Kiwi mountain bike star, Charles Murray has claimed his second straight championship podium placing after the final round of the UCI MTB Enduro World Series.
The Specialized Gravity rider from Christchurch had to dig deep on the second day of the final round that comprised nine stages with a combined elevation of nearly 5,000m along with 80kms of liaison riding between stages.
Enduro is the mountain bike equivalent of motor rally, with timed runs over special downhill sections and lengthy riding sections between stages.
A costly mistake late in the fourth of nine stages in Morillon, in the Haute Savoie region, pushed Murray down the rankings. Holding second place on the overall rankings coming into the final round, Murray was eighth overnight. He managed a fourth and a first in the opening stages of the second day to move up to fourth overall. A mistake proved costly on stage seven to dent his hopes and his body.
But Murray fought back with fourth and third on the final two stages to move up to fourth overall.
It meant the kiwi rider was able to secure third placing in the overall season rankings, his second straight championship podium.
Rotorua Yeti Development NZ rider Joe Millington completed his debut season to finish 11th overall after a top-10 finish today.
Queenstown-based veteran Matt Walker (Pivot Factory), a previous World Cup winner, was 43rd overall in his final World Cup before retirement.
There was double podium success for New Zealand riders with Alexandra teenager Cooper Millwood claiming second place overall in his debut season in the junior men’s category.
The Yeti Development NZ rider was in third place after the first day in the final round but dropped time on the penultimate stage where a mistake pushed him down the timings. He battled back to finish fifth overall which was enough for him to retain his runner-up placing in the overall championship behind Frenchman Melvin Almueis.
It was lucky No 7 for national women’s champion George Swift from Nelson. The Yeti Shimano team rider was seventh overnight and added three top-10 finishes today to maintain her standings and claim seventh in the overall season points.
It was not so fortunate for Christchurch teenager Winni Goldsbury who injured herself on stairs at her accommodation, forcing her to withdraw from the final round. Despite her dns, the Specialized Gravity rider finished in the top-10 overall despite finishing four of her seven rounds.
The Enduro riders have a week to recover, before moving on to the nearby Valais, Switzerland
The Haute-Savoie region now hosts the next round of the UCI World Series this week for downhill and cross-country.