Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Cycling News
Cycling News
Sport
Simone Giuliani

'Crazy conditions' – New South Korean leg of Mountain Bike XCO World Series 'turns into a running competition' as Sina Frei and Dario Lillo master the mud

Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) heads to the line to claim the UCI XCO World Cup win in Mona YongPyong.

Sina Frei (Specialized Factory Racing) and Dario Lillo (Giant Factory Off-Road) took out their first elite cross-country Olympic races in the opening round of the 2026 Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series, held in South Korea for the first time.

The racing at MONA YongPyong was charged, with wet and muddy conditions on the new course delivering a whole different set of challenges beyond what riders usually face through the World Cup season.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.