World champion Sam Gaze led a remarkable day for New Zealand mountain bikers on the first day of racing at the UCI MTB World Cup in Val di Sole, Italy.
Gaze won the short track men’s cross-country, his second win of the series, to get prime spot for Monday’s world cup race (NZT).
However the extraordinary scenes came on the fearsome downhill course, where national champion Jess Blewitt was fastest in the elite women’s semifinal.
Not to be outdone, the extraordinary Tauranga 16-year-old, Eliana Hulsebosch topped a New Zealand top three in qualifying in the junior women’s downhill, with the finals for all downhill late tonight (NZT).
Gaze (Alpecin-Deceuninck) got off the line quickest but played a more cautious game in the early stages of the 10-lap short track race. At the bell there were six riders in contention, as Jens Schuermans put in a massive effort on the climb to lead the final sprint.
The New Zealander was well-placed and proved the strongest in the sprint to take the win from Victor Koretzky, Schuermans and Nino Schurter.
“It felt really good. It’s been a lot of work over the last weeks, and I wasn’t 100 percent sure what to expect coming here,” said Gaze. “I’m just really happy to pull it off, have a good feeling and have as much fun racing my bike.”
Earlier Samara Maxwell was 12th in the women’s short course race in her debut in the elite ranks.
The action during the day focused on qualifying for downhill, with semifinals for the elite men and women, where the fearsome Black Snake course always provides a massive test.
After being second fastest in elite women’s qualifying, Blewitt surprised mostly herself with a stunning second run in the semifinals where she went five seconds faster. The Cube Factory national champion was three second faster than world champions Myriam Nicole (FRA) and Valentina Holl (AUT).
“Honestly, I am so surprised that I just won semis. It didn’t really feel fast but I guess my tactic is working on piecing the course together. I’m stoked,” said the Red Bull rider. “This track is so hard. I actually stopped training yesterday because I was so scared in one section.”
Earlier Hulsebosch produced a stunning run in qualifying for junior women downhill in 4:45.078 to be only nine second behind Blewitt’s winning run in the elite semifinals.
The Union-Steel City Media rider was over 13 seconds faster than last year’s winner Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory) and junior world champion Erice van Leuven (Commencal les Orres) in the kiwi shut-out of the top three qualifying placings.
Queenstown’s Toby Meek was highest placed of the New Zealand elite men, 13th fastest 8.6s behind top qualifier Amaury Perron (FRA). Compatriot Lachie Stevens-McNab (Union) was 32nd and Sam Blenkinsop 35th in the semifinals.
Kaikoura’s Oli Clark was fastest of the junior men qualifying in 18th just ahead of Christchurch’s Luke Wayman, currently third overall in the series.
All action is on gravity riders starting with junior women from 9.30pm tonight (NZT) followed by junior men, elite women and elite men.