3
CANNONDALE
FACTORY RACING
2019
280-2
MANUEL FUMIC
Age: 36
Epics completed: 4
Stage wins: 5
BEST RESULT
3rd (2018)
2017 & 2018 XCO
German champion
S
HENRIQUE
AVANCINI
Age: 29
Epics completed: 3
Stage wins: 5
BEST RESULT
3rd (2018)
2018 XCM world champion
If history were to repeat itself, as it’s done every
year that Fumic and Avancini have ridden together,
we’d suggest fans and rivals keep a close eye
on Cannondale Factory Racing in the early stages of the
race. Their explosive style and fearless attacking have
netted them fi ve stage wins to date. They’re likely to
pile on the pressure from the get-go, which will have a
strong infl uence on the race’s outcome, whether or not
they repeat 2018’s podium spot. They excel on all types
of terrain. As XCO specialists, highly competitive on the
UCI World Cup circuit, they still managed to take it to the
marathoners, even before they reached their favourite
terrain of tight singletrack and short, steep climbs.
Avancini is the current marathon world champ and Fumic
the German XCO champ. They have legions of supporters,
but one can’t help wish they had a much-needed back-up
team – their GC chances have been scuppered more than
once already. That said, they are due some good luck and
with their fi repower, they’re the biggest threats to Investec-
Songo-Specialized and SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing.
5 MINUTES WITH MANI & HENRI
Manuel, you guys are
adored by MTB fans for
your go-big-or-go-home
racing style. With seven
Epics and 10 stage wins
between you, are you
coming back with a plan
to win stages, or are
you adopting a more
conservative race plan
to move up from your
third spot last year? We
are coming back to build
on our previous success
and experience. We are
defi nitely out there to win
stages, and will tackle the
overall title too. Both of us
love SA, and we spent most
of the European winter
here to prepare. I think this
year is the right year for us
to push for the overall win
in probably my favourite
race of the season.
This more technical
course certainly suits you
guys, but can, of course,
lead to more punctures
or broken wheels. Mani,
is there a reason why
you’re the highest rated
team with no support
riders – especially given
that your front wheels
are unique if you need a
replacement en route? Tell
us about your experience
with the new Lefty
Ocho. The Lefty Ocho is
a huge step forward in
suspension technology.
Most importantly for us,
too, is how quickly we can
change a front wheel. We
can do it more quickly,
or at least as quickly, as
we can a standard wheel
at the water points. On
the back-up team: this is
probably our most asked
question. I think it is a
culture that developed
out of competition. So it
is very normal that lots
of teams go the path of
a back-up team, since it
can help them in case of
mechanicals or also in race
tactics. But to be honest,
a lot of things need to
go right to get full use
of it, while fi rst, things
have to go wrong. In our
case, we operate slightly
diff erently. We have the
best support crew in the
world, who work on every
tiny detail in getting us
ready to compete in a
lot of diff erent mountain
bike races, not only stage
races. We are super strong
as a group and made
the decision together to
focus on ourselves and on
getting better in the areas
we have not done too well
in previously. At the Epic, it
is crucial that your support
crew is strong and gets
along well… We balanced
out where a back-up team
could help, but also where
it would maybe aff ect us
in a more negative way,
or make our well-oiled
organisation less powerful.
On the wheels/tyres, we
have a pretty tricked out
set-up and we are the only
ones in the MTB endurance
world able to use it, so far.
The competition is so tight
these days, if you lose time
because of a mechanical,
then the race for the win is
already over.
Henrique, you wear the
world marathon champion
stripes. Does this now
make you more of a
marked man? Wearing
the stripes gives me extra
motivation, and I really
do not know if getting
more attention from other
riders is a bad thing. At the
end of the day, I am living
this life because I love to
race – I am up for the good
battles ahead.
Brazil is famous for its surf,
beaches and beautiful
women. Henri, how does
SA compare? Being in
South Africa always makes
me happy. The mix of
mountains and beaches
makes this place one of
my all-time favourites in
the world. And when it
comes to South African
girls, I’d have to say that
the mountains and beaches
really are just the second
best thing in this country…
The Untamed African MTB Race | MTB | 49