Cross-country eliminator ''(XCE)'' is a

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which ...

race format in which four riders compete against each other over a very short course. In each heat, the two fastest riders get to the next round, while the two slower riders are eliminated from the race. It is similar to four-cross, except that the course is not downhill. Cross-country eliminator races have a maximum duration of 60 seconds. The format differs from the classic

cross-country Cross country or cross-country may refer to: Places * Cross Country, Baltimore, a neighborhood in northwest Baltimore, Maryland * Cross County Parkway, an east–west parkway in Westchester County, NY * Cross County Shopping Center, a mall in Yo ...

race both in its sprint character and the separation of the race into heats. The track itself is similar to XC tracks, going both uphill and downhill with natural and/or artificial obstacles.

History

First introduced in 2010 in Germany, the cross-country eliminator format was tested in two UCI events: in Pickering (as part of the world cup in Dalby Forest) (UK) and Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) in 2011. It was officially integrated into the World Cup in 2012 with three events in Houffalize (BEL), Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) and La Bresse (FRA). The first

UCI Mountain Bike World Cup The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup is a multi-round mountain bike racing series that is sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale. The first World Cup series – which was composed of cross-country events – was held in 1989. The Downhill Wo ...

XCE race took place on April 13, 2012 in Houffalize, Belgium and was won by

Brian Lopes Brian Thomas Lopes (born September 6, 1971, in Mission Viejo, California) is a professional mountain bike racer who specializes in four-cross. Lopes started riding BMX in his childhood and turned professional at seventeen years old.Lopes/McCorm ...

(USA), and Annie Last (UK). The discipline was removed from the World Cup after 2014, then reintroduced in 2017. The first

UCI Mountain Bike World Championships The UCI Mountain Bike World Championships are the world championship events for mountain bike racing in the disciplines of cross country, downhill, and four-cross. They are organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the governing ...

XCE race was held on September 9, 2012 in Saalfelden, Austria. First Eliminator UCI World Championship Ralph Naef was the first world champion in 2012 in Saalfelden. In 2013 in Pietermaritzburg it was Paul Van Der Ploeg who became world champion. Fabrice Mels took the world championshiptitle in 2014 in Lillehammer. In 2017, the event was moved to the new

UCI Urban Cycling World Championships The UCI Urban Cycling World Championships are the world championship events for freestyle BMX, cross-country eliminator, and Mountain bike trials, trials. They are organised by the Union Cycliste Internationale, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI ...

History

See also

References

Further reading