Gloria Scarsi Nearly Cost Gates €100K, As Both MS & AON Close In On the Belted Purse

At the opening round of the UCI Downhill World Cup in Mona Yongpyong, South Korea, belt-drive gearbox bikes made a significant impression in the Elite Women’s category. Gloria Scarsi of MS Racing narrowly missed out on victory by just over half a second to reigning World Champion Vali Höll, securing second place on a Zerode G3 equipped with a Gates belt-drive and Pinion Smart.Shift electronic gearbox. Alongside Scarsi, Harriet Harnden of AON Racing and Valentina Roa Sánchez of MS Racing also posted top qualifying times and finished within the top five, signalling a strong start to the season for belt-driven downhill bikes and edging closer to the €100,000 bonus offered by Gates for a World Cup win. The MS Racing Zerode G3 bike, which recently triumphed at Red Bull Rampage, remains largely unchanged from its consumer version but features continuous refinements tailored for racing. Notable updates include a more integrated and machined red plate securing the idler and tensioner, as well as a reinforced skid plate to protect the gearbox and belt-ring from impacts. The bike’s unique design incorporates a 200mm travel mullet frame with a narrow 12x142mm rear end, allowing for a stronger, symmetrically-dished rear wheel that works efficiently with the single belt-drive cog. The team’s build includes SR Suntour suspension, Hope components, Michelin tyres, and other high-end parts optimised for downhill racing. Meanwhile, AON Racing’s Harriet Harnden rode a belt-drive Gamux Sego prototype, finishing fourth and just over two seconds behind Höll. This bike blends Swiss CNC-machined aluminium with strategically bonded carbon tubes for tailored stiffness, and Harnden’s specific frame features less intricate machining on the chainstays compared to her male teammates. The AON team’s equipment package includes Manitou suspension, Hayes brakes, Hope cockpit parts, and custom Reynolds Blackline wheels, highlighting their commitment to bespoke setups. Interestingly, the male riders on the AON team used a different Gamux prototype featuring a redesigned Horst-link high-pivot suspension and modular frame components, reflecting the team’s ongoing collaboration with the niche Swiss manufacturer to push innovation. The strong performances by riders on belt-drive bikes underline a growing trend in elite downhill racing, where gearbox technology and belt drives are increasingly competitive against traditional chain-driven setups. Scarsi’s close finish and her motivation to claim the €100,000 prize demonstrate the potential for these systems to challenge the status quo in World Cup racing. As teams like MS Racing and AON continue to refine their machines and push development, the coming races will be closely watched to see if belt-drive bikes can finally secure a landmark World Cup victory and claim the lucrative bonus.