What is snow bike?

Winter cycling discipline explained

The 2026 UCI Snow Bike World Championships are imminent – the third edition takes place on 7 February –, but what exactly is snow bike? What does it involve, who are the participants, and how can you enjoy the action?

Snow bike is the ultimate winter cycling showdown, with the slopes as its stage! Combining the skill, bravery, and precise balance and judgement of downhill mountain biking with the thrill of traditional ski racing formats, it pits the world’s fastest mountain bike descenders – and athletes from other disciplines and sports – against each other and against the clock. Racing takes place down super-fast alpine runs in two electrifying race formats, attracting top level downhill riders, snow specialists and local athletes.

The 2026 UCI Snow Bike World Championships will take place in Châtel, Haute-Savoie, France. The area is popular for mountain biking in the summer, but in winter it transforms into a dedicated ski resort, with the Stade du Linga renowned for its steep, north-facing slopes and fast snow. Following the success of the first two editions, this will be the third consecutive year the event is hosted at this location.

Two events, one super Saturday

The morning is dedicated to the women’s then men’s Super-G competitions, where riders set off individually in pursuit of the fastest possible time. In the late afternoon, the action shifts to the dual slalom, with the head-to-head elimination races building up towards the floodlit evening finals.

Riders will wear their national colours and – as for mountain bike downhill competitions – will be kitted out with safety equipment such as full-face helmets, goggles and body protection. They must use the same bike for both the Super-G and dual slalom: a full-suspension mountain bike, fitted with studded tyres to grip on icy snow.

With riders competing in two events on the same day, they must carefully manage their race pace, risk strategy, and recovery, as each format places different demands on both body and mind. The winners of each format (Super-G and dual slalom) will be awarded the iconic rainbow jersey of UCI World Champion.

Super-G: high-speed race against the clock

Combining elements of ski and mountain bike downhill, snow bike’s Super-G is the longer, ‘solo’ event which sees riders tackle a series of long and medium turns at high speed as they descend to the finish line. They must follow a marked course, and pass through a series of gates.

The drops, challenging cambers and the fast, wide turns through the gates test racers' precision and control. Speed, technical skill and bravery are rewarded, while straights demand an aerodynamic position to maintain velocity. Riders must also master the weather conditions on the day, such as wind.

As in mountain bike downhill, this ‘against the clock’ time-trial format sees riders set off one at a time, in an order determined by qualifying times, with the fastest starting last. Whoever posts the fastest time takes the hot seat, and becomes the rider to beat as the remaining competitors push to depose the leader, creating a tense and dynamic finale.

Over a course of nearly 2km, and with expected run times of around two minutes, there are opportunities to recover from small mistakes, but maintaining speed remains crucial for success.

Dual slalom: head-to-head elimination racing

The dual slalom, familiar in mountain bike, translates perfectly to snow, and is directly comparable to the parallel slalom events in snowboarding and alpine skiing.

Two riders descend side by side on parallel courses in short, explosive elimination rounds. In the rounds comprising two heats, riders switch sides for the second heat to ensure fairness. The rider with the fastest combined time advances to the next round, while the slower competitor is eliminated.

With a course length of around 500 metres, each heat lasts approximately 30 seconds. Although it is a short, high-intensity sprint, the multiple rounds demand careful management of energy and recovery.

Riders are eliminated throughout the evening until the fastest two face off in the big final to decide the gold medal-winning UCI World Champion and the silver medallist. The third- and fourth-fastest compete in the small final for the bronze medal.

After practice on Friday, all the racing on Saturday 7 February can be watched live on the UCI YouTube channel. To get a sense of what to expect, take a look at previous editions:

2025 UCI Snow Bike World Championships - Super-G

2025 UCI Snow Bike World Championships - dual slalom.