China's Olympic mountainbiking hopes got a boost ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games following a dominant display by two riders at the world championships in Rotorua yesterday.
Ren Chengyuan and Ying Liu won gold and silver medals respectively in the women's under-23 cross-country on Mt Ngongotaha.
The pair led from the opening lap, with Chengyuan clocking 1h 31m 17s to take gold, finishing 1m 38s ahead of Liu and 4m 56s ahead of bronze medallist Sarah Koba, from Switzerland.
New Zealand's top rider, Carissa Wilkes, who recently returned from a European and American campaign with the New Zealand junior road racing team, was 18th, while Michelle Hyland finished 22nd.
Speaking through a translator Chengyuan, who has been racing for four years, said her win would help signal a new era for Chinese mountain biking. She said she was motivated by the upcoming Olympics and was confident she would continue to improve.
The championships continue today with the junior men's cross-country.
- NZPA
Mountainbiking: Chinese riders lead the way at champs
New Zealand's Michelle Hyland finished 22nd in the under-23 cross-country. Picture / Sarah Ivey
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