Preview: MTB Cross-country Olympic at Paris 2024

The women will be the first to compete in the mountain bike cross-country program.

Australia will have one athlete competing against a stacked field of established greats.

Read on to learn all about XCO at Paris 2024.

Key details

• Date: Sunday, July 28
• Time: 22:10 AEST (women)
• Distance: 1-2 hours
• Course Length: 4.4km
• Competitors: 36 women
• Australians: Rebecca Henderson

How it works

The men's and women's mountain bike medals are determined where riders stage a mass start and are required to complete a certain number of laps around a hilly circuit. Racing typically lasts between 1hr 20mins and 1hr 40mins and first across the line wins. Number of laps are not decided until the day before racing.

The course

The races will take place at Élancourt Hill on a 4.4km course that includes twisting gravel paths, a technical rock garden and a challenging climb. After an opening lap of 2.2km, which avoids the one major climb, there will be multiple passes on the main circuit, with 110 meters of elevation gain each time. The highest point of the course offers views in the distance of the Eiffel Tower, which is located about 25km away.

Women’s contenders

With defending champion, Switzerland's Jolanda Neff, not on the start line at Elancourt Hill a new Olympic gold medalist will be crowned Sunday evening.

And there are several women who are lining up to stand top of the dais, none more so than our sole representative Rebecca Henderson.

It is the Canberran’s fourth and potentially last Games so she knows how it works and will be fired up to produce a massive effort come race day.

Henderson is ranked 13th in the current UCI World Cup standings and while she admits she hasn’t been in the best form heading into the Games she will leave nothing behind in the chase for Olympic success.

The current world champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and fellow Frenchwoman Loana Lecomte will have the extra boost of the home crowd cheering them on. It is also Prevot’s final season competing in mountain bike and so she will have driving motivation to end on the ultimate high.

Allessandra Keller is another serious contender as she is the current overall World Cup leader and with three podiums to her name this season so far. Also on the radar is the rising star of XCO Puck Pieterse from the Netherlands currently second overall in the World Cup standings.

What she said:

Rebecca Henderson is a four-time Olympian (Getty Images)

Rebecca Henderson: “I have really enjoyed this special week putting in the last details of preparation for the race and enjoying the little moments.

“I'm looking forward to racing tomorrow, hopefully under the sun and squeezing every bit of power and energy from myself! I'll give my best like always and the outcome will be what it will be.

“It's a pleasure and a privilege to race for Australia, my team and everyone supporting. And for me. I given all I have to be so fortunate to do this amazing sport that I love.”

How to watch

You’ll be able to watch the Olympic Games XCO live and free on the Nine Network.

The women’s race starts at 10:10pm AEST on Sunday night.

Feature image: Getty Images