In this article

• Discover the top-tier SHIMANO-sponsored teams and their exciting line-ups.
• Check out the full World Series calendar.
• Learn about what SHIMANO equipment the best riders in the world will be using, wearing and testing. 

It’s that time of year again when memories of last season’s epic racing begin to fade, and attention turns to the alarmingly quick approach of a new slew of races and faces.

After last off-season's heavy schedule of team changes and rider announcements, this winter has been a lot quieter. That said, there are a handful of awesome additions to our teams, including some big names and exciting prospects.

Once you’ve got to grips with who’s in which kit, it’s time to dig out the world map and discover where MONA Yongpyong is, and what Soldier Hollow might look like!

Three disciplines, 14 venues, new riders and old favorites. Let’s dive into it. 

• ALPECIN-PREMIER TECH / FENIX-PREMIER TECH, XC
• BMC FACTORY RACING, XC
• CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING, XC
• DEVINCI, EDR
• GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD RACING TEAM, XC / DH
• LIV FACTORY RACING, XC
• NORCO RACE DIVISION, DH
• ORBEA FOX FACTORY TEAM, XC
• ORBEA / FMD RACING, DH
• PIVOT FACTORY RACING, EDR / DH
• SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE, DH
• SCOTT DOWNHILL FACTORY, DH
• SPECIALIZED, EDR
• THÖMUS MAXON, XC
• YETI/FOX FACTORY TEAM, EDR / DH
• ALEX RUDEAU, EDR

The current crop of cross-country racers brings explosive excitement, diverse character and an incredible depth of skill and talent. Both the women’s and men’s fields feature older names with enviable experience, plus dynamic youngsters with plenty to prove. If we were betting people, we’d bet on unpredictability.

From a sea of stars, here are some to keep an eye out for:

Riding XTR groupsets & S-PHYRE footwear

We’ve lost count of the number of rainbow stripes Puck Pieterse and Mathieu van der Poel have between them, and Sam Gaze also throws a few into the pile. This is a powerhouse team of multi-disciplinary talents who won’t show up to every World Cup, but will be among the favorites when they do. 

Riding XTR groupsets & S-PHYRE footwear

CFR bring the vibes and the results. This young team bonded well in 2025 and the World Cup wins started coming in the second half of the season with Luca Martin and Charlie Aldridge scooping XCC and XCO victories. Keep an eye out for Jolanda Neff, who is on an exciting trajectory, and Cole Punchard, who won’t be scared to show his Canadian colors at the very front of the elite field. 

Riding XTR groupsets & S-PHYRE shoes

This team is a thoroughbred Swiss racing machine! Alessandra Keller is the reigning XCC World Champion and has won both the XCC and XCO overall titles in years past. Together with Mathias Flückiger, you'd be hard pressed to find more determined fighters; when the going gets tough, they get going. Along with nine World Cup wins and two overall titles, Flückiger also plays a key role in research and development for the bike and equipment. 

Riding XTR groupsets & S-PHYRE shoes

Once again mixing the Pro-Tour with the MTB world, 2x defending XCO World Champion and Paris 2024 bronze medalist Alan Hatherly headlines a strong Giant program. Jens Schuermans brings experience as a 3x Olympian and 7x elite national champion, whilst Dario Lillo and Carter Woods look to continue their ascendancy and make their mark in the elite ranks.

Riding XTR + S-Phyre shoes

This unique squad is full of exciting young talent and brilliant vibes. Look out for Ronja Blochlinger in the XCC as she looks to add more podiums to her name after a brilliant 2025 campaign. Joining Ronja in the elite ranks is new signing Maddie Munro, who will look to continue her climb toward the top ten. In the U23 category, National Champions Marin Lowe (Canada) and Tyler Jacobs (South Africa) are on the hunt for podium positions. Following a win in Lake Placid and third at World Champs, Tyler is certainly one to watch.

Riding XTR + S-Phyre shoes

A pure XC power team, BMC Factory Racing blends Swiss precision and French flair. Loana Lecomte, Jordan Sarrou and Titouan Carod bring a slew of National, European and World Championship titles. With last year’s mid-season addition of Luke Weidmann, the team also has refreshed youth and a strong future. With an unlucky run of illness and injury, 2025 wasn’t the best for these amazing athletes, but they are as motivated as ever to get back to their best this season. 

Riding XTR

Four Elite riders, four National Champions: Danish, Australian, Belgian and Canadian. The 2025 season was definitely a rollercoaster for this team, but they showed serious fight and flair to still produce some fantastic results! A World Cup and European Champs podium for Simon Andreassen, and a World Champs bronze for Jenn Jackson were among the highlights. With a strong sense of team spirit and a wealth of experience, we are excited to see what this awesome foursome can achieve in 2026. 

After the thrills and spills of 2025, we are once again set for the biggest sends, tightest margins and highest-octane entertainment. Last year, the downhill story was an epic battle between the old guard and the young guns, and with more insane junior talent knocking on the door of the elite podium, things are only going to get faster this season. For enduro, we can expect more of the popular two-day racing format, and more breakthrough performances and breathtaking backdrops.

Here’s a taste of who to watch: 

Riding XTR & SAINT groupsets

Another year, another multi-discipline program. Morgane Charre continues her impressively consistent career at the very top of gravity racing. Having won the DH World Champs back in 2012, she is still adding World Cup wins in enduro to her palmares. 2026 aims to be no different. Dylan Maples joins the team this year and adds some serious speed to the squad. A fourth place in Val di Sole last year, plus sixth at World Champs, makes him a hot tip for this season.

Riding SAINT groupsets

How to beat Jackon Goldstone: that’s the puzzle that all elite men have to piece together this year. After four wins in a row last summer, and wrapping up the overall title, albeit in uniquely dramatic fashion, Goldstone is a force to be reckoned with. He is joined at the Syndicate by new signing, Andi Kolb. The Austrian Champion is already looking at home with his new team, and is now looking to add another World Cup win to his name this season.

Riding SAINT groupsets

Two new signings add some exciting firepower to the Scott squad. Jess Blewitt brings style and big sends, and Dakota Norton will look to replicate his amazing, oh-so-close-to-winning 2024 season as he completes a full comeback from a broken hip. They join the 2x World Cup winner and 2x World Championship silver medalist, Benoit Coulanges. 

Riding XTR & SAINT groupsets, and SHIMANO footwear

This team has talent and depth, experience and youth across both DH and enduro. Richie Rude took the enduro World Championship title and Slawomir Lukasik wrapped up the World Series overall. On the DH side, Junior World Championship silver medalist, Tyler Waite, steps up to the elite ranks whilst Jonty Williamson looks set to keep the junior podiums coming. 

Riding SAINT

FMD is fielding a big team for 2026, with big ambitions. Tahnée Seagrave was back on form last year, scoring three World Cup victories, but is coming off a tough winter grappling with medical issues. We are all here supporting another Comeback Queen moment! With more time and testing on the new Orbea DH rig, we are keen to see what the unmistakably pink squad can do.  

Riding SAINT

2025 was a breakout year for Gracey Hemstreet with a maiden elite World Cup win in Loudenvielle,  followed by two (very nearly three!) more. Lina Frener also scored her first World Cup win and proved a force for the future in an incredibly strong field of junior women. Danny Hart will never not get a World Cup crowd excited, and Bodhi Kuhn’s insane raw speed is sure to do the same. Hopefully, we’ll see Erice van Leuven back in action later in the year after a big crash pre-season.

Riding SAINT + SHIMANO shoes

Remi Thirion brings unparalleled experience, epic wet-weather skills and the pace to still make a podium. Luke Meier-Smith has always had an incredible work ethic, and now a World Cup win under his belt to propel him into 2026. Together with the Jewitt brothers – Jakob on the injury comeback quest, and Dane following a solid first year in the elite ranks - the squad is looking ahead to another year of highlights.

May 1-3: Race of South Korea, South Korea (XC/DH)

May 22-24: Nové Město Na Moravě, Czechia (XC)

May 28-31: Loudenvielle-Peyragudes, France (DH/EDR)

June 11-14: Saalfelden-Leogang Salzburgerland, Austria (XC/DH/EDR)

June 19-21: Lenzerheide, Switzerland (XC/DH)

June 26-28: Val di Fassa - Trentino, Italy (EDR)

July 3-5: La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta, Italy (XC/DH/EDR)

July 8-12: Pal Arinsal, Andorra (XC/DH)

July 17-19: Aletsch Arena - Bellwald, Valais, Switzerland (EDR)

August 14-16: Haute-Savoie, France (EDR)

August 21-23: Haute-Savoie, France (XC/DH)

September 19-20: Soldier Hollow, Midway, Utah, USA (XC)

September 25-27: Whistler Mountain Bike Park, British Columbia, Canada (DH)

October 2-4: Lake Placid Olympic Sites, New York, USA (XC/DH) 

For the first time ever for XC, and the first time in 25 years for DH, there’s a World Cup in Asia: The Race of South Korea in MONA Yongpyong. It’s an extra exciting way to kick off the 2026 series, with an entirely new country and culture to add to the normal new course challenges and round one intrigue. Such is the unknown, some teams have already sent staff to check out the venue and locate amenities.

From there, things get more familiar for the bulk of the season. We’ve got the classics like Nove Mesto (CZE) for XC and Val di Fassa (ITA) for EDR, plus the newer Loudenvielle (FRA) and La Thuile (ITA) races for DH.

Les Gets (FRA) once again kicks things off after the summer break before North America enters the chat in September. Cross-country heads to Utah (USA) for a brand-new venue at Soldier’s Hollow, whilst DH stops north in British Columbia (CAN), for a long-awaited and highly anticipated Whistler World Cup. Lake Placid (USA) will close the year with hopefully another ‘all time fall time’ spectacle.

So, the stage is set and it’s almost time to start this crazy show! Let’s see who will be 2026’s top performers.