EXCLUSIVE – Chris Ball Talks Discovery/ESO and the Future of Mountain Bike World Cup Racing

Since the announcement of the Discovery take over from Red Bull, there has been a lot of speculation and concern over what will happen to the sport we all love. Well, I was lucky enough to get a chance to chat to Chris Ball to find out all about their plans. We cover a bit of Chris’ background, how Discovery got involved and why Chris sees this as a good thing for mountain biking. I ask him about the changes to the format, prize money, if we’ll have to pay to watch the racing, who will be commentating for Discovery and more. So sit back, hit play and listen to this episode with Chris Ball. If you’d prefer to watch this episode, then you can do that over on my YouTube channel here . You can keep up to date with progress over at ucimtbworldseries.com or by following @uci_mtbworldseries on Instagram. Podcast Stuff Downtime EP Downtime EP issue 2 is now available at downtimepodcast.com/ep . EP takes inspiration from the guests and topics of the podcast. It expands on them, and takes them into a stunning print-only format. EP is the perfect companion for some quiet time away from the distractions of modern life. Beautiful to have and hold, and a timeless piece of mountain bike history. Just head over to downtimepodcast.com/ep to save yourself £5 off of the cover price with an annual subscription for just £20 plus postage or you can purchase EP1, or EP2 on their own too. Merch If you want to support the podcast, and represent, then my webstore is the place to head. All products are 100% organic, shipped without plastics, and made with a supply chain that’s using renewable energy. So check it out now over at downtimepodcast.com/shop . Newsletter If you want a bit more Downtime in your life, then you can join my newsletter where I’ll provide you with a bit of behind the scenes info on the podcast, interesting bits and pieces from around the mountain bike world, some mini-reviews of products that I’ve been using and like, partner offers and more. You can do that over at downtimepodcast.com/newsletter . Follow Us Give us a follow on Instagram @downtimepodcast or Facebook @downtimepodcast to keep up to date and chat in the comments. For everything video, including riding videos, bike checks and more, subscribe over at youtube.com/downtimemountainbikepodcast . Are you enjoying the podcast? If so, then don’t forget to follow it. Each episode will get delivered to your device as soon as it’s available and it’s totally free. You’ll find all the links you need at downtimepodcast.com/follow . You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google and most of the podcast apps out there. Our back catalogue of amazing episodes is available at downtimepodcast.com/episodes Photo – ESO