Photo: fisheye.ro
CR MTB XCO #5 / MTB Academy Cup 2026
Lap-based. Closed circuit. UCI-format racing on dirt.
19 September 2026 · Câmpulung Muscel, Argeș
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. 4 rounds across the 2026 season feed the National Cup and Championship.
- rounds in 2026
- 4
- 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
- XCO Standard (Elite / U23 / Juniori / Master / Amatori)4,4 km / tur↗ +/- 80 m per tur165 lei (05.08-16.08) / 175 lei (17.08-06.09) / 185 lei (07.09-13.09) / 220 lei (14.09-17.09)
- XCO Scurt (Copii U11-U15)3,1 km / tur↗ +/- 50 m per tur145 lei (05.08-17.09)
- XCO Kids (U7-U9)2,1 km / tur↗ +/- 20 m per tur145 lei (05.08-17.09)
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.
- 07:00
Start MTB Academy Cup XCO
Strada Richard, Câmpulung Muscel. Programul detaliat va fi publicat de organizator înaintea evenimentului. Dată de rezervă în caz de vreme nefavorabilă: 3 octombrie 2026.
Cupa României XCO
CR MTB XCO
4 rounds across the season. Cup points accumulate toward the FRC ranking; the host CN round decides the national title.
Round 1
Done01CR MTB XCO #1 / Aegyssus XCO 2026
· Tulcea
Round 2
Done02CR MTB XCO #2 / Triada MTB Cheile Grădiștei 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 3
Done03CR MTB XCO #4 / Medias XCO 2026
· Mediaș
Round 4
This round04CR MTB XCO #5 / MTB Academy Cup 2026
· Câmpulung Muscel
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.