After four wonderful years on the global mountain biking stage, Crankworx Cairns will conclude its current chapter in Far North Queensland, following the successful delivery of the 2025 edition of the festival in May.
The event’s stakeholder group has undertaken a strategic review and, by mutual agreement, decided not to proceed with Crankworx Cairns beyond its existing funding term. This decision reflects the current economic environment, with rising event costs and a challenging commercial sponsorship landscape making the event unsustainable in the short term.
Mountain biking in the region remains a core strategic priority and the legacy created by Crankworx will continue to benefit the region.
Since debuting in October 2022, Crankworx Cairns has delivered extraordinary outcomes for the region — attracting elite international athletes, showcasing Tropical North Queensland’s rainforest trails to global audiences, and reinforcing Cairns’ reputation as Australia’s adventure capital.
This builds on the region’s proud history of hosting major international events — including the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, the 2024 and 2025 UCI Masters Mountain Bike World Championships, and numerous UCI Mountain Bike World Cups. Partners will work together to identify the next chapter of mountain biking and events in the region.
All partners expressed deep appreciation to the Crankworx World Tour, event organisers, volunteers, sponsors, and the local riding community for their shared passion and contribution to the festival’s success.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen said Crankworx Cairns had helped to cement the reputation of Tropical North Queensland as a world-class mountain biking destination.
“TTNQ is working with our Alliance partners to ensure we continue to capitalise on the momentum created by Crankworx and the many international mountain biking events held in Cairns,” he said.
“The strong commitment by our local mountain biking community and the State Government investment in further developing Smithfield Mountain Bike Park will ensure that the legacy of these world-class events continues.”
Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden said concluding the event was a mutual and carefully considered decision, and that the region could be proud of what has been achieved.
“Crankworx has shone an international spotlight on Cairns, delivering outstanding community and tourism benefits while cementing our place as a world-class mountain biking destination. I want to thank our Alliance partners AusCycling, Tourism and Events Queensland, Tourism Tropical North Queensland, and CEI, for their collaborative efforts and shared commitment over the past several years,” Mayor Eden said.
“Cairns’ passion for mountain biking remains as strong as ever, and we will continue to build on the incredible legacy at Smithfield. We look forward to working closely with our partners on future opportunities, including exploring new mountain bike content from 2026 that will continue to showcase our region on the global stage.”