For one weekend this September, the eyes of the mountain biking world will turn toward Heber Valley.
On September 19–20, 2026, some of the world’s best mountain bikers will descend on Soldier Hollow for the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series presented by Scott Sports. Athletes from around the globe will compete on the same mountains that have made this valley a destination for elite outdoor competition—and they’ll be doing it right here in our backyard.
And while the racers are the stars of the show, this is about more than bikes.
It’s an opportunity for Heber Valley to welcome the world.
From Olympic Legacy to Mountain Bike Mecca
Soldier Hollow has been welcoming world-class athletes for more than two decades. As one of the primary venues for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, it hosted cross-country skiing and biathlon and established itself as a place where extraordinary athletes come to compete.
Today, that Olympic legacy continues—on two wheels.
The Soldier Hollow mountain bike course will put elite athletes to the test with steep climbs, technical terrain and high-speed sections. The weekend will feature two disciplines: Cross-country Olympic (XCO), a mass-start, multi-lap race that typically lasts 80–90 minutes for elite competitors, and Cross-country Short Track (XCC), a shorter, faster race lasting roughly 20–25 minutes.
In other words: bring your cowbell. This is not your average Sunday bike ride.
The event also builds on Soldier Hollow’s successful hosting of the 2024 Pan American Mountain Bike Championships, further establishing the venue as a premier destination for international cycling competition.
A Big Weekend for a Small Valley
When an international sporting event comes to town, the impact reaches well beyond the course.
Athletes arrive with coaches and support teams. Fans travel to watch their favorite riders. Media members need places to stay, eat and work. Visitors fill gas tanks, grab coffee, shop, explore and experience everything the valley has to offer.
That makes an event like the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series an important local economic opportunity—and a chance to showcase the Heber Valley businesses that make our community special.
Our hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, retailers, outfitters, service businesses and attractions all become part of the welcome.
This is what it looks like when our community becomes the destination.
And for visitors arriving from around the country and around the world, a mountain bike race may be what brings them here—but the Heber Valley experience is what they’ll remember.
Cheer on the World
The best part? You don’t have to travel across the globe to experience world-class competition.
It’s coming to us.
Head to Soldier Hollow on September 19–20 and watch Olympic-caliber athletes battle their way around the course. Cheer for the Americans. Pick a favorite international rider. Bring the kids. Bring your friends. Bring plenty of enthusiasm.
Among the athletes with a special connection to our region is Haley Batten, the Park City native and Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist who has trained at Soldier Hollow. Her presence is a reminder that some of the very best athletes in the world have deep roots in Utah’s mountains.
For young cyclists in Heber Valley, seeing that level of competition up close can be especially meaningful. Today’s spectators may be watching tomorrow’s Olympians.
A Heber Valley Welcome
There’s something pretty wonderful about watching the world arrive in a place we get to call home.
We know these mountains. We know the trails. We know the drive through the valley, the views from the Wasatch Back and the little places worth stopping along the way.
Now, for one September weekend, we get to share it.
So let’s give these athletes, teams and visitors the kind of welcome Heber Valley does best.
Welcome to Heber Valley.
Come for the racing. Stay for the mountains. Explore our businesses. Eat local. Shop local. And while you’re here, cheer on some of the most talented mountain bikers on the planet.
The world is coming to our backyard. Let’s show them what makes Heber Valley special.
WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series
September 19–20, 2026
Soldier Hollow Sport Discovery Center | Midway, Utah
For event and spectator information, visit the official WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series event page
Learn more about our local Team Soldier Hollow Mountain Bike Team https://hebervalleylife.com/dream-big/
