There were encouraging signs from Paris Olympians Sammie Maxwell and Sam Gaze with strong performances in the short track races to start the UCI MTB World Championship competition in Les Gets in the Haute Savoie region of France today.
Maxwell, back after an eight-month break from the sport was 14th in the short track championship race, just 34 seconds behind winner Laura Stigger (Austria) in the 10km multi-lap race.
The Decathlon Ford professional recorded consistently fast laps and steadily moved through the field, saving her fastest for the final two laps for an encouraging performance in the race won by Austria’s Laura Stigger.
Gaze re-found his explosive best to push from mid-pack to eighth in the elite men, only nine seconds behind the winner Adrien Boichis (France) in the short track race.
The Alpecin Premier Tech professional was 30th on the grid, pushing his way steadily through the field to eighth. He recorded the fastest lap of the field in three laps to give him a boost for Sunday’s championship race.
“I am happy to have my legs back. They felt a lot better,” said Gaze.
While he will still start mid-pack in the final, he is positioned on the grid alongside the Olympic champion Tom Pidcock and teammate Mathieu van der Poel, both fresh off the UCI road world tour.
Cross-country racing started for junior riders with Te Miro club rider James Climo impressive with seventh place in the junior men, just 2:34 behind the winner Connor Wright of Australia.
There were excellent top-20 finishes for Climo’s fellow Te Miro clubmate Kayley McMillan who was 16th in the junior women, and Christchurch Singletrack club rider, Millie Junge, close behind.
After a wet day yesterday, the weather was much better today with further forecasted improvement promising a dry track for the weekend.
Action moves to the gravity competition tomorrow with qualifying for junior and elite men and women on the famed downhill Black Snake course.
NZ Results:
Cross-country short track:
Men Elite: Sam Gaze (NZL) at 9s, 8; Anton Cooper at 1:08, 38.
Under-23: Fletcher Adams at 4laps, 44.
Women Elite: Samara Maxwell at 34s, 14;
Women Under-23: Annabel Bligh at 3 laps, 36.
Championship Cross-country:
Men Junior 19.1km: James Climo at 2:34, 7; Levi Gear at 7:55, 60; Tommy Mollison at 9:37, 72; Cody Hawkes at 2laps, 98.
Women Junior 15.6km: Kayley McMillan at 6:03, 16; Millie Junge at 6:52, 20; Dulcie Copeland at 1lap, 57.
James Climo in action at the UCI MTB World Championships in France today