The UCI has revealed details of the inaugural UCI Snow Bike World Championships, which will be held February 10-11 in the French ski resort of Chatel.

The discipline is "directly inspired by Alpine skiing," according to a UCI press release issued Friday. Two competition formats are planned for the World Championships: super-G and dual slalom.

The Super G, also known as the Super-G, is usually a "speed" event in alpine skiing, with less emphasis on technical skills. The course is 1,957 meters long, with a height difference of 600 meters and 25 meters between gates.

Dual slalom is already a mountain bike competition in which athletes go head-to-head on a downhill course. In Chatel, athletes will tackle a 510-meter-long course with a 155-meter drop. The riders will battle through heats before the battle for the rainbow jersey.

The world champion rainbow stripes will be awarded to the men and women in Super G and Dual Slalom, and the UCI recommends that competitors use downhill mountain bikes with studless tires for use on snow and ice.

Each country participating in the World Championships may enter a maximum of 15 riders for each gender.

Last June, when the UCI Snowbike World Championships were announced, UCI President David Lapartient hailed the World Championships as a "pivotal moment" for the discipline.

"The decision to host the first UCI Snow Bike World Championships in Chatel marks an important moment in the structuring of the discipline at the global level. At a time when ski resorts are increasingly keen to diversify their activities, snow biking offers them new opportunities."

"This winter sport is a new addition to the specialized discipline of mountain biking, which has been growing strongly in the tourism sector for several years and is increasingly practiced from spring to fall.

Former mountain bike racer Cedric Gracia, an ambassador for the World Championships, said the World Championships will be "something completely new" for cycling.

"You will see something completely new in the world of cycling. It's about technique, snow analysis, reflection and strategy. It will be incredible!" said local racer and French snow bike champion Pierre Thévenard, who pointed out the differences between the two events featured in the World Championships.

"This event will raise the profile of snow biking and enhance its reputation thanks to the UCI World Champion jersey. The competition will be tough."

[24 The winner of the Super G will not necessarily win the dual slalom. The winner of the Super G won't necessarily win the dual slalom. It will be a real show for the spectators."