The Vidaurre siblings, Martín and Catalina, shined in the first edition of the Valdivia Bike Fest, an event that not only left unforgettable memories, but also kicked off the America Series of XCO, a continental circuit that promises much for 2025, with 7 stops throughout the year.
The cycling competition lasted three days at the Asenav sports complex and was Martín Vidaurre’s debut as track designer. The circuit, which consisted of 3.6 kilometers and 160 meters of elevation gain, had great repercussion and attraction, since it was also officially the first date of the International Cup UCI America MTB.
The event took place over three days. The action began on Friday with a Short Track, where the heat and the dry track put the competitors to the test. Saturday was the turn of the younger riders, who enjoyed the new track in the area. The last day of XCO was on Sunday, a day when the weather added a touch of difficulty to the race with rains that hindered the course.
The podium of the competition was taken by the Vidaurre brothers. In the Elite Men’s category, Martin, despite the difficulties and falls, managed to win with a total time of 1:16:47, a small difference with the second place, which was claimed by Alex Malacarne, marking 1:16:51. Finally, Gustavo Xavier took third place with 1:17:20.
“The circuit was not easy. I crashed in the first corner which looked good, but it was very slippery, and from there I was able to come back. I am very happy with all the people who came. To decentralize a race like this and have so many people come is very difficult, and the support of the people was tremendous”, commented Vidaurre.
In the Elite Ladies, Catalina Vidaurre took the title with 1:35:58, while Raiza Goulao, who obtained 01:37:42, took second place. Closing the podium was Yarela González, with a time of 1:45:41.
The proposal of this new competition format will not only raise the level of the competition, but also opens the door for the most outstanding cyclists to access direct places for the World Cups.
