Mountain Biking: Cross Country Racing

Cross-country racing is staged on a widely varied terrain circuit, usually around 6-8 kilometres. It is a 'mass start race' and riders are not allowed any external mechanical assistance. This means riders have to carry their own tools for making any repairs that may be necessary.

The intention of this rule has been to improve the durability of products available on the market, as well as those available to the sport's elite riders. Professional level races are longer in distance, around 50 kilometres, and - as you may expect - are extremely gruelling.

Mountain Bike Enduro Racing

Enduro is a relatively new development that has been derived from Marathon mountain biking. Endurance races tend to last for 12 or 24 hours but this can vary between country or league.

There will usually be the following team categories: solo rider, pair, mixed (gender) pair, team (usually four people of the same gender), mixed team (five people of mixed gender).

Mountain Biking Resources

Along with solo and paired riders, there are often several different classes within the other categories. Only one member of the team can be on the track at any time, and the goal is not to finish first, but to complete the greatest number of laps before the end of the timed event.

Mountain Bike Marathons

Marathon is perhaps the most physically demanding form of mountain biking because riders often have to cover more than 250 kilometres in a single race. Basically it is a point-to-point discipline which means that riders have a mass start from point "A" and they finish at point "B".