Mountain biking has been officially an Olympic sport since 1996. At least, the cross-country discipline. Before that, mountain biking was especially popular among adventurers. Read more about the Olympic mountain bike race, its origins and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Mountain biking since 1996 Olympic sport
Although mountain biking has been a household name since the late 1960s, it has only been an Olympic sport since 1996. In 1996, cross-country mountain biking was first included in the Olympic Games, which then took place in the United States, Atlanta to be precise. From that year on it is one of the most important MTB competitions.
Olympic mountain bike champions
Right in 1996, Dutchman Bart Brentjens went on to win the Olympic title. Paola Pezzo became the first Olympic champion among women. So far there have been seven Olympic mountain bike competitions. View all Olympic mountain bike champions so far in the overview below.
| Olympic competition year | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Bart Brentjes | Paolo Pezzo |
| 2000 | Miguel Martinez | Paolo Pezzo |
| 2004 | Julien Absalon | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja |
| 2008 | Julien Absalon | Sabine Spitze |
| 2012 | Jaroslav Kulhavy | Julie Bresset |
| 2016 | Nino Schurter | Jenny Rissveds |
| 2021 | Thomas Pidcock | Jolanda Neff |
Curious about the highlights of the last Olympic mountain bike race (Tokyo 2020)? Then watch the video below!
Paris 2024 Olympics
An Olympic mountain bike race will also be held during the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024. The races will be held on the hill in Elancourt in the Ile de France region. Although the hill is the highest point – more than 237 meters high – in the region, this location was still questioned last year because of the small height difference.
The 2024 Olympic Games will take place in France from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11.
Frequently Asked Questions about Olympic Mountain Bike Races
Yes, mountain biking has been part of the Olympics since 1996.
The 2024 Olympics will take place in Paris. The mountain biking part is held in nearby Elancourt in the Ile de France region.
The Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11. The date on which the mountain bike race will take place has not yet been announced.
Yes, Bart Brentjens! In fact, this was the very first Olympic champion. In 1996 when mountain biking was first officially added as part of the Olympic Games, Brentjens became champion.
