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Photo: freerider.ro
UCI Continental round at Romania's MTB home venue. Bucegi, 1200 m.
30 May 2026 · Cheile Gradistei, Brașov
Cheile Grădiștei is the Romanian UCI MTB home venue — a Bucegi-foothill resort at ~1200 m hosting both the UCI Continental Series (C1/C2/C3 points-eligible XCO rounds) and the FRC Cupa României / Campionatul Național rounds on the same loop. Organised by ACS Pro Cycling on a 3.5 km, +155 m-per-lap XCO circuit under UCI MTB Part IV and FRC §5.4. Open to UCI-licensed international entrants and FRC licence holders chasing the national title.
About the venue
The venue
Cheile Grădiștei is a year-round mountain resort at ~1200 m altitude on the south side of the Bucegi massif, between the Fundata-Moeciu plateau and the Bran corridor. The on-site MTB park hosts permanent XCO, XCM, and trail loops; the XCO race loop is FRC-homologated to UCI Continental Series standard and signed on a permanent basis. Race weekends operate out of the resort itself — start/finish in the parking apron, race office in the main reception block, technical zone at the loop entry. Lift access is not relevant for XCO; riders climb every metre under power.
Same dirt, two stamps in your passport: UCI Continental on one weekend, FRC Campionat Național on another.
ACS Pro Cycling has organised the venue's UCI and CN rounds since the loop was homologated. Race direction, technical guide, course marking, and UCI commissaire liaison sit with the same race office across the calendar.
By the regs
UCI MTB Part IV + FRC §5.4 format on a 3.5 km / +155 m loop. 4 rounds across the 2026 season — UCI Continental and FRC CR/CN combined.
Race format
Lap count is set at the briefing so total race time falls in the FRC §5.4 / UCI MTB Part IV target window for each category. With a 3.5 km / +155 m loop, the cadence below is what the venue has run in recent seasons.
| Category | Laps | Target race time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elite (M/W) | 6–7 | 80–90 min | UCI Continental points on UCI rounds. National title on CN rounds. |
| U23 (M/W) | 5–6 | 70–80 min | UCI points eligible. Often combined-start with Elite. |
| Juniori (U19) | 4–5 | 60–75 min | UCI points eligible at C2 and above. |
| Cadeți (U17) | 3–4 | 45–60 min | Protection list mandatory per FRC §9.7. |
| Master 1 / 2 / 3 (M/W) | 4–5 | 60–75 min | Combined or split start by entry numbers. |
| Amatori (M/F) | 3–4 | 60–75 min | Day-licence path on FRC rounds. Not run on UCI-only weekends. |
Lap counts confirmed at the briefing. Master and Amatori starts may be combined when entries are thin; reverse-grid seeding applies.
Who races
The Cheile Grădiștei programme runs Elite, U23, Juniori, U17, Master, and Amatori (M/F). Ages computed as season year − birth year per FRC §5.4.4.
Ages 19–29 (born 1997–2007). UCI Continental Series points eligible on UCI rounds; competes for the national title on CN rounds.
Ages 19–22 (born 2004–2007). UCI points eligible. Pathway to Elite.
Ages 17–18 (born 2008–2009). UCI points eligible at C2+. Parental consent required.
Ages 15–16 (born 2010–2011). Protection list mandatory (FRC §9.7). Parental consent required.
M1 30–39, M2 40–49, M3 50–59. FRC licence holders; not eligible for UCI Continental points.
Open class for amateur-licence holders, 19+. Day-licence path on FRC Cupa României rounds; does not appear on UCI-only weekends.
Race weekend
Standard UCI / FRC XCO weekend cadence at the resort — exact times in the round's technical guide.
Vineri 29 Mai - Preluare numere
Vineri 29 Mai - Ședința tehnică
Sâmbătă 30 Mai - Preluare numere
Start U17, Master, Amatori M/F + premiere
Start Elite F, U23 F, Juniori F + premiere
Start U23 M, Juniori M + premiere
Start Elite Masculin + premiere
Cheile Grădiștei UCI / CN season
4 rounds at Cheile Grădiștei across the season — UCI Continental and FRC Cupa României / CN combined. UCI rounds award Continental points; the CN round decides the national title.
Round 1
Done· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 2
This round· Cheile Gradistei
Round 3
Upcoming· Avrig
Round 4
Upcoming· Paltinis
FAQ
UCI Continental Series is the development tier below UCI World Cup for XCO. Cheile Grădiștei rounds are classified C1, C2, or C3 by the UCI: C1 awards the largest points pool (winner ~100 pts), C2 about half, C3 about a third. Points feed the UCI MTB Elite, U23, and Juniori ranking and unlock start-grid call-up across the international calendar. Confirm the class for each round in the technical guide — the venue hosts more than one class across the season.
For UCI Continental rounds: a current UCI national-federation licence (FRC for Romanians, your home federation for foreign riders). For FRC Cupa României / CN rounds: an FRC licence (annual or day-licence at the venue for Amatori). For the National Championship round specifically: full FRC annual licence — no day-licence path. U17/U19 entrants need parental consent on file.
Registration closes at the round's published deadline. Technical guide drops 14 days out — verify your licence path (UCI vs FRC) and your category's expected lap count before you travel.
The XCO loop is 3.5 km with +155 m of climbing per lap. Lap count is set at the briefing so total race time hits the FRC §5.4 / UCI Part IV target: Elite 80–90 min, U23 70–80 min, Juniori 60–75 min, Cadeți 45–60 min, Master / Amatori 60–75 min. Recent seasons have run Elite 6–7 laps, U23 5–6, Juniori 4–5.
Cheile Grădiștei resort sits at ~1200 m on the south side of the Bucegi massif, in Fundata commune, Brașov county. By car from Brașov: about 50 km via DN1A and DN73A through Bran and Moeciu — 75 minutes in good weather. From Bucharest: ~190 km via A3 and DN73 — about 3 hours. Closest international airport is OTP (Bucharest), then road; closest regional airport is Brașov-Ghimbav (BSV).
Same loop, different rulebook layered on it. UCI rounds: UCI Continental Series classification (C1/C2/C3), UCI commissaire panel, UCI points awarded, open to international UCI-licensed riders. CN (Campionat Național) rounds: FRC-only sanctioning, decides the national title for each category, Romanian licence holders only, no Continental points awarded. Some weekends combine both — UCI run on Saturday, CN run on Sunday on the same loop.
Yes — UCI Continental Series rounds are open to any rider holding a current UCI licence issued by their national federation. Entry is processed through the UCI online system and the round's organiser portal. Foreign riders must register at least 14 days before the round (per UCI MTB Part IV) and complete commissaire check-in on race-eve. CN rounds are Romanian-only.
Cheile Grădiștei resort books out fast around UCI weekends — start-grid riders typically reserve via the race office 6–8 weeks ahead. The resort itself has on-site lodging (cabin and hotel rooms), and Fundata, Moeciu, and Bran each have a deep guesthouse inventory within 15–25 minutes by car. Race office can recommend partner accommodation in the technical guide.
Bucegi-foothill climate at 1200 m: spring rounds (April–May) can see overnight frost, daytime 8–15 °C, occasional sleet. Autumn rounds (September–October) run 5–18 °C with morning fog clearing by mid-morning. Mud is the default expectation outside high summer; loop drains well but the steeper climbs hold water. Pack a second set of kit for the second lap of practice.