New Zealand BMX riders added two bronze medals on finals day in Glasgow, going to North Harbour’s Rico Bearman and Rotorua’s Megan Williams in their respective under-23 finals.
In a relatively short first straight, being fastest through the elimination rounds was critical to earn the favoured inside gate for best line to the critical first turn.
Bearman was third-fastest of the quarter-final winners, to draw beside French rival Mateo Colsenet in the semifinal.
Bearman finished second but without a clean run he drew in the middle for the final.
He was pushed back to sixth and blocked at the first turn in the final and had to draw on all his skills to advance through to third and the bronze medal behind Filib Steiner (SUI) and Colsenet.
Rotorua’s Williams was third in her semifinal to qualify for the big dance, and like Bearman, she did not get the best gate in the final, but manualled strongly to push through to third, and almost caught GBR’s Emily Hutt for second behind winner Tessa Martinez (FRA).
The New Zealand women’s team were aggressive in some early breaks but were unable to mount any significant challenge in the 164km women’s road race from Loch Lomond to the circuit course around Glasgow.
The Jumbo Visma professional Kim Cadzow (Queenstown) went on the break out in the transition from Loch Lomond but was rounded up, while SD Worx professional Niamh Fisher-Black was in a six-rider break but they were unable to sustain their effort.
From there the major nations used their numbers to effect with the New Zealanders unable to push into the peloton as Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky, who won two gold medals on the track, sprinted clear to claim the victory.
Her SD Worx teammate and Tour de France Femme winner, Demi Vollering (NED), sprinted in for second ahead of Denmark’s Cecile Ludwig.
Best of the New Zealand finishers was under-23 rider Ella Wyllie in the third group 14:49 behind the winner, along with Fisher-Black and Cadzow, which brought the curtain down on 12 days crammed with the best cycling action from all disciplines.
The nine-strong New Zealand Para Cycling Team rounded out their World Championships with the final day of road racing. While no extra medals were won, the team are celebrating, with a record 12 medals across the Championships.
“12 medals across the team is a truly remarkable achievement. We’re over the moon! Our athletes here have shown incredible tenacity, grit and skill to get to where we are today, and we are so proud of them,” coach Damian Wiseman said.
