Enough "World" In The World Cup Series?

What makes it a 'World Cup' is the riders not where the races take place. The riders are from all over the world. Well, really the industrialized world but you get what I mean.

I think there should be another Canadian track ( whistler?) and something in asia

Nagaredama wrote: What makes it a 'World Cup' is the riders not where the races take place. The riders are from all over the world. Well, really the industrialized world but you get what I mean.

Just to be devil's advocate:
So people from California and western Australia who ride all the time and train in the dust should just be expected to either move to a place with mud or just be at a solid disadvantage when all the races are in the slop in Europe?

Would you feel alright with being from a country where a lot of world cup level racers are from but where a world cup never comes by for a visit?

Nice point. I'm Brazilian and I've been to 2005 and 2006 races here in Baneario Camburiu - SC - BRAZIL.

When you say about costs to travel the world, don't be so ingenue… All the bike industries live and make your money through marketing, and world cup races is just about marketing for the big industries.

I think that we have more going under than we know and it's what matters.

I think for the next few years we're going to see different things though the money crises and so on.

The big sponsors of the UCI is who make the game ( we just saw the out take of freecaster ) so, then, when they start to see another locations as a way to raise their budget they will do it for sure.


I just think that the mentally is to old, cause when you have a world cup in different places as Brazil you see the riders training more, buy more and you show the sport in an unbelievable way… and it's what counts most for me.

I think that World Cup series should worry about getting people connected to sport and make our comunity grows.

How about a race in each continent as you've said? should be a nice way to start.

Nagaredama wrote: What makes it a 'World Cup' is the riders not where the races take place. The riders are from all over the world. Well, really the industrialized world but you get what I mean.

k.shiz wrote: Just to be devil's advocate:
So people from California and western Australia who ride all the time and train in the dust should just be expected to either move to a place with mud or just be at a solid disadvantage when all the races are in the slop in Europe?

Would you feel alright with being from a country where a lot of world cup level racers are from but where a world cup never comes by for a visit?

I'm from SoCal. How many WC racers from Europe do I see training here, lots. Aaron and Sam Hill don't seem to have a problem riding the much. Riding in the dry isn't that different from riding in the rain. It is loose no matter.

i think diverse locations make it rad. does that make it expensive for teams? probably, but it spreads the joy of mountain biking. if people don't want to travel across the world to race, they don't HAVE to and south africa is a good example of that. many elite riders do not attend that race. i always thought the world cups in arai japan and brazil were cool b/c of the local culture's influence. i think an event in china or russia would be sick.

I think a whistler world cup would be sick! or a west coast north america stop. but yea, itd be cool to see more diversity, its always rain and mud, which is exciting dont get me wrong, but some other conditions would be sick too

When was the last time there was a World Cup in the western U.S.? Bring back a race to the birth place of this sport. Colorado, Utah, Washington, California...anywhere out West!

There should be more races outside of Europe! Like in Asia, Africa, North America, etc.
And throw in an urban race or two! Then we'll see whos really the world champ

"I think that World Cup series should worry about getting people connected to sport and make our comunity grows."

Couldn't agree more.

I used to love the old Grundig days when there was something like 14 races in a season, and it would take six months to find out who had won each race as we had to wait for the next magazine to come out. I do think that a true WC should include more regions, however I think that the real stumbling block would be attracting the venues.

The current venues work because they have the infrastructure needed for a good event and is normally utilised at an international level during the ski season. To stage a quality event from scratch would cost somewhere between 500K and $1 mill, and you are only really going to see that sort of money from governments as tourism money, an their are bigger sports / events that they can put thier money into in order show off thier area.

The Canberra 'experiment' and onging events in South Africa showed that the teams will travel south of the Equator but we need more Venues to put their hand up.

With regards to the whistler option. What is in it for them? They are already hit capacity a few times throughout summer and can run events under thier own terms. e.g running races whilst keeping as many trails as possible open. If a WC were to be held in Whistler the UCI would need a clean finish line for 3 or 4 days, which would affect which trails could be ridden by punters.

Bring the World cup to the West Coast of the U.S where racing lives!

I do think there should be more regions but also a couple more races, an addition of say 2 locations would be really great.

I would love to see an Asian race like Arai, possibly something in South America (Andes), and agree that the west coast needs an event maybe Mount Hood someday or somewhere in BC...The PNW def deserves a world cup.

Even the world rally championship cant afford to come all the way down to the oceania region and race australia and in new zealand they changed to aus 1 year then race nz the next. Would be great to do something like this. Make it the first event of the year so people can sort out if they wanna go or not , maybe stop and race south africa or japan on the way back to home base

I would argue in favor of more races, more countries and more diversity regarding conditions (dirt, weather, etc) and types of tracks used (from SA to Champery). Yes, a more expensive series to participate in, but maybe take a leaf out of the (probably never getting off the ground?) DH1 book, with fewer elite teams and allow teams to not do all the races in a season, with locals competing as well. Smaller WC teams could then also focus on their local series when the worldcup goes to NZ or whatever. Best of 2 worlds?

I have always though that there's too many people racing World Cups. DH1 had the right idea. If there were less teams/people but only the very, very best (like the ASP for surfing) then you could afford to travel around the world.

Yea i always thought it was weird that the DH world cup series took place on the east coast. I mean ya its big over there, but nothing compares to the infamous northwest riding scene alone is enough of a reason. but they have their reasons for what they do.

I would love to see a round alternate between Australia and NZ every year. Maybe a fortnight before/after South Africa.

For that to happen though, our Aussie resorts need to build a world cup track. Canberra is not the answer. Our country is still very slow on the uptake and only put money into XC trails (which is also rare).

Until then, I say it would be great to see some action in NZ. They have amazing stuff over there. Outstanding acceptance of the sport and a willingness to be forward thinking.

There are too many great riders from this part of the world for there to not be a round down here somewhere.

i think i'll be sick if world cup in himalaya

who in their right mind DOESNT want a world cup in their backyard??? And lets be real- its called the WORLD cup. if the europeans (UCI) want to call it that, they ought to understand that it needs to go AROUND THE WORLD. otherwise its just a regional series, with one off satellite events, which is what we have today. Something I don't see mentioned here is the fact that a truly global race series would extend the riding (racing) season to chase the (hopefully) more optimal average weather conditions- like summer in AUS, then summer in USA, and so forth. Therefore extending the viability of a 15- 20 race schedule.
I know that seems like a lot. And sure, some teams, and racers, and def. privateers couldn't ever possibly do them all. But those that do (probably factory teams) would be competing for the prestigious WORLD CUP OVERALL CHAMPION title. The rest of us, we would all do what we could, go to the races in our regions, mix up the points chases with our local conditions knowledge, and SHARE THE FUCKING LOVE!!
--MTB in the videos, where they go to distant places and see the kids all stoked, or to the desert and help bring cash to the villages, we could do this with our industry and sport, with our culture and lifestyle, MTB could be a revolution. instead, its just a french run euro champ. which is pretty alright- i guess.
lets start with CAN, USA, BRA, and NZ. we gotta start somewhere. (look at rally!)

stinky wrote: I used to love the old Grundig days when there was something like 14 races in a season, and it would take six months to find out who had won each race as we had to wait for the next magazine to come out. I do think that a true WC should include more regions, however I think that the real stumbling block would be attracting the venues.

The current venues work because they have the infrastructure needed for a good event and is normally utilised at an international level during the ski season. To stage a quality event from scratch would cost somewhere between 500K and $1 mill, and you are only really going to see that sort of money from governments as tourism money, an their are bigger sports / events that they can put thier money into in order show off thier area.

The Canberra 'experiment' and onging events in South Africa showed that the teams will travel south of the Equator but we need more Venues to put their hand up.

With regards to the whistler option. What is in it for them? They are already hit capacity a few times throughout summer and can run events under thier own terms. e.g running races whilst keeping as many trails as possible open. If a WC were to be held in Whistler the UCI would need a clean finish line for 3 or 4 days, which would affect which trails could be ridden by punters.

Stinky....I agree with your 2nd paragraph completly, the lift is a huge advantage for the venues, but some countries do not need them because don't get "winter" sports, for example my country, is either hot as hell or wet as a river......but yet again, I believe, most of the people that have comment here, is for that to happen we need to spread the sport to the WORLD.

Andre Lamma is also correct when saying that the underground races (From the Worlds perspective, should be National Cups, ect) are gaining momentum, but then we are hit once again that the people racing in them, either are not as important to be highlighted or it seems that also the communication methods used in these days are only focusing where the "world" raiders are racing, which ultimatly are the top 10-20riders.

I also, as many have stated here, would love to have the worlds to be 8races, 3 in america (north, central and south), 3 in Europe, 1 Asia and 1 in Australia...that would definetly put the WORLD in the world cup series....

Another point here....the downhill have not explode as i wish, and this topic being discussed with all the comments is the reason....not very well spread....

Now, in the other hand, take the FMB for instance, many...tooooo many venues, with a some-what star rating on venues for the riders to choose, but will definitively will encourage them to attend some venues.

Costa Rica, right now its being blessed that in 2weeks will host the FISE, first ever in America, but I bet not many people knew that, Grannieri and Pilgrim are some on the list....this is part of my point...DH is so "centralized" in europe and US that people are loosing interest in, and the cycling companies don't invest in the other regions as they don't get the exposure they should, and those countries as the time passes by, are getting left behind in the sport.

Marcelo Gutierrez is a good example, Colombia I believe have never got a WC venue, CG spotted him, gave him the opportunity and there you have a top50 rider in the world...but have you guys ever read or hear the colombian races...how are the nationals....would there be another Marcelo Gutierrez ripping trails...who knows...you need to put them in the spot for the light to shine out....otherwise, is a long, very long and dark tunnel to get there for those countries be able to get World Cup riders and venues....but the enthusiasm does not fade, and many of those countries have a small but yet strong DH scene that as Lamma said, is underground and pretty big in those countries....

I think there should be more world involved.. just so riders wont get used to the same tracks every year