Downhill
Downhill MTB is a mountain biking discipline that involves descending technical trails at high speeds. Riders use specially designed bikes with long travel suspension, powerful brakes and geometry that can withstand tough terrain and offer optimal control on steep descents. In this discipline, riders face a variety of challenges, including rocks, roots, jumps, banking and tight bends, and overcoming them successfully calls for advanced technical skills. It is an exciting, high-risk discipline that attracts both amateur riders and elite competitors.
The DHI circuit at Pal Arinsal
Downhill is one of the traditional disciplines always included in the Mountain Bike World Cup at Pal Arinsal. The DHI track has varied since 2008 and in 2019 it was named the best DHI circuit of all the World Cup venues that year. Currently, this track is known as an ‘ex–WC circuit’, and its start point is at La Caubella, in the Pal resort, while its finish point is at Prat de la Ribera, in La Massana.
Innovations have been made in the DHI circuit since 2022; it is now entirely located in the Pal sector. Its start point is at Pic del Cubil and its finish point is at Fontanals, near the Pic del Cubil chair lift and ski lift. The circuit measures 2.1 km and its vertical drop is
Cross-country
Cross-country, XCO for short, is an Olympic mountain biking discipline that consists of a race on varied terrain (uphill and downhill, bends and flat stretches). It is one of the most popular disciplines and characterised by its athletic, technical nature, as it requires high levels of physical conditioning and strength, technical skill and determination.
Races vary in length, from short circuits measuring just a few kilometres to marathons of over 100 km. In the case of Olympic cross-country, which is the discipline included in the World Cups, the race is shorter and takes place on a closed, technically challenging circuit. Riders compete over various laps of the circuit.
XCO at Pal Arinsal
This is one of the traditional disciplines included in the World Cup at Pal Arinsal. Modifications have been made to the route over the years, and the current track is valued highly by all participants. The track is 4 km long and takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. The whole race can be followed from La Caubella in Pal, as it passes along the El Planell piste. It combines different types of terrains and technical challenges that put the riders to the test.
The track has a parallel route so that attendees can enjoy every stretch of the race.
Short track
Short-track, also known as XCC, is a variety of cross-country mountain biking (XC) in which races are shorter and more intense than traditional XC races. This discipline involves a shorter, more closed circuit – generally in a stadium or on a small area – with faster, more technical stretches. The circuit usually features steep climbs, fast descents, sharp turns and technical obstacles like rocks or roots. Riders have to show skill and agility when making decisions to negotiate the different stretches successfully.
XCC at Pal Arinsal
The Pal Arinsal circuit is 1.1 km long and part of the cross-country route, located in La Caubella, Pal. The race usually lasts 20–25 minutes. Intensity and effort are key in this discipline. It is an exciting event for both competitors and spectators, as the races are more dynamic and faster than in traditional cross-country.
Cross-country relay
This is an event within the cross-country discipline (XC) in which teams of riders take turns to complete part of a marked circuit on natural terrain. Unlike individual races, where a single rider completes the whole route, in cross-country relay, the teams are made up of various riders who each cover part of the total distance.
The circuit is usually very similar to individual cross-country circuits, with different obstacles and types of terrain the riders have to overcome, demonstrating both their individual skills and their group strategy.
XCR at Pal Arinsal
Pal Arinsal will host this event for the first time in the 2024 MTB World Championships. The circuit includes a stretch of the individual cross-country track and is designed to offer the best possible spectacle and accessibility for attendees. In this event, the riders complete several laps before handing over to the next teammate by touching their arm, jersey or any part of their body.
E-MTB XCO
This discipline adds a new dimension to the world of competitive mountain biking. It involves the use of mountain bikes equipped with an electric motor to assist with pedalling. The format is the same as XCO: the riders compete on a closed, technical circuit, which is shorter in this case, with each race lasting around an hour.
Using an electric bike allows the riders to take on the most technical sections more easily and maintain higher speeds on the flat or uphill stretches.
E-MTB at Pal Arinsal
Pal Arinsal will host this event for the first time in the 2024 MTB World Championships, using the XCO circuit. It will be a short format, with a lap distance of between 5 and 7 kilometres. The race will involve more technical obstacles than usual, such as rocks and much higher hills that would not be accessible for a bike without electric assistance. One of the rules is that the riders cannot change their battery, so they need to optimise the energy available to them over the course of the race.
