**Events

UCI World MTB Championships: Junior Men XC

Switzerland’s assault on the 2006 UCI MTB World Championships in Rotorua, New Zealand appears to be, dare we say it, running like clockwork. The Swiss won the XC Team Relay on the opening day of the championships and there was more teamwork in the Junior Men XC event.

The Swiss trio of Mathias Fläckiger, Martin Fanger and Pascal Meyer moved to the front of the 56-rider field on the opening lap and worked together to build a gap. Fläckiger was the strongest rider on the day, and crossed the line 51s ahead of Fanger, with Meyer 1:22 back. Impressively, this is Fläckiger’s first year of MTB competition – he’s crossed over from road racing and cyclo-cross.

The highest placed non-Swiss competitor was France’s Alexis Vuillermoz in 4th, three minutes down on the winner. David Fletcher was the sole British representative in the Junior field – he finished in 18th, just over six minutes back.

Seeding runs for the Downhill championship have also taken place, deciding the running order in the finals. The fastest riders (making them last down the hill in the finals) in each category are Floriane Pugin (France) in Junior Women, Sam Blenkinsop (New Zealand) in Junior Men (just ahead of Britain’s Brendan Fairclough), Tracy Moseley (Great Britain) in Elite Women (with Helen Gaskell 8th and Rachel Atherton 10th) and Nathan Rennie (Australia) just 0.35s clear of Steve Peat in Elite Men. Marc Beaumont was 4th and Gee Atherton 10th.

On the trials side, the semi-finals for 20in and 26in Junior Men are done and dusted. France’s Aurelien Fontenoy won in 20in, with Britain’s Ben Slinger not far behind. The 26in field involves largely the same riders and the semi was also won by Fontenoy – Slinger was fourth in that one.