Jolanda Neff and Martin Vidaurre take a courageous victory in Brazil

Just a week before the XCO/XCC World Cup in Brazil, the first round of the Michelin International MTB Cup was held on the same Petropolis circuit. A race marked by the state of the track after the rain and in which Jolanda Neff and Martin Vidaurre have taken the victory in the XCO race.

Martin Vidaurre and Jolanda Neff win the tough CIMTB in Brazil

The rains of the last few days left the technical Brazilian circuit in a complicated state where the riders had to be very careful to avoid hard crashes just a few days before the World Cup opener. That caused some of the favourites to change their minds at the last minute and decide not to take the start.

It was a full race and that meant starting with the Short Track. It took place on Saturday and was won by American Kate Courtney (SCOTT SRAM) in the women's race and Swiss Thomas Litscher (KROSS Orlen Cycling Team) in the men's race. 

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On Sunday it was the turn of the XCO races and once again the caution of many participants detracted a bit of excitement. But it really seemed to be justified as it was even difficult to maintain the line on the descent leading to what is probably the biggest drop of the entire World Cup circuit.

In the women's race, Swiss rider Jolanda Neff (TREK Factory Racing) set a pace that only Laura Stigger (Specialized Factory) could keep up with for a few kilometres, but the Swiss rider kept pushing and was the one who slowed down the least in the tricky sections, which was enough for her to reach the finish line alone. This was a warning for next weekend's XCO World Cup.

1. Jolanda Neff (SUI) – 1h26min08
2. Laura Stiger (AUT) – 1h32min10
3. Evie Richards (GBR) – 1h32min33
4. Kate Courtney (EUA) – 1h33min24
5. Sina Frei (SUI) – 1h33min42
6. Rocío Martinez (ESP) – 1h34min1
7. Yana Belomoina (UCR) – 1h34min28
8. Anne Tauber (HOL) – 1h34min36
9. Daniela Campuzano (MEX) – 1h36min10
10. Jennifer Jackson (CAN) – 1h36min23

The men's race was led by a strong trio of Jordan Sarrou (Specialized Factory Racing), Vlad Dascalu (Trek Factory Racing) and under-23 World Champion Martín Vidaurre (Lexware Mountainbike Team). And as throughout the weekend, the mud made it very difficult to ride fast, and sometimes even normal, on the circuit. In the final part of the race, Vidaurre was alone at the front and remained so until the finish. The Chilean, wearing his rainbow jersey, took a great victory over some of the favourites in any Elite World Cup.

1. Martin Vidaurre (CHI) – 1h27min47
2. Vlad Dascalu (ROM) – 1h29min
3. Thomas Listcher (SUI) – 1h29min16
4. Maxime Marrote (FRA) – 1h29min28
5. Jordan Sarrou (FRA) – 1h29min41
6. Daivid Valero (ESP) – 1h29min42
7. Leandre Bouchard (CAN) – 1h30min22
8. Julian Schelb (ALE) – 1h30min54
9. Ondrei Cink (CZE) – 1h31min19
10. Camilo Gomez (COL) – 1h31min33

After this preview, the World Cup in Brazil will start next Friday 8 April with the men's and women's Short Track.