Although French rider Lecomte dominated much of the race, Rebecca and Dutch rider Terpstra didn't give up in the sweltering Brazilian humidity, closing the gap before a thrilling and intense final lap. McConnell, displaying the Mondraker DNA, overtook her opponents with a final push to ride solo across the finish line and celebrate Mondraker's first XCO World Cup victory.
Bec was thrilled to become the first World Cup leader, thanks also to her fourth place in the Short Track last Friday.
"I really don't know what to say. It's been really crazy. Everyone was telling me that I was getting close to my first World Cup win. I've been super consistent over the last couple of years, on the podium more often than not, but ... that never means that the wins coming.
There were a lot of changes this past winter and for me it's very important to be here and to get this win. I couldn't be happier with the way the year is going, but at the moment I just want to think about today.”
Jofre Cullell and Francesc Barber also competed in their first World Cup of the season in Brazil. The Catalan (20th in XCC; 28th in XCO) was very regular throughout the weekend. Furthermore, the Balearic rider made his debut in the Under-23 World Championship with a 21st place finish, fulfilling the team's expectations.
Francesc Barber: "On the last lap I lost a bit of pace but overall, not bad. On the start I had a slight setback with another rider, but then I managed to regain positions. Between the humidity and the heat, I had a bad time but I'm happy with the result and the performance for the first race".
This size table is only an estimation, the optimum frame size depends on your personal preference and riding style
