Bec Henderson suffers like never before to win her 12th Australian National XCO Championship

The Australian cyclist Rebecca Henderson has once again retained the title of Australian XCO Champion, this time winning an epic race marked by rain, wind, and dense fog that forced the organizers to modify the original route in Mount Buller, Victoria.

Bec Henderson wins her 12th national elite XCO title and also takes the XCC title

The extreme weather conditions meant that the Australian XCO Championship had to be held on a circuit of just over 2 km, with cyclists completing laps until reaching an hour of competition.

The challenge for Henderson began from the start of the race, when she suffered a fall in the first lap that left her with intense pain in her left thumb and right shoulder. Despite the injury, Henderson managed to sprint to victory ahead of Isabella Flint and finished more than a minute ahead of Zoe Cuthbert, who completed the podium. Exhausted from the effort, the champion collapsed on the ground after finishing the race, reflecting the toughness of the competition.

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"It has been torture that made me suffer every second of the race. I fell during the first lap and then I couldn't shake Izzy off. I had a lot of pain and in the end I couldn't even move my left arm naturally. I'm definitely not okay," confessed Henderson after crossing the finish line.

This XCO title adds to the one Henderson achieved last Friday in the Short Track discipline, closing a perfect weekend for the Australian cyclist. With this victory, she will be able to wear the national champion jersey for another season.