It was the first time in student sports that there was held a World Championship Mountain Biking.

A person was allowed to participate as a competitor if he/she was born between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1990 and was a full-time student at a university or similar institute or had obtained their academic degree in the year preceding the event.

Athletes from 23 different countries competed in both the road race and the individual time trial events.

The competitions took place in the countryside of Nijmeten with un-Dutch difference in altitude and was along the dikes of the river Waal.

The mountain bike competitions at the 2008 World University Cycling Championship were held at 22 and 24 May 2008.