Young trials specialists aged 9 to 16 will battle for international honours in the Polish city of Wadowice on August 9-11.
The UCI Trials World Youth Games, a traditional launching pad for the world’s Elite, celebrates its 20th edition in 2019. This year’s competition takes place just 50km from Krakow, which hosted the opening round of the UCI Trials World Cup three consecutive years (2014-2016). The historical John Paul II Square, in the centre of Wadowice, will provide the stage for the UCI Trials World Youth Games, where riders will tackle sections made up of rocks, tree logs, concrete pipes and railway sleepers.
Representing 16 countries, the 158 contenders will compete in line with the new UCI regulations which were first introduced for Elite riders at the 2017 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships then at the UCI Trials World Cup this year. Under these regulations, the objective is to collect the maximum number of points, in the allowed time, across the five sections.
The concept is simple: cross the gates without setting any foot or part of the bike, except the tyres, on the ground and collect 10 points at every gate crossed "clean”. Sixty points is the best possible score per section.
Competition will get under way on Friday August 9 with the popular teams’ event, won last year by Spain which edged out 2017 winners, the Czech Republic. Spain also dominated the individual categories except the Youth Girls, and this year will be the largest delegation in Wadowice with 30 riders. The Czech Republic, France, Japan and Great Britain also saw riders on the podium in Lazzate (Italy) in 2018 and will be looking to improve their position on this year’s medal table.