It also marked the 30-year-old's first ever UCI title, with an impressive final lap in Brazil to put her on top of the podium.

McConnell broke the 21-year drought in her 17-second win in the first stage of the Cup, taking the reins from the last Australian rider to do so in the elite women's race, Mary Grigson.

And ending a nine-year drought across the men's and women's categories, with her husband Dan McConnell the last Australian to win a cross-country event back in 2013.

McConnell was lost for words post-race, as it soaked in she had won her first World Cup title.

"It's so special, so crazy," she told Redbull TV.

"Coming down that hill into the finish line I was like 'what the f*** is happening'.

"I think everybody's sort of been like 'it's coming, it's coming'. I've been super consistent over the last couple of years, on the podium more often than not, but ... that never means that the wins coming.

"Every season you go away for six months to rebuild and you just don't know if you're gonna come back in the same shape or better than you had. Everything can go well, but it doesn't mean it's gonna happen on race day."

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McConnell was 10 seconds behind the race leader heading into the final lap, and sitting in third place before she took the lead.

Prior to her win on Sunday she had finished second three times in a Cup event.

The Canberran will have the opportunity to do it again in Germany next month for the second leg of the Cup series.

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