In the world of competitive mountain biking, World Cup XC racing is the ultimate test of all-rounder capabilities—for both racers and their machines. From the moment the start light turns green, it’s a high-speed battle with steep climbs, technical descents, constantly changing race dynamics and course conditions.
Giant Factory Off-Road Team riders Alan Hatherly and Dario Lillo rely on their Anthem Advanced SL bikes to give them an edge, and the results speak for themselves. Hatherly piloted his Anthem to the Elite Men’s XCO World Championship and a World Cup win in 2025. Lillo continued the momentum at the start of the 2026 season when he won the opening round of the XCO World Cup series.
Both work closely with our team mechanics to dial in their bikes for their own personal preferences. Preparation is rigorous, setup is meticulous, and every detail matters. Here’s an inside look at Alan and Dario’s World Cup race machines.
| Component | Alan Hatherly's Anthem Advanced SL | Dario Lillo's Anthem Advanced SL |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Anthem Advanced SL, size large, custom World Championship paint | Anthem Advanced SL, size large |
| Shock | Fox Float SL | Fox Float SL |
| Fork | Fox Factory 34-SL, 120mm | Fox Factory 34-SL, 120mm |
| Stem | Pro Tharsis 3Five stem 100mm | Giant Integrated XC, 80mm |
| Handlebar | Pro Tharsis 3Five flat bar 720mm | Giant Integrated XC, cut to 720mm |
| Grips | ODI F-1 Series Float | ODI F-1 Series Float |
| Brakes | Shimano XTR 9220 lever with 9200 2-piston caliper | Shimano XTR 9220 lever with 9200 2-piston caliper |
| Brake Rotors | Shimano RT-86 180mm front, 160mm rear | Shimano RT-86 180mm front, 160mm rear |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano XTR 9250-GS, medium cage | Shimano XTR 9250-SGS, long cage |
| Shift Lever | Shimano XTR 9250 I-spec EV | Shimano XTR 9250 I-spec EV |
| Cassette | Shimano XTR 9200, 9-45T | Shimano XTR 9200, 10-51T |
| Chain | Shimano XTR | Shimano XTR |
| Crankset | Shimano XTR 9200, 170mm | Shimano XTR 9200, 170mm |
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano XTR Pressfit | Shimano XTR Pressfit |
| Pedals | Shimano XTR 9200 | Shimano XTR 9200 |
| Wheelset | Giant XCR WheelSystem | Giant XCR WheelSystem |
| Front Tire | Maxxis Aspen 29 x 2.40 MaxxSpeed Compound | Maxxis Aspen 29 x 2.40 MaxxSpeed Compound |
| Rear Tire | Maxxis Aspen 29 x 2.40 MaxxSpeed Compound | Maxxis Aspen ST 29 x 2.40 MaxxSpeed Compound |
| Saddle | Giant Grit SLR | Giant Grit SLR |
| Seat Post | Fox Factory Transfer 120 (set to 110mm) | Fox Factory Transfer SL 100mm |
| Seat Post Lever | Fox Universal | Shimano SL-MT800 |
What does a fast XC bike feel like to you on modern courses—where do you notice it first?
AH: A fast bike feels like it’s able to generate more speed for the effort you put in on flat sections, and on descents it feels more planted to the ground and stable at higher speeds. A fast bike makes it easier to focus on recovery instead of keeping the speed.
DL: A fast bike has quick acceleration out of the corners and smoothes out bumpy, rocky and rooty terrain.
If you had to describe your setup in one sentence, what’s the goal—snap, stability, traction, or efficiency?
AH: Efficiency. Lap racing requires consistency, to be able to hit every lap with the same precision root after root, corner after corner, so having an effective bike setup for race day is key.
DL: A balance between the fastest rolling setup with enough traction and comfort to get through an 80-minute race.
What’s one component choice on your bike that most riders wouldn’t expect?
AH: I use the Fox Factory Transfer dropper post instead of the lightest-weight Transfer SL. I like the fact that I can stop the dropper where I need it. Whether its midway for XC starts, so I can balance better with on foot on the ground, or if I lower it just slightly for a transition trail that doesn’t require a full drop of the saddle.
DL: Quite often I race with the XTR 45-tooth cassette to save weight and have tighter steps because the biggest gears on the 51-tooth cassette are not used that often.
What setup choices change for you week-to-week depending on course conditions?
AH: My mechanic and I test and fine-tune all the equipment and setting options during the off-season to make sure we have a foolproof baseline setup to start from throughout the race season. Once I’ve done a few laps of a course with my baseline set, I chat with my mechanic about fine-tuning any changes, should there be any, and usually they are minor. One thing I consistently tend to change is going one chainring size bigger for XCC, as the courses generally yield a faster race with less technical terrain.
DL: Tires and tire pressure are the main choices that change week-to-week. Suspension settings will also change depending on track speed and track features such as jumps and drops.
Do you default to high or low geometry—and what exact course features trigger the other setting?
AH: I use the low position the most. When I received the first prototype test mule in early 2025, we spent time evaluating both the high and low positions, and both options have great sensations on the trail. The low position ultimately suits my bike fit and body position better and is easier for me as I switch between road and mountain bike racing during the season.
DL: My default is the low position. I switch to high for slower, more technical tracks where you need more ground clearance from pedal strikes and tighter, faster steering response.
Tell us about a race where you changed one setup detail and it immediately paid off—what happened on course?
AH: At the 2025 XCO World Championships I decided to race the new Giant XCR wheels. We had been testing multiple prototypes up to that point in the season and were still switching between XCR and our hand-built wheels from race-to-race, so it was a big decision. After practice at worlds, I was confident that the XCR was the fastest wheel, and the Wide Guard rim saved me several times when I was out front burying myself.
DL: At the first World Cup in 2026 in Mona PyonYong the weather conditions changed quite dramatically overnight before the race. We changed the tires to the Maxxis Beaver, which is a narrow mud tire. We started the race with an aggressive tire pressure, 1.25 bar in the front and 1.3 bar in the back, which is very low for the width of the tire. In addition we slowed the rebound on the suspension to make the bike more stable on the wet downhills. We also added grip tape to the controls so they weren’t slippery, added toe spikes to my shoes for running, and removed my chain guide for better mud clearance in the drivetrain. These changes paid off in the end and I was able to win my first Elite XCO World Cup on that setup.
Walk us through a Thursday practice to Sunday race evolution—what usually gets changed, and why?
AH: Thursday is when we see the track for the first time and it’s a busy day. I start with a recon lap with my teammates and our technical coach, who has already done several laps beforehand to help guide us through and show us line options. Following practice days naturally become faster due to lap traffic riding in the lines, and my mechanic is always positioned in the feed zone with tools and wheelsets, with different tire options, to help fine tune my setup for higher speeds. The last thing I do are my hot laps to confirm that everything is ready for racing.
DL: My mechanic and I make initial suspension setup and tire choices based on previous experiences on the same or similar tracks, then fine-tune day-to-day based on weather and track conditions.
How do you decide gearing range? What data or insights do you look to—course, power files, cadence preference, or race strategy? Conversely, is it just by feel?
AH: I like the tighter ratios on the XTR 9-45T cassette versus the 10-51T option, and I generally don’t change that. I decide on chainring size after seeing the course and thinking about how the race will unfold. If the course will result in a lot of bottlenecking and hard accelerations, I will go for a smaller chainring just to be on the safer side. A 36T or even 34T chaining can make a big difference throughout the race, and with the 9T it's still a big enough gear to turn should it come down to a sprint finish.
DL: I ask myself “How long and steep are the climbs? How likely will I need a big gear for a sprint? How long are the sections where I will be pedaling the most? What are the transitions from climbs to descents like?” Ideally you want to spend as little time as possible shifting between the highest and lowest gears, so I choose chainring size accordingly to find the right balance.
A question about dropper posts—what’s the reasoning behind using either the Transfer 120 or the Transfer SL 100?
AH: I run the Transfer 120 set at 110mm because I like the freedom to drop it exactly where I want it versus being full-down or full-up on the Transfer SL. The Transfer SL is a simpler design and is lighter, but the Transfer 120 has tighter bushings because it’s more complicated, and I prefer the rigid feel. The weight savings is less important to me.
DL: I choose the SL for two reasons. First is weight savings, and second is the Transfer 120 insertion length does not accommodate my saddle height so I would need to run a longer-travel post, which also doesn’t make sense.
Tell us about your cockpit choice and what factors lead to your configuration. Is it solely fit, or are there handling nuances and other less obvious elements that contribute? And what about your brake lever configuration?
AH: I run my brakes left/rear right/front, and 17.5cm from grip end to center of the lever clamp, so my finger hooks in nicely with the XTR 9220 levers. I run the Fox Universal dropper lever on the right side above my brake, and the lockout lever on the left where the dropper is for most people. I switch between road and mountain a lot, so my fit calls for a longer 100mm stem and a flat bar trimmed down to 720mm.
DL: I like the feeling of the one-piece handlebar with the Anthem. It has a nice combination of stiffness when pulling versus smoothness when pushing downhill, and the dimensions work well for my bike fit. I run my brake levers quite downwards to encourage my position to be a bit more over the handlebar.
What’s the first setup step you’d recommend to a serious amateur who wants to get faster?
AH: If you know little about your bike’s suspension, I recommend a consult with a bike shop to learn if your sag and rebound setting are right for you, because often they aren’t. A basic setup and understanding of your suspension will help you become faster and get more out of your bike.
DL: Check if your suspension is due for service and make sure your suspension sag is set correctly. Experiment outside of racing to find the limits of your tire pressure and tire choice.
What’s the simplest home test riders can do to confirm a change helped?
AH: The stopwatch never lies. I have a circuit close to home where I go to test equipment. Doing back-to-back laps is the quickest way to tell if your changes were faster or slower, and keeping notes will also help you as a reference for race-day decisions in the future.
DL: Find a short, repeatable circuit to experiment with tire and suspension changes. Only make one change at a time.
Want to take your own XC riding and racing to the next level?
1. Take notes
Start with some basics by checking the sag on your rear shock and suspension fork. Use a tire pressure gauge to check your air pressure before each ride. Write down your suspension settings and tire pressures to keep records and note any adjustments.
2. Experiment
Make small adjustments and see if you feel the difference when riding local trails. Set up a test course and time your laps. Note the trail conditions and lap times. If you ride an Anthem Advanced SL, try switching geometry settings to experience the different handling characteristics of the High and Low settings.
3. Talk to a mechanic
Suspension setup can be complicated, and details matter. To learn more about your shock settings—including air pressure, damping and rebound—visit your local shop for a check-in. A qualified mechanic can make sure everything is working properly and help optimize performance for your riding style and terrain.
