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Hero Abu Dhabi XCO: Ben Oliver, surprise winner!

Among the women, Rebecca Henderson wins, Martina Berta does well (3rd) and Giada Specia (4^). Among the men, 3 Italians in the Top10.

HERO Abu Dhabi 2024 - Photo shotmotion_ph 2
Ben Oliver - Photo by shotmotion_ph

The queen of the Olympic Cross Country race at the close of HERO Abu Dhabi Hudayriyat Island 2024 saw the triumph of Australian Rebecca Henderson and New Zealander Ben Oliver. The race saw athletes representing 47 nations at the start in the only race on the UCI calendar on the Arabian Peninsula and which opens the off-road season that will culminate with the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The starting grids are prestigious thanks to the UCI points up for grabs and to the generous prize pool. And Rebecca Henderson and Ben Oliver dominated on the Trail X course of the Hudayriyat Island sports facility.

THE MEN'S PODIUM

In fact, the New Zealander Ben Oliver of the Denver Disruptors team climbed to the top step of the men's podium, finishing the race in 1:17:43, defeating the competition of the Swiss Thomas Litscher of the LAPIERRE MAVIC UNITY team, 28 seconds behind. seconds. Completing the podium was the German David List of the LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM who crossed the finish line in 1:18:24.

HERO Abu Dhabi 2024 - Photo shotmotion_ph 2
Photo by shotmotion_ph

It was a high intensity race from the start, on an extremely fast course and I waited until the final laps to see who could hold on. And I think I can say I've started the season – Ben Oliver

The Italians did well: three present in the top ten with Simone Avondetto placed fifth, followed by Filippo Fontana in sixth position and Daniele Braidot ninth.

HERO Abu Dhabi 2024 - Photo shotmotion_ph 2
Photo by shotmotion_ph

Peter Sagan was expected at the start and after three of the seven laps of the Hudayriyat circuit he did not keep up with the pace of the leaders and finished in 24th place, also thanks to a fall without physical consequences. The Italian champion Luca Braidot was forced to withdraw due to a contracture in his left leg.

THE WOMEN'S PODIUM

In addition to the winner Recca Henderson of the Primaflor Mondraker team who stopped the clock in a time of 1:17:41, the women's podium was completed with the second place of the Swiss Noëlle Buri of the LAPIERRE MAVIC UNITY team in 1:17:46 and third step conquered by the Italian Martina Berta of the Santacruz RockShox Pro Team, who finished the race in 1:17:47.

HERO Abu Dhabi 2024 - Photo shotmotion_ph 2
Rebecca Henderson at the moment of the attack – Photo by Action Media Production – www.actionmpro.com

I played the initial tactic a lot, but there was never a moment of relaxation, always full throttle. I didn't know what physical condition I was in and this is the best start to the year I could have expected – Rebecca Henderson

HERO Abu Dhabi 2024 - Photo shotmotion_ph 2
Photo by shotmotion_ph

AMATEURS

On the same Hudayriyat Island track, the amateurs also competed on Saturday with the victory of Benjamin Willeit in the men's category and Rachael Delaunay in the women's classification.

ITALIANS AT THE START

In addition to the athletes mentioned previously, 4 athletes from the Trinz Factory Team were also present. A new experience even for Eva Lechner (in the photo by shotmotion_ph with Lucia Bramati), who despite his twenty-year career was making his first appearance in the United Arab Emirates, finishing the race in tenth place cross country. Behind her was Lucia Bramati, 11th overall and third among the U23s, while Nicole Pesse was slowed down by mechanical problems caused by her fall on the short track on Friday.

First rides in the new biker career for Alan Zanolini: the former road racer born in 2005 began to get to grips with the new world, finishing 35th in both the short track (where he ranked eighth among the Under 23s) and the cross country Olympic (ninth in category).

XCO Class 1 HERO Abu Dhabi Hudayriyat Island Men's Standings

1.Ben OLIVER – NZL – Denver Disruptors 1:17:43
2.Thomas LITSCHER – SUI – LAPIERRE MAVIC UNITY 1:18:12
3.David LIST – GER – LEXWARE MOUNTAINBIKE TEAM 1:18:24
4.Ethan ROSE – NZL – Trek Future Racing 1:18:51
5.Simone AVONDETTO – ITA – WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM XCO 1:18:57
COMPLETE RANKING

Ranking XCO Class 1 HERO Abu Dhabi Hudayriyat Island Women

1.Rebecca HENDERSON – AUS – Primaflor Mondraker – 1:17:41
2.Noëlle BURI – SUI – LAPIERRE MAVIC UNITY – 1:17:46
3.Martina BERTA – ITA – Santacruz RockShox Pro Team – 1:17:47
4.Giada SPECIA – ITA– WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM XCO – 1:17:53
5.Sofie Heby PEDERSEN – DEN – WILIER-VITTORIA FACTORY TEAM XCO – 1:17:53
COMPLETE RANKING

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Written by

[email protected] I am a fan of everything that has 2 wheels: at a young age I practiced road and track cycling (Italian Allievi champion). At the age of 18 I passed into the cross country competing at national/international level as an Under23. Past Elite, I made the choice to take things more lightly from a training point of view, and my love for gravity disciplines was born, training me as an FCI MTB instructor and guide. Now I have made passion my profession by managing 2 MTB centers on the island of Elba (Bike Center Elba and Elba MTB), creating the FANTAmtb and telling in an ironic but professional way everything that revolves around MTB thanks to 365mountainbike and 365TV (YouTube'PULITI dentro BIKER fuori').

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