UCI Mountainbike World Championships NZ Wrap Day 1

New Zealand mountainbikers produced solid performances against the power of the Europeans on the first day of the UCI World Championships in Canberra today.

Twenty-two proved the number with Rotorua’s Alexa Peters and Tokoroa’s Michelle Bellamy the best of the New Zealanders, both placing 22nd in the under-19 and under-23 crosscountry races respectively.

Peters, ranked 22nd going into the event, dropped off the hot pace set by the Europeans on the first climb in the 19.5km event. She finished 9min 46sec behind winner Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France) to be third best among the Commonwealth competitors in her first year in the junior ranks.

Team-mates Sarah-Kate McDonald (Clyde) and Sasha Smith (Auckland) were 27th and 28th respectively.

Bellamy produced a solid display in the under-23 race where Poland’s Aleksandra Dawidowicz spread-eagled the field with a powerful display. The young kiwi finished ahead of all the Australian riders and was second southern hemisphere rider.

Wellington’s Samara Sheppard produced a courageous performance to finish just behind Bellamy in 23rd place after a painful crash on the opening lap of four in the 26km race. She fell on one of the technical rocky sections, opening a nasty gash in her knee that later required treatment in hospital. But Sheppard got back into the race, working her way from last through to 23rd.

Katherine O’Neill (Auckland) finished in 27th place.

The riders enjoyed outstanding conditions for today’s racing with seven kiwis in action in the junior men’s crosscountry tomorrow.

Results, UCI Mountainbike World Championships, Canberra:

Under-19 female, 19.5km: Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) 1:05.23, 1; Michelle Hedeger (SWI) at 33 secs, 2; Candice Neethling (ZAF) at 1:06, 3. New Zealanders: Alexa Peters at 9:46, 22; Sarah-Kate McDonald at 15:24, 27; Sasha Smith at 15:46, 28.

Under 23 female, 26km: Aleksandra Dawidowicz (POL) 1:24.32, 1; Alexandra Engen (SWE) at 1:13, 2; Julie Bresset (FRA_ at 2:31, 3. New Zealanders: Michelle Bellamy at 13:49, 22; Samara Sheppard at 13:50, 23; Katherine O’Neill at 21:43, 27.

Full results: www.uci.ch