Thailand plans to host the XCE Mountain Bike World Cup, offering Thai cyclists a chance to earn Olympic qualification points.Tags: [mountain biking, Thailand, XCE World Cup, Olympic qualification, cycling]
“Sergeant Major Muek,” General Decha Hemkrasri, revealed that Thailand has drawn interest from City Mountain Bike to become a key strategic area in Asia for expanding the cross-country eliminator (XCE) mountain biking sport. The country is studying the feasibility of bidding to host an XCE World Cup event in the future to elevate competition standards and increase opportunities for Thai cyclists to accumulate world ranking points toward qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.Tags: [General Decha Hemkrasri, City Mountain Bike, Thailand, XCE, Olympic qualification]
General Decha Hemkrasri, vice president of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC), president of the ASEAN Cycling Federation (ACF), and president of the Cycling Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage, stated that following a signing ceremony to promote and develop cross-country eliminator (XCE) mountain biking between Dato Amjeet Singh Gill, ACC president, and Mr. Christophe Brunel, CEO of City Mountain Bike (CTM), Mr. Brunel expressed interest and support for Thailand to be a key strategic region to expand the popularity of XCE mountain biking.Tags: [General Decha Hemkrasri, Asian Cycling Confederation, ASEAN Cycling Federation, City Mountain Bike, XCE, Thailand]
General Decha said that discussions with City Mountain Bike, which holds the rights to organize the XCE World Cup, identified Asia—especially Southeast Asia and Thailand—as strategic areas suitable for expanding the XCE mountain bike fan base. Currently, the sport is rapidly gaining popularity in Europe. The Cycling Association of Thailand is interested in hosting an XCE World Cup event in the future because City Mountain Bike’s approach aligns with Thailand’s strategy to broaden cycling’s appeal.Tags: [General Decha Hemkrasri, City Mountain Bike, XCE, Thailand, Asia, cycling development]
“The cross-country eliminator mountain bike race requires a small competition area, with a course no longer than 700 meters, allowing obstacles to be freely designed. It can be held in urban areas, unlike the Olympic cross-country (XCO) races that need a 3.5 to 6 km circuit per lap. The race format uses an elimination system, keeping spectators engaged throughout from qualifiers to finals,” General Decha explained.Tags: [XCE format, mountain biking, urban racing, race distance, spectator engagement]
General Decha added that another advantage of hosting the XCE World Cup is increasing opportunities for Thai cyclists to earn world ranking points. Points earned in the XCE World Cup will combine with those from Olympic cross-country races to determine world rankings, which are critical for qualifying quotas to major competitions such as the Mountain Bike World Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA.Tags: [General Decha Hemkrasri, XCE World Cup, world ranking points, Olympic qualification, mountain biking]
“However, hosting a high-level XCE World Cup, while requiring less budget for venue construction compared to traditional cross-country races, involves many operational details that the Cycling Association of Thailand must carefully study. They need to weigh pros and cons and consult all stakeholders to maximize benefits in developing mountain biking standards and other advantages, ensuring the highest value and efficiency from the endeavor,” General Decha concluded.Tags: [General Decha Hemkrasri, event hosting, operational planning, cycling development, Thailand]