MORE than 20,000 fans are set to descend on the Highlands next weekend for the adrenaline-packed Mercedes-Benz UCI Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup.
Celebrating its 18th year, the event has welcomed more than 330,000 fans from across the world since its launch.
More than 250 of the world’s elite riders will battle it out to take home the coveted title. Crowds will be treated to high-octane sports demonstrations and entertainment in the World Cup village including Scots rider Danny MacAskill’s famous Drop and Roll show and the gravity-defying Red Bull Matadors.
Mike Jardine from organisers Rare Management, said: “The combination of the established, elite-level competitors and a new crop of exciting, young riders in their prime has set the stage for this year’s Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup to be a bigger and better spectacle than ever before.
“We can’t wait to, once again, showcase the world’s best riders to 22,000 avid fans in Fort William – it’s going to be an amazing event!”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s director of events, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events and EventScotland is proud to be a long-term supporter of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.
“The event is hugely important for the Highlands and for Scotland, contributing over £40 million to the economy to date, which is testament to its title as a world-class event.”
The big race takes place at the Nevis Range ski area. It features the discipline of downhill, where riders are timed over a 2.8km course that descends the slopes of Aonach Mor, under the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola.
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