What are the different kinds of mountain bike race?
B · Beginner · The cross-country race · 1 of 3There are two families. Cross-country races go up as well as down and are mostly mass-start races over laps; the Olympic format, written XCO, is the main one. Downhill and its relatives are about descending against the clock or against a few rivals. The regulations list seven groups of formats in all.
How it works
- Cross-country Olympic (XCO): a mass-start race over laps of a circuit. The Olympic event.
- Cross-country short track (XCC): the same idea on a course of no more than 2 kilometres, for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Cross-country eliminator (XCE): knockout heats of four riders on a course of 500 to 1,000 metres.
- Cross-country marathon (XCM): a long race of 60 to 160 kilometres.
- Team relay (XCR): a cross-country relay for national teams at championships.
- Stage race (XCS): cross-country races on successive days, decided on total time.
- Downhill (DH): one rider at a time down a descending course. The fastest time wins.
- Four cross (4X): three or four riders side by side down the same short course, in knockout heats.
- Enduro (EDR): several timed, mostly downhill stages linked by untimed sections.
- Pump track: timed runs and knockout heats on a small track of rollers and banked turns, ridden without pedalling.
- Also listed: snow bike and e-mountain bike events.
The glossary has cross-country, downhill, short track, the eliminator, four cross, enduro and the pump track.
Tricky cases
Is downhill an Olympic event?
No. The regulations call the cross-country race over laps the Olympic format. Which events are on a Games' programme is decided outside this Part.
Is the "Olympic" format only ridden at the Olympic Games?
No. Cross-country Olympic is the name of the format. It is raced at World Cups, championships and local events all year.
Can an e-bike be used in a mountain bike race?
No. Electrically assisted bikes are allowed only in e-mountain bike events, and riders may not use one on the course in training or competition at other events.
Do men and women race together?
No. The formats are run as separate events for men and women. In a marathon the two start with a gap between them.
Why the rule exists
The formats grew from different ways of riding off road, and each tests something different: endurance and climbing in cross-country, nerve and bike handling in downhill. Naming them and giving each a code lets a calendar and a ranking be built from events that would otherwise have little in common.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-country formats | Climbing and descending, mostly mass starts | UCI 4.1.001; UCI 4.2.001 to 4.2.016 |
| Downhill formats | Descending, against the clock or in small heats | UCI 4.3.001; UCI 4.4.001; UCI 4.5.001 |
| E-mountain bike | Pedal-assist bikes, in their own events only | UCI 4.1.041; UCI 4.8.001 |
From the rule book
Union Cycliste Internationale, Cycling Regulations, Part 4: Mountain Bike Races (JCF edition 2025, amendments applying 1 January 2026), articles 4.1.001, 4.1.041, 4.2.004, 4.2.005, 4.2.008, 4.2.010, 4.2.015, 4.4.001, 4.5.001, 4.6.001 and 4.8.001. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: UCI Cycling Regulations, Part 4 (PDF).