With the first round of the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series just around the corner (1-3 May in Mona Yongpyong, South Korea), we take a closer look at the flagship gravity format. Included within the overarching 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series alongside the endurance events cross-country Olympic (XCO) and cross-country short track (XCC), and its gravity counterpart enduro (EDR), downhill (DHI) is widely regarded as one of the fastest and most technically demanding mountain bike formats, combining speed, precision, and control on steep and highly technical terrain.
The DHI format explained
DHI – downhill individual – is the individual time trial format of mountain bike downhill, distinct from related gravity formats where multiple riders face-off simultaneously such as dual slalom or four-cross (4X). It is a race against the clock, where riders individually tackle a challenging descent as quickly as possible. The fastest time from the start gate to the finish line determines the winner.
While the concept is simple, the reality is highly demanding. It requires a combination of speed, power, balance, precise bike handling, decision-making, and bravery. The margin between victory and disappointment is often measured in fractions of a second.
What makes a downhill bike?
Since their inception in the 1970s, downhill mountain bikes have evolved to become highly specialised long-travel suspension machines. The rear suspension design, shock performance, front fork diameter and travel, as well as the bike’s general geometry are key elements that define the capability of the bike to manage the demanding and technical terrain. As courses have become faster, steeper, and more challenging, with larger jumps and drops, so too have bikes (and riders) become increasingly robust and specialised. Unlike in other disciplines, gravity is on the rider’s side, meaning that heavier equipment can be advantageous.
Wheels, which have evolved from 26-inch to a current mix of 27.5-inch and 29-inch formats, are also used in a mixed setup called “mullet” with a larger front wheel and smaller rear wheel. They are built to be highly durable and are fitted with a range of tyre widths, compounds, and tread patterns to suit varying conditions, balancing grip and rolling speed.
Brake performance is also a critical component of DHI bikes, with both power and modulation playing a key role in controlling speed before technical sections.
What are the courses like?
Course length, gradient, surface type, features, and technical difficulty differ across DHI tracks around the world. Natural features such as rocks, roots, and mud, combined with man-made elements, create diverse and constantly changing demands that are further influenced by weather conditions.
Each DHI track is unique. Steepness differs considerably across courses; for example, Val di Sole, Italy - host of this year’s UCI Mountain Bike World Championships - features an average gradient of 24.5%. Course length also changes significantly, with downhill tracks featured in the 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series ranging from around 1.6km at Lake Placid, USA, to approximately 2.4km at the 1199 mountain bike trail in Whistler, Canada. Total elevation loss is typically around 500m per race, although this can vary depending on the course, reaching 641 m at La Thuile, Italy. As a result, run times also shift according to the track, but typically last just a very few minutes.
The 2026 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series calendar features nine downhill rounds across a range of international venues, bringing together women and men in both the Elite and Junior categories. European rounds include established venues such as Loudenvielle-Peyragudes and Les Gets (France), Lenzerheide (Switzerland), Saalfelden-Leogang (Austria), La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy) and Pal Arinsal (Andorra). The season also introduces new venues, starting with the opening round in South Korea and a North American debut for the defining arena of modern downhill racing that is Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia, in Canada. The series will conclude at the Lake Placid Olympic Sites in the state of New York, USA.
Legends of DHI
The history of DHI has been written by a succession of legendary athletes whose performances have defined eras and inspired the generations that followed.
France’s Anne-Caroline Chausson, for example, is one of the defining figures of women’s DHI. Five-time UCI DHI World Cup overall winner between 1998 and 2002, she was renowned for her historic battles with USA’s Missy Giove, two-time overall winner, in 1996 and 1997. Chausson’s era was followed by that of Sabrina Jonnier, who continued French dominance with five overall titles between 2003 and 2010.
Rachel Atherton is the most successful woman in UCI Downhill World Cup history, with six overall titles between 2008 and 2018. In 2016 she completed a “perfect season”, winning every round of the UCI World Cup for the format. This included victory in the final race at Vallnord, Andorra, where she won by more than six seconds. Additionally, she was crowned UCI World Champion in 2016.
Austria’s Vali Höll is the current leading rider in women’s DHI, with her Junior career marked by two “perfect seasons” in 2018 and 2019, during which she won every UCI World Cup round as well as taking the Junior UCI World Championship titles. She carried that form into the Elite ranks, taking her first Elite victory in the final race of her rookie season at Snowshoe, USA, a result that secured her the first of four UCI Downhill World Cup overall titles… so far. She has since added four consecutive Elite UCI World Championships to her palmarès, including a standout victory in challenging conditions at Fort William in 2023.
A pioneer of men’s downhill, France’s Nicolas Vouilloz is a five-time UCI World Cup overall winner (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000), and a seven-time UCI World Champion. Riding during a formative period for the specialty, when downhill-specific bike design and technology were still developing, his performances helped shape the evolution of downhill and contributed to its modern form.
Building on this era, the USA’s Aaron Gwin also claimed five UCI World Cup overall titles (2011, 2012, 2015–2017). Among his most notable performances was his 2012 run at Val di Sole, where he navigated the “Black Snake” with remarkable precision and speed to win by almost eight seconds. He produced another defining moment in 2015 at Leogang. Starting his final run of the day, Gwin broke his chain almost immediately, leaving him without the ability to pedal. Despite this, through precise line choice and control, he completed the course with sufficient speed to take victory.
Another inspirational rider from the same era is South Africa’s Greg Minnaar. Three-time UCI World Cup overall winner – and the first from Africa – he secured four UCI DHI World Championship titles over the course of his career. In 2020 in Lousã, Minnaar climbed to the top step of a UCI World Cup podium for the 21st time. In doing so, he set the record for the most UCI World Cup victories and, at close to 40 years of age, became the oldest male winner in World Cup history.
Among the current field of riders, France’s Loïc Bruni stands as the most decorated, with five UCI World Championship titles and four UCI World Cup overall victories. His performances have set the benchmark for his long-time rivals as well as the new generation of riders, including reigning UCI World Champion Jackson Goldstone (CAN), who has quickly emerged as a consistent contender at the front of the field, winning four UCI World Cup races in a row last year.
As the new season approaches, it brings fresh storylines and the opportunity for new names to etch themselves into the sport’s history. With high-level rookies such as the French Alran brothers Max and Till and Asa Vermette (USA) stepping up to Elite this year, the battle will only get more intense.