Araxa
Also known as: Minas Gerais
Forested course behind the historic Art-Deco Grande Hotel Termas de Araxa spa complex; noisy, festival-like race atmosphere.
Who in your group rides what
Whether everyone in your group gets a day at Araxa - the grades on offer, the named zones, and how mixed abilities split up.
UCI World Cup XCO/XCC sanctioned course; local grade not published on Trailforks. -
GROUP SPLIT: stronger riders ride full XCO race laps; less-experienced riders can shortcut to the flatter resort-perimeter forest tracks and regroup at the Grande Hotel arena/start-finish.
Venue centres on a large spa resort with broad infrastructure; XCO loop suits fit intermediate-plus riders, though flatter resort tracks work for mixed groups.
The riding
Fast-rolling red clay/laterite forest singletrack with roots and off-camber sections; slick when wet.
Fast natural singletrack cut into forest with a mix of flat power sections and quick descending through trees; leans technical and becomes very slippery when the red clay is wet. Low fall-exposure, forested.
During events fully taped and marshalled; outside events the resort forest trails are not signed on Trailforks and local knowledge or a guide is advised.
Sell-out, very loud crowds during World Cup week; quieter at other times as a resort venue.
Season & conditions
Year-round, no snow; wet-season (Nov-Mar) rain makes the clay treacherous.
Dry season roughly May-Sep (cooler, firmer clay); World Cup rounds have run early April.
WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Cup XCO/XCC host 2024, and two back-to-back rounds in 2025; 20+ years of UCI-level racing at the venue.
High humidity (often 80%+), tropical heat, and sudden rain that turns the red clay slick; thunderstorms in wet season.
Getting there & gear
Resort/venue access tied to hotel or event ticketing; ticketed during World Cup rounds. No lottery.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Grande Hotel Termas de Araxa, Barreiro district, Araxa, Minas Gerais; approx 7 hrs by road from Brasilia and reachable via Araxa airport/regional roads.
No lift/shuttle uplift; XCO/XCC is pedal-access. Event and resort transport within the grounds. -
Standard XC MTB; carry water in heat/humidity. Resort area has good connectivity and services.
Full resort facilities (hotel, spa/thermal baths, restaurants, parking); event pits and expo during World Cups.
Araxa city bike shops and the Grande Hotel resort act as the local hub; regional Minas Gerais MTB clubs. -
Hazards & rescue
Slick clay when wet, heat/humidity, and dense-forest visibility; race-day crowds.
None required for organised events; a guide or local contact is useful for off-event forest riding given lack of signage.
Compact venue near the resort with quick access to buildings and roads; medical services on-site during events. General emergency 192 (SAMU Brazil).
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand mountain-bike network report. Coordinates are approximate.