Bike Check: PMX Racing Team's Custom Olympic Mondraker Bikes
Three members of Mondraker's elite XC team — Bec McConnell, Dan McConnell, and Jofre Cullell — are on the start list for the Games, so Mondraker made special editions of the Podium RR and F-Podium RR XC race bikes to celebrate. The blue-green and yellow version is a nod to Australia, home to Bec and Dan McConnell, while the red and yellow colorway honors Spain, home to both Jofre Cullell and Mondraker itself.
Each rider has both a full suspension F-Podium RR and hardtail Podium RR built for them, since both have benefits on the demanding XCO course and the riders would like to test both on the track before deciding which to ride for the big event. After all, it is the most prestigious XC event in four — no, five years.
Dan has already made history this year as the first Australian mountain biker to be selected for four Olympic Games in 2008, 2012, 2016, and now 2020/1. Bec, also a multi-Olympian, is the first female mountain biker to represent Australia in three Games. 22-year-old Spaniard Jofre Cullell will make his Olympic debut alongside the pair.
After Bec's strong 3rd place showing in Nove Mesto and several impressive elite rides from Dan and Jofre, we look forward to seeing what each of them can do at the Olympics.
Each rider has both a full suspension F-Podium RR and hardtail Podium RR built for them, since both have benefits on the demanding XCO course and the riders would like to test both on the track before deciding which to ride for the big event. After all, it is the most prestigious XC event in four — no, five years.
Dan has already made history this year as the first Australian mountain biker to be selected for four Olympic Games in 2008, 2012, 2016, and now 2020/1. Bec, also a multi-Olympian, is the first female mountain biker to represent Australia in three Games. 22-year-old Spaniard Jofre Cullell will make his Olympic debut alongside the pair.
After Bec's strong 3rd place showing in Nove Mesto and several impressive elite rides from Dan and Jofre, we look forward to seeing what each of them can do at the Olympics.
Rider Name: Bec McConnell
Age: 29
Home country: Australia
Instagram: @becmcconnell
Rider Name: Dan McConnell
Age: 35
Home country: Australia
Instagram: @danmcconnellmtb
Rider Name: Jofre Cullell
Age: 22
Home country: Spain
Instagram: @jofrecullell
Age: 29
Home country: Australia
Instagram: @becmcconnell
Rider Name: Dan McConnell
Age: 35
Home country: Australia
Instagram: @danmcconnellmtb
Rider Name: Jofre Cullell
Age: 22
Home country: Spain
Instagram: @jofrecullell
The Australian F-Podium RRs.
The blue-green and yellow colors on Bec's and Dan's bikes match their Australian national team jerseys and are meant to represent the country's resources. Mondraker says yellow signifies beaches, mineral wealth, grain crops, and wool, while blue-green represents the ocean, eucalyptus and other forests, and pastures. The colors are also akin to Australia's national flower, the golden wattle.
Cullell's Spanish F-Podium RR and Podium RR.
Jofre Cullell's bikes are painted to represent the Spanish flag. Legend says those colors come from Spain's bullfighting tradition, but it's not quite certain.
 | There is no doubt that the personalized bikes with the national colours look spectacular and the occasion deserves it. Having three of our riders at the Tokyo Olympics is worthy of this and more. Now, let's wait and hopefully see them at the top of the rankings, and if they can win a medal, even better! |
SRAM AXS XX1 takes care of shifting.
SRAM Level Ultimate brakes for stoppers, with nothing held back on the oil slick Ti bolts.
All the bikes are specced with Rockshox ID SL Ultimate RL forks on the front, and the F-Podiums have SID Luxe Ultimate RLR shocks in the rear.
OnOff Helium bars and stem.
They'll all be sitting on customized saddles and Reverb AXS dropper posts.
Some like it low.
Maxxis Aspens front and rear are the go-to choice.
Personal touches for the Olympians.
It's almost go-time.
The Olympic XC races will take place Monday (men) and Tuesday (women).
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There are however, restrictions on branding logos of things not attached to the bike. It appears tire logos, frame brand, components etc can get logos, but not helmets, jerseys, etc.
"Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter establishes a "Blackout Period" for all athletes participating in the Olympic Games, which runs from 9 days before the opening to 3 days after the closing ceremony. This Blackout Period could be defined as an information silence and has been a source of tension since 2016.
This period means that no unauthorised advertising branding can be associated with the Olympics, and of course athletes will not be allowed to display such unauthorised branding during this period. Failure to comply with the rule can result in various consequences for the athlete, the most serious of which is disqualification.
This rule generated slight controversy in 2012, with the incipient rise of social media, which intensified in 2016 and we will see what happens in 2021. It seems that the IOC's inability to monitor individual athletes' posts will relax the rule's application somewhat, and we sense that it will only be applied in the most flagrant cases." - From www.brujulabike.com/blackout-period-rule-40-olympic-charter
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