The South African town, located in the Western Cape province, will launch proceedings by hosting a cross-country competition on March 10.

It will mark the first time Stellenbosch has hosted the World Cup, with Pietermaritzburg having previously held a leg in South Africa during 2014.

The downhill World Cup season will begin at Losinj in Croatia, with an event being held from April 21 to 22.

Albstadt in Germany will welcome the second cross-country competition of the season from May 18 to 20, with Nove Mesto Na Morave staging an event the following weekend.

The Czech venue played host to this year’s Mountain Bike World Championships.

Both Albstadt and Nove Mesto Na Morave will also hold cross-country short track races, following the UCI confirming their addition to the World Cup programme this week.

The governing body claimed the short track races, held in heats over a 1.5 kilometre course, would prove spectator and television-friendly.

Downhill action will resume with a World Cup in Fort William in Scotland from June 2 to 3, with the Austrian venue Leogang then welcoming riders from June 9 to 10.

Four joint cross-country, short track and downhill competitions will then follow, with Val Di Sole in Italy staging the first from July 6 to 8.

Vallnord in Andorra will hold the second, as riders will contest events from July 15 to 18.

Canada will hold the penultimate event of the World Cup season, with action being held from August 10 to 12 in Mont Sainte Anne.

Proceedings will be rounded off in La Bresse in France from August 24 to 26.

The Mountain Bike World Championships are due to be held in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, between September 4 and 9.

Val Di Sole and Auronzo Di Cadore, both located in Italy, will stage World Championships in four-cross and marathon mountain bike next year.

The events are due to take place in August and September respectively.