North Harbour’s French-based rider, Michael Bias was the best of the New Zealanders at the third round of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Brisbane.

The double rounds of the world cup at the revamped Sleemans track in Brisbane, follows the double round in Rotorua two weeks ago.

Bias, who rode strongly at Rotorua but just missed the final, went one better to qualify for today’s final. He finished a career best sixth in the final, only 0.1s off fifth.

Riders had to content with wet weather for today’s racing as Bias made his way through the first round, place second in the one-eighth round, fourth in the quarterfinal, and then squeezed into fourth place in his semifinal to edge into the final.

Australian Isaac Kennedy took out the elite men’s final in an upset after Rotorua winner Joris Daudet (FRA) fell in the slippery conditions while leading.

In-form Swiss rider Zoe Claessens held off Australian star Saya Sakakibara to win the women’s final, with Rotorua podium placegetter, Manon Veenstra (NED) third.

New Zealand’s 2023 Under-23 World Cup winner Rico Bearman went out after a crash in his quarterfinal of the elite men.

In other racing Leila Walker (Cambridge) was the best of the kiwi elite women, edged out by one spot in making the semifinals, while Rotorua’s Megan Williams was also eliminated in the quarterfinals.

In the under-23 men, Rotorua winners, brothers Bennett and Jack Greenough from Cambridge, along with East City club rider, Finn Cogan were eliminated in the semifinals after strong showings in the earlier rounds.

The fourth round is on Sunday before a break leading to the next double round in Tulsa, Oklahoma  which concludes the qualification period for the Paris Olympic Games.