The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) today published the list of 2025 UCI teams for mountain bike.
The teams are divided into two categories: UCI Mountain Bike Teams (2nd division) and UCI Mountain Bike World Series Teams (1st division, formerly known as UCI Elite Mountain Bike Teams).
A total of 101 teams from 22 countries (on four continents) have been registered for the coming season. The full list is published on the UCI website.
As part of the key developments in mountain bike announced last October by the UCI and the promoter of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports (see press release dated 17 October 2024), the team qualification process for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series has been redefined. Under the changes to the UCI Mountain Bike Regulations that came into force on 1st January 2025, only 1st division teams, divided into two categories - Gravity (downhill and enduro) and Endurance (cross-country and short track) - and numbering 20 for each, will be able to compete directly in the rounds of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
Fifteen of these teams (per category) have been selected on the basis of the annual team ranking, in accordance with article 4.18.002 of the UCI Mountain Bike Regulations.
In addition to these 15 teams per category, five UCI Mountain Bike Teams per format have the possibility of obtaining a wild card that will enable them to acquire UCI Mountain Bike World Series Team status for the season. Wild cards will be awarded to teams by the UCI on the basis of the following criteria:
UCI team ranking (current season and previous season);
profile of the riders in their squad;
team composition (categories represented, presence of men and women);
sponsor profile (scope of activities, international reach);
media profile (particularly on social media);
actual performance levels of team members;
achievements in the fight against doping.
UCI Mountain Bike Teams wishing to obtain a wild card for the 2025 season are invited to apply to the UCI ([email protected]) by 7 February. Applications will be assessed according to the above-mentioned criteria.