The 2026 MTB World Championships get underway: dates, schedules and where to watch

The countdown for the UCI MTB World Championship has already begun. The 2026 World Championship will take place from August 26 to 30 in Val di Sole (Trentino, Italy), a venue that will once again bring together the best specialists in the world in Olympic and gravity MTB disciplines.

2026 MTB World Championships: Dates and Times

This will be the fourth time that this Italian valley hosts the world event, following the editions held in 2008, 2016, and 2021. For almost a week, the Daolasa di Commezzadura circuit will once again become the epicenter of MTB with 17 world titles at stake across five disciplines: Olympic Cross-country (XCO), Short Track (XCC), Team Relay, Downhill (DHI), and e-MTB.

Wednesday, August 26 – e-MTB and Team Relay

The first rainbow jerseys will be decided on Wednesday, with the Elite e-MTB races. In the afternoon, it will be time for the Team Relay, the national team event.

• e-MTB Women Elite – 10:00
• e-MTB Men Elite – 11:30
• Team Relay – 17:00

Thursday, August 27 – XCO Junior and Short Track

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XCO action will begin on Thursday with the Junior categories in the morning, before one of the highlights of the World Championships takes place in the afternoon: the Short Track, with four titles up for grabs and Mathieu van der Poel entered in the Elite men’s race.

• XCO Junior Women – 09:30
• XCO Junior Men – 11:15
• XCC U23 Women – 15:30
• XCC U23 Men – 16:30
• XCC Elite Women – 17:45
• XCC Elite Men – 18:30

Friday, August 28 – Downhill qualifying

The Black Snake, one of the best-known and most demanding Downhill tracks on the international calendar, will take centre stage on Friday with the qualifying sessions.

• DHI Junior Women, qualifying – 10:30
• DHI Junior Men, qualifying – following
• DHI Elite Women, qualifying – 15:30
• DHI Elite Men, qualifying – following

Saturday, August 29 – Downhill World Championships

Saturday will see the four Downhill rainbow jerseys decided, from the Junior categories in the morning through to the Elite finals.

• DHI Junior Women – 08:45
• DHI Junior Men – 09:30
• DHI Elite Women – 13:10
• DHI Elite Men – 15:00

Sunday, August 30 – XCO World Championships

Olympic Cross-country will bring the World Championships to a close. The U23 categories will race in the morning before the two main Elite races, with the men’s event bringing the championship to an end from 15:15 onwards.

• XCO U23 Women – 09:00
• XCO U23 Men – 11:00
• XCO Elite Women – 13:00
• XCO Elite Men – 15:15

777 riders from 52 countries will compete at the 2026 MTB World Championships

The organisers have announced 777 registered riders from 52 countries, with 492 men and 285 women competing for the 17 world titles.

While the final and complete start lists for each event are yet to be released, two names are already confirmed and are set to raise the stakes in the Elite men’s XCO race: Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock will be in Val di Sole.

Pidcock will return to the discipline in which he has become a two-time Olympic champion, while Van der Poel will have another opportunity to chase one of the major titles still missing from his extraordinary palmarès.

In addition, Van der Poel is also entered in Thursday’s Elite Short Track on August 27, scheduled for 18:30. With its shorter distance and explosive nature, the race could suit the Dutchman’s characteristics particularly well.

Val di Sole is not unfamiliar territory for him either. In 2019, he won both the XCO and Short Track here during the World Cup. He will now return to the same venue with the chance to compete for two rainbow jerseys.

Where to watch the 2026 MTB World Championships

As usual, HBO Max and its associated platforms will also offer the World Championships in full, providing an alternative for those who want to follow the remaining categories and events throughout the week.