Downhill Qualification And Junior Cross-Country Riders Go For Bust In The Dust

Troy Brosnan continued to show he’s a major podium player after downhill qualifications at the 2022 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Les Gets, France.

The Adelaide rider is finding his best as he looks to add another medal to his collection.

He would finish fifth fastest +2.823 behind Frenchman Benoit Coulanges who stopped the clock at 3:26.074

Luke Meier-Smith was the only other Australian to finish inside the top 20.

Sasha Kim and Mario Baldwin found themselves with a 14th and 19th place results respectively.

Ellie Smth (19th) and Cassie Voysey (27th) finished in the elite women while Elise Empey showcased her skills on the steep and technical track throwing down a time of 4:35:991 in the qualifying runs.

That time would leave her sitting inside the top 10 in eighth position.

Riders have another day of practice on Friday to improve their lines before finals on Saturday.

Results from qualifying today do not decide the start order for Saturday's World Champs race, instead, riders will start in UCI order on finals day.

All qualifying results can be found here.

Junior XCO

The junior cross-country riders would be in for a hot, dusty and packed race.

Ruby Dobson and Hayley Oakes would be the sole Aussies in the 62-rider junior women’s field.

It would be Dobson’s second race on the course after competing in the team relay only the day before.

The Victorian crossing the line in 50th.

Oakes made her world championships debut and would finish her campaign in 56th.

After making his debut in the team relay the day before Jack Ward showed his fight to finish in the top 40.

Joel Dodds (66), Cohen Jessen (73), Riley Corke (74) the other Australian riders results.

Full race results can be found here.

Rider Quotes

Jack Ward
“It was so much fun. A lot of pain but an awesome experience, so many riders and the atmosphere was amazing. I crashed twice trying to get past people but pulled it back and was a good ride.”

Joel Dodds
“It was brutal such a tough course there was no recovery on it. Got to second last place but got my way back through the field and felt good on the last two laps.”

Ruby Dobson
"Very tough and very hot. I just tired to focus on my race but I was fighting with the girl from Great Britian which was fun."

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Photo: Matt Rousu Photography / Hixit