NSWIS riders Adam Lambert (second on day one) and Cameron Bolton (fourth on day two) have recorded strong performances at the double World Cup event in Gudauri, Georgia, where there were crashes in both the men’s and women’s events on the fast and demanding course. Unfortunately leading Australian female riders Belle Brockhoff and Josie Baff both fell sustaining injuries.
Day One: Lambert claims first medal of the season
Adam Lambert has achieved his first podium performance of the season, finishing second in Gudauri, giving the 27-year-old from Jindabyne in the NSW Snowy Mountains the fourth World Cup podium of his career.
Lambert qualified in 15th for finals, and went on to have a sensational day of head-to-head racing winning his round of 32, quarter-final and semi-final to advance through to the top four big-final medal round.
In the big-final, Lambert was moving between second and third place for much of the race and was fortunately ahead of a crash on the final feature involving Eliot Grondin of Canada and Elias Leitner of Austria, leaving him in second place behind winner Jakob Dusek on Austria. Grondin finished in third and Leitner fourth.
“The men’s big final is always really competitive, I have had a few in my time, I would like to have more, but it’s always fun to race all day and not go out in the early rounds, so I am stoked,” said Lambert.
“I think tomorrow I can do what I did today, I don’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on myself, I feel if I race liked I raced today I have a good chance of doing it again, but anything can happen, it’s boarder cross.”
In the women’s event, French riders took out the top two places, with Julia Pereira de Sousa in first, Lea Casta second and Italian Michela Moioli in third.
Three-time Olympian Belle Brockhoff was in strong form qualifying in third place and made it through to the small-final. Unfortunately, Brockhoff suffered a crash and was taken away by the medical services team on course, ultimately finishing in eighth place. Brockhoff was moved to a hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia, where she is undergoing further assessment with the support of Australian team medical staff.
World number three Josie Baff also crashed in the first round of finals finishing ninth and suffering some bruising. NSWIS teammates Mia Clift were 10th and Amber Essex 26th.
Other results included Cameron Bolton ninth, Jarryd Hughes 25th, Declan Dent 37th, Matthew Thomas 48th and James Johnstone 50th.
Day Two: Bolton just misses podium
Three-time NSWIS Olympian Cameron Bolton was unlucky not to claim a podium performance after a great day of riding on day two in Gudauri, finishing fourth in a closely contested men’s big-final.
Bolton advanced through the rounds of 64, 32 and quarter-finals to reach the semi-final round, where he t had an impressive race to advance in first to the big-final medal round against Julien Tomas of France, Austrian Lukas Pachner and another Frenchman Loan Bozzolo.
In the big final, Bolton had the early lead but was passed by Pachner and then Tomas, and then with the pack close, Bolton and Bozzolo both went down near the end of the course. Tomas went on to win, Pachner was second and Bozzolo recovered from the crash to cross the line in third leaving Bolton in fourth and uninjured
In the women’s event, NSWIS World Championship medallist Josie Baff did not compete on day two, choosing to recover after her crash on the previous day, Mia Clift made it back-to-back top-10’s and Amber Essex was 19th.
Adam Lambert finished 18th, Declan Dent had a personal best 23rd, Jarryd Hughes 27th, Mathew Thomas 36th and James Johnstone 39th.
After seven World Cup events, Baff is ranked third on the women’s standings, Clift is 10th, and Bolton is sixth and Lambert ninth in the men’s rankings.
The next World Cup is a double event in Montafon, Austria, on March 21 and 22.
Day One: Lambert claims first medal of the season
Adam Lambert has achieved his first podium performance of the season, finishing second in Gudauri, giving the 27-year-old from Jindabyne in the NSW Snowy Mountains the fourth World Cup podium of his career.
Lambert qualified in 15th for finals, and went on to have a sensational day of head-to-head racing winning his round of 32, quarter-final and semi-final to advance through to the top four big-final medal round.
In the big-final, Lambert was moving between second and third place for much of the race and was fortunately ahead of a crash on the final feature involving Eliot Grondin of Canada and Elias Leitner of Austria, leaving him in second place behind winner Jakob Dusek on Austria. Grondin finished in third and Leitner fourth.
“The men’s big final is always really competitive, I have had a few in my time, I would like to have more, but it’s always fun to race all day and not go out in the early rounds, so I am stoked,” said Lambert.
“I think tomorrow I can do what I did today, I don’t want to put any unnecessary pressure on myself, I feel if I race liked I raced today I have a good chance of doing it again, but anything can happen, it’s boarder cross.”
In the women’s event, French riders took out the top two places, with Julia Pereira de Sousa in first, Lea Casta second and Italian Michela Moioli in third.
Three-time Olympian Belle Brockhoff was in strong form qualifying in third place and made it through to the small-final. Unfortunately, Brockhoff suffered a crash and was taken away by the medical services team on course, ultimately finishing in eighth place. Brockhoff was moved to a hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia, where she is undergoing further assessment with the support of Australian team medical staff.
World number three Josie Baff also crashed in the first round of finals finishing ninth and suffering some bruising. NSWIS teammates Mia Clift were 10th and Amber Essex 26th.
Other results included Cameron Bolton ninth, Jarryd Hughes 25th, Declan Dent 37th, Matthew Thomas 48th and James Johnstone 50th.
Day Two: Bolton just misses podium
Three-time NSWIS Olympian Cameron Bolton was unlucky not to claim a podium performance after a great day of riding on day two in Gudauri, finishing fourth in a closely contested men’s big-final.
Bolton advanced through the rounds of 64, 32 and quarter-finals to reach the semi-final round, where he t had an impressive race to advance in first to the big-final medal round against Julien Tomas of France, Austrian Lukas Pachner and another Frenchman Loan Bozzolo.
In the big final, Bolton had the early lead but was passed by Pachner and then Tomas, and then with the pack close, Bolton and Bozzolo both went down near the end of the course. Tomas went on to win, Pachner was second and Bozzolo recovered from the crash to cross the line in third leaving Bolton in fourth and uninjured
In the women’s event, NSWIS World Championship medallist Josie Baff did not compete on day two, choosing to recover after her crash on the previous day, Mia Clift made it back-to-back top-10’s and Amber Essex was 19th.
Adam Lambert finished 18th, Declan Dent had a personal best 23rd, Jarryd Hughes 27th, Mathew Thomas 36th and James Johnstone 39th.
After seven World Cup events, Baff is ranked third on the women’s standings, Clift is 10th, and Bolton is sixth and Lambert ninth in the men’s rankings.
The next World Cup is a double event in Montafon, Austria, on March 21 and 22.
IMAGE TOP - Adam Lambert celebrates silver in Georgia
IMAGE BOTTOM - Yoshiki Takahara (JPN) in yellow, Liam Moffatt (CAN) in green, Cameron Bolton (AUS) in red and Radek Houser (CZE) in blue
© Miha Matavz/FIS
IMAGE BOTTOM - Yoshiki Takahara (JPN) in yellow, Liam Moffatt (CAN) in green, Cameron Bolton (AUS) in red and Radek Houser (CZE) in blue
© Miha Matavz/FIS
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