The New Zealand gravity riders made their mark in cold and slippery conditions on the opening day of the UCI MTB World Series for downhill in Poland.
Eight kiwi downhill riders have qualified through to the finals tonight with plenty of overnight rain making the course more challenging at the Szczyrk Mountain Resort.
Leading the way was Rotorua’s Lachie Stevens-McNab with the Trek Gravity Factory rider sixth fastest in downhill qualifying to move directly to tomorrow’s final. He blasted down the 2km course 1.9s behind top qualifier and multi-world champion Loic Bruni (FRA).
Riders took on the new qualifying system with the top 20 riders in elite men directly through to the finals, while the remainder went through a second qualifying session chasing a top-10 finish to move to the finals. No other kiwi male elites managed to secure a spot in the finals.
Queenstown professional Jess Blewitt (Cube Factory) also impressed to be ninth fastest in qualifying to make it to the finals, 8.9s down on top qualifier Valentina Holl (AUT).
Rotorua’s former junior world champion, Jenna Hastings missed out on a direct spot in the finals by one place with the Pivot Factory rider also edged out of the finals in her second qualifying run, along with two-time junior world champion medallist, Sacha Earnest, in her elite debut.
Kaikoura’s Oli Clark, in his first World Cup out for the MS Racing pro team, was fifth fastest in qualifying in the junior men, and will be joined in tomorrow’s finals by Palmerston North’s Jonty Williamson (Yeti Fox), Queenstown’s Malik Boatwright (Team High Country) and Hawke Bay’s Tyler Waite (Yeti-Fox), who all qualified in the top 20.
Two junior women are also through to the finals with outstanding Tauranga prospect, Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz) fourth fastest and Rotorua’s Bellah Birchall (Team High Country) 10th quickest.
The standout was Stevens-McNab with the 21-year-old sidelined earlier in the week with illness. That did not show as he recovered from an early mistake to be one of the fastest on the second half of the course. He was 1.9s behind top qualifier Bruni, with one second of that in the opening sector.
The bitterly cold and muddy conditions on the nearby high mountains made for a challenging day for riders in the second round of the Enduro World Cup.
Queenstown teenager Cooper Millward (Yeti NZ Development) proved the standout to score his second straight podium in third place in the junior men. He won the opening stage and was never further back than fifth to move to third overall in the world cup standings.
National champion Charles Murray (Specialized) had his second 11th place finish, 36s down on home-national winner Slawomir Lukasik with the rest of the kiwi men further back.
The challenging track and bitter weather took its toll, with Christchurch teenager, Winni Goldsbury forced to withdraw after an early crash.
Murray said it was super-tough conditions for all riders.
“It was five proper wet and muddy stages, with heaps of roots and rocks to navigate. It was a tough day out, and extremely cold. It was challenging to keep the body warm and difficult to attack physically when the arms and legs are cold, and the mud drained a lot of energy out of us,” said Murray.
“For me it was a solid day and I’m happy with my riding although I am still lacking a bit of confidence and pace but generally pretty stoked with another strong effort today.”
He said Goldsbury had made a sensible decision to withdraw after taking a knock on her head in the opening stage fall.
Enduro riders have a two-week break before the next round in Leogang, Austria, which will be a massive week with World Series competition also for cross-country and downhill.
Tomorrow’s focus moves to the gravity finals.
Results:
Enduro, elite women: Elly Hoskin (CAN) 26:46.980, 1; Ella Conolly (GBR) at 45.823, 2; Morgane Charre (FRA) at 51.854, 3. Also NZers: George Swift (Yeti Fox) at 3:17.502, 17; Winni Goldsbury (Specialized Gravity) dnf.
Male elite: Slawomir Lukasik (POL) 23:26.591, 1; Jack Moir (AUS) at 6.040s, 2; Greg Callaghan (IRL) at 7.939s, 3. Also NZers: Charles Murray (Specialized) at 36.850, 11; Joe Millington at 1:18.867, 32; Matthew Walker at 1:24.955, 35; Asher Hart at 2:44.709, 71; Regan Doig at 3:22.987, 83; Lachie Ross at dnf.
Junior: Tommy Bougon (FRA) 25:17.223, 1; Melvin Almueis (FRA) at 2.393s, 2; Cooper Millwood (NZL) at 4.357s, 3. Also NZers: Marcus Sayers dnf.
Downhill, Elite men: Qualifying 1: Loic Bruni (FRA) 3:08.648, 1; Oliver Davis (AUS) at 1.359, 2; Ryan Pinkerton (USA) at 1.528, 3. Also: Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory, NZL) at 1.909, 6. Other NZers: Luke Wayman (Continental Atherton) at 7.382, 40; Wyn Masters at 13.263, 59; Tuhoto-Ariki Pene (MS Racing) at 18.574, 65; Nico Arnold at 20.052, 70.
Qualifying 2 (top 10 to qualify): Troy Brosman (AUS) 3:11.562, 1; Loris Bergier (FRA) at 0.22, 2; Jordan Williams (GBR) at 0.309, 3: Also NZers: Wayman at 5.353, 19; Pene at 5.760, 21; Masters at 9.467, 30; Arnold at 21.887, 56.
Elite women: Elite women, qualifying 1: Valentina Holl (AUT) 3:39.201, 1; Tahnee Seagrave (GBR) at 1.566, 2; Harriet Harnden (GBR) at 2.087, 3. Also: Jess Blewitt at 8.945, 9; Jenna Hastings at 9.955, 11 (miss by 1 s on direct qual); Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory) at 19.983, 22.
Qualifying 2: Earnest 3:54.252, 10; Hastings 2:54.614, 11.
Junior Men (top 20 to qualify): Max Alran (FRA) 3:10.469, 1; Asa Vermette (USA) at 0.512, 2; Till Alran (FRA) at 5.189, 3. NZers: Oli Clark (MS Racing) at 7.902, 5; Jonty Williamson (Yeti Fox) at 8.683, 7; Malik Boatwright (Team High Country) at 9.631, 9; Tyler Waite (Yeti Fox) at 13.499, 17; Seppy Binsbergen at 18.962, 32
Junior women: Aletha Ostgaard (USA) 3:39.765, 1; Rosa Marie Jensen (DEN) at 2.465, 2; Lina Frener (AUT) at 12.593, 3. Also NZers: Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz) at 12.994, 4; Bellah Birchall (Team High Country) at 23.666, 10.