Image 1 of 3 The elite men's start was on a circular gravel track (Image credit: Dave McElwaine/trailwatch.net) Image 2 of 3 BMC MTB Team: Francois Bailly-Maître (Fra), Jérémy Huguenin (Swi), Julien Taramarcaz (Swi), Lukas Flückiger (Swi), Julien Absalon (Fra), Stephen Ettinger (USA), Ralph Näf (Swi), Martin Fanger (Swi), Moritz Milatz (Ger), Reto Indergand (Swi), Matthias Stirnemann (Swi), Florian Golay (Swi) (Image credit: Armin Küstenbrück) Image 3 of 3 The whole Multivan Merida team in action (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)

The UCI published the official list of its Mountain Bike Teams for 2013 on Thursday, including those that will race as "UCI Elite Mountain Bike Teams" and those that will race as "UCI Mountain Bike Teams".

The globalisation of the mountain bike discipline continues, with 27 countries registering at least one team, compared with 24 last year. The new nations with a UCI Mountain Bike Team are Brazil, Denmark and Finland.

Of the 127 teams registered for the 2013 season, 15 endurance (XCO) teams and 15 gravity (DH) teams will obtain "elite" status. This higher tier of mountain bike teams will benefit from advantages such as free entry to all races on the UCI Mountain Bike International Calendar, including the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup events. In return, they are obliged to enter at least one rider in all rounds of the 2013 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, which is still in need of a title sponsor for 2013.

Invitations to obtain UCI Elite Mountain Bike status were issued to the top teams of a special ranking, which was established on the basis of the individual UCI points won in 2012 by the best riders of the 2013 teams.

These teams have until March 1st to confirm their status "elite" and pay the corresponding fee.

The list of the UCI Elite Mountain Bike Teams for 2013, in ranking order, is:

Endurance

- Giant Pro XC Team

- Specialized Racing XC

- BH - Suntour - KMC

- Trek Factory Racing

- Multivan Merida Biking Team

- Luna Pro Team

- BMC Mountainbike Racing Team

- Ghost Factory Racing Team

- Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team

- Sabine Spitz Haibike Pro Team

- Superior Brentjens Mountainbike Racing Team

- Topeak Ergon Racing Team

- Cannondale Factory Racing

- Wild Wolf Trek Pro Racing

- TX Active Bianchi

Gravity

- GT Factory Racing

- Lapierre International

- MS Mondraker Team

- Santa Cruz Syndicate

- Commencal / Riding Addiction

- Hutchinson UR

- Devinci Global Racing

- Trek World Racing

- Specialized Racing DH

- Gstaad-Scott

- Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof

- Madison Saracen Downhill Team

- RRP Ghost

- Giant Factory Off-Road Team

- SC Intense