The Cross-Country Olympic races closed out the World Championships with a 4.4km course that incorporated a little bit of everything to test riders’ skills and endurance.

Defending World Champ Alan Hatherly (Giant Factory Off-Road) of South Africa took to the front early as mayhem began to prevail.

Crashes caused small hold-ups for his competitors, and Hatherly took the opportunity to create space between the other racers and himself. By the end of Lap 3, he had over a one-minute gap on the rest of the field.

Hatherly powered through to defend his title, finishing 48 seconds ahead of second place. A purely flawless run driven by grit and determination is the perfect description of Hatherly’s race.