The European MTB Trial Championships will take place from August 7 to 9 in Valberg. More than 160 riders from 30 nations are expected in the Alpes-Maritimes. For the French team, this competition will mark the first major international event of the season under the direction of new selector Théo Poudret.
Valberg will host, from August 7 to 9, the European MTB Trial Championships. Created in 2003 by the European Cycling Union (UEC), this competition brings together the continent’s best specialists each year and constitutes, along with the World Championships, one of the major events in the discipline.
More than 160 riders representing around thirty nations are expected in the Alpes-Maritimes resort. Five world champions will make the trip to try to add a European title to their record.
After the French Trial Championships in 2024 and then a round of the French Cup in 2025, Valberg confirms its place among France’s leading MTB sites. Located at 1,700 meters altitude, at the gates of Mercantour National Park, the resort offers terrain suited to this discipline where competitors chain together crossings over natural and artificial obstacles.
For Charles Ange Ginésy, president of the Alpes-Maritimes department, “the eyes of MTB Trial fans will be fixed on the Alpes-Maritimes” during this competition weekend. The elected official also emphasizes the presence of five world champions and recalls the territory’s commitment to bicycle-related sports.
First test for the new French team selector
Beyond medals, these European Championships will open a new chapter for the French team. Appointed this season to head the French national selection, Théo Poudret will direct his first international competition.
A former top-level rider and educator, the new selector built his group after the World Cup in May and the French Championships held in Liffré. Ambitions are clearly stated. “We have thirteen selected riders, there are ten finals. We have real chances for titles and podiums,” says Théo Poudret.
This first outing will also serve as preparation for the World Championships. “It’s the first benchmark for this position. I will learn a lot about the mission to be as performant as possible at the World Championships,” adds the selector.
The French delegation will mix experienced riders, such as Vincent Hermance, with a promising young generation. Five juniors will join the group to gain experience at the highest level.
A discipline where France remains a major nation
Although Trial remains less publicized than other cycling disciplines, France has been among the world’s leading nations for several decades alongside Spain.
Champions such as Gilles Coustellier, Vincent Hermance, Aurélien Fontenoy, Nicolas Vallée and Perrine Devahive have marked the history of the discipline. Clubs and regional committees continue to supply national teams with young talent, allowing the French to remain competitive on the international stage.
Hosting the European Championships in Valberg is also a showcase for French Trial, in the hope of introducing the general public to a discipline where precision, balance and technical mastery often make the difference by just a few points.
The schedule
The events will take place over three days, from Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9, 2026.
Friday, August 7, 2026
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Women’s Elite semi-final
- 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Men’s Elite semi-final
- 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Men’s 26″ semi-final
Saturday, August 8, 2026
- 10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: Men’s 26″ Junior semi-final
- 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Men’s 20″ Junior semi-final
- 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Women’s 20″ Junior semi-final
- 3:45 p.m.: Women’s Elite final
- 5 p.m.: Men’s 20″ Elite final
- 6:15 p.m.: Men’s 26″ Elite final
Sunday, August 9, 2026
- 1:30 p.m.: Women’s 20″ Junior final
- 2:45 p.m.: Men’s 26″ Junior final
- 4 p.m.: Men’s 20″ Junior final
- 5:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.: awards ceremony.
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