National champion Anton Cooper maintained his top-10 cross-country world ranking after the latest round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Switzerland.

The Trek Factory professional finished 12^th at altitude in Lenzerheide to remain ninth on the World Cup rankings with Commonwealth Games teammates Sam Gaze (Alpecin Fenix) 22^nd and Ben Oliver (MitoQ-NZ Cycling Project) 32^nd in today’s race.

A select group of five riders pushed clear mid-race with Italy’s Luca Braidot edging South Africa’s Alan Hatherly for the victory ahead of Swiss stars Mathias Fluckiger and Nino Schurter.

Cooper was again one of the strongest over the final two laps, passing nine riders to finish 12^th, 2:09 behind the winner.

Gaze rode with the lead group until mid-race fading in the final lap for 22^nd, while Oliver suffered a derailleur problem which hindered his progress.

“This has never been one of my best tracks. It doesn’t suit my strengths but this was the best I have finished in a World Cup at altitude and overall, so I am satisfied with that,” said Cooper.

“I have come here this week and to Andorra next week with the aim of being better at altitude, and hopefully it will also set me up for the Commonwealth Games next month.

“Now is about recovery and then we head to Andorra tomorrow to prepare for the next World Cup. After that I can then turn my attentions to Birmingham.”

National women’s champion Sammi Maxwell (Taupo) finished 22^nd in the women’s under-23 race in her first World Cup while Auckland’s Matthew Wilson (Team Talleys-MTB Collective) was the best of the kiwis in the under-23 men in 26^th

Of the other New Zealand riders Amelie McKay (Team Talleys-MTB Collective) was 53 in the under-23; Caleb Bottcher 43^rd and Charlie Millington 105^th in the under-23 men; with Jessica Manchester 72^nd, and Anna Bristow (Team Talleys) 73^rd in the elite women, with Craig Oliver 89^th in the elite men.