The MTB World Cup boosts its environmental and social legacy with new measures in 2026

The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup takes a new step beyond competition and presents an expanded roadmap in terms of corporate social responsibility. Coinciding with Earth Day, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports has detailed a plan aimed at consolidating the positive impact of the circuit in the territories that host it and in the mountain bike culture itself.

The MTB World Cup launches its largest sustainability plan

Since taking on the global promotion of the UCI MTB World Cup in 2023, WBD Sports has been building a progressive strategy that now enters a new phase. After adhering to the UCI Climate Action Charter and launching the Women in Mountain Bike program, the 2026 season marks a turning point with a more structured and ambitious approach.

The new framework is articulated under the concept “Leave No Trace, Leave a Legacy,” an idea that seeks to balance the impact of large events with a lasting positive footprint. The goal is clear: Minimize any negative trace on the natural environment while generating a tangible legacy in local communities.

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The program recognizes that mountain biking is part of the future of mountain regions and, therefore, assumes a direct responsibility for its conservation. In this sense, the roadmap focuses on three main axes:

• Protection of ecosystems and natural spaces
• Strengthening the local social and economic fabric
• Creation of a sustainable long-term legacy

One of the key pillars will be the care of the trails. The strategy prioritizes their maintenance, regeneration, and protection, understanding that they are the core of both the sport and the environment of the discipline. At the same time, it values the role of local communities in the economic and social life of these regions.

Beyond what happens in the race, the plan also aims to influence the culture of elite mountain biking. To this end, it will rely on the visibility of the riders themselves as agents of change capable of promoting more sustainable practices both inside and outside of competition.

The Legacy Award is born

Among the concrete actions to be implemented in 2026 is the creation of the Legacy Award, a new recognition that will measure the level of involvement of teams, riders, and organizers.

The award will seek to identify initiatives with real impact, share best practices, and promote innovation within the World Cup ecosystem. Throughout the season, various stakeholders will be able to present their projects related to sustainability or social action.

All applications will be evaluated by a jury yet to be announced, which will select the final winner. This will be announced at the official gala of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, which will take place on October 4 in Lake Placid.

To ensure the real application of the plan, a Social Responsibility Committee has been created to coordinate all actions. It will be led by Anja Rodenbroeker, ambassador of the Women in Mountain Bike program, and Gautier De Stoppani, head of CSR strategy at WBD Sports Europe.

The committee brings together representatives from all local organizing committees, as well as specific members from each competitive format, both Endurance and Gravity. Its function will be to act as a central point for coordination, discussion, and development of initiatives within the circuit.

TrailGuard, the tool to measure impact

In support of this new structure, the development of TrailGuard, a digital platform designed to collect, centralize, and automate all information related to sustainability actions, has also been announced.

The goal is to improve the evaluation and monitoring of initiatives, facilitating more homogeneous and consistent analysis processes across all events on the calendar.

With this set of measures, the World Cup seeks to consolidate a strategic line that goes beyond the sporting spectacle. The challenge now will be to translate this theoretical framework into measurable results at each venue, season after season.