Cross-country Marathon: Endurance at Its Limit
Cross-country Marathon (XCM) is the ultimate endurance discipline, bringing together the world’s best mountain bike specialists in 2027 on a spectacular course in the heart of the Alps.
Other Mountain Bike disciplines will also feature their own UCI World Championships in 2027, as part of the programme below:
What Makes It Unique
Cross-Country Marathon (XCM) is distinguished by the length of its courses and the sustained physical effort required of riders. Competitors must combine endurance, technical skill and race strategy to manage their pace, nutrition and equipment over several hours of racing.
Key features:
- A mass start;
- The same course for both men and women;
- Distances ranging from 80 to 160 kilometres;
- Up to 4,000 metres of cumulative elevation gain;
- Technical trail features and challenging descents;
- Mountain bikes designed for endurance, combining comfort, lightweight performance and durability.
Samoëns – Grand Massif: Home of the Cross-country Marathon
Nestled in the heart of the Giffre Valley, the village of Samoëns offers an exceptional natural setting, surrounded by mountains, forests and alpine trails.
Within the Grand Massif area, with more than 400 km of trails and varied routes, the region provides an ideal playground for Cross-country Marathon, where endurance, technical skill and the discovery of breathtaking landscapes come together with every pedal stroke.
