The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is pleased to unveil the calendar for the 2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup.
The 2026 edition of the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup will consist of six rounds held between February and September. Five of these were already on the calendar for the 2025 edition of the series, and a new round, organised in February in Calpe on Spain's Costa Blanca, will be added next season.
The 2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup will be contested in four countries and will cover a total of 481 kilometres of racing with 15,459 metres of elevation gain.
The 2025 edition of the Series will crown the winners of the various overall classifications on 21 September in Girona, Spain. The UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup events are also attracting growing interest in the Amateur categories (already more than 3,000 participants this year). They compete on the same course as the Elite riders, covering from 60 to 160 kilometres depending on the category and the course, in natural environments and on different types of terrain.
2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup Calendar
21 February: HERO Costa Blanca, Calpe (Spain)
9 May: Capoliveri Legend Cup, Isola d'Elba (Italy)
31 May: Naturland Andorra, Andorra (Andorra)
13 June: HERO Südtirol Dolomites, Selva Val Gardena (Italy)
26 July: Black Forest ULTRA Bike Marathon, Kirchzarten (Germany)
20 September: La Tramun Sea Otter Europe, Girona (Spain).
UCI President David Lappartient said: “The first edition of the HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup has been an undeniable success so far, and I am delighted that its five popular stopovers will once again feature on the calendar in 2026. In addition, we expand the series next year with the HERO Costa Blanca joining the calendar as the season-opener. We can look forward to another rich and exciting season of mountain bike marathon competitions, both at UCI World Cup level and for riders in the Amateur categories. Allowing the latter to participate in their own dedicated races as part of the same series is an excellent way to further promote mountain bike cross-country marathon.”
Gerhard Vanzi, responsible for organising the HERO UCI Marathon World Cup, said: “We are waiting for the last round of the 2025 HERO UCI Marathon World Cup in Girona at the end of September. We have been working swiftly in the past months to develop the circuit’s second season and to confirm this edition’s format. At this stage, I would like to thank all the local organising committees and the UCI for their support and the collaboration during this race season.”
Official website of the 2026 HERO UCI Cross-country Marathon World Cup