The Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC squad is finally back in action, and you couldn't ask for two better opening venues
It’s. World. Cup. Week.
When we last left our Trek Factory Racing-Pirelli XC heroes, they were closing out the 2023 World Cup season with podiums aplenty in Mont-Sainte-Anne. The squad rode strong all year, but just missed out on the number of elite wins that they’ve become accustomed to. This week, the team is in Brazil to begin a jam-packed, pressure-filled 2024 season in earnest, with its sights set on the top of the podium.
Watch our preseason video and see what it takes to be a TFR XC racer!
The team racked up wins and accolades during early season racing, from Anton Cooper winning New Zealand and Oceania titles, to Riley Amos winning an Elite level XCO at a U.S. Cup event in Fayetteville, to Gwendalyn Gibson dominating a week in Puerto Rico, to Jolanda Neff taking home hardware in a World Cup-worthy field … we could keep going, but you get the point. These riders are as tested as they can be, and ready for everything Brazil is about to throw at them.
Round 1 will take place in Mairiporã, just one hour north of São Paolo. Round 2 is a week later in Araxá, another seven hours north still. Click here to catch up on the TFR XC’s biggest storylines heading into the World Cup, and read on for what to expect at the first two rounds of the XC World Cup.
On track for Round 1 of the World Cup in Brazil.
Get ready for speeeeeed.
The tracks
If the 2022 World Cup opener in Petrópolis was anything to go by, the races in Mairiporã and Araxà are going to have stunning atmospheres. The crowds in South America always show up with full-throated enthusiasm and hospitality. For that reason alone, you won’t want to miss the action. But the racing itself should be top-notch, too.
Both races are new venues to the World Cup circuit, which means that the competition will be on relatively even footing in terms of track knowledge. That should open up the possibilities at the finish.
Mairiporã is all about flow.
The tool for the job.
Mairiporã could be a howler. The course is built into a bike park, so expect fast-flowing descents off of big climbs, tight corners and some really gnarly rock features, all of which could be conducive to tight margins at the line. Riders are going to have a hard time getting away.
Araxá should be a stiffer technical test. The course is well-established on the Brazilian racing scene, and has come to be beloved and feared for its demanding forest descents and long, leg-sapping flat sections. If it rains, Araxá will be an especially difficult race.
The gang is ready to get started.
Schedule and how to watch
For 2024, World Cup racing will be available for streaming on Max in the United States, Flosports in Canada, Eurosport Channels and discovery+ in Europe, and Claro in Mexico, Central America, and South America. For U23 XCO racing, you can watch for FREE on the UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube page.
Here is the schedule of events for the next two weekends:
XC World Cup Round 1 – Mairiporã
Friday, April 12
- Women’s U23 short track – 2 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
- Men’s U23 short track – 2:35 p.m. local / 1:35 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 13
- Women’s Elite short track – 12 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
- Men’s Elite short track – 12:35 p.m. local / 11:35 a.m. ET
- Men’s U23 Olympic – 2:30 p.m. local / 1:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 14
- Women’s U23 Olympic – 10 a.m. local / 9 a.m. ET
- Women’s Elite Olympic – 12:15 p.m. local / 11:15 a.m. ET
- Men’s Elite Olympic – 2:30 p.m. local / 1:30 p.m. ET
See you in Brazil.
XC World Cup Round 2 – Araxá
Friday, April 19
- Women’s U23 short track – 2 p.m. local / 1 p.m. ET
- Men’s U23 short track – 2:35 p.m. local / 1:35 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 20
- Women’s Elite short track – 12 p.m. local / 11 a.m. ET
- Men’s Elite short track – 12:35 p.m. local / 11:35 a.m. ET
- Men’s U23 Olympic – 3 p.m. local / 2 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 21
- Women’s U23 Olympic – 10:30 a.m. local / 9:30 a.m. ET
- Women’s Elite Olympic – 1:15 p.m. local / 12:15 p.m. ET
- Men’s Elite Olympic – 3:30 p.m. local / 2:30 p.m. ET
The best way to keep track of TFR XC on a World Cup weekend is by following the team on Instagram, where you’ll get race updates and a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most tight-knit squads on the circuit. Get ready for a great season.
