Samara Maxwell wins World Cup mountain bike race in Brazil

Samara Maxwell won the UCI mountain bike cross-country World Cup event in Araxa, Brazil, on 7 April, 2025. Photo: Supplied / Noam Meresse

Mountain biker Samara Maxwell has become the first New Zealand woman to win a UCI MTB cross-country World Cup race.

The 23-year-old Oceania champion, riding for Decathlon Ford, won the opening world series race for this year in Araxa, Brazil.

She was near the front throughout the race and held off Switzerland's Nicole Koller and her American team-mate Savilia Blunk in the sprint finish.

The previous best placing by a Kiwi woman in cross country best was a second by Olympian Rosara Joseph 17 years ago in Australia.

Maxwell had finished second to Evie Richards of Great Britain in the short-track cross-country event in Araxa on Sunday.

Maxwell, who finished eighth in the women's mountain bike at the Paris Olympics, was the women's under-23 cross-country world champion in 2023.

Samara Maxwell in action at the Paris Olympics. Photo: Photosport

Maxwell is competing in her first full world series season as an elite rider.

She led after the first lap, before dropping 12 seconds behind the leader mid-race before climbing back to the front and opening up an 18-second lead on the penultimate lap.

She then held her nerve as her pursuers threatened and won by four seconds at the finish line.

"The team manager said it was going to be a hot race, super punchy climbs so to stay in the bunch and with two to go, do what you want. Coming into the feed zone with two laps to go, he looked at me, and said now you go on the climb.

"I've been working super-hard on technical skills on downhill. So I thought if I could get to the front and attack, and if I can get 10 seconds gap, that is a big time to make up.

"I can't believe it worked. I can't wait to watch the race.

"The team has been so incredible to me. I've had a hard time the last two years with my health and the team stood by me. So to have everything fall in to line for these amazing people is the most special part."

Maxwell remains in Brazil for the second round, again at Araxa, but with the course reversed from today.

Oceania champion Anton Cooper finished 36th in the men's race.

The Lapierre Racing Unity rider, who had a year out of the sport with illness, started off the sixth row and gradually found space to move forward, finishing with one of the fastest laps in the field.

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