RIDER: MAJA WLOSZCZOWSKA
DISCIPLINE: CROSS-COUNTRY
GROUPSET: XTR (M900)
A former World Champion, Rio Olympic silver medalist, World Cup winner and long-term SHIMANO rider, Maja knows a thing or two about the intricacies and exactitudes of cross-country racing and what it takes to eke out the tiny percentages that give you superior performance.
Just like Maja herself, her bike must be lightweight, strong, consistent and smooth. Energy must not be wasted, corners cannot be cut, power to weight has to be perfect.
Maja needs a lot of gears but not a lot of weight.
Running a single chainring at the front and a 12-speed 10-51 tooth cassette at the back gives the huge range of gears needed to tackle the steep, technical climbs and fast descents of a cross-country course.
HYPERGLIDE+ technology helps to keep those gear changes fast and smooth, even under pressure, meaning that racers never miss a beat. MICRO SPLINE technology allows the XTR (M9100) cassette to be made of lightweight aluminium, have a stiffer interface and quicker engagement.
A super-light crank and chain complete the drivetrain. Every element of the system is designed to work seamlessly together with each other and the rider.
XTR (M9100) 2-piston brakes offer enough power for cross-country racing. Although the descents are technical and the riders must have enough stopping power, the downhill sections tend to be short and braking happens from lower speeds and with less weight to slow...