Cambridge teenager Lily Greenough sped to her first podium at the second round of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Sarrians, France.

The 17-year-old, who qualified for her first junior women’s final yesterday, improved on that to finish third in an excellent performance at the same venue today.

Greenough was joined by fellow Cambridge rider Leila Walker as the only kiwis to make finals in the opening double round of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup.

Walker, the Paris Olympian, was fifth in the elite women’s final on the first day, but was edged out in the semifinals on day two. In a super-tight race, Walker finished sixth, one second off making the final, but it was an encouraging opening weekend in her first race following surgery on her foot.

The highlight for the kiwis was Lily Greenough who was in excellent form, especially out of the gate in the under-23 women’s field. After qualifying through the heats, Greenough was second both in the first round of match racing and the quarterfinal where she was just edged by ultimate winner Michelle Wissing (NED).

Greenough produced an outstanding performance to win her semifinal after another excellent start, recording 36.164, the faster of the two semis.

The kiwi rider was again was unparalleled out of the gate in the final before Wissing edged through on the second turn as did day one winner Emily Hutt (GBR) on the third turn. Greenough held on strongly for third, finishing only 0.4s from the winner.

She has moved to fourth overall in the overall standings.

Earlier the elite men’s pair of Rico Bearman and Michael Bias qualified well but both went out in the quarterfinals, as did Rotorua’s Megan Williams in the elite women.

In the under-23 men, Jack Greenough (Cambridge) and Cooper Richardson (North Harbour) went out in the first-round of match racing and Nick Cowie (Southland) missed out in the Last Chance heat.

The elite honours went to Canadian Simpson and French veteran Sylvain Andre.

There is no time to take a breath, with the third and fourth rounds to take place at Papendal, Netherlands next weekend.

Results:

Women Elite: Molly Simpson (CAN) 34.555, 1; Bethany Shriever (GBR) 35.146, 2; Daleny Vaughn (USA) 35.765, 3.

Under 23: Michelle Wissing (NED) 35.746, 1; Emily Hutt (GBR) 36.040, 2; Lily Greenough (NZL) 36.168, 3.

Men Elite: Sylvain Andre (FRA) 31.668, 1; Arthur Pilard (FRA) 31.822, 2; Izaac Kennedy (AUS) 32.405, 3.

Under-23: Jason Noordam (NED) 31.564, 1; Jesse Asmus (AUS) 31.877, 2; Pierre Geisse (FRA) 32.259, 3.