We can help develop Indian talent: UCI sports director Peter Van den Abeele

Crans-Montana, swiss confederation: When mount bike made its Olympic debut at the 1996 capital of georgia Olympics, the men’s rush was 47.7 km long. Skip to the 2024 Paris Games, the course was just 4.4 km, with eight laps to race.

Technological advancements have transformed the sport. Bike designs and carbon fibre frames make machines lighter and stronger while sophisticated suspensions help riders tackle the off-road terrain. These changes have made the sport faster and more competitive. What hasn’t changed is the passion of the riders and fans which was on display at the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships here.

Peter Van den Abeele has witnessed this evolution first-hand – as an Olympian at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Games, and now as UCI Sports Director, driving the growth of the discipline.

“The sport has gone through massive changes,” Peter says. “When I was competing in the cross-country Olympics, one lap was 12 km. In my time, races lasted nearly three hours; now they’re around an hour and 25 minutes. We reduced the course length, and that’s what made mountain biking what it is today. Big destinations, massive crowds, faster races. It’s a great action to watch.”

At this year’s World Championships, UCI has combined all formats, with 27 world-title races across seven stunning destinations in the Alpine canton of Valais. Crans-Montana is hosting the Olympic cross-country (XCO) events in a spectacular alpine setting. Valais 2025 is the biggest edition in history, designed to inspire young people, boost women’s participation, and drive sustainability.

“It’s the first time we’ve bundled so many mountain bike formats. Of course, the two main ones are cross-country, which is the Olympic, and downhill. Then there are others — marathon, pump track, enduro, e-mountain bikes, etc.”

One of UCI’s priorities is to expand the sport beyond Europe. “Talent is everywhere — you just need to detect and groom it. Africa is a good example. They took second place here (Roger Suren of Namibia) in the men’s junior cross-country Olympic. Mountain bike is easy to do and safe also. It’s easily accessible off road and that goes for India as well.”

India, earlier this year, won its first continental medal in mountain biking at the Asian Championships in China — bronze in the mixed elite cross-country relay, behind China and Kazakhstan. “That’s amazing. You need to go step by step with junior talents. Our team at UCI’s World Cycling Centre here can definitely discuss bringing such talents from India to train here and prepare them for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It’s a great pathway to look at,” he said.

Switzerland is a powerhouse in mountain biking, with 10 Olympic medals. At Tokyo in 2021, the Swiss swept the women’s cross-country podium — prompting UCI to reduce maximum entries per country to two. “It’s very popular here, and when you host such a big event in a popular destination, it attracts more people and fans,” says the Belgian.

Mountain bike is cycling in its most spectacular form, riding in nature, facing steep climbs, fast descents, and technical terrain, combining endurance, power, and agility.

“People come to the mountains to spend the entire day. Here, they can walk right next to the course. That’s something we try to make possible in the Olympic format — spectator crossings, accessible trails. You can watch the racing and also enjoy the mountains.

“Many go up to the lake where there’s a spectator zone with a big screen, food and drink. People walk from the start to the top of the mountain, then return for the finish. It’s super practical for the sport, and the expo area is extremely attractive. That’s why the sport has become so big, strong, and appealing to partners as well.

“Families arrive with bike racks, parents bring young kids, and they get involved. That’s often how a youngster starts the sport. Walking the course, you see far more children off-road than on the road.”

Peter has raced across mountain bike, BMX, cyclo-cross, and road cycling.

“I call mountain biking the laboratory of cycling, where innovations and new technologies are tested. When I was an athlete, I said if you do off-road and then go to the road, you can make it because you gain technical skills to handle the bike and endurance. Now people believe it. Many riders, especially women, are competing across disciplines.”

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