The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery announce that WHOOP will be the Title Partner of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series for the next three seasons (2024-2026). The UCI Mountain Bike World Series englobes the UCI World Cup for the mountain bike formats of cross-country Olympic (XCO), cross-country short track (XCC), cross-country marathon (XCM), downhill (DHI), enduro (EDR) and E-enduro (E-EDR).
This new partnership marks an extension of a collaboration that began in 2023 between the mountain bike series and the human performance company WHOOP, which collected cutting-edge data from athletes during races via its wearable devices.
WHOOP Live enabled the presentation of these analytics during Warner Bros. Discovery’s on-screen race coverage, adding an extra dimension to live content from the series: the data enhanced race commentary, analyses and storytelling from in-studio teams allowed audiences to better connect with the sport and its riders, giving them a deeper understanding of what it takes to perform at Elite level. The expanded role of WHOOP as Title Partner of the UCI Mountain Bike World Series solidifies the company’s place in the cycling world.
The 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series will comprise 14 rounds in 10 countries across Europe, North America and South America between April and October. The first round, on 12 April in Mairiporã, Brazil, will feature cross-country Olympic (XCO) and cross-country short track (XCC) racing.
UCI President David Lappartient said: “This new partnership with WHOOP creates an important added value to the prestigious UCI Mountain Bike World Series. Thanks to the data coming in from the athletes out on the course, fans can better appreciate the tremendous physical efforts made by the best mountain bike riders in the world. The season-long UCI World Series for mountain bike is already extremely popular with enthusiasts worldwide, and that popularity will continue to grow thanks to this important collaboration between the UCI, Warner Bros. Discovery and WHOOP.”
Chris Ball, Vice President of Cycling Events at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “Game-changing insights from WHOOP into rider performance have already helped to elevate mountain bike to a whole new level by bringing fans closer to the sport and its athletes than ever before.
“We are excited to welcome back WHOOP in a new, larger role as the title sponsor of the now called WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series to aid our ongoing mission to support the continued growth of the discipline amongst new fans and to propel mountain biking into a new era.”
Jeremy Powers, former professional cyclist and Director of Sports Marketing at WHOOP said: “We’re very excited to continue our work with the UCI, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports and the UCI Mountain Bike World Series. WHOOP is a unique tool, that can be worn by anyone, including the best athletes in the world, to help them learn more about themselves so they can be their best on and off their bikes.
“By supporting the UCI Mountain Bike World Series, we’ll be part of creating lasting memories for fans. WHOOP will help push mountain bike to the next level through an innovative broadcast experience, showcasing in-depth biometric data through our all-new WHOOP Live integration. This technology showcases the feat of performance displayed by these athletes.”
About the UCI: Founded on April 14, 1900, in Paris, France, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms and for all people: as a competitive sport, a healthy recreational activity, a means of transport, and also just for fun. The UCI manages and promotes the 11 cycling disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing, BMX Freestyle, cyclo-cross, trials, indoor cycling, cycling esports, gravel and snow bike. Five of these are featured on the Olympic Games programme (road, track, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle), two in the Paralympic Games (road and track), and four in the Youth Olympic Games (road, mountain bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle). For more information: www.uci.org.
About Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports Europe represents WBD’s portfolio of sports brands, channels, and platforms in Europe. It collectively reaches 130 million people every month, engaging fans and broad audiences in more than 200 markets and in 20 languages across all platforms where consumers are spending time: free-to-air TV, pay-tv, streaming, online and social. WBD Sports Europe includes the much-loved consumer brands Eurosport, Global Cycling Network (GCN), Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN), Golf Digest and TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland, as well sports programming and content on WBD’s free-to-air TV networks and streaming on discovery+ and Max from Spring 2024 in an initial 22 markets. WBD Sports Europe completes a full 360° offer with its Events management and promotion division, which oversees 35+ events across four global championships each year and has achieved the ISO20121 certification for sustainability of event management practices.
About WHOOP: The human performance company, offers a wearable health and fitness coach to help people achieve their goals. The WHOOP membership provides best-in-class wearable technology, actionable feedback, and recommendations across recovery, sleep, training, and health. WHOOP serves professional athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, executives, fitness enthusiasts, military personnel, frontline workers, and anyone looking to improve their performance. WHOOP Unite is a comprehensive solution dedicated to supporting organizations across a wide range of industries with coaching, organizational insights, and health programs. Studies show WHOOP can positively change behavior, increase sleep, and improve physiological biomarkers. Founded in 2012, WHOOP is based in Boston and has raised more than $400 million in venture capital. The latest round of financing made WHOOP the world's most valuable standalone wearables company. Visit www.whoop.com for more information and connect with WHOOP on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.