GENEVA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 season of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup will kick off in Sarrians, France, on Saturday as the six-month, 10-round season will also travel to the Netherlands, China and the United States.

Reigning Olympic champion Joris Daudet will lead the star-studded French team to cheer up the local people this weekend as the 35-year-old veteran is still a strong contender for the overall title.

The French team also consists of world champion and last season's World Cup winner Arthur Pilard, Olympic silver medalist Sylvain Andre, last year's World Championship bronze medalist Eddy Clerte and Mathis Ragot Richard.

Dutch rider Niek Kimmann, two-time world champion and 2020 Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, and Australian Izaac Kennedy are also strong contenders for the title.

In the women's field, the question is who will beat Saya Sakakibara of Australia. The 26-year-old won the Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris and the 2025 World Cup, and she will once again be the rider to beat across the 2026 campaign.

Dutch sisters Laura and Merel Smulders, British Bethany Shriever, Swiss Zoe Claessens and Dutch Michelle Wissing are expected to be in the contention for the title.

The season will continue to Papendal, the Netherlands, from June 13-14 after the French stop before China hosts four consecutive rounds in October.

Mentougou, southwest of Chinese capital Beijing, will stage the Round 5-6 from October 3-4, and Chongli of Zhangjiakou, host city of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, will celebrate the Round 7-8 of the event from October 10-11.

This marks the first time that the UCI BMX Racing World Cup will be held in China. The stakes will also be particularly high, as the Mentougou rounds will open the qualification period for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

In Sarasota of Florida, the United States, the World Cup will be finished between October 31-November 1.