Cross-country eliminator (XCE) is a mountain bike race format in which four riders compete against each other on a very short course. In each heat, the two fastest runners move on to the next round, while the two slowest runners are eliminated from the race. It is similar to four-cross, except that the course is not downhill.
Alexandra Engen and Ralph Näf were the first XCE World Champions in 2012 in Saalfelden. In 2017 the event was moved to the new UCI Urban Cycling World Championships. From 2017 to 2018 it was included in the program of the urban cycling world championships, while from 2019 it is included in a specific world championship.
HISTORY
First introduced in 2010 in Germany, the cross-country eliminator format has been tested in two UCI events: in Pickering (as part of the world cup in Dalby Forest) (UK) and Nove Mesto na Morave ( CZE) in 2011. It was officially integrated into the World Cup in 2012 with three events in Houffalize (BEL), Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE) and La Bresse (FRA).
The first XCE race of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup took place on 13 April 2012 in Houffalize, Belgium, and was won by Brian Lopes (USA) and Annie Last (UK). The discipline was removed from the World Cup after 2014, then reintroduced in 2017.
