Young North Canterbury rider top 10 in Mountain Bike World Cup
By BikeNZYoung North Canterbury mountain biker Ben Oliver had an impressive start to his international career with a top-10 finish in the opening round of the UCI World Cup.
Oliver finished 10th in the junior elite race on the second day of competition at Albstadt in Germany today.
The Rangiora rider made a bold start to be fourth after the first lap and fifth only 10 seconds from the leader after two laps. He was joined by eventual race winner Raphael Gay (France) 20 seconds back from the lead after three laps but the young Kiwi faded on the final two laps to finish a creditable 10th place, 1min 49sec behind the winner.
His brother Craig did not finish while Wellington’s Simon Lawson was one lap down.
Queenstown’s kate Fluker was the best of the New Zealand contingent in the elite women’s race, finishing one lap down in 49th place, with both Samara Sheppard and Katie O’Neill two laps behind winner Eva Lechiner (Italy).
Whakatane’s Carl Jones was in 66th place in the elite men’s race, 13min 16sec behind Australian Daniel McConnell.
The second round of the UCI World Cup for cross country is next weekend in Nove Mesto Na Morave in the Czech Republic.
Day 2 results:
Elite men: Daniel McConnell (AUS) 1:42.36, 1; Sergio Gutierrez (ESP) at 2 secs, 2; Jaroslav Kulhavy (CZE) at 13 secs, 3. Also: Carl Jones (NZL) at 13:16, 66.
Elite women: Eva Lechiner (ITA) 1:33.52, 1; Maja Wloszczowska (POL) at 8 secs, 2; Katrin Leumann (SUI) at 16 sec, 3. Also NZers: Kate Fluker 1 lap, 49; Samara Sheppard 2 laps, 57; Katie O’Neill 2 laps, 61.
Junior men: Raphael Gay (FRA) 1:11.02, 1; Philipp Bertsch (GER) same time, 2; Neilo Perrin-Garnier (FRA) at 1sec, 3. Also NZers: Ben Oliver at 1min 49sec, 10; Simon Lawson 1 lap, 101, 2; Craig Oliver dnf.
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