XCO should be: technical, spectacular, but not dangerous": The Internacionales Chelva 2026 warm up engines

From February 13 to 15, 2026, the Valencian town of Chelva will once again be the epicenter of mountain biking with the celebration of a new edition of the Internacionales Chelva, an event that this year reaches its 13th edition and maintains its UCI Hors Categorie status, the highest category for events outside the World Cup circuit. Additionally, it also repeats with the UCI XCO Junior Series, establishing itself as a reference event on the international calendar.

Internacionales Chelva 2026: a race with a taste of the World Cup

Thanks to its careful organization and a circuit as technical as it is spectacular, the Internacionales Chelva have earned a reputation that attracts the best cyclists and teams from around the world every season. World champions, Olympic medalists, and World Cup winners will meet in the Valencian municipality to kick off the international calendar and present their new colors and team structures for 2026.

The Chelva Bike Racing Club, organizer of the event, will once again turn the natural environment of the circuit (4.2 km long with 132 meters of elevation gain per lap) into a true spectacle, with technical sections, explosive climbs, descents full of roots, and the iconic rock garden, a legendary section of the race. Official program and schedules

RECOMENDADO

Van der Poel wants to continue resting and is aiming for the 2026 MTB World Championships

Mont-Sainte-Anne 2025: the temple of mountain biking once again hosts the grand finale

"I made the longest wheelie in history": 150 km to set a new Guinness record

Il Lombardia 2025: schedule, route, and favorites of the last Monument of the year

We tested the Gobik Grit bib tights: one of the smartest garments in the Gobik catalog

Tadej Pogacar continues to add victories. Today, Tre Valli Varesine

The event will start on Friday, February 13 with the opening of on-site registrations, official training, and the team directors' meeting.

Saturday, February 14 will see the races for the Sub-23, Junior, and Master categories, while Sunday, February 15 will be the turn for the Elite categories, with the UCI HC Elite women's race (11:00) and Elite men's race (13:15) as the highlights of the weekend.

Registrations will remain open until February 8 at 23:59 on the event's official website, and can then be done at the race office starting on the 13th.

A technical, fast, and spectacular circuit

The Chelva course is already a classic in international XCO, with a perfect mix of natural areas, technical sections, and fast stretches that reward both technique and power. According to Maja W?oszczowska, the 2020 winner, "Chelva sets a great example of what XCO should be: technical and spectacular, but not dangerous."

The 2026 edition will feature double technical assistance and refreshment zones, ECO waste collection points, and a deployment of volunteers distributed throughout the circuit to ensure the safety of the riders.

Prizes and UCI points at stake

The Elite category (men and women) will distribute cash prizes for the top ten finishers, with €1,000 for the winners, in addition to valuable UCI points that can be decisive at the start of the season. In total, Chelva will award up to 90 UCI points to the top Elite rider and 100 points to the top Sub-23 rider, figures that explain the interest of the major teams in starting their campaign here.

In the last edition, the Internacionales Chelva brought together 668 riders from 34 countries, including 25 UCI MTB teams and 26 national champions, with a television impact of over 140,000 viewers per day and more than 3,000 on-site attendees. A testament that confirms that Chelva is not only the starting point of the XCO season, but also a true celebration of the global mountain biking community.