The International Cycling Union (UCI) has given the National Olympic Committees (NOC) confirmation of the number of places each Nation has obtained for the mountain bike events at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
  
  According to Criterion 1 (UCI ranking by nation) which was finalized on December 31, 2007, and Criterion 2 (2007 Continental Championships), 32 nations in the Elite Men category and 22 nations in the Elite Women category will be represented at the Beijing Olympic Games.
  A total of 80 places have been awarded: 50 Elite Men and 30 Elite Women for a total of 35 nations.
  
  The number of countries qualified according to Criterion 1 increases from 22 at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games to 24 in Beijing for the mens' category, and from 14 to 18 for the women. This increase is a result of modifications to the qualifying system that encourage a more universal participation.
  
  The NOCs have until June 20, 2008 to confirm their qualification places. Any vacant places will be awarded by a tripartite commission made up of the IOC, ANOC and UCI.
  
  USA Cycling will soon announce the complete U.S. Olympic team.
  
  
  NATION QUALIFYING START SPOTS FOR MEN
  
  CRITERION NUMBER 1
UCI Ranking by nation at 12/31/2007 (Combination of the ranking by nation, Olympic format, from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006 and the ranking by nation from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007).
 
COUNTRY CODE...COUNTRY...UCI NATION RANKING...ATHLETES QUALIFIED
FRA...FRANCE...1...3
SUI...SWITZERLAND...2...3
ESP...SPAIN...3...3
BEL...BELGIUM...4...3
GER...GERMANY...5...3
USA...UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...6...2
NED...NETHERLANDS...7...2
SWE...SWEDEN...8...2
CAN...CANADA...9...2
AUT...AUSTRIA...10...2
DEN...DENMARK...11...2
ITA...ITALY...12...2
GBR...GREAT BRITAIN...13...2
CZE...CZECH REPUBLIC...14...1
NZL...NEW ZEALAND...15...1
AUS...AUSTRALIA...16...1
POL...POLAND...17...1
RUS...RUSSIAN FEDERATION...18...1
COL...COLOMBIA...19...1
UKR...UKRAINE...20...1
BRA...BRAZIL...21...1
CHI...CHILE...22...1
RSA...SOUTH AFRICA...23...1
IRL...IRELAND...24...1
  
  SUBTOTAL: 42 riders
  
  CRITERION NUMBER 2
Individual ranking from the 2007 Continental Championships (Except for Europe)
  
  COUNTRY CODE...COUNTRY...CONTINENTAL CHAMP'S...ATHLETES QUALIFIED
NAM...NAMIBIA...AFRICA...1
ZIM...ZIMBABWE...AFRICA...1
ARG...ARGENTINA...AMERICA...1
CRC...COSTA RICA...AMERICA...1
CHN...PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA...ASIA...1
HKG...HONG KONG, CHINA...ASIA...1
  
  SUBTOTAL: 6 riders
  
  REMAINING QUALIFIED NATIONS
Australia and New Zealand already being qualified under Criterions 1 and 2, then following NOCs of the UCI Nations Ranking at 12/31/07 are qualified.
  
  COUNTRY CODE...COUNTRY...UCI NATION RANKING...ATHLETES QUALIFIED
HUN...HUNGARY...26...1
TUR...TURKEY...27...1
  TOTAL: 50 Elite Men
  
  
  NATION QUALIFYING START SPOTS FOR WOMEN
 
CRITERION NUMBER 1
 
COUNTRY CODE...COUNTRY...UCI NATION RANKING...ATHLETES QUALIFIED
CHN...PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA...1...2
GER...GERMANY...2...2
USA...UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...3...2
CAN...CANADA...4...2
NOR...NORWAY...5...2
POL...POLAND...6...2
RUS...RUSSIAN FEDERATION...7...2
SUI...SWITZERLAND...8...2
FRA...FRANCE...9...1
CZE...CZECH REPUBLIC...10...1
ESP...SPAIN...11...1
SLO...SLOVENIA...12...1
NED...NETHERLANDS...13...1
AUT...AUSTRIA...14...1
NZL...NEW ZEALAND...15...1
ITA...ITALY...16...1
SWE...SWEDEN...17...1
BRA...BRAZIL...18...1
  
  SUBTOTAL: 26 riders
 
CRITERION NUMBER 2
  
  COUNTRY CODE...COUNTRY...CONTINENTAL CHAMP'S...ATHLETES QUALIFIED
RSA...SOUTH AFRICA...AFRICA...1
CHI...CHILE...AMERICA...1
JPN...JAPAN...ASIA...1
AUS...AUSTRALIA...OCEANIA...1
  
  SUBTOTAL: 4 riders
  
  TOTAL: WOMEN 30 Elite Women