page_title: Cross-country cycling
section_title: Racing
hierarchical_section_title: Cross-country cycling / Racing
caption_attribution_description: English: A picture from SEB MTB cross-country marathon on August 17, 2008 in Ergli, Latvia.
context_page_description: Cross-country cycling is a discipline of mountain biking. Cross-country cycling became an Olympic sport in 1996 and is the only form of mountain biking practiced at the Olympics.
context_section_description: Cross-country racing emphasizes endurance above technical prowess, and races vary from 30 minutes to 24 hours in length. Additionally, many mountain bike races are divided up into stages so as to span several days. Races can be either point-to-point or lap-based. Short-track cross-country consists of many very short laps so as to be spectator-friendly.
  Unlike downhill races, which are conducted in a time trial format, cross-country races traditionally feature a mass start or interval start, where riders are released in several large groups divided by age and/or ability. Races with very large fields that do not wish to stagger starts will sometimes employ a Le Mans start where racers begin by running to their bikes.
  Globally, XC racing is governed by the Union Cycliste Internationale. In the United States, it is under the purview of USACMTB a division of USA Cycling. In the United Kingdom, British Cycling is the governing body.
caption: A cross-country mountain biking race.
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