UCI Mountain Bike Continental Series – XCO
Melgaço will host a stage of the UCI Continental Series on February 28th and March 1st, as part of the official calendar of the International Cycling Union (UCI), establishing itself as one of the leading venues for international mountain biking.
The UCI Continental Series is a new competitive format created by the UCI to enhance access to high-performance Olympic Cross-Country (XCO) cycling. It positions itself as an intermediate level between traditional international events and top-level competitions, allowing for a more structured progression for athletes and teams towards the highest levels of the sport. The races in this series adhere to high organizational and technical standards, guaranteeing demanding, homologated courses adapted to high-level competition.
Over two days, athletes of different nationalities will compete in various categories, including elite, under-23, and junior, in a race that awards UCI points relevant to the international ranking. This setting makes the event particularly attractive to young talents transitioning to high-performance levels, as well as to professional and development teams.
The course in Melgaço explores the region’s natural characteristics, combining technical sections, challenging climbs, and fast descents, in a route that demands physical endurance, technical skill, and strategic ability. Beyond the competitive aspect, the event contributes to the promotion of Melgaço as a region for nature sports, active tourism, and sustainability.
The UCI Continental Series Melgaço promises a weekend of intense competition, sporting spectacle, and close interaction between athletes and the public, reinforcing the municipality’s position on the international mountain bike scene.
How to get Here
By car, it’s about 160 km from Porto, mostly on the highway.
If a car isn’t an option, there are some bus options:
- Auto Viação do Minho has an express bus from Porto, which runs through Viana do Castelo or Ponte de Lima.
- AVIC has regular services connecting Melgaço and Castro Laboreiro to Monção and Viana do Castelo.
- Internorte and Anpian have international routes to/from Spain and France.
The closest airport to Melgaço is Vigo Airport (VGO), which is 33.2 km away.
Other airports in the region include:
Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) (88.2 km),
Porto (OPO) (103.2 km),
A Coruña (LCG) (132.6 km).
Program
Regulation / Technical guide
Course
The course is entirely natural, technical, and diverse, challenging athletes with demanding climbs, rock gardens, jumping areas, and technical descents. This layout creates an excellent competitive environment, promising exciting moments for both participants and spectators.
The race begins on the stadium’s athletics track, leading up a small cement ramp toward the first bridge. After crossing, athletes face an initial climb, where it is crucial to be well positioned to attack the first technical downhill section, which ends with a jump. Next, another aggressive climb, with a steep incline, precedes a left turn that leads to one of the oldest rock gardens on the course. This segment, divided into three parts, is marked by highly technical rock areas.
This is followed by a medium-intensity climb, with a demanding finale composed of roots and rocks, leading to another natural rock garden. This is followed by two fast jumps, with roots and rocks remaining the predominant elements.
After passing the refreshment area, the athletes embark on a fun single track that culminates in the “carousel,” a dynamic and technical loop. Soon after, they face a root-filled climb, ending with a rocky section where handling matters.
The most demanding part of the course comes with the race’s largest rock garden: multi-line, aggressive, and highly technical. Next, a zigzag climb through narrow trails demands maximum coordination between strength and technique. The final descent leads to an area with jumps and high “S” curves, preceding the final rock garden of the route.
The last 800 meters are full throttle, with a special emphasis on the last 100 meters—a decisive climb before returning to the stadium, where time can still be gained.
Track
Rating: Black
Accumulated positive unevenness: 129m
