Italian Gaia Tormena is set to defend her UCI World title for mountain bike cross-country eliminator on a course she has never ridden, in a country she’s yet to visit.
Winner of the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Cup powered by citymountainbike.com and reigning UCI Eliminator World Champion, the 21-year-old is nevertheless cautious before the competition on 12 November in Palangkaraya, Indonesia.
“Everyone is dangerous for the title, because the UCI World Championships are so unpredictable,” she said when we caught up with her before her trip to Indonesia.
How important for you are the UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Championships?
“Winning the UCI World Cup overall has already made my season. The UCI World Championships are something very emotional and important as an athlete - but the overall UCI World Cup means that you are the most consistent across the whole season, so I’m already really happy. Of course, I’ll do my best to keep the rainbow jersey!”
As the defending UCI World Champion, will you approach the day any differently?
“In the past few years, I have learned that we are more than a jersey… we are people! The jersey is prestigious, but under the jersey is a person. My approach, like always, is that I’ll do my best. And of course, I’ll try to avoid crashes.”
Does the idea of winning the rainbow stripes three years in a row inspire you, or add extra pressure?
“It’s more of an inspiration for me. Also because in the men’s competition, Titouan [Perrin-Ganier, France] has already won it four years in a row [5 so far in total], and is the most awarded Champion. I will try to defend it for three years in a row. But I’m fighting to be better than Titouan one day!”
With fewer rounds of the UCI World Cup this year, what else have you been riding?
“This season the UCI World Cup started quite late so I focussed the first part of the season on road racing, riding with the UAE Development Team. It had been a long time since my last road race so it was almost like a new experience, but I enjoyed it and it gave me an extra boost.
“And later I rode Enduro, it is another way of racing in my mind. Some people, in the middle of the season, go on holiday to switch off from racing, but I like to go racing Enduro because I have so much fun, and it gives me confidence for the future… I’m keeping the door open!”
At last year’s UCI Worlds in Barcelona, Spain, you said the course was well suited to you, so what about the course in Stadion Tuah Pahoe, Palangkaraya?
“I have never been to the track in Indonesia. Last year I missed the UCI World Cups in Indonesia and India [the top three finishers in the 2022 UCI World Cup round in Palangkaraya were Germany’s Marion Fromberger, from Warinthorn Phetpraphan of Thailand and Indonesian home rider Ayu Triya Andriyana] so it will be my first time there, but I saw the live stream and it was a mostly flat course so I don’t know for sure if it will suit me best. Although I also heard that something will change from last year, and so I’m curious.
“In Barcelona I know it suits me because it’s the fourth time in a row that I’ve won there; it suits me because there are many small sprints to do after every corner and every obstacle. For Indonesia, we will see!”
Who do you see as your main competitors?
“Marion [Fromberger], definitely, and Coline [Clauzure, France] if she will be there. And there will be many new girls that we haven’t seen all throughout the season. But I’m not underestimating anyone – everyone is dangerous for the title, because the UCI World Championships are so unpredictable, there is so much talent and with a crash or a mechanical, you can lose everything.”
And what about the men’s competition?
“Titouan is very strong. And Lorenzo Serres (FRA), he’s looking very good. And then we have the young gun, Sondre Rokke (NOR), he’s very young but showed his power in recent races so I think he can do a great race. And there’s [Felix] Klausmann (GER) as well! The men’s race is going to be a very, very hard fight!”
What are you looking forward to most about this year’s UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator Worlds?
“It will be a long time travelling, and going to a new continent is huge for me because a few years ago I couldn’t imagine being there to race an Eliminator as a defending UCI World Champion - so this is most exciting for me!”
The 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Championships in Palangkaraya, Indonesia, were postponed from 15 October due to fires in the region. The action on the new date, 12 November, will be live on the UCI YouTube channel.