Rotorua professional Lachlan Stevens-McNab has finished runner-up in the elite men’s downhill mountain bike at the UCI MTB World Championship at Val di Sole, Italy today.
The 22-year-old from the Trek Unbroken professional team, came within a blink of creating history in winning the rainbow jersey, with Canada’s Jackson Goldstone edging him by just 0.695s with the final run of the competition. Stevens-McNab is just the second New Zealand elite men’s rider to podium in downhill at the world championships, following a third placing by Sam Blenkinsop 15 years ago.
Stevens-McNab led an outstanding effort from the elite men with Christchurch rider Luke Wayman claiming a career-best 11th, ahead of fellow teenager Oli Clark from Kaikoura in 20th and Rotorua’s Tuhoto-Ariki Pene 23rd.
“It is pretty special. World champs are the most important race of the year. It is a one-off and who can do it on the day. We came pretty close today so it is a little bitter-sweet but I am chuffed,” said Stevens-McNab.
“It has been a hard year with injuries. I’m chuffed to put a good one down today on a ruthless track and be right up there and hang that silver medal in my home"
There were high hopes of success in the Junior Men with a strong group led by season-long UCI World Series winner Jonty Williamson and compatriot Malik Boatwright.
Despite forecasted clear weather, the mountains of the Dolomites produced rain overnight, which turned the downhill track, especially the exposed roots and rocks, to a super-slippery surface for riders during their morning warm-ups. Williamson, the fastest qualifier, crashed in the morning practice, suffering a wrist injury which forced him to withdraw.
Meanwhile Boatwright made a flying start up with the leaders, but a mistake mid-run proved costly, finishing an unlucky 13th with Taranaki’s Dexter Lock in 15th.
Earlier Queenstown’s Indy Deavoll, who celebrated her 18th birthday this week, finishing third in the Junior Women's downhill. It capped a consistently strong season for Deavoll who is currently fifth in the overall World Cup standings with the North American rounds to come.
She follows in a line of outstanding young female kiwi gravity riders who have podiumed at the world championships in under-23 women over the last five years including Jenna Hastings, Erice van Leuven, Poppy Lane, Sacha Earnest and Eliana Hulsebosch.
Another of the rising kiwi teenage stars, Kate Hastings (Rotorua) set the tone when she took the early lead in the elite women’s competition. That was surpassed by fellow kiwi Eliana Hulsebosch from Tauranga, who had qualified fifth fastest and had a liking for the course, winning a World Cup competition there as a junior. She held the top spot on the hot seat until the final four riders edged ahead, won ultimately by Austria’s Valentina Holl.
Hulsebosch settled for fifth and Hastings eighth for impressive performances.
Fellow kiwi Sacha Earnest, a two-time junior world placegetter, was also on target for a podium but fell before recovering to finish 14th.
The championships conclude tomorrow with a return to cross-country races.
NZ Downhill results:
Junior Women: Indy Deavoll 3; Capella Martin 8.
Junior Men: Malik Boatwright 13; Dexter Lock 15; Seppy Binsbergen 49; Sterling Stevens-McNab 53; Jonty Williamson DNS.
Elite Women: Eliana Hulsebosch at 5; Kate Hastings at 8; Sacha Earnest at 14; Jess Blewitt DNF.
Elite Men: Lachlan Stevens-McNab 2; Luke Wayman 11; Oli Clark 20; Tuhoto-Ariki Pene 23; James Macdermid 36.
Lachlan Stevens-McNab on the podium (SWpix)