Scarlett Hagen took out her third straight Elite Women’s race today in Dunedin in Round 3 of the NZCT National Mountain Bike Series Downhill competition claiming the first all important UCI (Union Cycling International) points and prize money offered this year and taking a commanding lead in the National Series. Tauranga’s Vanessa Quin followed on 9 seconds later and Thor team rider Olivia Johnston (Christchurch) in third.
Having been injured for most of 2006, Hagen appears to be back in the form which won her the 2004 Junior World Championship. “My elbow’s feeling so much stronger and I definitely feel more in control on the bike” Queenstown said following her race.
In the Elite Men’s race Frenchman Fabien Pedemanaud posted a time of 3.22.86 mins to take first place having placed second in the seeding run behind UK rider Alex Stock. Stock crashed during the race run and was out of podium contention. In second place, current Junior World Champion Cameron Cole (Hamilton) and his runner up, Sam Blenkinsop finished in third.
UCI points have gained further meaning this season with the UCI setting a minimum number (20) for riders to accumulate for qualification in World Cup races. Riders will have further opportunities to win points at next week’s National Championships in Nelson, and the final round of the Series in Levin (24 February).
Over 140 riders rode on the downhill track which was revised following bushfires in October 2006 on Signal Hill which claimed part of the original track. Local club Mountain Biking Otago and a number of key volunteers worked many hours over the following months to produce a variable track which had native single track and tight technical aspects. As with last weekend, riders had been looking forward to racing the course, however a consistent morning rain resulted in an extremely muddy and challenging track producing multiple spills and slides.
Tomorrow see’s Round 2 of the Cross Country competition of the NZCT National Mountain Bike Series in Dunedin’s Bethunes Gully on a slightly amended course from 2006.
Download Full Results Below, or by clicking HERE
From: http://www.bikenz.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=23615 |
