The UCI world mountain-bike championships came to a conclusion in the Czech Republic yesterday with Ireland being represented by James Curry (U23) and Gareth McKee (elite). Some estimates reckon a crowd of 13,000 lined the course at Nove Mesto!
By Brian Canty
Both James Curry and Gareth McKee banked valuable experience at the UCI world mountain-bike championships in the Czech Republic at the weekend, the sole Irish U23 and elite representatives taking on the best in the business.
Curry was in action on Saturday evening and finished 81st out of 104 riders, though he was not given a finishing time.
The last of the riders to be given one was Craig Oliver (New Zealand) in 69th who clocked a time of 1:32:45, some 15 minutes behind winner Samuel Gaze of New Zealand.
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The Olympics-bound Gaze waited until the biggest climb on the penultimate lap of the 23-kilometre race to make his move, opening up a 10 second advantage mid-lap, stretching it to 24 seconds at the bell and riding out front to win in a time of 1:17:57.
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He finished 50 seconds clear of Victor Koretzky (France), with over a minute to Switzerland's Marcel Guerrini in third.
The elite race yesterday was won by Nino Schurter Switzerland in a time of 1:28:20, 17 seconds clear of local favourite Jaroslav Kulvahy (1:28:37) with five-time world champion Julien Absalon of France rounding out the podium 13 seconds further back.
A staggering crowd of 23,000 people watched the event which for McKee, was a debut experience.
He finished 94th out of 99 riders but like junior David Conroy on Friday, he too suffered ill luck when his seatpost came loose.
He managed to get some assistance before rejoining the race but at that point, all hope of a finish in the top half of the results had vanished.
Nonetheless, he'll be a better man for the experience and will no doubt be back again to try and improve on his result.
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