10 TO TRY IN 2019
Keep your stoke topped up with these must-do races, events and challenges
1 Try out racing
Mini Downhill/Enduro
Various dates
Aimed at providing big smiles on small hills, these events are ideal for first-timers or young rippers. www.minidownhill.com
2 Soak up the festival atmosphere
’Ard Rock/’Ard Moors
02-04 August/14-15 Sept
These sister events in Yorkshire combine summer festival vibes with epic weekends of riding. www.ardrockenduro.co.uk
3 For the enduro enthusiast Tweedlove Transcend Epic
07-09 June
Hit up the UK’s first two-day, multistage uplifted enduro to tackle some of Scotland’s finest trails. www.tweedlove.com
4 Test your DH mettle UK National DH Series
Various dates
The ultimate proving ground if you want to pit yourself against the country’s best downhillers. www.britishcycling.org.uk
5 Take a holiday Megavalanche
08-14 July
This mass-start race from the top of Alpe d’Huez is a massive draw for riders from all over the world. Round up some mates for an epic week. www.ucc-sportevent.com
6 One for the bucket list Trans-Provence
16-21 June
The final Trans-Provence is a multiday,
multi-stage race on some of southern France’s finest trails and has all the ingredients for the adventure of a lifetime. www.trans-provence.com
7 Challenge yourself Wales 360
22-27 July
Advertised as “likely to be the hardest event most will have ever done” and made up of 552km (343 miles) of riding and 12,700m (vertical) of climbing over six days, this is one for the hardcore. www.wales360.com
8 One to watch live Red Bull Hardline
Dates TBC
Want to see the world’s best challenge themselves in the toughest DH race on the planet? It’s not called ‘Hardline’ for nothing. www.redbull.com
9 Old-school fun Malverns Classic
14-16 June
Relive the mountain bike party of the ’90s at the reborn Malverns Classic. Racing, brands, stands and everything mountain biking in a family festival – what’s not to love? www.malvernsclassic.com
10 Essential viewing for armchair race fans DH World Cup series
Various dates
One new venue and two classics return to the World Cup circuit for 2019. Snowshoe (USA), Maribor (SLO) and Les Gets (FRA) are sure to produce some rad racing, which will be free to view on Red Bull TV. www.redbull.com