"It was an insult": Bec Henderson defends her criticism of the World Cup in South Korea with the rulebook in hand

The XCO World Cup in Mona YongPyong continues to leave consequences days after it ended. What was supposed to be the grand Asian debut of the discipline turned into a race completely overwhelmed by mud, with riders spending more time running with their bikes on their shoulders than pedaling. Among all the criticisms that have emerged since Sunday, one of the most forceful was from Rebecca Henderson.

Henderson defends her criticism of YongPyong citing UCI regulations

The Orbea Fox Factory Team rider shared this post on her social media after finishing a race won by Sina Frei and Dario Lillo, in which her teammate Jennifer Jackson finished fourth.

“There’s not much to say. That was a joke, but it certainly wasn’t funny,” Henderson began. The Australian, who is in her seventeenth season in the World Cup, stated that she had never had to “walk more than pedal” in a race at this level.

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“That was unacceptable. Was that MTB? From where I see it, it was an insult to everyone who invested time, effort, and money to be here. Riders, teams, sponsors, and fans who traveled to see mountain biking.”

Henderson's criticism pointed directly at the decision to maintain the original circuit despite the extreme conditions. In YongPyong, it did not seem that an alternative route was prepared for heavy rain, and the mud ended up making a good part of the course practically unrideable.

However, just look at the responses to that post to see that not everyone shared her stance. Many fans reduced her words to a simple complaint about the conditions, arguing that mud and toughness are part of mountain biking and accusing her of exaggerating.

Henderson's response came shortly after in a Story where she decided to directly reference the UCI regulations. The Australian posted a screenshot of section 4.2.017 of the Cross-country regulations, highlighting the following text:

“The circuit must be completely rideable even in difficult weather conditions. Parallel sections must be provided in areas of the course that are susceptible to easily deteriorating.”

Alongside the image, she wrote ironically: “Thanks to everyone who has torn me apart for my opinions about last weekend.”

The message significantly shifts the focus of the debate. Henderson is not simply criticizing the presence of mud or difficult conditions, which are common in MTB, but rather that the circuit did not meet minimum standards. It is not the first time racing has taken place in mud, and we have still witnessed exciting races. But this time it seems fair to say that the circuit did not meet the minimum requirements set by the regulations.

The debut in YongPyong thus leaves an uncomfortable discussion for the UCI and the organizers. Because one thing is that mud is part of mountain biking, and another very different thing is that the circuit no longer allows competing on the bike for a good part of the race.