Held in the scenic grounds of Eastnor Castle in the Hereford hills, the Malverns was a race meet with cross-country, downhill, and dual slalom back in the late nineties that was almost as famous for the post-race parties and atmosphere as the racing! The last original one was in 1998, and after a hiatus of twenty years, the team behind the UK NPS downhill race series brought it back in 2018. The current setup is a three-day cycling festival over the August Bank holiday weekend, as featured in our guide to the best mountain bike events, races, and routes for 2023.
The venue was used for the legendary Mountain Mayhem 24-hour XC races during the interim period. However, 2018 was the first time a more inclusive event with various disciplines had occurred under the Malverns Classic banner. Despite multiple cancellations due to COVID-19 and some freak severe weather since then, the event has grown into one of the most significant events in the UK calendar.
