Stevens-McNab takes silver at UCI MTB Champs
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Rotorua professional rider Lachlan Stevens-McNab has finished runner-up in the elite men’s downhill mountain bike at the UCI MTB World Championship at Val di Sole, Italy.
The 22-year-old from the Trek Unbroken professional team, came within a blink of creating history in winning the rainbow jersey, with Canada’s Jackson Goldstone edging him by just 0.695s with the final run of the competition.
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Stevens-McNab is just the second New Zealand elite men’s rider to podium in downhill at the world championships, following a third placing by Sam Blenkinsop 15 years ago.
The Rotorua rider hurtled down the super-challenging 2.4km course known as the Black Snake to claim the lead and set the standard of 3:29.480.
Great Britian star Jordan Williams, a three-time World Cup winner, came within a blink-of-the-eye to edging him but had to ultimately settle for third, as the kiwi waited on top of the hot-seat until Goldstone made it two title wins in a row.
Stevens-McNab led an outstanding effort from the elite men with Christchurch rider Luke Wayman claiming a career-best 11th, ahead of fellow teenager Oli Clark from Kaikoura in 20th and Rotorua’s Tuhoto-Ariki Pene 23rd.
“It is pretty special. World champs are the most important race of the year. It is a one-off and who can do it on the day. We came pretty close today so it is a little bitter-sweet but I am chuffed,” said Stevens-McNab.
“It has been a hard year with injuries. I’m chuffed to put a good one down today on a ruthless track and be right up there and hang that silver medal in my home.
“What I got most out of today was learning from the World Cup in Andorra where I qualified first and then crashed at the first turn. I took a step back and ride like I know I can ride, instead of pushing too hard. Pushing too hard today could have caught you out.
“I was happy to qualify first yesterday and still be on form today when it was trickier. All-around it was a good weekend, as bitter-sweet as it was coming so close to winning, but I have many more years to get after those rainbow stripes.”
There were high hopes of success in the under-23 men with a strong group led by season-long UCI World Series winner Jonty Williamson and compatriot Malik Boatwright.
Despite forecasted clear weather, the mountains of the Dolomites produced rain overnight, which turned the downhill track, especially the exposed roots and rocks, to a super-slippery surface for riders during their morning warm-ups.
Williamson, the fastest qualifier, crashed in the morning practice, suffering a wrist injury which forced him to withdraw.
Meanwhile Boatwright made a flying start up with the leaders but a mistake mid-run proved costly, finishing an unlucky 13th with Taranaki’s Dexter Lock in 15th.
Earlier Queenstown’s Indy Deavoll, who celebrated her 18th birthday this week, finishing third in the under-23 downhill.
It capped a consistently strong season for Deavoll who is currently fifth in the overall World Cup standings with the North American rounds to come.
Devoll sat on the hot seat behind Australian Tilly Boadle for a significant time, edged back to third by Norway’s Rosa Jensen.
She follows in a line of outstanding young female kiwi gravity riders who have podiumed at the world championships in under-23 women over the last five years including Jenna Hastings, Erice van Leuven, Poppy Lane, Sacha Earnest and Eliana Hulsebosch.
Another of the rising kiwi teenage stars, Kate Hastings (Rotorua) set the tone when she took the early lead in the elite women’s competition.
That was surpassed by fellow kiwi Eliana Hulsebosch from Tauranga, who had qualified fifth fastest and had a liking for the course, winning a World Cup competition there as a junior. She held the top spot on the hot seat until the final four riders edged ahead, won ultimately by Austria’s Valentina Holl.
Hulsebosch settled for fifth and Hastings eighth for impressive performances.
Fellow kiwi Sacha Earnest, a two-time junior world placegetter, was also on target for a podium but fell before recovering to finish 14th.
The championships conclude tomorrow with a return to cross-country races.
Downhill results:
Under-23 Women: Rosa Jensen (NOR) 4:05.581, 1; Tilly Boadle (AUS) at 3.237s, 2; Indy Deavoll (NZL) at 11.307, 3. Also NZers: Capella Martin at 14.432s, 8.
Under-23 Men: Raoul Schneeberger (SUI)3:47.477, 1; Felix Griffiths (GBR) at 0.45s, 2; Filippo Gilardino (ITA) at 1.180s, 3. Also NZ riders: Malik Boatwright (Queenstown) 13, Dexter Lock (New Plymouth) 15, Seppy Binsbergen (New Plymouth) 49, Sterline Stevens-McNab (Rotorua) 53, Jonty Williamson (Palmerston North) dns.
Elite women: Valentia Holl (AUT) 4:01.558, 1; Lisa Baumann (SUI)at 1.728, 2; Harriet Harnden (GBR) at 2.046, 3. Also NZers: Eliana Hulsebosch at 5.067, 5; Kate Hastings at 6.574, 8; Sacha Earnest at dons 13.875, 14; Jess Blewitt dnf.
Elite Men: Jackson Goldstone (CAN) 3:28.785, 1; Lachlan Stevens-McNab (NZL) at 0.695s, 2; Jordan Williams (GBR) at 0.702, 3. Also NZers: Luke Wayman at 5.120s, 11; Oli Clark at 7.225s, 20; Tuhoto-Ariki Pene at 8.132, 23; James Macdermid at 11.764, 36;
