The countdown ends. The XCO World Cup starts next Friday, April 8 in Petrópolis, Brazil, with the Short Track test and on Sunday it will be the turn of the XCO race.
In 2005, the MTB World Cup already held a double event (XCO and DH) in Brazil, but since then the championship had not returned to the South American country until now. Petrópolis is located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, 68 km from the city, and its tropical landscapes give what they promise: pure jungle.
It is interesting to understand its location as this is one of the reasons why the Petrópolis circuit is such an artificial layout for some. The lush vegetation of the place forces the circuit to be very elaborate and with totally artificial areas created from scratch.
Rockgarden, very technical narrow passes and giant drops make the Petrópolis circuit one of the most complicated (fun) in the championship. All in line with the current trend of the XCO competition.
Favorites to win the Petrópolis XCO World Cup
This is the first World Cup of the year and although other races have already been held, it is difficult to know in what state the cyclists arrive. The planning of each athlete and their peaks of form can achieve surprising results. Even so, here is our bet on which cyclists we will see fight for victory
Women
Jolanda Neff (SUI). Age: 29. Team: Trek Factory Racing XC. Best result 2021: Swiss Champion, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion. Main results in 2022: victory at the Chelva Internationals and the Petrópolis CIMTB
Evie Richards (GBR). Age: 25. Team: Trek Factory Racing XC. Best result 2021: XCO World Champion and 2 World Cup wins. Main results in 2022: won in Banyoles
Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA). Age: 30. Team: BMC MTB RACING. Best results 2021: European champion. Main results in 2022: 3rd in the Absa Cape Epic
Sina Frei (SUI). Age: 24. Team: Specialized Factory Racing. Best results 2021: XCC world champion. Main results in 2022: victory in the City of Abenga International Cup.
Loana Lecomte (FRA). Age: 22. Team: Canyon CLLCTV. Best results 2021: champion of the general classification of the World Cup. Main results in 2022: she has only contested two races, one in Switzerland and another in the French MTB Cup, and has won both.
Mona Mitterwallner (AUT). Age: 20. Team: Cannondale Factory Racing. Best results 2021: XCM Elite World Champion, XCO U-23 World Champion, European U-23 Champion, overall winner of the U-23 World Cup. Main results in 2022: she has won the only two races held, one Hors Class in Italy and another with category 1 in Austria.
Men
Nino Schurter (SUI). Age: 35. Team: SCOTT SRAM. Best results 2021: XCO World Champion. Main results in 2022: He won the Tankwa Trek stage race and has looked very strong in the Absa Cape Epic, although the result did not go with him.
Mathias Flueckiger (SUI). Age: 33. Team: Thomus MAXON. Best results 2021: winner of the XCO World Cup general classification. Main results in 2022: arrives in Brazil with hardly any competition.
Henrique Avancini (BRA). Age: 33. Team: Cannondale Factory Racing. Best results 2021: Champion of Brazil and victory at the Lenzerheide Short Track. Main results in 2022: 2 victories in XCO tests in Brazil.
Vlad Dascalu (ROU). Age: 24. Team: Trek Factory Racing. Best results 2021: 2nd in the Snowshoe World Cup. Main results in 2022: 2nd in the CIMTB Petrópolis.
Cris Blevins (USA) Age: 24. Team: Specialized Factory Racing. Best results 2021: 1st in the Snowshoe World Cup. Main results in 2022: 3rd in the Absa Cape Epic.
When to watch the Petrópolis 2022 MTB World Cup?
One more season, and it will be the last, the MTB World Cup can be seen online live and free from the RedBull TV website. Here are the details of the schedules to see the Short Track on Friday (women and men) as the race on Sunday.
Friday April 8, 2022
4:30 p.m. (9:20 p.m. Spain time) Short Track – Women
17:15 (22:15 Spanish time) Short Track – Men
Saturday April 9, 2022
15:00 XCO Under 23 – Men
16:30 XCO Under 23 – Women
Sunday April 10, 2022
11:20 (16:20 Spanish time) Final XCO – Women
14:35 (19:35 Spain time) XCO Final – Men