After a day marked by the foot inspection, tomorrow action will kick off in Pal Arinsal with the first official trainings of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup

This afternoon, La Massana hosted a very special press conference ahead of the 11th edition of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Cross-country cyclists Thibaut François (ESP - Canyon XC Racing), Marta Cano (ESP - Massi), and Catalina Vidaurre (CHI - BH Coloma Team), together with downhill riders Valentina Roa (COL - MS-Racing) and Ángel Suárez (ESP), took part to answer different questions before this week’s competitions.

However, on this occasion the questions weren't asked by journalists, but by young two-wheel enthusiasts, including several cyclists from the Furious Club of Pal Arinsal, who had the chance to freely question the five mountain bikers.

Thus, the kids asked the riders things like how they feel right before a downhill or decisive race, how they manage nerves, or how they deal with injuries when they happen. They also wanted to know what type of training they do in the off-season or who their idols were when they were younger, among other topics.

This meeting allowed the young riders to get inspired and motivated for a future on two wheels, as well as realize that, to reach the top, it’s essential to enjoy the journey.

Foot inspection and first official trainings starting tomorrow

The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Pal Arinsal is getting closer to its official start. Today, the foot inspection took place, where the riders checked out the courses on foot before doing so by bike. Starting tomorrow, from 8:30 am, competitors will get on their bikes for the first official training sessions.

Friday will bring the first big moments of the World Cup with the U23 (10:35 am) and Elite (6:00 pm) finals of the Cross-country Short Track, along with the downhill qualifiers (12:30 pm), with Q1 and Q2 heats, where the riders will have to earn a spot for Saturday’s finals (from 11:00 am). Sunday will see the last finals with the Olympic Cross-country U23 races (from 9:00 am to 11:00 am) and Elite (from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm).