The 2026 IXS European Downhill Cup will be seven rounds strong, kicking off in Portugal in April and closing out in Switzerland in September.
Five of the seven rounds of the 2026 IXS European Downhill Cup will be part of the Continental Series, with Fort William hosting the second round in the middle of May.
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.
#2 Fort William (GBR)
The second race will then take place in Scotland. None other than the legendary World Cup venue Fort William is on the agenda, so it’s clear that the demands on the participants will be high.
#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 of which are located in western Europe, the tour now heads east. For the first time, the former World Cup venue Szczyrk is hosting a European Cup event. The city of Bielsko Biala, with a population of around 170,000, is only a few kilometers away and guarantees a large and enthusiastic crowd.
#6 Maribor (SLO)
The sixth race will also be held in close proximity to a major city, as an old acquaintance is back. The Maribor Bike Park has been back in full swing for some time now and is all the more delighted to be hosting another huge international race.
#7 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.
Check out the IXS European Downhill Cup over on their website here.
