It’s World Champs time! But when are things happening? And can you stream it anywhere?
Five days of racing (26th-30th August) in the Val Di Sole area of Italy. With rainbow jerseys up for grabs in Cross-Country Olympic (XCO), Cross-Country Short Track (XCC), Cross-Country Relay (XCR), E-Mountain Bike (E-MTB) and Downhill (DHI). WIth each of these split into Elite, U23 and Junior.
A lot of racing going on.
2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships schedule
UK times as follows.
Day 1 – Wednesday 26 August
- Women’s Elite E-MTB Cross-Country (9:00)
- Men’s Elite E-MTB Cross-Country (10:30)
- Mixed Team Relay (14:00)
Day 2 – Thursday 27 August
- Women’s Junior Cross-Country Olympic (08:30)
- Men’s Junior Cross-Country Olympic (10:00)
- Women’s U23 Cross-Country Short Track (14:30)
- Men’s U23 Cross-Country Short Track (15:30)
- Women’s Elite Cross-Country Short Track (16:45)
- Men’s Elite Cross-Country Short Track (17:30)
Day 3 – Friday 28 August
- Women’s Junior Downhill – Qualification (9:30)
- Men’s Junior Downhill – Qualification (after women’s)
- Women’s Elite Downhill – Qualification (14:30)
- Men’s Elite Downhill – Qualification (after women’s)
Day 4 – Saturday 29 August
- Women’s Junior Downhill – Final (08:15)
- Men’s Junior Downhill – Final (9:00)
- Women’s Elite Downhill – Final (12:20)
- Men’s Elite Downhill – Final (14:00)
Day 5 – Sunday 30 August
- Women’s U23 Cross-Country Olympic (08:00)
- Men’s U23 Cross-Country Olympic (10:00)
- Women’s Elite Cross-Country Olympic (12:00)
- Men’s Elite Cross-Country Olympic (14:15)
How to watch any of it live
In terms of watching the events on your telly/phone/computer, as usual the BBC will be showing some of the racing via the iPlayer Red Button thingy.
Racing will also be streamed live on the UCI YouTube albeit subject to geo-blocking.Â
In the United Kingdom we can watch via Discovery+ and TNT Sports. I currently can’t work out if it’s free to stream (am assuming not).
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Cheers for the reminder and the times – that’s the post ride entertainment sorted for Sunday.
Just watched the women’s short track XC. I think it was a repeat showing of the race on TNT… Absolutely brilliant ride by Evie Richards… and a WOW really exciting photo finish! which er, we didn’t get to see due to the crap editing and NO REPLAY?? Wtf? So confused as to how sports coverage can be so shit in 2026! 🤪
In which countries is the UCI showing the racing?
Asking for my international friends (or those with a VPN)…..
Is it on the BBC at all ?
Have travelled to Italy just to avoid having to listen to Rick saying “Val di sole trentino" 5,000,000 timesÂ
It’s almost like he’s been told to say it to advertise the location they’re in…
Singapore I think is one
I was tempted to subscribe to TNT for a month then noticed you have to sign for 12 ! And the BBC aren’t showing the DH 🙄🙄🙄but looking at the I Player you can watch Shinty, guess that gets a bigger audience? 🤔
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCloqTh1nPpW13LCntQglS-Q if you happen to be in Hong Kong or Singapore..
STW humour at its best 😆Â
I see the bbc are only showing the xc on sunday.
I’m on vacation in Japan and the UCI YouTube channel has it live with English commentary.Â
It’s also on TizCycling, but that stream has been patchy in the past.Â
https://cyclingtiz.live/
Yep, even the highlights package on YouTube didn’t show the replay or photofinish. Crap.
On the other hand it was a cracking Short Course for both Charlie Aldridge and Evie Richards. Looking forward to the XC tomorrow.
Just started on iPlayer
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/l0058rmb/uci-mountain-bike-world-championships-2026-womens-elite-crosscountry
Also on TNT Sports. Might try iPlayer and see if the commentary is any better!
Lot of traffic, it’s a very bunched up start. The course looks brutal, that 4X climb up though the rock garden is harsh! Super technical. Pidcock just got around MvdP, both up in the top third or so.
Pidcock has put some serious work in.
Aldridge on a stormer, so far.
Some nice drone shots. The chainsaw noises are bloody annoying though, is that A Thing at MTB races to make loud and annoying buzzy noises like you’re wielding a strimmer or chainsaw??!
Hey MVdP, hold my beer would you old chap!!
Wow..
That pass by Aldridge on Pidcock into the big berm was a thing of beautyÂ
With Pog crocked what chance Tom can double up at road worlds! Will be a super open race
I can’t see past Remco, but would also love to see Wout go for it.
It’s laps of relatively short climbs from what I’ve seen, so maybe a TT monster or puncheur.
Remco, Wput, MvDP….Tom can beat them on his day with some luck.
I’m quite surprised that this thread hasn’t seen more action, especially on a MTB forum. Pidcock and Aldridge came first and second. And Pidcock had to do this from a third of the way down the grid with not very much MTB time this year – I thought it was an amazing result
That was a great race yesterday. Tom was cracking up in that interview :-/
The course looked amazing… is 58 too old to start XCO?!