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2021 World Cup XCO season preview

Reviews, team trades and interviews after an extended, 600 day off-season

Nove Mesto World Cup XCC Bouchard Photo by: Bartek Wolinksi / Red Bull Content Pool

There are less than 30 days until the first World Cup cross country race of 2021, but over 600 days since the last overall champion was crowned. When Kate Courtney and Nino Schurter secured their titles way back in 2019 at a thrilling finale in Snowshoe, W.Va., no one could have predicted the delay that would happen next.

Now, after an abbreviated four-round World Cup fall season in 2020, racing is back. As you might expect, much has changed since Snowshoe. Red Bull breaks down the team changes, including Emily Batty’s new Canyon MTB Racing team. There’s also interviews with star riders to find out what they’ve been up to in the extended off season.

Watch the full 12-minute preview below, and get excited for 2021 World Cup XCO racing!

What’s new in XCO in 2021?

Red Bull previews its preview:

A lot can happen during the off season, especially during an off season that lasts this long. It has been more than 200 days since the MTB Cross-Country elite have battled each other between the race tape and almost 600 days since the last UCI Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup overall titles have been awarded to Nino Schurter & Kate Courtney. The two reigning champs are ready to defend their titles but so is everyone else when it comes to trying to beat them. The likes of Evie Richards, Henrique Avancini, Jordan Sarrou, Jolanda Neff, Simon Andreassen and Loana Lecomte will be hot on their tail from the first pedal stroke onwards.

Get the lowdown on what the World’s finest have been up to – from changing teams and establishing their own to training harder than ever before. One thing is certain: the start of the UCI Cross-Country World Cup in Albstadt, Germany on May 7th will be explosive!