4X World Championships To Be Held in Leogang at World Cup Finals

February 4, 2013 - At its meeting in Louisville (USA) on Friday, the UCI Management Committee approved the separation of the UCI Four-Cross World Championships from the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in 2013. While the cross-country, downhill, eliminator and trials specialists will battle it out for the world titles in Pietermaritzburg (RSA) from August 26th to September 1st, the world’s best four-cross athletes will receive their rainbow jerseys in Leogang (AUT) three weeks later. The 2013 UCI Four-Cross Championships will be held in conjunction with the downhill final of the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

Explanation from UCI Off-Road Manager Mr Peter Van den Abeele:

“The extra expenses for the organiser of building a four-cross track, together with the very tight competition schedule since the introduction of the eliminator racing, are the main reasons behind this separation,” explains Van den Abeele. “In addition, Africa does not have a tradition of four-cross and we would definitely have seen a lower than usual participation if we had left the world championships for this format in Pietermaritzburg.”

He said Leogang, hosts of the 2012 Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships, was a logical replacement venue: “The fact that the worlds will return to Leogang, where there is a real four-cross vibe, could give a real boost to this format. During last year’s World Championships, the four-cross racing was spectacular and greatly appreciated by the riders, spectators and media."

“We are extremely fortunate to have two excellent organisers, Pietermaritzburg and Leogang, for the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships,” added Mr Van den Abeele.

The UCI Management Committee also awarded the 2014 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships to Hafjell and Lillehammer. The Norwegian ski resort of Hafjell hosted its first World Cup event, the final of the downhill World Cup competition, in 2012 and this will be the first time that Norway hosts the World Championships. The racing will be split between Hafjell and nearby Lillehammer.

- UCI Communication Services

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