Protest at the XCO World Cup: Cyclists rise up against Warner Bros.' decision

Just hours before the start of the XCO World Cup 2025, a massive protest by all the cyclists on the grid has erupted. More than 130 riders have published a statement in which they rise up against this decision and ask the organizer, Warner Brothers Discovery, to reconsider and return to the podium of 5.

A few days ago we brought you the story of why the MTB World Cup has a unique podium with the 5 fastest cyclists and we reminded you that for 2025 the organization has decided to eliminate it. But it seems that the story is not over yet. 

UCI MTB World Cup cyclists speak out against Warner Brothers Discovery and demand the return of the podium of 5

The statement has been communicated by Rebecca Henderson as the current representative and spokesperson of the cyclists, but it has been signed by 133 cyclists, practically the entire grid, with names like Nino Schurter, Jenny Rissveds, or the current world champions Alan Hatherly and Puck Pietersen, and in it the demand is clear: they want the podium of 5 to not disappear.

This is the full statement: 

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“For more than 30 years, the podium at the mountain bike World Cup has been five riders. A podium unique to mountain bike, it has provided countless riders and teams with more exposure and opportunities. It's been the breakthrough for many athletes and given life to smaller teams. Chasing a podium in our sport at the highest level has always meant a Top 5. It has added value and depth to the sport, given riders more chance to shine in the spotlight and added value to riders, teams and all of the sponsors and brands behind us who are the backbone of professional mountain bike racing.

Warner Brothers Discovery have only one reason for reducing the podium to three riders, conformity. To conform to the norm, to the other sports. A decision that has been made despite strong pushback from the athletes who are the very heart of the sport. We have been ignored and are left without a voice as the future of our sport changes.

As our fans know, mountain biking has never been about conformity, we have carved our own path since the inception of World Cup racing in the 1990’s and we want to keep our unique character. The vast majority of teams and riders feel completely unheard on this topic.

This is our sport and we won’t let conformity strip away its character! We demand the 5 rider podium in 2025!”

Reading this manifesto, it can now be deduced that the change in regulations was discussed with the cyclists themselves before it came into effect and despite their refusal, the organizer has ended up imposing it anyway. Let's not forget that Warner Brothers Discovery entered as an organizing partner of the UCI in 2023 and since then, significant changes have been made in this sport that have led us to the biggest reform of the World Cup since its creation that has come into effect this season.

Although there have been many changes and reforms, they can be summarized in an attempt to concentrate talent in fewer teams, but with more powerful funding, in order to increase competitiveness, offer more spectacle, and make the sport more attractive to a larger audience. The problem is that these measures are modifying some important pillars of competitive mountain biking and its community.

We will see what kind of response the organization offers to this request from the cyclists and what next moves come from both sides.

Here is the complete list of cyclists and teams that have signed the statement: 

1. HATHERLY Alan
2. KORETZKY Victor
3. FLÜCKIGER Mathias
4. BLEVINS Christopher
5. ALDRIDGE Charlie
6. BRAIDOT Luca
7. SCHURTER Nino
8. COLOMBO Filippo
9. AMOS Riley
10. AVONDETTO Simone
11. ANDREASSEN Simon
12. SARROU Jordan
13. SCHWARZBAUER Luca
14. FORSTER Lars
15. LIST David
16. GUERRINI Marcel
17. CULLELL ESTAPE Jofre
18. MARTIN Luca
19. AZZARO Mathis
20. PIDCOCK Thomas
21. GAZE Samuel
22. DE FROIDMONT Pierre
23. VIDAURRE KOSSMANN Martin
24. SCHELB Julian
25. TREUDLER Finn
26. LILLO Dario
27. FOIDL Maximilian
28. BASTOS GALINSKI Ulan
29. RILEY Bjorn
30. SCHUERMANS Jens
31. LILL Candice
32. KELLER Alessandra
33. RISSVEDS Jenny
34. PIETERSE Puck
35. STIGGER Laura
36. ONESTI Olivia
37. LECOMTE Loana
38. RICHARDS Evie
39. BLUNK Savilia
40. HENDERSON Rebecca
41. BATTEN Haley
42. COURTNEY Kate
43. BERTA Martina
44. FERRAND PREVOT Pauline
45. MAXWELL Samara
46. FREI Sina
47. KOLLER Nicole
48. BÖHM Kira
49. JACKSON Jennifer
50. SCHRIEVERS Lia
51. TERPSTRA Anne
52. MITTERWALLNER Mona
53. GIBSON Gwendalyn
54. URBAN Kelsey
55. SEIWALD Greta
56. MUNRO Madigan
57. MACPHEE Ella
58. GRAF Nina
59. SPECIA Giada
60. BELOMOINA Yana
61. COLLEDANI Nadir
62. PUNCHARD Cole
63. BLUMS Martins
64. BRANDL Maximilian
65. VALERO SERRANO David
66. CINK Ond?ej
67. WIEDMANN Luke
68. BOUCHARD Leandre
69. FONTANA Filippo
70. ZANOTTI Juri
71. WOODS Carter
72. RØHME Knut
73. ZALTSMAN Tomer
74. MOIR Luke
75. PHILIPP Antoine
76. RÜEGG Timon
77. FOX Sam
78. LITSCHER Thomas
79. COOPER Anton
80. FINI CARSTENSEN Sebastian
81. GLENDE Mats Tubaas
82. BAIR Mario
83. CAMPOS MOTOS David Domingo
84. DUBAU Joshua
85. GUAY Mathis
86. HOLMGREN Gunnar
87. GRIOT Thomas
88. FRANCOIS BAUDRY Thibaut
89. PEDERSEN Gustav
90. CAROD Titouan
91. ALBIN Vital
92. ROSE Ethan
93. WARD Jack
94. ACKERT Ian
95. ENGLISH Daniel
96. CARRICK-ANDERSON Corran
97. LEUGGER Seraina
98. INDERGAND Linda
99. TEOCCHI Chiara
100. BOHÉ Caroline
101. HÄBERLIN Steffi
102. CALUORI Ginia
103. HOLMGREN Isabella
104. JOHNSTON Emilly
105. NEFF Jolanda
106. CORVI Valentina
107. LÕIV Janika
108. WIEDMANN Tamara
109. GORYCKA - KURMANN Paula
110. DETILLEUX Emeline
111. PEDERSEN Sofie
112. GERAULT Léna
113. TAUBER Anne
114. EIBL Ronja
115. MACLEAN-HOWELL Ella
116. CUTHBERT Zoe
117. ?ÁBELICKÁ Jitka
118. FORCHINI Ramona
119. GOULAO HENRIQUE Raiza
120. VIDAURRE KOSSMANN Catalina
121. SCHIBLER Fiona
122. SANTOS Ana
123. DEGN Malene
124. SP?ŠNÁ Simona
125. ARSENEAULT Laurie
126. WALTER Sandra
127. LOWE Marin
128. LIPP Finja
129. HOLMGREN Ava
130. HAHN Carla
131. WAITE Sofia
132. CORTINOVIS Sara
133. BLÖCHLINGER Ronja

Teams that have joined the statement:

• Bart Brentjens - KMC Ridley MTB Racing Team
• Maxime Marotte - Origine Racing Division
• Samuel Roses - Decathlon Ford Racing Team
• Iñaki Ucin & Fran Perez - Orbea Fox Factory Team
• Tom Wickles - Ghost Factory Racing
• Ralph Näf - Thömus maxon team
• Sergio Mantecon - Mondraker Factory Racing XC
• Claudia Baudry & Sebastian Francois - Canyon CLLCTV
• Celine Hutsebaut - Lapierre Racing Unity
• Carlos Coloma - BH Coloma Team
• Henrique Avancini - Caloi / Henrique Avancini Racing
• Lukas Fluckiger - Bixs Performance Race Team
• KTM Factory MTB Team