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
The cross-country, abbreviated as XCO, is an Olympic mountain biking discipline that involves racing on varied terrain (climbs, descents, curves, and flat sections). It is one of the most popular disciplines and is characterized by its athletic and technical nature, as it requires a high level of physical fitness and endurance, as well as technical skill and determination.
Races can vary in length. In the case of Olympic cross-country, the discipline that takes place at the world championships, it features a shorter race held on a closed, technically challenging circuit. Riders compete by completing several laps of the circuit.
XCO at Pal Arinsal
It is one of the traditional events at Pal Arinsal during the World Cup. The course has evolved over time to become a circuit highly regarded by all participants. The circuit is 4 km long with an approximate duration of 1 hour and 30 minutes. You can watch the entire race from La Caubella de Pal, as it passes through the Planell trail and combines different types of terrain and technical challenges to test the riders.
The circuit has a parallel route set up so that the public can enjoy the spectacle from all sections.
Short track
Short track, also known as XCC, is a variant of cross-country mountain biking (XC) characterized by being a shorter and more intense race compared to traditional XC events. This discipline consists of riding on a shorter, closed circuit, generally in a stadium or small area, with faster and more technical sections. It usually combines steep climbs, rapid descents, tight turns, and technical obstacles such as rocks or roots. Riders must demonstrate skill and quick decision-making to tackle the different parts of the course.
XCC in Pal Arinsal
In the case of Pal Arinsal, the circuit is 1.1 km long and is located on a section of the cross-country course at Caubella de Pal. The race usually lasts between 20 and 25 minutes. Intensity and effort are two key aspects of this discipline. It is an exciting event for both competitors and spectators, as the races are more dynamic and take place at a faster pace than 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.
