{"id":5468,"date":"2026-05-04T20:02:35","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T20:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velomag.eu\/glorias-gamble-the-e100k-mistake\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T20:02:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T20:02:35","slug":"glorias-gamble-the-e100k-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velomag.eu\/nl\/glorias-gamble-the-e100k-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"Gloria’s Gamble: The \u20ac100K Mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the inaugural round of the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup held in Mona Yongpyong, South Korea, the spotlight was on the performance of belt-drive, gearbox-equipped downhill bikes. Notably, Gloria Scarsi of MS Racing secured a commendable second place, finishing just 0.573 seconds behind the reigning World Champion, Valentina H\u00f6ll. (ski-nordique.net<\/a>)<\/p>\n

This achievement brings Scarsi and her team closer to claiming the coveted \u20ac100,000 “Belted Purse” prize offered by Gates, a reward for the first rider to win a World Cup event using a belt-drive system. The performance of Scarsi and her MS Racing teammate, Valentina Roa S\u00e1nchez, who also qualified in the top three, underscores the growing competitiveness of belt-drive technology in elite downhill racing. (mtbdata.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The MS Racing team utilizes the Zerode G3, a high single-pivot aluminum bike equipped with a Gates belt-drive system and a Smart.Shift Pinion gearbox. This setup offers a maintenance-friendly alternative to traditional chain systems, providing consistent performance and reliability. The bike’s design features a narrow 12x142mm rear end, contributing to a stronger, symmetrically-dished rear wheel, and is complemented by SR Suntour Rux 38 and Voro Coil suspension, Hope brakes, and Michelin tires.<\/p>\n

Similarly, AON Racing’s Harriet Harnden showcased the potential of belt-drive technology by finishing fourth in the elite women’s final. Harnden’s bike, the Gamux Sego, combines Swiss CNC-machined aluminum with boxy carbon tubes, offering a unique blend of stiffness and weight savings. The bike is equipped with a Gates belt-drive system and a Smart.Shift Pinion gearbox, along with Manitou Dorado inverted forks and Hayes Dominion brakes. (pinkbike.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The success of these riders highlights a significant shift in downhill racing, with belt-drive systems gaining traction among elite competitors. As the season progresses, the pursuit of the “Belted Purse” remains a compelling storyline, with riders like Scarsi and Harnden leading the charge toward this innovative milestone in mountain biking.<\/p>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the inaugural round of the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup held in Mona…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5469,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t