While at home during the off-season, you’ll typically find Bec McConnell grinding up a remote fireroad on the outskirts of the ACT. Accompanied by some Mars Bars and mismatching water bottles, she will be slogging out long, unglamorous hours in the Aussie bush. While many of us envy the hours professional riders spend on their bikes, it takes an extraordinary level of commitment to maintain this year after year – rain, hail, or shine.
At her maiden World Cup, Bec finished around 60th place. At the time of my Zoom call with her, she had won her first World Cup, at the opening round of the 2022 XCO World Cup in Brazil. By the time I had finished this article, she had won three consecutive XCO World Cups and become the fifth woman ever to win both the XCC and XCO on the same weekend. I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a hint of pressure writing about our nation’s newest hero. Australians love an underdog, and Bec has a story befitting of this title.
On the surface, one of Bec’s most obvious traits is her talent as a mountain biker. Watching her navigate steep
