Track issues have seriously affected the final UCI BMX Supercross competition for New Zealand’s World No 1s Marc Willers and Sarah Walker in Copenhagen today.
Practice was cancelled after the 345m Supercross track began to break up with organisers pushing racing back to Monday (NZ time).
BikeNZ national coach Ken Cools said he was disappointed with the situation.
“I can’t believe I am at the last Supercross race before the Olympics and the track is still not rideable and ready for racing,” the Canadian said.
Cools said the track had become very soft and had broken up during the first practice after a salt additive designed to harden the surface, had sucked up all the moisture and made the track soft and spongy.
“The girls practiced which was ok down the first straight but none of them could do much around the rest of the track. Between most jumps it’s still really spongy and the sand was breaking apart.”
He said the good news was that both New Zealanders looked strong with Walker outstanding down the crucial first straight and Willers looking “super fast.”
The organisers worked all day on the track, adding plywood up the lips of the jumps and the plan is to shorten practice to the morning with time trials in the afternoon and racing on Monday (NZ time).
“I don’t know about it (the jumps). We will see if we can ride tomorrow. I personally can’t see it going to well tomorrow, but we will see.”
Walker won the opening round of the three-round women’s competition in Adelaide, while Willers was second in the first of five rounds for men but crashed out in their second round in Adelaide. |
