There was plenty of reason for Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing) to despair during the cross-country Olympic (XCO) race at Pal Arinsal, with two crashes and a puncture, but instead of succumbing to defeat the determined rider from New Zealand launched a spectacular fight back that put her back on the top step at the Andorra round of the Whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series.
"I had a flat and two crashes all within what felt like five seconds," said Maxwell in a release from race organisers. "I thought ‘it’s going to be one of those days’ where I panic and drop down the rankings. I told myself ‘just because I had the thought doesn’t make it a fact’. I’m a fighter and just re-set and chipped them [her rivals] off one by one."
The overall series leader had been out the front with Ronja Blöchlinger (LIV Factory Racing) early before falling away as she lost 47 seconds after needing a change for a rear wheel puncture,
