XCO World Cup Season Preview – first stop Brazil!

This weekend the cross-country mountain bike season kicks off in Petrópolis, at the 2022 Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup – bringing Brazil b …

By stwhannah

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XCO World Cup Season Preview – first stop Brazil!

I would like to see a UK stop on the XC circuit.

That new track in Brazil looks awesome and I think this year is going to be good for XC fans!

And even younger young gun Mona Mitterwallner from Austria coming up to elite who’s only 20 could really upset the established young guns – she did a Nino and won every U23 world cup race last year and then went out and won the elite marathon world cup … another Loana?

I would like to see a UK stop on the XC circuit.

I’ve always argued on this that the UCI dont like revisiting countries. And Fort William will not give up the downhill. So a XCO race will need to be in Fort William on the same weekend. Do they have or can they make a suitable course?

Although this year champs is in Les Gets and we have already had a DH race in Lourdes, so that kind of wrecks my theory.

And even younger young gun Mona Mitterwallner from Austria coming up to elite who’s only 20 could really upset the established young guns – she did a Nino and won every U23 world cup race last year and then went out and won the elite marathon world cup … another Loana?

they both seem like similar riders – small and lightweight and seem to like to ride to their own constant effort in a solo bid for the win.

Does U23 (or elite marathon) give Mona any senior ranking points or is she starting from the back of the grid? Less of a handicap for the women than it was for Pidcock last year though.

Excellent course preview here from the Pivot guys – this looks so much fun to ride!

Interview on pinkbike from her a wihle back I think said yes it does – she starts on the 2nd row for the XCC and then that will determine where she starts on the Sunday.

So a XCO race will need to be in Fort William on the same weekend. Do they have or can they make a suitable course?

The worlds were held there in 2007. I’m sure updating the XC course there wouldn’t be impossible.

The problem would be money. Would the XC bring in enough extra revenue to justify adding it?

Agree about having a UK XC round; we have a World Champion, and the Olympic Champion; if we can’t manage to get a round, then we’re doing something wrong.

I think we’ll see Lecomte v Mitterwallner, which is a battle to enjoy; both very similar attributes, who seem to effortlessly ride up climbs away from everybody.
Of course the established riders will have something to say; Neff, PFP, Richards, Frei & Stigger. Will Courtney make a ‘come back’ this year. It’s a competitive field.

In the men’s it looks quite open; Schurter, Fluckinger, Andreassen, Avancini & Blevins are all XCO race winners. Will Sarrou ever manage to win one, despite being a former World Champion? Can Anton Cooper win one, after coming close, or is Dascalu Trek’s best rider?

Finally, there’ll be 6 XCO World Cup race winners missing from the field; 3 of which are from last season. MvdP, Koreztky & Pidcock will be racing Amstel Gold. When we see them back is anyone’s guess. Pidcock is likely to only race the Worlds in Les Gets, MvdP hasn’t announced any plans for the MTB. Koreztky may well return for the first European rounds.

Short track coverage was the worst TV camerawork I’ve seen in a long time. Spectators covering the action, blurry out of focus views, no coverage of the gnarly bits. Awful.

Both women’s and men’s races were good. Absolute great finish to the men’s race.

I always wonder that GCN give the big road races preview shows, yet GMBN don’t do the same for the World Cup MTB races.

I always wonder that GCN give the big road races preview shows, yet GMBN don’t do the same for the World Cup MTB races.

Because they have broadcast rights for the former and not the latter? May all change next year when the MTB rights move to Discovery (GCN’s parent company).

Agreed, camera work awful. Didn’t allow for the crowds standing trackside, and seemed to miss the best bits of the track.
Terrible editing too. Don’t want to come across as bloodthirsty or wanting drama and injury, but two crashes of high profile riders, and we got to see… them picking their bike up. On sections of course that did have camera coverage. No replay.

Riders made it a good race, but at times it was about as fun as dot watching or spectating a zwift race.