The Mountain Bike World Championships begin this week in Val di Sole, Italy, taking place from August 26 to August 30, 2026.
Twenty-one events take place across five days with five disciplines featured from Cross-Country Olympic (XCO), Cross-Country Relay (XCR), Cross-Country Short Track (XCC), E-Mountain Bike (E-MTB) and Downhill (DHI).
The biggest attraction is undoubtedly the arrival of cross-format stars such as Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel. Van der Poel will be particularly keen to win the XCO, with the MTB rainbow jersey still absent from his palmarès. Alan Hatherly, Charlie Aldridge and Adrien Boichis will also be among the main contenders, making for a seriously strong men’s field.
The downhill will also be a huge feature thanks to Val di Sole’s infamous Black Snake. Vali Höll goes after a fifth consecutive elite women’s world title, but she faces the likes of Gracey Hemstreet, as well as Myriam Nicole, who beat Höll to the world title on this track in 2021. Lisa Baumann, Sacha Earnest and Marine Cabirou will also be worth watching.
The men’s downhill promises just as much as well, with defending champion Jackson Goldstone looking to retain his title on a course where he has an outstanding record. Jordan Williams, Finn Iles, Amaury Pierron and Loïc Bruni will all have something to say about that, though, making it another race that could go right down to the final run.
Below, Cycling Weekly has put together all the key information on broadcasters and live streams so you can watch the Mountain Bike World Championships 2026 wherever you are.
Quick guide to watching the Mountain Bike World Championships 2026
Can I watch the Mountain Bike World Championships 2026 for free?
The Mountain Bike World Championships are free to watch this week in select countries without a broadcaster on the UCI YouTube Channel. This includes territories such as New Zealand.
As well as this you will find free streams in European countries on VRT and RTBF in Belgium, RaiPlay in Italy and L’Equipe in France.
Coverage is geo-restricted, so if you’re not in any of these countries right now then you’ll need a VPN — more on that below.
How to watch Mountain Bike World Championships 2026 while abroad
Most streaming platforms have geo-restrictions these days, which means they only work in certain countries. But being locked out of the races is a thing of the past thanks to a VPN.
A Virtual Private Network is a piece of internet security software that can alter your device’s location, so you can unblock your usual streaming services, even when you’re abroad.
Want to know more? We have an explainer on the benefits, costs, and considerations of using a VPN…
– Should I use a VPN to watch cycling?
How to watch Mountain Bike World Championships in the UK
In the UK, the Mountain Bike World Championships will be shown on TNT Sports which is available to live stream via HBO Max. Check the schedule here.
The will also be available online and on mobile devices on HBO Max with a package price of £25.99 a month for a year’s term.
How to watch Mountain Bike World Championships in the US and Canada
For North American viewers, you will need FloBikes to stream the Mountain Bike World Championships.
In the US, FloBikes costs $39.99 a month. In Canada, a FloBikes subscription cost CA$49.99 a month, with big savings for long-term plans.
How to watch Mountain Bike World Championships in Australia
In Australia, Stan Sport will be showing the Mountain Bike World Championships.
Prices for Stan start at A$9.99/month with the Sport add-on a further A$20/month.
▶︎ Read More: How to watch cycling for free in 2026
Mountain Bike World Championships 2026 – Schedule
Wednesday, 26 August
9am – Women’s Elite E-MTB Cross-Country
10.30am – Men’s Elite E-MTB Cross-Country
4pm – Mixed Team Relay
Thursday, August 27
8.30am – Women’s Junior Cross-Country Olympic
10am – Men’s Junior Cross-Country Olympic
2.30pm – Women’s U23 Cross-Country Short Track
3.30pm – Men’s U23 Cross-Country Short Track
4.45pm – Women’s Elite Cross-Country Short Track
5.30pm – Men’s Elite Cross-Country Short Track
Friday, August 28
9:30am – Women’s Junior Downhill qualification
Followed by Men’s Junior Downhill qualification
2.30pm – Women’s Elite Downhill qualification
Followed by Men’s Elite Downhill qualification
Saturday, August 29
8.15am – Women’s Junior Downhill
9am – Men’s Junior Downhill
12.20pm – Women’s Elite Downhill
2pm – Men’s Elite Downhill
Sunday, August 30
8am – Women’s U23 Cross-Country Olympic
10am – Men’s U23 Cross-Country Olympic
12pm – Women’s Elite Cross-Country Olympic
2.15pm – Men’s Elite Cross-Country Olympic
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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