More than 120 elite cross-country athletes and 13 top-tier World Cup teams have signed a formal rider statement addressed to Warner Bros. Discovery, calling for the return of the iconic five-rider podium at UCI Mountain Bike World Cups.
Since the 1990s, the five-person podium has been a defining part of the sport’s identity, offering more athletes a chance to stand in the spotlight and giving sponsors, teams, and smaller programs vital exposure. But in late 2024, UCI and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a controversial shift to a three-rider podium format—aligning mountain biking with other mainstream sports and, according to many riders, diluting its unique character.
In response, a large coalition of World Cup athletes and team representatives have voiced strong opposition, claiming the change was implemented without proper consultation. Their unified message: the sport’s individuality matters, and riders want to preserve what makes mountain bike racing special.
Rider statement as follows
“For more than 30 years, the podium at the mountain bike World Cup has been five riders. A podium unique to mountain bike, it has provided countless riders and teams with more exposure and opportunities. It’s been the breakthrough for many athletes and given life to smaller teams. Chasing a podium in our sport at the highest level has always meant a Top 5. It has added value and depth to the sport, given riders more chance to shine in the spotlight and added value to riders, teams and all of the sponsors and brands behind us who are the backbone of professional mountain bike racing.
Warner Brothers Discovery have only one reason for reducing the podium to three riders, conformity. To conform to the norm, to the other sports. A decision that has been made despite strong pushback from the athletes who are the very heart of the sport. We have been ignored and are left without a voice as the future of our sport changes.
As our fans know, mountain biking has never been about conformity, we have carved our own path since the inception of World Cup racing in the 1990’s and we want to keep our unique character. The vast majority of teams and riders feel completely unheard on this topic.
This is our sport and we won’t let conformity strip away it’s character! We demand the 5 rider podium in 2025!“
