Gaia Tormena wins XCE World Championship in Indonesia

Racing in front of a large crowd and against athletes from 40 other nations, MERIDA athlete Gaia Tormena reasserted herself as UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Champion in Palangkaraya, Indonesia.

Despite tough competition, Gaia set the fastest time in qualifying aboard her BIG.NINE before dominating the final, leading from start to finish despite the best efforts of her fellow athletes. 

Speaking after the race, Gaia explained her game plan, saying: "In my mind, I had three different tactics and kept changing them as I watched my opponents’ races to understand their strategies. My goal was to take the lead as quickly as possible and maintain it. This tactic proved to be the most effective one.”

Becoming World Champion is the culmination of a tough but very successful season for Gaia, as she explained: "I am super happy, but very emotional at the same time. It was a long journey to get here. I began my season in February, and it’s now mid-November, so I’m quite exhausted. I’m thrilled to end the season on such a high note. Looking back at these great results, I can finally enjoy my off-season now."

To keep up with Gaia, make sure you follow her on Instagram here.