Photo: freerider.ro
UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series #4 2026
UCI Continental round at Romania's MTB home venue. Bucegi, 1200 m.
30 May 2026 · Cheile Grădiștei, 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
Romania's UCI MTB home, signed on the same loop
The venue
Cheile Grădiștei resort · Bucegi foothills
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.
- Resort altitude
- ~1200 m
- Massif
- Bucegi (south face)
- Closest commune
- Fundata, Brașov
- Race loop
- 3.5 km / +155 m per lap
- Loop standard
- UCI Continental Series
- Host club
- ACS Pro Cycling
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
Round at a glance
UCI MTB Part IV + FRC §5.4 format on a 3.5 km / +155 m loop. 6 events in the 2026 season series, across MTB disciplines and age groups.
- series events in 2026
- 6
- lap length
- 3.5 km
- elevation per lap
- +155 m
- lap-out rule
- 80%
The circuit
Course map · 3.5 km loop
Permanent UCI-homologated XCO loop, 3.5 km long with +155 m of climbing per lap. Course inspection windows in the schedule. Lap count per category is set at the technical briefing and published in the round's technical guide.
Race format
Lap counts at Cheile Grădiștei
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 (M/W) | 4–5 | 60–75 min | Morning wave with U17 and Amatori. |
| Amatori (M/F) | 3–4 | 60–75 min | No racing licence required. Men 19–29 / 30–39 / 40+, women 19+. |
Lap counts confirmed at the briefing. Master and Amatori starts may be combined when entries are thin; reverse-grid seeding applies.
Who races
Categories at the venue
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.
Elite (M / W)
UCI pointsAges 19–29 (born 1997–2007). UCI Continental Series points eligible on UCI rounds; competes for the national title on CN 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+. Parental consent required.
Cadeți — U17 (M / W)
Protection req.Ages 15–16 (born 2010–2011). Protection list mandatory (FRC §9.7). Parental consent required.
Master (M / W)
No UCI pointsRaced in the morning wave together with U17 and Amatori. Not eligible for UCI Continental points.
Amatori (M / F)
No licenceOpen class, no racing licence required: men 19–29, 30–39 and 40+, women 19+. Amatori race in the morning wave of the UCI round too.
Race weekend
Schedule
Programme of the UCI Continental round at the resort — Friday practice and briefing, Saturday racing. Check the organiser's page for any changes.
- 14:00
Vineri: Preluare numere
- 15:00
Vineri: Antrenamente oficiale
- 18:00
Vineri: Sedinta tehnica
- 08:00
Sambata: Preluare numere
- 09:00
Start U17/Master/Amatori
- 11:00
Start Elite F/U23 F/Juniori F
- 13:00
Start Elite M + U23 M
- 15:00
Start Juniori M
Cheile Grădiștei UCI / CN season
Cheile Grădiștei UCI/CN MTB
6 events in this season series — not all of them XCO: the series also groups national-championship and youth races. UCI rounds award Continental points; CN races decide the national titles.
Round 1
This round01UCI 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
Done05Campionatul National de XCO 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
Round 6
Done06UEC MTB European Youth Championships 2026
· Cheile Grădiștei
FAQ
Venue, UCI rounds, CN rounds
What is the UCI Continental Series and how do C1/C2/C3 points work?
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.
Do I need an FRC or UCI licence to race at Cheile Grădiștei?
For UCI Continental rounds: a current UCI national-federation licence (FRC for Romanians, your home federation for foreign riders). Elite, U23, Juniori and U17 riders must show their FRC/UCI licence at bib pickup; the Amatori categories (19+) race without a racing licence, including at the UCI round. For the National Championship round: an FRC licence. U17/U19 entrants need parental consent on file.
How long is each lap, and how many laps does my category run?
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.
Where is Cheile Grădiștei and how do I get there?
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).
What's the difference between the UCI round and the CN round here?
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. The two run on separate weekends — in 2026 the UCI round was on 30 May and the CN XCC/XCO on 18–19 July.
Can foreign riders enter the UCI rounds at Cheile Grădiștei?
Yes — UCI Continental Series rounds are open to any rider holding a current UCI licence issued by their national federation. Entries are online only, on the organiser's site — there are no on-site entries. For the 2026 round, registration ran from 30 March to 26 May at 23:59, four days before race day. Elite, U23, Juniori and U17 riders show their licence at bib pickup. CN rounds are Romanian-only.
What's the resort accommodation situation on race weekends?
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.
What's the typical Cheile Grădiștei weather call in spring/autumn?
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.
UCI points or the national title — same loop, two rulebooks.
Entries are online only and close at the round's published deadline — verify your licence path (UCI vs FRC) and your category's expected lap count before you travel.