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Korea to host UCI Mountain Bike World Series, a first for Asia

Published: 19 Aug. 2025, 20:44 Updated: 20 Aug. 2025, 19:44

A poster for the Union Cycliste Internationale Mountain Bike World Series [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korea will host the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Mountain Bike World Series, becoming the first Asian nation to stage the event. Races will take place in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon, for three consecutive years starting in 2026.

Global Korea, the competition’s co-host, announced the plan Tuesday at a press conference in southern Seoul.

The races will take place on Mount Balwang and at the Mona Yongpyong resort. Organizers set the prize purse at 3 billion won ($2.2 million). Events include a 2.4-kilometer downhill (1.4-mile), a 3.5-kilometer cross-country Olympic, and a 1.09-kilometer cross-country short track.

Top riders will compete in Pyeongchang. Christopher Blevins, ranked No. 2 in the men’s cross-country Olympic, and Samara Maxwell, ranked No. 1 in the women’s, are among those expected to race.

The UCI Mountain Bike World Series began in 1996 and remains one of the sport’s premier competitions. This year’s tour included stops in Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, France, the United States and Canada. Organizers said the 2026 race schedule will be released soon.

“We are honored that Korea will host the event for the first time in Asia,” said Paik Un-gwang, CEO of Global Korea. “By staging it for three consecutive years, we aim to help grow mountain biking in Korea and contribute to the local economy and sports tourism.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM YOUNG-JU [[email protected]]