[Update] Complete schedule: 2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships
How to watch as Canadians chase medals in Lenzerheide, Switzerland this week
A thrilling year of downhill and cross country racing concludes this week at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
For five days, racers will contest for the title of world champion in XCO and downhill, from Junior to Elites. The Swiss venue is familiar with international racing, having hosted World Cup events in the past. This year, Lenzerheide steps up to the big show, handing out the rainbow jerseys to be worn throughout the 2019 season.
RELATED: Canada announces roster for the 2018 mountain bike world championships
Canada has sent a strong team to Lenzerheide, capable of great results in across disciplines. Emily Batty, with a string of five straight World Cup podiums leading into world championships, is the rider many are watching for a top Canadian performance. Last year in Cairns, Australia, though, it was Squamish’s Miranda Miller who surprised the pre-race favourites to claim Canada’s first downhill world championship in 20 years.
As for watching the action live back home in Canada, the news isn’t great. There is currently very limited events that can be legally viewed from your couch here at home. Update: It appears Saturday and Sunday’s Elite events will now be available for live / replay viewing in Canada on RedBull TV
FloBikes subscribers can access some live coverage from Friday 9 September through Sunday the 10th. It is not clear which events exactly will be covered, but based on start times it looks like the U23 XCO races and Elite XCO and DH races on the weekend.
UCI will be showing the XC Relay live on Wedneday 5 September. It will also live stream the U23 Men’s and Women’s XCO championships on Friday 7 September. Those three events can be watched on the UCI YouTube channel.
Saturday and Sunday’s Elite final’s events are live on Red Bull TV, just not in Canada. Like 2017 World Championships in Cairns, Aus., the Red Bull broadcast will be georestricted in Canada. If you can get around that georestriction, Saturday and Sunday’s Elite Men’s and Women’s events – Downhill and XCO – will be broadcast as the World Cup’s have been all season. Update: It appears Saturday and Sunday’s Elite XCO and Downhill events will now be available in Canada live and in replay on RedBull TV
If you have the technical know-how to get Swiss TV channel SRF / RTSsport on your screen here in Canada, the local station will have more comprehensive coverage. XCO Team Relay, U23 Men’s and Women’s XCO, Elite Men’s and Women’s XCO, and Elite Men’s and Women’s Downhill will all be broadcast on SRF Sport.
If you’re less technologically savvy, or don’t want to resort to illegal streaming, your options are limited. Tesults for all events, including qualifying rounds, can be followed live on UCI’s Tissot Timing website. You can also follow the UCI’s Twitter feed for semi-regular updates during and after races throughout the week.
For a full list of local broadcasters that will be showing racing live, or on a delay from Lenzerheide, check the UCI’s broadcaster list here.
2018 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships – Lenzerheide, Switzerland
Wednesday, 5 September 2018
XCO Team Relay (5:30-6:45pm Switzerland / 8:30am Vancouver / 11:30am Toronto) [LIVE]
Thursday, 6 September 2018
Women’s Junior XCO (2:00-3:30pm Switzerland / 5:00am Vancouver / 9:00am Toronto)
Men’s Junior XCOÂ (4:30-6:00pm Switzerland / 7:30am Vancouver / 10:30am Toronto)
Friday, 7 September 2018
Qualification – Junior’s Downhill (10:15-11:15am Switzerland / 1:15am Vancouver / 4:15am Toronto)
Qualification – Elite Downhill (11:30am – 12:45pm Switzerland / 2:30am Vancouver / 5:30am Toronto)
Women’s U23 XCO (2:30 – 3:45pm Switzerland / 5:30am Vancouver / 8:30am Toronto) [LIVE]
Men’s U23 XCO (4:00pm – 5:45pm Switzerland / 7:00am Vancouver / 10:00am Toronto) [LIVE]
Saturday, 8 September 2018
Women’s Elite XCO (12:30-2:00pm Switzerland / 3:30am Vancouver / 6:30am Toronto)
Men’s Elite XCO (3:30 – 5:00pm Switzerland / 6:30am Vancouver / 9:30am Toronto)
Sunday, 9 September 2018
Women’s Junior Downhill (09:30-10:00am Switzerland / 12:30am Vancouver / 3:30am Toronto)
Men’s Junior Downhill (10:15-11:15am Switzerland / 1:15am Vancouver / 4:15am Toronto)
Women’s Elite Downhill (1:00-2:00pm Switzerland / 4:00am Vancouver / 7:00am Toronto)
Men’s Elite Downhill (2:30-3:45pm Switzerland / 5:30am Vancouver / 8:30am Toronto)
