HÀ NỘI — Luli Cox of Brazil won the women’s title at the Việt Nam Mountain Bike Marathon (VMBM), which closed in the mountains surrounding Sapa in Lào Cai Province on November 6.

Sarah Haverkort of the Abyssinian Lions team came second and the podium was rounded off by Việt Nam’s Trần Thị Hải Yến.

Fraser Young of Chiru-Magura was the overall VMBM male champion. Edward Cork of Chain’s Sprockets came second and Pierre Arnaud Le Magnan of Chiru-Magura bagged the third position.

It was a hard fought battle right till the end, but eventually Fraser won following a herculean final climb. Paul Lasenby of Hội An Kayak Tours came second and Pierre stormed home in third place.

In the male 50+, Robert Bleeker of 3Fidi team was victorious. Yam Raz of Mude team was second and Ruben Chirino came third.

In the male U40 category, Fraser Young of the Chiru-Magura team snatched a win ahead of Edward Cork of Chain’s Sprockets who came second and Matthew Kinch who was third.

Participants from 22 countries signed up for the three-day event.

On day one, contestants raced 50km north of Sa Pa to an area populated largely by Mông people. The 68km stage two headed towards the southern area populated by the Tày and Red Dao people. The race then concluded with a shorter stage around Sapa town through black Mông villages. — VNS