2023 UCI World Cup Downhill Handbook

June 9, 2023

Heading into the 2023 UCI World Cup Downhill season there have been a ton of changes including broadcasting rights changing hands from Red Bull TV to Discovery/Warner Bros, a new racing format and some additions to the TLD roster.

2023 UCI World Cup Downhill Schedule

This year, the racing broadcast will have new channels and platforms to watch on, new commentators and some potentially better camera coverage. Your viewing options vary depending on where you are located. In simple terms, GCN+ is the live streaming hub for the UCI World Cup Downhill season and will work anywhere you're located. It's also the only current option in the US for watching the elite races. After that is YouTube, which will stream the junior finals for free. Discovery+ and Eurosport, like GCN+ are paid subscriptions that will also allow you to view the elite races. However, Discovery+ and Eurosport are only available in select countries.

The racing format also receives updates this year. In year's past the week would consist of practice, timed qualifying and winner take all final format. This season the elite class will now have practice on Thursday, qualifying on Friday, and a semi-final and final race on Saturday. Only the top 60 men and 15 women will advance to the semi-final. From there, the fastest 30 men and 10 women will go to the final. Points for all three - qualifying, semi-final and final will be awarded. Winning the Elite Women's qualifying will earn the rider 50 points, the semi-final winner will take home 150 points and the final's champ will snag 200 points. The Elite Men's breakdown will be different, with 50-200-250 going to the winner of qualifying, semi-final and the final. This would allow the Elite Men's winner to net 500 points for a perfect week.

Regardless of all the big changes for 2023, the star studded TLD roster remains the same, and actually grows this season with the addition of Sian A'Hern making her return to World Cup racing and Millie Johnset and Dante Silva joining the Canyon Factory Racing program. Here's a full list of who to cheer on this season.

Canyon Factory Racing

Canyon Factory Racing Lineup

New to the team, welcome Millie Johnset

Long time TLD athlete, Dante Silva returns by way of the Canyon Factory Team

RockShox Trek Racing

Reigning World Champion Vali Höll and the Canadian National Champ Tegan Cruz

YT Mob

The Scotsman Oisin O'Callaghan and his new teammate, the Australian National Champ, Sian A'Hern

Dorval AM Commencal

Dorval Am Commencal is stacked. The overall World Cup Champ Camille Balanche, reigning EU Champion Monika Hrastnik and the two fast French men Benoît Coulanges & Baptiste Pierron.