Here we go! The 2026 calendar for the iXS European Downhill Cup is ready and truly impressive. It runs from April to September with seven races spread across the continent. The series will feature familiar venues as well as new, yet very prestigious locations.

The iXS European Downhill Cup was launched in 2007 and has featured 92 races over the past twenty years. Seven more events will be added in the coming season, and despite this long history, it's fair to say that this is probably the best race calendar ever.

#1 Santiago de Besteiros (POR)

The season kicks off in mid-April in Santiago de Besteiros, Portugal. Although the journey is very long for most people, it is worth it in two ways, because in addition to the iXS race, which also serves as a qualifying event for the World Cup, there is another C1 race at the same location a week later.

#3 La Molina (ESP)

A new venue has been found for the third stop, but it is anything but unknown. La Molina will be joining the iXS family in the coming season. Last year, the European Championships were held in Spain's oldest winter sports resort.

#4 Les Orres (FRA)

The fourth race returns to Les Orres after the high-altitude resort in southeastern France made its debut last year. Riders and fans can look forward to a very special course and a typical French racing atmosphere.

#5 Szczyrk (POL)

After the first four stops, all in Western Europe, the route is now heading east. For the first time, Szczyrk, a former host of the 2024 and 2025 Downhill World Cup, will host the European Cup event. Szczyrk is located in a beautiful valley, near Bielsko-Biała, a city of around 170,000 inhabitants, with an extensive network of enduro cycling trails. A large and enthusiastic crowd is guaranteed.

#6 Verbier (SUI)

At the end of the long season, the action will once again head up into the Swiss mountains. Verbier, located at 1,500 meters in the beautiful Valais region, will provide a fitting finale and the perfect setting for the 2026 European Cup titles to be awarded.

As everyone can see, a top-class season lies ahead. Five of the races will be part of the Continental Series, which serves as a qualifier for the World Cup on the one hand, but also earns a lot of points for the world rankings on the other. A victory earns more points than a tenth place in the World Cup. Thus, the iXS European Downhill Cup once again more than lives up to its role as a talent factory for the future world elite.

2026 will be a great season. The European Cup offers a high-caliber race calendar with tough tracks, a family atmosphere, and exciting competitions.

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