Here we go again. The FMB World Tour is back and kicking things off on the 2022 season. With 24 events, and counting, to come, the FMB World Tour 2022 is set to deliver a season unseen since pre-pandemic. From the return of the Red Bull District Ride to a new added leg of the FMBA Crankworx Slopestyle World Championship (SWC) to the homecoming of esteemed FMB Gold level events like O Marisquino and Big White Invitational, the schedule is fills up quickly.
With the 2022 FMB World Tour kicking off in less than two weeks, the FMBA is excited to share what riders can expect in the upcoming season. So what exactly is on offer this year?
The 2022 FMB World Tour will see five FMB Diamond Level events in the same calendar year for the first time since 2017. Likewise the SWC will feature four events for the first time in three years. Yeah, it’s been so long… As for where the next leg of the tour is, Crankworx hasn’t said it all yet. Expect an announcement in the coming weeks!
Riders can also be energized by the return of many beloved FMB Gold level events, as well as the introduction of a brand new event to Canada with SilverStar Slopestyle. Remember that epic slopestyle course that Brett Rheeder and Matt MacDuff debuted at Crankworx BC last year? A course like this cannot sit still…
The 2022 FMB World Tour is also on track to host three national series in support of regional freeride mountain biking events creating their own leaderboard – Australian Slopestyle Tour, Freebird Slopestyle Series and Swiss Dirt Series.
Above all, the mountain bike community can look forward to one of the most progressive seasons yet. With sanctioned women’s divisions already scheduled at 13, and counting FMB Bronze and Silver level events, 2022 is history in the making.
2017 was the last time there were so many FMB Diamond-level events, and athletes are already chomping at the bit to earn their spot on those coveted lists.
With the return of the Red Bull District Ride and the Crankworx FMB SWC announcing the addition of a fourth stop, the 2022 FMB World Tour schedule promises to be exciting. Szymon Godziek is one of many riders eagerly awaiting the return of Crankworx Whistler.
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I have unfinished slopestyle business there. I feel super motivated for the 2022 season. After my last year in 2018, a lot has happened and the progression of the sport has accelerated. I see runners like Emil [Johansson] doing tricks that i always dreamed of [and it] gives me even more motivation. Unfortunately, my 2021 plan didn’t go exactly the way I wanted and I haven’t returned to Crankworx yet. This is my main objective for this year. |
The 2022 FMB World Tour schedule will also see the return of the prestigious FMB Gold O Marisquino and Big White Invitational level events after a two-year hiatus.
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This two-year white space has served us all to reflect on the future of O Marisquino and to see how we want to approach it for the next editions. In 2022 it looks like we are back to pre-pandemic normality, so we hope to see thousands of people from the public cheering on the runners, a good atmosphere and the best Dirt Jumps we have seen so far in Vigo. This year the riders will find a circuit similar to the 2019 edition, but a little faster and with bigger jumps. We decided to extend the landings and improve the speed so that they arrive more comfortably at the jumps and can comfortably demonstrate their best tricks. |
With these, the new SilverStar Slopestyle competition in Canada and two other highly anticipated FMB Gold level events on the schedule (stay tuned for details!), the upcoming season is expected to include nearly triple the number of FMB Gold level events that have been on the 2021 schedule. Based on what is brewing, it is expected that six FMB Silver level events and 16 FMB Bronze level events will complete the FMB World Tour 2022 schedule, increasing the number total number of events by more than 50% compared to last year.
Of the upcoming FMB Bronze and Silver level events, nine will fall under one of the three ongoing National Series competitions – Australian Slopestyle Tour, Freebird Slopestyle Series, Swiss Dirt Series. As the Freebird Slopestyle Series and Swiss Dirt Series return to the calendar, the Australian Slopestyle Tour will make its debut this 2022 season. With three FMB Bronze level events, all featuring both a male and female category, the new national series is expected enter 2022 with confidence.
Despite fewer competitions organized around the world last year, the progress of the runners was still there and many are ready to return to competition.
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My overall goal is to win the Freebird Slopestyle Series. I want to learn as much as possible, unlock more stuff, make new friends all over the world and of course go to as many dirt parks as possible. |
Many are also eager to see what the athletes have in store for the upcoming season.
| I think 2022 is going to be one of the most progressive years ever, with opportunities opening up for both newcomers and established riders, it’s going to be breathtaking and I’m excited to be a part of it. |  |
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Some of the athletes, like Lucas Huppert, competed in [Züri Dirt Contest] since 2015. It’s very nice to see how the athletes are improving year after year. Even if you look at the results over the years, it is very exciting to see that they are consistently higher in the rankings. |
Australia’s Highline Mountain Bike Festival will kick off the 2022 FMB World Tour in less than two weeks.
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With only a few left before the festival starts, the pressure and excitement is building! Our Mini and Pro Slopestyle courses are perfect and ready for competition; we have carried out numerous test sessions to ensure the best quality driving experience. [The] The objective of this event is to showcase the quality of Australian male and female riders in the Slopestyle categories on offer. |
This is the first year the event has been sanctioned as an FMB Silver level event. Combined with 25 new amateur Slopestyle riders competing for the first time and the addition of a women’s category, the Highline Mountain Bike Festival boldly enters the 2022 season. Mike Ross is one of many athletes ready for his return in the Land Down Under.
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The Highline Mountain Bike Festival is definitely the event that excites me the most. It’s the season kick-off and a great event to showcase the Australian slopestyle scene we have here. Bring it on! |
A recent addition to the FMB World Tour, which will come into effect this year, is the FMB World Tour Women’s Division, which gives FMB Bronze and Silver level events the opportunity to host a sanctioned women’s category.
Competing in her first slopestyle event in 2016, Kathi Kuypers explained how the opportunities weren’t always readily available for women in freeriding.
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I couldn’t focus on developing my skills on the Slopestyle bike because my sponsors didn’t see a market, so I rode all the other disciplines like Enduro, a bit of Downhill, [did] loads of magazine story productions, and so on. But I never gave up and kept improving. Now, brands are recruiting [Women]in particular for freeride events and content, and [with] the women’s division of the FMB World Tour, there will be even more attention on [Women in freeride] and their accomplishments. That’s all I ever wanted. |
On how this will transform the competitive landscape of mountain biking in 2022 and beyond, many industry players see only positive changes.
| It will certainly broaden our horizons for all of us. New brands will emerge, new sponsors, new opportunities will present themselves and a new image will be projected on the sport. Women like Kathi Kuypers have been competing in FMB World Tour events and fighting for this moment for over 10 years. I am very happy to see that this effort is now bearing fruit. | |
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I love it!! I have a feeling it’s going to be awesome to see what the girls can do! I love what the FMBA is doing by adding a women’s division and giving us the chance to compete on equal terms. |
Above all, it looks like the cycling community is ready to recapture the sense of camaraderie so deeply rooted in mountain biking culture. En route to visit 12 different countries on three continents, the FMB World Tour 2022 is more than a circuit of mountain bike competitions. On what unites such a large and diverse community, many shared their views.
| Cycling is fun and it’s the same all over the world, no matter where you [are] where you live from. | |
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The desire to have fun and the desire to excel are universal aspects. |
And at the end of the day, that’s really what it’s all about.
See the full list here.
