Mireia Badia shares her thoughts on racing ISDE Women’s World Trophy 2024 with Team Spain. Having already achieved a milestone in her career – winning Women’s Enduro World Championship in September 2024 – the newly crowned Champion embraces the challenge of racing ISDE WWT against 11 Teams of 3 rider’s per Team.
Specifically, Mireia has clocked up massive amount of experience competing in the iconic 6 day race, taking her first podium finish of P3 in WWT with Team Spain, in 2016 (Spain). Buoyed by racing along-side Spain’s legend – Laia Sanz that year, Mireia has risen in stature claiming ISDE Team podiums of P3 in 2018 (Chile), Team and Individual podium of P3 in 2021 (Italy), and Individual podium of P3 in 2022 (France).
The upward trajectory of race results has continued through-out the Women’s Enduro World Championship 2024 – with Mireia winning 6 from 10 races. As Mireia explained prior to racing Round 4 at Bettola in June, consistency of results were her main objectives across all specials on the varying tracks of Enduro GP.
With such diverse set of skills, Mireia has plenty of arsenal to put into action from Day 1 through to Day 6, working with her Team rider’s: No Anitua Esteban #325 and Maria Badia San Miguel #327. As Mireia states: ”It will be a difficult race for the rain has affected the tracks. So, the goal for our team is to finish the race and don’t make big mistakes. We will try to ride smooth and not be so aggressive if the ground is muddy”.
With Day 1 specials complete, Mireia posted second best time of: 45’00.70 across 6 tests over 2 loops of 125kms in length. Day 2 will use the same Santiago loop with Day 3: A Estrada loop of 145kms – the longest loop of the course, with 6 specials to be completed in 2 laps. Day 4: Vilatuxe-Lalin route is the shortest loop of 106kms, with rider’s experiencing changes of elevation passing through mountainous terrain.
Day 5: Orense-Irixo loop will cover a tough course of 134kms prior to Day 6 where the Final Cross Test Galicia will take place beside the paddock in Silleda. For Mireia, the most important challenge will be to complete all 6 days, with no penalties, including managing time for completing bike maintenance at the end of each day.
Mireia: ”We need to take care of the mechanics of the bike because the mechanics can’t do anything, and that will be an important point”.
ISDE WWT October 14 – 19. Header photo: Mireia Badia images: @fredccy
Words: Sharon Cox.
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