What is short track mountain biking?
I · Intermediate · The other cross-country formats · 5 of 6A fast mass-start race on a small circuit. The course is no longer than 2 kilometres and the race lasts 20 to 30 minutes, so riders cover many quick laps in a tight bunch. The start and finish are in the same area. At the World Cup its points count towards the cross-country standings.
How it works
- The course: "must not be more than 2 km".
- The time: "a race duration of 20 to 30 minutes".
- Start and finish: in the same area.
- Obstacles: natural or artificial obstacles only if the technical delegate or the president of the commissaires' panel has approved them.
- Who can ride: riders aged 19 or over. World championships and the World Cup have separate under-23 races.
- The 80% rule: can be applied, as in the Olympic format.
- Jerseys: short track has its own national and world champion's jerseys.
- World Cup points: the cross-country World Cup standings add the points from the short track and the Olympic-format race.
The glossary has short track, cross-country and the 80% rule.
Tricky cases
Is short track a knockout?
No. It is a single mass-start race. The knockout format is the eliminator.
Is the race a set number of laps?
No, not in the rule. The rule fixes the duration at 20 to 30 minutes and the lap at 2 kilometres or less.
Does a short track result affect the main cross-country race?
It depends on the series. At the World Cup the points from both races go into one standing. How the World Cup uses short track for the start grid is in a chapter not read in full.
Can juniors ride short track?
No, not at international events. Short track events are open to riders aged 19 or over.
Why the rule exists
Short track packs a cross-country race into the length of a television slot. With little time for gaps to open, the bunch stays together and the race is decided by positioning and a sprint, which rewards a different rider from the one who wins over an hour and a half.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic format | Laps of 3.5 to 6 km, well over an hour | UCI 4.2.001 |
| Short track | A lap of 2 km or less, 20 to 30 minutes | UCI 4.2.008 |
| World Cup | Points added to the cross-country standings | UCI 4.10.008 |
From the rule book
Union Cycliste Internationale, Cycling Regulations, Part 4: Mountain Bike Races (JCF edition 2025, amendments applying 1 January 2026), articles 4.1.005, 4.2.008, 4.2.009, 4.2.064 and 4.10.008. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: UCI Cycling Regulations, Part 4 (PDF).