FULL 2026/2027 SCHEDULE IS HERE!
Now in its 11th year, this series has delivered some of the BEST XC racing in the country.
The Vic Champs Series is a 6-race series held over summer at some of Victoria’s best racing venues. The variety of courses, terrain and technical challenge will mean that to be the series Victor a rider will be a true all rounder. Strength’s will be used, weaknesses exposed as riders push each other to be better. This is TRUE RACING
In this season Aus Cycling License’s will ONLY be needed at the Eildon Aus Cycling Victorian State Championship Round. All others will not require any form of license to compete.
We will also this year have 2 events that are a brand new XC 20/20 format. This will see riders challenge over a 20km course. Rider can choose to only do 1 Lap and will be given a 115% time adjustment based on their 1 lap time for the days placing. Lap cutoff times will also be in place
2026/27 SEASON
- Prelude – Mount Avoca Winery – 13 November 2026 – XCC Short Course – Eliminator
- Round 1 – Mount Avoca Winery – 14 November 2026 – Traditional XCO (No Aus Cycling Membership needed)
- Round 2 – Mount Avoca Winery – 15 November 2026 – Traditional XCO (No Aus Cycling Membership needed)
- Round 3 – Yackandandah – 16 January 2027 – Traditional XCO (No Aus Cycling Membership needed)
- Round 4 – Yackandandah – 17 January 2027 – XC 20/20 format (No Aus Cycling Membership needed)
- Round 5 – Lake Eildon – 13 February 2027 – Aus Cycling Victorian State Championshipos
- Round 6 – Buxton – 14 February 2027 – XC 20/20 format (No Aus Cycling Membership needed)
Avoca Short Course Prologue
The Avoca Short Course Prologue is an exciting start to the Vic Champs weekend at Mount Avoca Winery. Riders will take on a fast-paced short course format featuring three 10-minute heats plus one lap, with the top 25% advancing to a 15-minute plus one lap final. It’s a high-energy race designed to test speed, skill, and consistency while setting the tone for the weekend ahead.
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About the series
The Victorian XCO MTB Series is focused on rebuilding and bringing back XCO racing to Victoria
A race series held over multiple weekends of summer, the season is aiming to help provide pathways for riders of all levels and backgrounds to come together, compete and have a fantastic time in a positive environment.
You can either aim to battle it out with the best, or come riding and plug away to achieve the rewarding feeling of finishing the ride.
Your training doesn’t need to be too extreme to achieve a finish in these events and you can try to improve on your skill and fitness as the series progresses throughout the summer.
Here’s the upcoming calendar or check out the FAQs below to find out more about the race format, rules and categories of race.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE XCO RACE FORMAT
XCO or Cross country Olympic Format is one of the most common disciplines of mountain biking. Cross-country MTB became an Olympic sport in 1996 and is the only form of mountain biking practised at the Olympics. The rules for cross-country mountain biking for the Olympics are actually pretty simple.
The race has a mass start, with all of the riders starting at the same time, and the riders then have to finish a set amount of laps around a course between 4km and 6km in length. The number of laps to be completed is dependant on the category entered.
WHAT IS XC 20/20
The XC 20/20 is a new format coming to the 2026 – 2027 series where riders are challenged by a 20km Course and they can choose to do 1 or 2 laps.
A 115% Time Adjustment is added to any riders 1 lap time if they only complete in 1 lap. This then gives them a time and category place in the results, and thus Series points accordingly.
Junior Under 13 Categories will do a shorter format course.
WHAT TIME DO THE RACES START?
Each from below starts 2 minutes apart. Ie. 1B starts at 9:02am
Start Group 1 – 9:00am start time
1A – Under 17 Men, Under 15s Men
1B – Masters 5/6 Men, Masters 7+ Men, E-Bike Rec Men
1C – Open Women, Masters 1/2 Women, Masters 3/4 Women,
Masters 5/6 Women, Masters 7+ Women, Under 17 Women, Under 15 Women, E-Bike Rec Women
1D – Under 13 Men / Women, Recreation Class
No new laps are allowed to be started by any categories in these groups after 1:30 of race time. Any riders not allowed to go out will record a finish as +1 Lap or similar as their position in the race when they crossed the line the last time.
Start Group 2 – 10:45 Start Time
2E-Bike – E-Bike Open
2A – Elite Men, Under 19 Men
2B – Masters 1/2 Men, Masters 3/4 Men
2C – Open Men, Elite Women, Under 19 Women
CATEGORIES
- Elite Men & Women
- Under 30 Men & Women (18-29)
- Masters 1/2 Men & Women (30-39)
- Masters 3/4 Men & Women (40-49)
- Master 5/6 Men & Women (50-59)
- Masters 7 Men & Women (60+)
- U19 Men & Women
- U17 Men & Women
- U15 Men & Women
- U13 Men & Women
- E-Bike Open Men & Women
- E-Bike Recreational
The current standard XCO format uses a course between 4km and 6km in length. Depending on the category entered there will be a certain number of laps to be completed to create a race time within a given range
WHAT CATEGORY/AGE GROUP AM I IN?
This aligns with the UCI rules also
HOW LONG ARE RACES? (TARGET TIMES)
- Elite Men & Women (1h30 – 1h45)
- Under 30 Men & Women (1h00 – 1h15)
- Masters 1/2 Men & Women (1h15 – 1h30)
- Masters 3/4 Men & Women (1h00 – 1h15)
- Master 5/6 Men & Women (0.45 – 1h00)
- Masters 7 Men & Women (0.45 – 1h00)
- U19 Men & Women (1h00 – 1h15)
- U17 Men & Women (0.45 – 1h00)
- U15 Men & Women (0.30 – 0.45)
- U13 Men & Women (0.30 – 0.45)
- E-Bike Men & Women (1.30 – 1.45)
- E-Bike Recreational Men & Women (0.45 – 1.00)
HOW THE SERIES WORKS
HOW ARE POINTS AWARDED?
Did not finish (DNF) will get 15 points
Did not start (DNS) will get 0
INSURANCE
No Aus Cycling Membership is required to compete in this years series. (except Eildon State Championships) Any rider who DOES NOT have an Aus Cycling Membership should consider if they have adequate health insurance or other medical cover for the type of risk that MTB events pose.
We recommend riders do sign up to an Aus Cycling membership and take advantage of the Racing and Riding insurance cover as well as being eligible to compete in State and National Level events
e-MTB POLICY + RULES
Men & women’s Recreational eMTB will start with Group 1 at 9:00am
Men & women’s Open eMTB will start with Group 2 at 10:45am.
New rules in 2024
- E-Bikes must be limited to the Australian standard of 25km/ph motor support
- Battery swaps are allowed but discouraged and hope riders can challenge themselves to finishing the full race on a single battery.
