Both New Zealand riders, Sammie Maxwell and Sam Gaze were impeded in an aggressive short track cross-country race at the UCI MTB World Series in Nove Mesto Na Moravé in the Czech Republic.
Series leader after two rounds in Brazil, Maxwell came down in a melee involving several riders in the high-speed short track race, eventually getting back on the bike to finish 36th which means a fourth-row start in tomorrow’s main race.
“In all seriousness, thanks to the crowds today for cheering me on even when I was out the action and thanks to everyone who picked me up and dusted me off,” said Maxwell. “Now we put the pieces together again, bandage this wounded soldier, and get ready for another chance to show off all the hard work I've put in since Brazil.”
Long track world champion Puck Pieterse (NED) won the sprint finish over series leader Evie Richards (GBR).
Likewise Gaze, a world champion in short track, pushed up from 37th on the grid in his first world series appearance this year.
The Alpecin Deceuninck professional showed his speed to join the front group but got shuttled back behind crashes on the final lap to finish in ninth place, 11 seconds behind the winner Christopher Blevins (USA).
“Today it was tick-the-box for a first short track and now I look forward to a nice race tomorrow given where my training prep is at,” said Gaze, who has been part of the Alpecin Deceuninck road cycling campaign in recent weeks.
“I am ok with the effort today. I made a few tactical errors having not raced a short track for a while. In hindsight I should have been a bit more patient.
“I tried to play it simple and move on that last lap but got held up behind the crashes and I didn’t have the legs but overall I am quite happy and think it has served me well for the race tomorrow.”
Gaze will start on the second row with compatriot Anton Cooper (Lapierre Racing) on the sixth row in his return to World Series racing.
In the under-23 race, Canterbury’s Ethan Rose (Trek Future) starts on the fourth row, with fellow kiwis Coen Nicol, 30th in his first short track race, on row five with fellow Mondraker NZ Academy rider Bailey Fredericksen from Whakatane on row 12 in a packed field of 107 starters,
Meanwhile Maxwell, the series leader coming in to this round, will start on row four with Yeti rider Amélie Mackay from Christchurch to start in the under-23 race.
Short track results:
Women Elite: Puck Pieterse (NED) 20:22, 1; Evie Richards (GBR) same time, 2; Linda Indergand (SUI) same time, 3. Also: Samara Maxwell (Decathlon Ford, NZL) at 1:24, 36.
Men Elite: Christopher Blevins (USA) 20:07, 1; Victor Koretzky (FRA) same time, 2; Filipo Colombo (SUI) at 1s, 3. Also NZers: Sam Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck) at 11s, 9.
Women Under-23: Ava Holmgren (CAN) 20:43, 1; Isabella Holmgren (CAN) at 1s, 2; Ella MacPhee (CAN) same time, 3.
Men Under-23: Heby Pedersen (DEN) 20:35, 1; Sondre Rokke (NOR) same time, 2; Elian Paccagnella (ITA) at 1sec, 3. Also NZers: Coen Nicol at 55s, 30; Ethan Rose (Trek Future) dnf.