9 September 2007
Rosara Joseph led the way with a brilliant fifth place in the crosscountry at the UCI mountainbike World Championships in Scotland today.
The Wellingtonian achieved the best ever placing by a kiwi mountainbiker at a world championship after a torrid battle with two Canadian riders over the last two gruelling laps in the 34km race at Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.
It was not such good news for New Zealand's top male rider Kashi Leuchs who did not finish after he suffered an asthma attack when he was forced to run a considerable distance following a puncture.
Joseph, 10th last year, capped a brilliant year after completing her examinations at Oxford University where she is on a Rhodes Scholarship. She came into the championships on the back of some tough road cycling races to be on the pace from the outset today.
"It was a truly outstanding performance to cap off a big year for Rosara," coach Suzie Pryde said.
"She was in a big battle over the last two laps for fourth to sixth with the two Canadians and they were in touch with the leaders. That was the best ever performance by a New Zealander at a world championship and it was richly deserved.
"It was cool with misty rain which made the course even tougher but Rosara rode superbly."
Russia's Irina Kalentieva took out the title in 1:44.08 with Joseph, a silver medalist at last year's Commonwealth Games, two minutes 26sec behind in fifth.
Teammates Kaytee Boyd (Auckland) was 27th, Anja MacDonald (Dunedin) 40th and UK-based Jennifer O'Connor 52nd from the 63 starters.
Leuchs, ranked 14th in the world, made a strong start in the daunting men's race over 50kms in the Leanachan Forest in the Nevis Range.
However he suffered a puncture and was forced to run some distance back to service. After the change he was hauling in the field but suffered a serious asthma attack and was forced to withdraw.
"Unfortunately mechanical problems can hit you in this sport. Kashi was in superb form but things just conspired against him.
"He is pretty gutted because he knows that he was in the kind of shape to achieve a top
results."
Brilliant Frenchman Julian Absolon, the defending world and Olympic champion, took out the title from Switzerland's Ralph Naef.
Marcus Roy (Te Anau) was 66th, Michael Northcroft (Taupo) 90th, while Eric Drower (Cambridge) did not finish.
Pryde said both Joseph and Keuchs will compete in the final round of the UCI World Cup in Slovenia next weekend where she believes both with prosper.
"Kashi has a chance to finish in the top five overall and I am sure he will bounce back from today and produce a big result there."
The downhill competition takes place on the final day of the championships tomorrow with 16 New Zealanders competing including 2004 world champion Vanessa Quin (Tauranga) and in-form teenager Sam Blenkinsop (Wanganui).
Results, crosscountry, UCU Mountainbike World Championships, Fort William, Scotland:
Women, 34.6km:
Irina Kalentieva (RUS) 1:44.08, 1;
Sabine Spiz (GER) 1:44.47, 2;
Jingjing Wang (CHN) 1:45.50, 3.
New Zealanders:
Rosara Joseph (Wellington) 1:47.42, 5;
Kaytee Boyd (Auckland) 1:54.02, 27;
Anja MacDonald (Dunedin) 1:57.19, 40;
Jennifer O'Connor (UK based) 2:O1.50, 52.
Men:
Julian Absolon (FRA) 2:17.06, 1;
Ralph Naef (SUI) 2:17.32, 2;
Florian Vogel (SUI) 2:18.00, 3.
New Zealanders:
Marcus Roy (Te Anau) 2:31.11, 66;
Michael Northcroft (Taupo) 1 lap down, 90th;
Kashi Leuchs (Dunedin) and Eric Drower (Cambridge) DNF.
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF BIKE NZ BY SPORTS MEDIA NZ LTD |
