Aussies on top of the world in mountain biking
Australia is firming up as a world leader in mountain biking, claiming more gold than any other nation at the 2010 UCI World Mountain Bike Championships held in Mont-Saint-Anne, Canada last week.
Australia brought home three gold medals, victories going to elite women’s four cross rider Caroline Buchanan (Canberra), Samuel Hill (Glen Forrest) in the elite men’s downhill in a time of 4mins 37.93 and young gun Troy Brosnan (Seacombe Heights) who was crowned world champion after dominating the junior men’s downhill in 4mins 37.71.
Reigning elite men’s four cross world champion Jared Graves (Toowoomba) narrowly missed out on this year’s title claiming the silver medal to Czech rider Tomas Slavik.
Hill defied the odds by battling back from two major injuries this year – a knee reconstruction in February and three snapped shoulder ligaments in June – to claim his third world title of his career with previous victories coming in 2006 and 2007.
The 25-year-old had to sit patiently in the hot seat, as a number of riders including former world champion Gee Atherton (Great Britain) and last year’s world champion Steve Peat (Great Britain) did their runs, but no one could beat Hill’s gold-medal winning time.
Other results in the men’s downhill saw Aussie Chris Kovarik (+17.72) finishing next best in 27th position, Shaun O’Connor pedalled in at 53rd (+38.98) ahead of Mitchell Delfs (61st) who battled with a snapped chain early on to leave him with a time of +4:03.96. Unfortunately Bryn Atkinson did not start in the final due to a wrist injury.
Buchanan proudly defended her coveted rainbow jersey by winning back-to-back at the world champs in front of the large crowd that turned out to watch the four cross final. Buchanan rode faster than key contenders Jana Horakova and Romana Labounkova from Czech Republic.
The women’s four cross event only saw one other Australian rider Sarsha Huntington who finished in seventh position after narrowly missing out on a podium finish at last year’s world championships.
Brosnan (4min 50.71secs) was the second last junior man to come down the mountain and sped to a narrow victory by just six one hundredths of a second ahead of silver medallist Neko Mulally (4:50.77) from the United States. Lewis Buchanan (4:59.76) of Great Britain, the last man to race, finished third to collect the bronze.
Whilst Brosnan was a clear standout for the juniors, fellow Australian riders also impressed the crowd in the downhill with Antony Moore (+26.80) and Daniel Lavis (+28.95) finishing 21st and 23rd respectively. Team mate Phillip Piazza finished with a time of +39.76 in 36th position after crashing half way down the mountain.
Emily Hockey and Holly Baarspul put on a strong performance in the junior women’s downhill, with Baarspul narrowly missing out on a podium finish rolling in fourth only +27.78 behind the champion, whilst Hockey finished an impressive eighth (+1:08.98).
In other events, the men’s four cross final, Randal Huntington placed 15th, improving greatly on his 24th position in 2009. David Habicht and Richard Levinson also challenged the field coming in 18th and 30th positions.
The cross country events provided plenty of action at the world championships, with elite men Lachlan Norris (-1 lap) and Andrew Blair (- 4 lap) finishing in 50th and 79th position respectively.
Rowena Fry was the best placed Australian rider in the women’s elite race, finishing 44th (-1 lap), ahead of team mates Heather Logie (46th), Kate Potter (52nd) and Katherine O’Shea (53rd).
Cameron Ivory finished in 16th place (+06:11) in the junior cross country, with Kyle Ward pedaling in at 42nd (+11:13). Trenton Day was forced to withdraw on the fifth lap after a snapped granny ring robbed him of a better result. Mitchell Codner also had to pull out in the very first lap due to a snapped rear mechanical hanger.
Sole U23 men’s cross country Aussie competitor Cal Britten placed 55th (-2lap), whilst under 23 women Gracie Elvin (+14.04) and Therese Rhodes (-1 lap) finishing 20th and 32nd respectively.
The trials event saw Australian competitors in the elite men’s 26″ competition with Joe Brewer (22nd) finishing two positions ahead of Andrew Dickey (24th) with scores of 65 and 66.
For further information or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Laura Rathgeber – MTBA Media
03 9500 0122 or [email protected]
