April 14, 2024
Briton pushes clear to win on Saturday as Chilean Vidaurre banks men’s short-track third in Brazil too.
Evie Richards started the 2024 UCI MTB World Cup season strongly in Brazil when she won Saturday’s Mairoporã XCC race as Chilean Martin Vidaurre scored a men’s XCC third too. Here is all you need to know:
– Briton Richards started the season with an impressive XCC victory when she won by seven seconds from Australian Rebecca Henderson with Swiss rider Alessandra Keller banking third.
– Keller claimed the lead early on before American Kate Courtney moved clear of the pack as Richards eventually chased her down on lap five and pulled clear on the descents and flat sections to win by seven seconds.
– 2021 XCO world champion Richards, 27, said: “It started off in a big group, then a couple of different girls went on the front and Kate made an attack. I happened to be on her second wheel and I pushed with the attack. I think she faded a bit at the top of one of the climbs and I came out of the descent with a lead and just kept going at that speed. I’m really pleased to start the season like that. It was really hot.”
– In the men’s race, Kiwi Sam Gaze won a thrilling affair when he edged out German Luca Schwarzbauer and Chilean Martin Vidaurre on the line as the top 10 were all within 10 seconds of the winner.
– It was a classy start to the season for South American Vidaurre who led midway through the contest before settling for third as reigning world champion Gaze attacked the final climb to triumph.
It was a classy start to the season for South American Vidaurre who led midway through the contest before settling for third as reigning world champion Gaze attacked the final climb to triumph.
– 2021 U23 XCO world champion Vidaurre, 24, said: “Finishing here in Brazil is just amazing. A lot of Chilean fans are here, so it’s different to be here. It took me a while to be on the podium, like a year, so it’s good to trust in the process and be back on the podium. I’m just so happy.”
– The next stop on the 2024 UCI MTB World Cup calendar is another XCC/XCO stop at Araxá in Brazil next week.