Photo: Dragoș Dumitru / triadamtb.ro
Campionatul National de XCO 2026
Lap-based. Closed circuit. UCI-format racing on dirt.
19 July 2026 · Cheile Grădiștei, Brașov
Multi-lap, mass-start, gun-to-line racing on a closed 4-6 km circuit. The Romanian XCO calendar feeds the Olympic pipeline — Cadeți → Juniori → U23 → Elite — under FRC §5.4 and UCI MTB Part IV. Licensed riders only at the National Championship; Cupa României rounds open Master and Open Amator entries.
About the discipline
A federation championship under UCI rules
By the regs
Round at a glance
Standard FRC §5.4 / UCI MTB Part IV format. 6 rounds across the 2026 season feed the National Cup and Championship.
- rounds in 2026
- 6
- recommended lap length
- 4–6 km
- start-line grid (UCI §4.3.005)
- 8 m
- lap-out rule
- 80%
The circuit
Course map
Closed 4-6 km lap, marked with course tape, feed and tech zones called out below. Course inspection windows in the schedule. Lap count per category is published in the technical guide.
Distances
Cheile GrădișteiShow on map
Race format
Lap counts by category
Lap count is set at the briefing so total race time falls in the FRC §5.4 target window for each category. Final numbers are published in the technical guide, but here's the cadence to expect.
| Category | Laps | Target race time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elite (M/W) | 5–7 | 80–90 min | UCI points at C1/C2 rounds. Front of the start grid. |
| U23 (M/W) | 5–6 | 70–80 min | UCI points eligible. Often combined-start with Elite. |
| Juniori (U19) | 4–5 | 60–75 min | Pathway to U23. UCI points at C2 and above. |
| Cadeți (U17) | 3–4 | 45–60 min | Protection list mandatory per FRC §9.7. |
| Youth A / B (U15 / U13) | 2–3 | 30–45 min | Scaled circuit at most hosts. Parental consent. |
| Master 1 / 2 / 3 (M/W) | 4–5 | 60–75 min | Combined or split start by host. May opt up to Open. |
| Open Amator (19+) | 3–4 | 60–75 min | Day-licence path at most Cupa României rounds. |
Lap counts are organiser-set per briefing. Categories may be combined when fields are thin; reverse-grid seeding applies on combined starts.
Who races
Categories (FRC §5.4.4)
Same age ladder as UCI MTB Part IV. M and W race separately within each. Calculated as season year − birth year.
Elite (M / W)
UCI pointsAges 19–29 (born 1997–2007). UCI-points eligible at C-class rounds.
U23 (M / W)
UCI pointsAges 19–22 (born 2004–2007). UCI-points eligible. Pathway to Elite.
Juniori — U19 (M / W)
UCI points C2+Ages 17–18 (born 2008–2009). UCI-points eligible at C2+. May opt up to U23 for the season.
Cadeți — U17 (M / W)
Protection req.Ages 15–16 (born 2010–2011). Protection list mandatory at this age (FRC §9.7).
Youth A — U15 (M / W)
Scaled circuitAges 13–14 (born 2012–2013). Scaled circuit and equipment per FRC §5.4.4.
Master 1 / 2 / 3 (M / W)
M1 30–39, M2 40–49, M3 50–59. May opt up to Elite for the season — locked at round 1.
Open Amator (19+)
OpenOpen class for amateur-licence holders. Day-licence path on Cupa României rounds. Cannot race in a higher-tier category in the same season.
Race weekend
Schedule
Standard FRC XCO weekend cadence — exact times in the round's technical guide.
- 10:00
CN E-MTB
- 11:30
CN XCO Master Masculin + Amatori Masculin
- 11:32
CN XCO Juniori Feminin + U17 Feminin + Master Feminin + Amatori Feminin
- 14:00
CN XCO Elite Masculin + U23 Masculin
- 14:03
CN XCO Juniori Masculin + U17 Masculin + Elite Feminin + U23 Feminin
- 16:00
Festivitate de premiere
Cupa României XCO
Cheile Grădiștei UCI/CN MTB
6 rounds across the season. Cup points accumulate toward the FRC ranking; the host CN round decides the national title.
Round 1
Done01UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series #4 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 2
Done02CN MTB Copii / PlayRide Kids XCO Cheile Grădiștei 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 3
Done03Campionatul Național Downhill 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 4
Done04Campionatul National de XCC 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 5
This round05Campionatul National de XCO 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 6
Done06UEC MTB European Youth Championships 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
FAQ
Format and regulations
Do I need an FRC licence?
Yes for the National Championship; yes for Cup-points accumulation. Cupa României rounds offer a day-licence path for Open Amator entrants. U17/U19 entrants need parental consent on file.
What's the 80% rule?
A rider whose first-lap time exceeds 80% slower than the leader's first lap is pulled at the end of that lap into the 80% zone — unless the leader is on their final lap. Source: UCI MTB Part IV; FRC mirrors for national rounds.
How many laps does my category run?
Lap count is set at the briefing so total race time hits the FRC §5.4 target: Elite 80–90 min, U23 70–80 min, Juniori 60–75 min, Cadeți 45–60 min, Youth A/B 30–45 min, Master / Open 60–75 min. See the lap-counts table above for typical numbers.
Can I race up a category?
Category is set by birth-year ladder (FRC §5.4.4). Up-categorising — e.g. a Cadet riding Juniori — is only allowed when categories are formally combined by the organiser with FRC agreement. U19 and Master may opt up to U23 or Elite respectively for the season; choice locks at round 1.
Where are the feed and tech zones?
Marked on the course map. Assistance and feeding only there, only from one designated feeder per rider, feeder stationary while the rider moves forward (UCI Part IV §4.3). Eyewear and bottle exchanges, mechanical assistance — all in-zone.
When do registrations close?
Online registration opens at least 20 days before each round on the organiser's site and on the FRC 'Înscrieri' page. Late entries depend on capacity; the technical guide publishes the closing time.
What's the start-grid format?
8 m start line per UCI §4.3.005. Call-up by UCI / FRC ranking; first call typically 15 min before start. Reverse-grid seeding applies when categories are combined.
What gear is required?
Helmet always (DH-homologation NOT required for XCO — half-shell is standard). Number plate on bars, transponder issued at registration. Protection list (FRC §9.7) mandatory for U15/U17. No water bottles outside the feed zone; no shortcuts.
Sight the lap. Set the cadence.
Registration closes at the round's published deadline. Technical guide drops 7-14 days out — check feed-zone positions and lap counts before you travel.
Related events
- MTB Uphill to Curmatura 2026Zărnești, Brașov
- Gentlemen's Race 2026Brașov, Brașov
- UCI Continental Series #5 - Cheile Grădiștei 2026Cheile Gradistei, Brașov
- CR MTB XCO #2 / Triada MTB Cheile Grădiștei 2026Cheile Grădiștei, Brașov
- UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series #4 2026Cheile Grădiștei, Brașov
- Regional Development Cup 2026Cheile Grădiștei, Brașov