Short agonisingly close to top ten in Mountain Bike World Cup

Short agonisingly close to top ten in Mountain Bike World Cup

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Isla Short recovered from last week’s disappointment to finish as the day’s leading under-23 Brit in the latest round of the 2018 Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

The Habitat Mountain Bike Team rider finished in 11th place in Nove Mesto in this, the third world cup cross-country round of the season, in the Czech Republic.

But while she missed out on the top ten, Short did enough to better the result from last week’s outing, where she was unable to finish the women’s under-23 race.

Evie Richards was unfortunate in not finishing this time around while the Great Britain Cycling Team’s Emily Wadsworth rounded out the top 50 ahead of Sunday’s elite races.

The men’s under-23 race also had British interest, with Dan Tulett and Frazer Clacherty – who finished 15th last time out – not finishing this time around while Cameron Orr did not start the race.

There were no such problems for Short meanwhile, claiming 20 world cup points after finishing in a time of 1:27:37 following a start loop and five laps of racing.

Ending the opening loop in 12th place, consistency proved the key for the Scottish rider who recently competed at the Commonwealth Games.

At that same stage the lead was held by her British teammate Richards, stopping the clock in 8:42 to set the early pace, also just a second down on the leader following one full lap.

That proved as good as it got however, in fourth by the end of the second lap and seventh after that, with the third full lap proving to be her last after missing out on finishing the race.

Short soldiered on however, getting better with each lap that passed and gaining at least a place each time she crossed the finish line.

She was to save the best until last too, clocking 15:29 in the final lap – an effort bested by only three riders – eventually finishing just three seconds outside of the top ten and comfortably ahead of the chasing pack.

Switzerland’s Sina Frei took her second successive win in a time of 1:24:08 while Ghost Factory Racing teammate Malene Degn took second following a dramatic sprint finish.

While Wadsworth finished a lap down on the lead group, a plucky showing came from the youngster.

It wasn’t to be for the men in their race either, not finishing in what was a tough race at Nove Mesto.

Great Britain Cycling Team’s Tulett completed three laps before bowing out, with Clacherty pulling out after 38 minutes of racing.

The action in the Czech Republic continues into Sunday, with both the men’s and women’s elite taking to the course in the mountain bike world cup.