UCI Downhill World Cup 2026: It's starting again: On Saturday, May 2nd, the world's best downhill athletes will compete for a prestigious World Cup victory – for the first time in 25 years in Asia, more precisely: in YongPyong, South Korea. All information about the route and the event schedule can be found here!
UCI Downhill World Cup 2026 in YongPyong – Dates and Schedule
The first Downhill World Cup event of 2026 is about to begin – the two qualifying races, which determine the starting positions for the final on Saturday morning (German time), have already been completed. Very early, at 4:25 a.m. our time, the junior women will kick things off and compete in the first final race of the season. The junior men will follow at precisely 5:00 a.m., and the elite women's field will start three-quarters of an hour later. The elite men's final will then start at 7:00 a.m.
- Start Junior Women's Final 4:25 p.m.
- Start Junior Final 5:00 p.m.
- Elite Women's Final 5:45 p.m.
- Elite Men's Final 7:00 p.m.
- Live on Eurosports, HBO Max & Discovery+
Qualification results
Qualifying for Saturday morning's final is complete – the starting list for the final race is now set! In the elite women's category, Harriet Harnden of the AON Racing Team has taken first place. If she repeats this performance on Saturday, she would secure the €100.000 prize money. Gates 100k Belted Purse A challenge awaits, as AON Racing is using a bike with a Gates belt drive. Unfortunately, Nina Hoffmann didn't make it to the final race. After a crash in the first qualifying round and a seventh-place finish in the second, it wasn't enough for the German rider to reach the final.
In the men's race, Asa Vermette made a strong statement in his first elite season, securing pole position with a 1,2-second lead. The American, riding for the Frameworks Racing / TRP team, seamlessly continues his impressive performance from last year, when he won the overall Junior World Cup title. However, no German athletes will be represented in the final – Max Hartenstern and Henri Kiefer failed to qualify for the final race.
All results are summarized here: Downhill World Cup Results
Track preview featuring Jackson Goldstone
Less than 200 km south of the capital Seoul lies the Mona YongPyong ski resort. A brand-new track was built into the mountainside there specifically for the first Downhill World Cup on the Asian continent in 25 years. Open, wide sections, including large jumps, alternate with tricky, wide, and steep sections through the forest. A first preview of the track comes from the ever-reliable and current Downhill World Cup overall champion, Jackson Goldstone:
Where can I watch the World Cup event?
Since Red Bull stopped broadcasting the Downhill World Cup series (which was free at the time, mind you), Warner Bros. Discovery Sports has taken over the marketing of the races. This year, fans in Europe can follow the racing action in several ways: Eurosport broadcasts the final, and there will also be a television broadcast on Eurosport 1 planned. Also the streaming portal HBO Max It allows you to watch the races. As in previous years, you can also... Discovery + Be there live! More information is available here: www.ucimtbworldseries.com
Information and cover image: © WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series