Hi all,
What's on this year then that looks particularly fun? Any pairs/team stuff happening? Been a long time since I've had a number on an MTB! Thinking more xc stylee than gnar..
Cheers,
Paddy
Where are you in the country? That probably makes a difference.
There is a XCO season but it is quite far south. A few of us in Newcastle think the Scottish one might be more accessible!
Glentress 7 (7hr race that can be done solo or as a team). Always well run and good fun. The course has got less technical in the last couple of years but I still enjoy it.
Yorkshire mtb marathon. Low key, nice course if the weather is nice. Couple of years ago it was very, very, wet and didn't hold up well. But the few other times I've done it, it has been great.
What's happened to the XCO scene? Nutcracker went and that left a massive hole for it.
I suppose Gravel is now taking a big slice of that hole up with Dalby Grit etc, but its not XCO is it?
Sorry, Derbyshire way - edge of Peak. and thanks for info!
Also interested in this, I've not much booked in yet. I am booked onto this for a bit of fun in the mud to start the year though:
https://mayeractive.eventrac.co.uk/e/cannock-chase-winter-classic-14081 its traditional XCO format but lots of fun/sport type riders too. 7/8th March
Glentress 7 has moved to 30th May, much earlier than usual. I did 2024 and 2025 and loved it, I'm very tempted to do it again but I like to try something different. Its brilliant though if you've never done it.
I've seen Gorrick 3-6-9 too, 10th May, miles away from me but maybe an interesting alternative.
Yorkshire MTB marathon again is really good and well run, but again I've done it quite a few times so fancy something different.
If you want to try soething slighlty (but not very) gnar - Hamsterley Beast Weekend 9th May is superb. Its 'enduro' racing but mainly trail centre stuff so not too difficult. super event though.
If anyone can find some events that are not in May that would be excellent ta 🤣, and If anyone wants a pairs team mate for anything... 🖐️ !
No pairs or teams options but SSUK is in the Cotswolds in September.
SSEC is in Denmark, probably August, dates TBC.
24hr World Champs is Brazil in December.
More locally, there's 10 Under.
Just posting this : https://focusrides.co.uk/events/
There first event of this mini series was on Sunday - it was a lovely wiggly course - more corners than straights.
1 hour long event - amazingly dry course... certainly not yorkshire mud!
I think my year looks like-
10 Under the Ben, which is celebrating its 20th run on 25th April
https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/event/10-under-the-ben-2026-20-years/
Glentress 7 is back on the 30th of May
https://tweedlove.com/events/glentress-7-2/
The Galloway Hillbillies will be replacing the excellent 10 At Kirroughtree with a new endurance event, probably a 7 hour (this is my favourite event in the calendar - it's a great course and the vibes are excellent).
There's also an outside chance I'll have a crack at the Chiller 24 in Keilder on 24th October.
https://coldbrew.events/xc-mtb/chiller-24/
I race as a pair and haven't sorted out a teammate yet if you're vaguely interested @paddy0091 !
There's a gravel race series been put together this year - various locations in England and one Welsh event:
https://britishgraveltrophy.com/race-calendar/
2 and a half hour races, 15km ish laps.
Sounds good, esp given how thin the MTB race schedule has become. Gravel sportives are everywhere but shorter gravel race events in the UK haven't been that common.
No pairs or teams options but SSUK is in the Cotswolds in September.
Was going to say SSUK - great event 🙂 3 hours of all out singlespeed carnage + beer stops.
You don't even need a singlespeed - there were a few last year on geared bikes that had just chosen a gear and then wrapped tape around the shifter!
Heaven of the South (HOTS) is a great event in the South Cotswolds. 50km and 75km routes, with about 1500m of climbing on the 75km route.
Not a race as such, but more of an MTB Sportive - though you do get a number and a time. Best MTB/Cycling themed raffle too!
Thanks for the replies everyone, very helpful! Nice to see all this upcoming..
Kind offer that @munrobiker, thanks, but I'm potentially having surgery around then but shall see!
+1 for GT7, I've done other similiar events and quite simply had gone "never again" but we got free entries for the first year because of helping build the track, and so I went "well I suppose I might as welL" and it was just brilliant. There's serious racing of course and the fast guys are <fast> but somehow there's less egos, less hassle. Helps that overtaking is generally a little easier. Preferred the old track tbh but the new one's got its advantages too.
Epic Series for pairs stuff. Some folk on here have done these:
Swiss Epic: https://www.epic-series.com/races/swissepic
4Islands Croatia: https://www.epic-series.com/races/4islands
Andorra Epic: https://www.epic-series.com/races/andorra
Sorry, Derbyshire way - edge of Peak. and thanks for info!
Same as me.
Being fairly central is good for all those Glorious Gravel events that have cropped up so I'm doing a few of those including the one that uses some / most of the Gralloch course but isn't the Gralloch. I've got a feeling that if I entered the actual Gralloch, I'd still be half way around while everyone else was finishing, packing up and heading home!
Nice to see Glentress 7 back on - there were rumours that 2025 was going to be the last one, absolutely the last, never again. I've never done it but it does look great so I'll check my diary for that one.
If you want to go for pure MTB, the British Cycling XC Series is:
Lloyds National MTB Cross-Country Series
Round 1: Newnham Park, Plymouth - 28/29 March 2026
Round 2: Cannock Chase, Staffordshire - 11/12 April 2026
Round 3: Tong, Bradford - 9/10 May 2026
Round 4: Pippingford Park - Sussex 13/14 June 2026
Round 5: Margam Park, Port Talbot - 4/5 July 2026
I have no idea how categories work, it's bee years since I raced XC MTB!
I've signed up for the https://thelandbetween.co.uk/
I like the look of the Yorkshire MTB marathon posted above, might give the 80k a go, thanks
Naughty Northumbrian are running 2 enduros this year, one at the usual venue and a new event at Kielder to mark the opening of the full length Mile Down trail
https://www.naughtynorthumbrian.co.uk/getnaughtyatkielder