Lindh and Fromberger hold off Brazilian home favorites to win Round 6 of the #XCEWorldCup

Edvin Lindh from Sweden and Marion Fromberger from Germany claimed victories in Round 6 of the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup season in São Paulo, Brazil. In their hard-fought finals, both European riders managed to hold off a Brazilian home favorite.

For the first time since 2018, the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup returned to Brazil, and we couldn’t have dreamt of a better setting. Racing took place in the metropolis of São Paulo during Shimano Fest, the largest bike festival in Latin America. The track around Shimano Fest’s event site was intriguing, featuring a mix of natural and urban obstacles.

We promised a clash between the motivated Brazilian home favorites and the experienced eliminator stars flying in, and that’s exactly what happened. In the qualifying time trials, the Brazilian riders demonstrated their strength: Lucas Borba set the third-fastest time in the men’s time trial, while Luiza Cocuzzi was second in the women’s TT. Lindh and Fromberger were the fastest riders in the qualifiers, showing they both brought strong legs to Brazil. Unfortunately, eliminator legend Simon Gegenheimer, a former UCI world champion, was eliminated in the qualifiers due to a mechanical issue.

In the final heats, starting strong proved crucial, as overtaking on the compact track was a challenging task. Both Fromberger and Lindh managed to do so, leading their big finals from start to finish. Lindh faced significant pressure from home rider Luiz Henrique Cocuzzi but managed to hold the Brazilian off with a strong push to the finish line. European champion Ede Molnar (ROU) took third place in the men’s race, Lorenzo Serres (FRA) came in fourth, while Theo Hauser (AUT) won the small final, taking fifth place overall.

In the women’s race, Fromberger impressed with a perfect performance, making no mistakes on the technically challenging track. The German champion won the big final with a convincing gap over her competitors. With an impressive final kick to the finish line, Pan American champion Iara Caetano Leite snatched second place for Brazil. Experienced European riders Didi de Vries (NLD) and Madison Boissiere (FRA) finished third and fourth, respectively, while Luiza Cocuzzi (BRA) claimed fifth place in the small final.

“It was amazing to ride in this beautiful country with these crowds,” Fromberger smiled after her win. “The track was awesome: some urban style but also cool off-road sections. Competing with the South American riders was special; their riding style was different from ours in Europe. I’m happy that Iara made it to the podium, and I’m so proud to take the win myself—maybe I’ll celebrate with a caipirinha on the beach!”

“Traveling so far made me feel like I really needed to show my very best racing. I was also looking for revenge after the UCI World Championships, where I had the legs to go all the way,” Edvin Lindh commented on his victory. “It was wonderful racing here. When I heard the Brazilian crowds going wild, I knew someone was close to me. I was really afraid that the Brazilian rider would try to pass me on one of the obstacles, but I managed to keep some distance and take the win!”

At the top of the UCI World Cup rankings, the positions aren’t changing. Lindh strengthened his lead in the men’s category, now holding a 93-point lead over Serres. Hauser sits third, 120 points behind the Swedish leader. In the women’s World Cup, Gaia Tormena is still in the lead despite being absent in Brazil. However, De Vries (-69 points), Boissiere (-111 points), and Fromberger (-138) are closing in on the strong Italian.

With six out of eight rounds completed, the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup will be traveling back to Asia for its final two races. Round 7 will take place in the heart of another city of millions: Bengaluru, India, on September 29. The exciting Grand Finale will be held in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, on November 3.

Results

Men’s results – UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup São Paulo

1. Edvin Lindh (SWE)
2. Luiz Henrique Cocuzzi (BRA)
3. Ede-Karoly Molnar (ROU)
4. Lorenzo Serres (FRA)
5. Theo Hauser (AUT)

Women’s results – UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup São Paulo

1. Marion Fromberger (GER)
2. Iara Caetano Leite (BRA)
3. Didi de Vries (NLD)
4. Madison Boissiere (FRA)
5. Luiza Cocuzzi (BRA)

FULL RESULTS

Standings

Men’s UCI World Cup standings after São Paulo

1. Edvin Lindh (SWE) – 496 points
2. Lorenzo Serres (FRA) – 403 points
3. Theo Hauser (AUT) – 376 points
4. Ede-Karoly Molnar (ROU) – 301 points
5. Nils-Obed Riecker (GER) – 170 points

Women’s UCI World Cup standings after São Paulo

1. Gaia Tormena (ITA) – 440 points
2. Didi de Vries (NLD) – 371 points
3. Madison Boissiere (FRA) – 329 points
4. Marion Fromberger (GER) – 302 points
5. Coline Clauzure (FRA) – 209 points

FULL STANDINGS