Maxwell 3rd UCI MTB short track x-country
- Dave Worsley
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
New Zealand mountain bike star Sammie Maxwell has finished third at the UCI MTB short track cross -country World Cup race at Les Gets in France.
Jenny Rissveds of Sweden won the race ahead of Alessandra Keller (Switzerland) with Maxwell just 0.12 seconds behind in third.
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UCI Cross-country World Champion Evie Richards set the tone early on, after catching COVID-19 following Rissved’s victory in Portugal she seemed keen to banish any questions over her fitness and went clear with Rissveds and Keller on the opening lap before sitting up and letting the five-second lead go.
Richards was first across the line on four out of the nine laps while Pieterse, after her road racing exploits this summer including completing the Tour de France Femmes, immediately dropped out of the top 10 and eventually finished 11th after a long recovery ride.
Despite leading the UCI Cross-country Olympic World Cup, Maxwell (Decathlon Ford Racing Team) is yet to taste XCC victory and appeared determined to change that when she pushed the pace.
Richards was consistently the strongest downhill rider, though not the smoothest she attacked the descent with more aggression than anyone else on the slick surface with two laps to go as Rissveds and Keller were the only riders who could live with Maxwell.
That meant it all came down to the final climb and it was Rissveds who took the initiative, kicking clear early and holding off Keller and Maxwell to the line.
