With the XC World Cup returning to the ever-popular Nov Msto na Morav track this weekend, we caught up with Olympic champ & longtime Czech fav Jaroslav Kulhav, and most importantly, the new Superior XF9.9 Team cross-country bike he will race in the XCM Marathon on Sunday. The 39-year-old Czech has racked up some impressive wins over his career, including the key win here at the first-ever XC World Cup in Nov Msto back in 2019. Weve also featured his bikes since 2014. So, it seemed like time to check in a decade later2024 Superior XF 9.9 Team XC bike of Jaroslav Kulhav(Photos by Josef Indra/Superior)A true XC veteran, Jarda was the UCI Cross-Country World Champion in 2011. He won Olympic XC Gold the next year 2012 in London. Then, wrapped up the cross-country disciplines with a UCI XC Marathon World Championship win in 2014 and a Cape Epic win in 2018. He may have mellowed a little bit in recent years, but Kulhav is still fighting with the fastest marathon racers again this season.His latest race weapon of choice is the 2024 Superior XF 9.9 Team, the recent XC race bike from the largest Czech bike manufacturer.The new XF which we covered last summer at Eurobike is a lightweight, short travel carbon XC bike with 110mm of travel front and rear and modern long, slack & low geometry.Setup & Tech detailsKulhavys setup hasnt changed all that much over the years. Sure, his XF Team bike now features fully internal routing through the headset. And his drivetrain and dropper are wireless. But he hasnt stopped running a top SRAM drivetrain, brakes, and dropper post. And hes still on a Specialized stem, now with a low-rise PRO bar.Classic XC pro. He might not be on a big Factory XC team anymore, but Kulhavy is still rocking a top-shelf SRAM XX SL T-type transmission thanks to the new UDH-com Superior XF frame. He puts the power down through Garmin powermeter pedals, too.(photo/Cory Benson)No one does slammed stems quite like Kulhavy! Massively long, and extra steep thanks to Specializeds CLP system that turns this regular -17 stem into a -21 to get his bar down where his flexible upper body needs it.And that saddle lean, too.When you go ultra-slammed, the Selle Italia Flite angles down to match. Id guess most of us couldnt manage this setup, but Kulhavy has his fit dialed, even a decade later.A new bit of tech are these Zleen tires on Thread carbon wheels. The tires were developed with history of Czech tire making, but have been further refined in recent years, now made in India. Word on the street is that after a slow start, Zleen has hit the mark with a fast-rolling but grippy Cheetah Pro tread and rubber compound. Were curious to give them a closer look in the future.As for the 1625g carbon frame itself designed in Czechia, manufactured in Portugal we dipped into it last summer. Its a big update for the Czech manufacturer, as they rebranded with a more simplified look to let you focus on their bikes performance. Kulhav says its one of the best bikes Ive ever ridden. Its a big step forward for the Superior brand; this is them showing everyone that their bikes can compete with the best in the world.Build SpecsFrame: Superior XF 9.9 TeamFork: DT Swiss F232 OneShock: DT Swiss R232 OneDrivetrain: SRAM XX SL Eagle AXS T-TypeTires: Zleen Cheetah Pro 29 x 2.25Saddle: Selle Italia FlightSeatpost: RockShox Reverb AXSStem: -17/21 Specialized Headset: Acros integratedBar: PRO Koryak Low RiseTop cap & bolts: Carbon-TiWheels: ThreadPedals: Garmin Rally powermeter(Photo/Cory Benson)SuperiorBikes.comThe post Pro Bike Check: Superior XF 9.9 Team XC Marathon Race Bike of Jaroslav Kulhav appeared first on Bikerumor.

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