The French ski resort of Méribel has received a vote of confidence from riders, team managers, journalists, sponsors and UCI staff in the annual “best event” awards. As well as topping the votes for the best downhill event of this year’s UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano, Méribel also placed 2nd in the vote for best cross-country and eliminator events. The honours come one year after the same venue was voted “best event” of the 2013 UCI Trials World Cup.
It was the first year on the Mountain Bike World Cup calendar for the family ski resort nestled at 1459m altitude in the Tarentaise Valley. Méribel hosted the last of nine rounds on August 23rd and 24th with a triple event: downhill (DHI), Olympic cross-country (XCO) and cross-country eliminator (XCE).
Nove Mesto, in the Czech Republic, was voted best event for XCO and XCE. The organisers of the third round of the series, which was held on May 24th and 25th, have been part of the World Cup for several years and in 2016 will host the UCI World Championships for XCO and XCE.
Third place for all three formats went to the ever-popular destination of Mont-Sainte-Anne, in Canada. It was the 24th time that the Canadian hosts organised a UCI World Cup or World Championships.