With Avancini's world title, Brasil Ride has five world champions registered for the race in October

Henrique Avancini, current number 2 in the world cross country rankings, already had his name among the favorites for the 2018 edition of Brasil Ride. After all, he won the event two times already. After last weekend, the 29-year old Brazilian rider climbed a step further in his favoritism. Last Saturday (15), in Auronzo di Cadore, Italy, he won the Mountain Bike Marathon (XCM) World Championship and wrote his name in the cycling’s history.

The result is unprecedented in Brazilian mountain bike history and Avancini joins four other world champions confirmed for the ninth edition of the race - October 21 to 27, in Arraial d'Ajuda, in Porto Seguro (BA), and Guaratinga (BA). Tiago Ferreira (POR), Roel Paulissen (BEL), Jaroslav Kulhavy (CZE) and Bart Brentjens (HOL) are the other champions. Kulhavy and Brentjens are also Olympic gold medalists. The race has also confirmed the last two XCM European champions: Ferreira (2017) and Russian Alexey Medvedev, current champion.

"Henrique’s achievement may surprise some people, but for me personally it is not a surprise. It is a result of someone who, like Brasil Ride, does not think in the individual glory, but in the sport itself and works with planning, focus and dedication. Winning a World Championship and having so many riders of that class in a national competition are goals for Brazilian cycling and we always work together for that. There is a great partnership between Brasil Ride and Henrique and we both think the same way," says Mario Roma, founder of Brasil Ride.

"When Avancini won the Brasil Ride title in 2013, he was competing against athletes like Roel Paulissen, Christoph Sauser and Bart Brentjens, who were heroes for him. Today they are at the same level. We are proud of having shared many experiences with Avancini over the last few years, as a reporter, as an athlete and as a champion. We are going to continue working as a team, always thinking about the whole sport and not only in the individual," completes Mario Roma.

The event - Considered the Giro d'Italia of MTB world, the ultramarathon scheduled for 21-27 October in the South of Bahia offers a challenge for 500 athletes from all over the world. For seven days, participants will ride 600 km and endure almost 11,000 m of accumulated altimetry, between track and dirt roads that connect Arraial d'Ajuda, in Porto Seguro, to Brasil Ride Village, built in Guaratinga. On the last day of the competition, on Saturday (27), another 1,200 cyclists from all over the country join the stars of the international race for the Marathon of the Discoveries. A unique opportunity to ride side by side with the best mountain bikers in the world.

The ninth edition of Brasil Ride has Specialized, Shimano and Unidas as sponsors. Government of Bahia, through the SUDESB (Superintendence of Sports of the State of Bahia) and Bahiatursa (Superintendence of Tourism Promotion of the State of Bahia), also sponsor the ultramarathon, while the Municipalities of Porto Seguro and Guaratinga are among the supporters.

Brasil Ride: More than a race, a stage in your life.

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Gustavo Coelho / Doro Jr. - Mtb 13209
E-mail: gustavo@zdl.com.br / dorojr@zdl.com.br
Phone: +55 11 32855911 / Cell phone: + 55 11 9.8457-9699

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