The World Cup season kicked off in style as Monaco hosted the first UCI e-Mountain Bike Cross Country World Cup (UCI eMTB XC).
The races, held on the weekend, were a huge draw for some of the biggest names in the mountain biking world. The intensity of the rivalries made for great action and a good diversion from the woes of the COVID epidemic.
The races took place a short 10km hop from the Principality in the beautiful medieval village of Peille, with its steep hills and rugged terrain. After the 0.7km uphill approach from the start line to the start of the actual circuit, the riders faced six full laps of the 2.34km loop. There was no ‘easing in’ as the riders fought to get the jump at the first corner, with the action flowing from there.
Each lap includes a single brutal incline up the Crete des Assalins, peaking at 844m above sea level. This is 122m higher than the finish line and circuit start at the Col du St Bernard (722m) and 140m above the lowest point of the circuit, La Goretta at 704m.
The variety of terrain made the locale ideal for both cross-country and endurance athletes.
The top five riders in the men’s event came from Italy, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands whilst three different nations represented by the top five in the women’s event, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
In the end, the winners of the UCI e-Mountain Bike Cross Country World Cup races were Jérôme Gilloux from France with a time of 49:25 and Swiss rider Nathalie Schneitter for the women with a time of 56:27.