Lenzeheide World Cup XC/DH called off

Postponed race calendar loses a second event

Photo by: Finn Iles at 2019 Lenzerheide World Cup downhill. By Bartek Wolinski / Red Bull Content Pool

Terry McKall July 3, 2020

Race fans will have to wait a couple of weeks longer for the World Cup to return this fall. Local Swiss officials requested the Lenzerheide World Cup be cancelled for 2020.

The combined downhill and cross country weekend was set to be the first stop of a re-written World Cup calendar. The Swiss event was originally scheduled for September 4-6, 2020.

Union Cycliste Internationale’s (UCI) latest cancellation arrives exactly one month after the Val di Sole World Cup round was called off for the year.

Les Gets, France is now slated to host the opening round of World Cup racing. The combined cross country and downhill weekend is currently scheduled for September 19-20.

The UCI only recently released the reshuffled 2020 World Cup calendar.

Pauline Ferrand Prevot and Jenny Rissveds racing the 2019 Lenzerheide World Cup. Photo: Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool

What that event could look like is still up in the air. While Europe’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, other countries are still struggling to contain the outbreak.

This could prevent some top racers from attending the French World Cup round, should it take place. Notably, the European Union’s travel ban still applies to the United States, South Africa and Brazil. This would potentially exclude numerous racers, including former world champion and defending World Cup champion Kate Courtney, Aaron Gwin, Greg Minnaar, and Brazilian Henrique Avancini from competing.