2021 was not a different year, especially as the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic ensured that most of these competitions didn’t hold in 2020. We discuss some of the best mountain bike races 2021 under the following headings;
- Part 1: Red Bull Monserrate Cerro Abajo
- Part 2: Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo
- Part 3: UCI MTB Downhill World Cup Opener
- Part 4: UCI MTB Cross-Country World Cup Opener
- Part 5: Cross-Country and Downhiller UCI MTB World Cup
- Part 6: Crankworx Innsbruck
- Part 7: Crankworx Whistler
- Part 8: Red Bull Hardline
- Part 9: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
Part 1: Red Bull Monserrate Cerro Abajo
In February, the South American city of Bogota Colombia paid host to many mountain bikers and fans of mountain bike races from all around the world. For a competition that started recently, the Red Bull Monserrate Cerro Abajo certainly commands a lot of attention. The race is a downhill type that features bikers racing downhill on the narrow streets of Bogota.
The race started in 2020, and the second edition held in 2021. The competitors will race over a total distance of 2.4km, starting from the Cerro Monserrate Mountain which has an elevation of 3152m.
Part 2: Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo
February in South American cities is dedicated to mountain bike events and 2021 was no exception. Another mountain bike race that took place in February 2021 is the Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo. The Chilean city of Valparaiso played host to this competition and features riders making their way through and over rooftops and other man-made obstacles as they find their way to the finish line in the city centre. Valparaiso, is a UNESCO World Heritage city. The seaport city has been playing host to many urban downhill races since 2003. But the Red Bull Valparaiso Cerro Abajo is the first event to be hosted in this city since 2019, and since then, there has been no looking back.
Part 3: UCI MTB Downhill World Cup Opener
The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, sponsored by Mercedes Benz will feature more races than the last editions have. There will be eight rounds for downhill races and nine rounds for cross-country races. As a result, it means that there is a need to start the races earlier, hence the UCI MTB Downhill World Cup Opener. The downhill riders are the first to start the season with the world cup opener race. And this race will take place in the French city of Lourdes. The city has previously played host to the races in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Part 4: UCI MTB Cross-Country World Cup Opener
After the action in Lourdes, athletes made their way to the Brazilian city of Petropolis where the new World Cup races will start. Petropolis is the heartland and centre of mountain bike racing in the South American country. So it is no surprise that the World Cup season races started there. The city has played host to Brazilian nationals in the past and it is the place where Henrique Avancini established himself as a mountain bike racing star.
Because of Avancini, the popularity of mountain bike racing has grown exponentially in Brazil. And this translated into large crowds for the competition and any rider from Brazil.
Part 5: Cross-Country and Downhiller UCI MTB World Cup
A continuation of the World Cup season races, the Austrian city of Leogang plays host to the cross-country and downhill athletes for the first dual round race of 2021. The Austrian event has always been a great event for the World Cup athletes and spectators as they get to watch downhill riders make speedy and blood-chilling bends and races downhill. But the event has gotten more exciting as the organizers have decided to include the cross-country race in the 2020 edition.
Part 6: Crankworx Innsbruck
This is another exciting mountain bike race that takes place in Austria. But this time, it is in the city of Innsbruck. The competition is a part of the Crankworx World Tour that has always held for a long time. It is one of the races that mountain biking enthusiasts around the world look forward to. And this time, all attention was centred in Innsbruck, from which the tour will make festival stops at Rotorua, and Whistler. The competition takes place for five days, and these five days are packed with excitement and breathtaking races.
Part 7: Crankworx Whistler
After delivering huge doses of excitement in Innsbruck, Austria, the Crank Worx World Tour will be stopping briefly in the Canadian city of Whistler. Whistler is the original Crankworx festival location. So the enthusiasm and celebration doled out by the Canadian crowd is not surprising. Also, the return of Crankworx to Whistler means that the Red Bull Joyride is also coming back.
Part 8: Red Bull Hardline
The United Kingdom also played host to one of the biggest mountain bike races of the year. Besides, the Red Bull Hardline competition will feature some of the most talented mountain bike racers in the world. These racers will compete with monster jumps, unrelenting weather, technical puzzles, and boulder jumps in Wales, UK.
Part 9: UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
Holding in Les Gets, France, the winner will feature downhillers and cross-country racers competing within the mountain resort of Les Gets. And, the resort has been yearning for the hosting rights for another edition of the championship since it was hosted in 2019. The location has been a favourite spot for many of the racers, fans, and even ardent enthusiasts of the competition.
The location has previously held the competition in 2004, but before then, hosted World Cup races between 1996 and 2002. Also, the location allowed racers that participate in Cross Country Olympics, Downhill, Cross Country Olympic Relay, E-MTB, and Short Track Cross Country to compete against each other in the World Championships.
