Organizers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics have unveiled the mountain bike venue and it’s not tucked away in the mountains. Instead, riders will take on the Industry Hills MTB course, set on a ridgeline in the San Gabriel Valley within the City of Industry, just east of downtown L.A.
The course is being billed as “ultramodern,” featuring a challenging mix of jumps, drops, and technical terrain woven directly into one of North America’s biggest metropolitan areas. “It’s a tribute to L.A.’s rugged natural landscape,” the announcement stated, adding that fans will be able to experience the action up close.
As for whether Dutch star Mathieu van der Poel will be on the start line in 2028, the decision remains uncertain. The multi-discipline talent suggested that if the Olympic road race doesn’t capture his interest, he may shift focus to mountain biking as one of his career’s last big goals.
“In three years, I’ll probably be near the end of my career,” van der Poel said. “So it would be a nice goal to race mountain bikes at the Olympics.” Still, he hinted that the nature of the L.A. road course could influence his choice. “If the road course in L.A. is very hard, then it’s an easier choice. Then we might focus on mountain biking a bit earlier,” he told WielerFlits.
For now, his immediate attention is on mountain biking’s biggest stages. He’ll return to the discipline at the UCI World Cup in Haute-Savoie on August 31, followed by the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Crans-Montana on September 14. Those races may help him decide whether the trails of Los Angeles or the challenge of the Olympic road race will shape the final chapter of his career.
Van der Poel’s MTB schedule:
Aug. 31: UCI MTB World Cup XCO – Haute-Savoie
Sept. 14: UCI MTB World Championships – Crans-Montana
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