Gaia Tormena is back on the top of the podium

After missing out on last year’s UCI Cross Country Eliminator World Championships due to an injury she sustained a few days beforehand, Gaia was highly motivated going into this year’s event. It was her clear target to set the record straight and to add a sixth World Champion title to her long list of achievements.

With the event taking place in Barcelona — a location at which Gaia has previously achieved World Cup wins — and her pre-race preparation going well, all signs were pointing towards a successful weekend.

However, in any kind of racing, and perhaps even more so in the short bursts of the Cross Country Eliminator discipline, things can go wrong, and a small mistake or mishap can mean the difference between being on the podium or in front of it.

Luckily for Gaia, everything worked out perfectly. Solid and controlled runs throughout the early rounds secured her a place in the final, where she was finally able to demonstrate her strength and determination by crossing the finish line ahead of the competition.

“I wanted this title back so badly after losing the opportunity to chase the rainbow jersey last year due to an injury. I worked so hard for this, and the hard work paid off”, Gaia commented after the final.

Congratulations from everyone at MERIDA! We can’t wait to see what the rest of the season will bring.

To keep up to date with Gaia's latest race results and achievements, follow her on Instagram @gaiatormena.

NOTE: Images are provided by Alessandro Di Donato.