May 22, 2019 - Electric-bike racing has officially arrived and will be front and center this year at legendary Mont-Ste-Anne, Que. with the announcement by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) that an e-MTB race category will be part of the 2019 Mountain Bike World Championships.
The sport has grown so quickly that cycling’s governing body made the announcement last September during the 2018 Road Worlds in Innsbruck, Austria. New specialties, including the e-mountain bike, snow bike and pump track, have been integrated into the official Mountain Bike Regulations, according to the UCI.
Elite e-MTB men’s and women’s races will be held on the same 7.3km course that traditional XCO riders compete on. The UCI has imposed equipment guidelines that disallow throttles, and motors have been limited to assisting up to 25 kph.
Equal prize money is up for grabs, including $1,685 for first, $1,150 for second and $550 for third. Winners will also receive the inaugural e-MTB World Championship jersey that will be specially designed by the UCI. The final distances have yet to be released, but the UCI did indicate that the races will be 1.5 to 2 hours in length.
At press time, U.S Cycling announced that the first sanctioned Class 1 e-MTB races sponsored by Bulls and ePowered by Bosch will be held at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, Calif. In Europe, a large number of events have already added an e-bike category to road and MTB races.
However the electric-bike frenzy has been embraced by the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) as well, with plans to host its own e-MTB events alongside its motorcross Grand Prix series, beginning in Imola, Italy in August.
Since both governing bodies aim to use the same Class 1 limited e-bikes, putting them in direct competition, a controversy has erupted. The UCI has issued a formal statement announcing that it considers Elite-level e-MTB events are strictly under its jurisdiction, adding that UCI-licensed riders participating in FIM events risk “disciplinary measures.” Yet FIM still plans to go ahead with its e-MTB events, claiming there’s no conflict.
Some pundits suggest the marketplace will ultimately decide, while others say that FIM is focused on motocross racing and will not pose a threat to the UCI’s agenda. One thing that is certain is that e-bikes are making their mark and are here to stay. – CH
