Tough times for New Zealand MTB riders
- Dave Worsley
- Sep 20
- 1 min read
Only a few days after the massive test of the world championships, kiwi mountain bikers were back in action in the final European stop of the UCI World Series in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
The Trek Factory pair of Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Rotorua) and Sacha Earnest (Auckland) were the only kiwis to qualify in elite downhill.
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Earnest, recovered from injury that forced her out of the world championships, was fifth fastest, while Stevens-McNab was 3s off the top, qualifying 13th in elite men.
The kiwi challenge in junior downhill was again impressive, with Hawkes Bay rider Tyler Waite (Yeti-Fox), currently second in the overall standings, qualified second fastest
Waite is joined in the final be fellow kiwis Jonty Williamson (Yeti-Fox) fourth fastest, Oli Clark (MS Racing) seventh and Seppy Binsbergen 10th – all through the final.
Tauranga’s Eliana Hulsebosch (Santa Cruz), also chasing the overall podium, was fourth fastest and joined by Queenstown’s Bellah Birchall (High Country) in the final.
In cross-country short track, Samara Maxwell had to play catch-up in the elite women’s race.
The Decathlon Ford rider had to fight back from an indifferent start, 21st after the first lap, but again showed her strength and speed to work her way to fifth overall. She will take confidence from her recovery looking to the key race on Monday (NZT).
