Evie Richards and Sam Gaze lay down Short Track markers in Mairipora at UCI Mountain Bike World Series
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Updated 14/04/2024 at 07:39 GMT
Britain's Evie Richards powered away from the field to take victory in the women's Cross-country Short Track World Series, laying down a marker in the Olympic year. In the men's event, Sam Gaze outsprinted Luca Schwarzbauer for the win as the reigning world champion got his title defence off to the best possible start in hot and humid conditions in Mairipora, Brazil.
‘Absolutely superb’ - Richards powers to win in Maripora
Evie Richards threw down the gauntlet with an aggressive, fearless win in the women’s elite WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike Cross-country Short Track World Cup in Brazil.
Meanwhile reigning world champion Sam Gaze took victory in the men’s event as the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series kicked off in warm and sticky conditions in Mairiporã, with 29-degree temperatures and 80% humidity.
The women's bunch clustered together in the early part of the race, led by Martina Berta, who used her front-row gridding to her advantage with a strong start.
Berta was pursued by Britain's Richards plus Jenny Rissveds and Heby Sofie Pedersen, four-time Cross-Country Olympic U23 winner in 2023. The bunch remained compressed for the first two laps, with the pump track and the sharp descent drawing out the best bike handlers and stretching out the race before they gathered together once again as they headed into the climb.
Jolanda Neff used the descent to gain a small gap, then led a big bunch as Alessandra Keller moved into the lead on the second time around the pump track. Keller maintained her lead through the lap, but as the bunch compressed again, Rebecca Henderson took control.
It was on lap three that the field finally started to stretch out and gaps opened up, with the primary aggressor being the 2018 World Champion Kate Courtney. Courtney moved clear, chased by Richards, with Rissveds and Neff next on the track.
The winning move came on lap five, as Richards attacked Courtney and moved through on the pump track to take the lead, and immediately opened up a gap to Courtney and Neff, which continued to grow as she attacked the descent and powered on over the flat sections of the course.
With Keller trying to make up the deficit, and Courtney tiring, there was not enough momentum in the chase and Richards won by seven seconds with Henderson in second and Keller in third.
“It started off in quite a big group and then a couple of different girls went on the front and pushed and Kate made an attack, and I happened to be on her second wheel and I just pushed with the attack," Richards said.
"I think she faded a bit at the top of one of the climbs and I came out of the descent with a lead and I just kept going at that speed really, just maintained the gap. I'm really pleased to start the season like that.
“I think you always have to improvise. We talked a lot about strategies and what would happen if different people attacked so yeah, I was well prepared going into it. So I was happy with that.”
On the conditions, Richards added: “Yeah, it’s really hot. Especially when the UK has literally been grey for six months straight it’s definitely a step up from the UK but it's nice as well. It's good to get some sunshine and some vitamin D on the body.”
World champion makes a statement
It was a battle of the short-track powerhouses in the men’s race as world champion Sam Gaze won a last-gasp victory after a thrilling battle with Luca Schwarzbauer.
As the lights turned green, Schwarzbauer immediately launched into pole position and was already able to open up a small gap between himself and the rest, looking calm and in control.
In the early part of the race Mathias Flückiger, Jordan Sarrou and Victor Koretzsky were the closest to the German, but with Gaze moving through quickly in the rainbow stripes, Schwarzbauer was relentless, powering into the turns and trying to ensure the pace stayed high.
Schwarzbauer continued to hold the front of the race with around nine riders chasing a few seconds behind, and the rest already spread out along the track.
Koretzsky briefly took the lead before an aggressive approach to the pump track saw Schwarzbauer use his physicality to break through to the front again, followed by Martin Vidaurre.
The pair took a small gap heading off of the descent, and Vidaurre moved into the lead, with Schwarzbauer and Gaze bearing down from behind.
Gaze exerted his authority for the first time on lap five, but Schwarzbauer counter-attacked in the same place heading into the pump track and a stalemate followed heading into lap seven as the riders collectively caught their breath.
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‘Look at the speed’ - Gaze storms to victory in Maripora
It was all business on the final lap though, as the frontrunners came back together again, and though Sarrou cut in to take second position briefly, when Gaze attacked the climb he took an unassailable lead.
In a breathless last few moments of action, Koretzsky tried to attack at the expense of his team-mate Vidaurre but it was too little too late - Gaze powered over the line to make a clear statement about his form heading into an Olympic season.
Schwarzbauer hailed Gaze as he crossed the line in second, with Vidaurre third after a courageous performance.
“It was surprisingly nice track," Schwarzbauer said. "Honestly, during the recon I thought it’s not super nice with the pump track, I thought it's going to hurt a lot. But in the end it was very nice and controlled.
“I had Sam on my side; we are not team-mates but at least Canyon team-mates and we could help each other a little bit in the end, I also did not attack him 100 per cent.
"I don't know who was the strongest but in the end, I'm super happy to provide that finish picture for Canyon together with Sam and super happy because in the end I was not 100% sure about my form.
“I was motivated but I didn't feel the big weight on my shoulders yet. Last year I realised when the weight is huge I can perform but it's also a lot of stress, so I'm happy that I could also perform with a little bit less stress but it's only the first race of the season.”
For his part, Gaze added: “It’s been a really difficult couple of weeks, it was really hard to focus on my job at some points, but I’ve come out here and put together a good performance.
“The start was super critical for me and a lot of the time I don’t get lucky but I have to say I got lucky in the start loop, and from there it was just trying to recover best I could before moving forward.
“The heat is such a factor here, it feels like I’ve swallowed a glass full of glass. I’m super happy, good signs for the next two weeks, happy to have a good start. Luca is a great guy, we found a bit of partnership, just trying to keep the speed how we wanted it.
“There’s a big advantage racing from the front and as soon as I got there, I realised the advantage they had, so we tried to keep it and then to be honest, I really didn't think it was possible to do the sprint. I was completely on the limit, but obviously everyone else was too.”
Third placed finisher Martin Vidaurre added: “It’s amazing, finishing here in Brazil is just amazing. A lot of Chilean fans are here, so it's different to be here. It took me a while to be on the podium, like a year. So it's good to trust in the process and good to be back on the podium. I'm just so happy.
“I'm not in a hurry. I still enjoy my training, I enjoy being a racer, so I don’t like to rush it too much so I just trust in my work and just keep going because I just love the sport.”
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