Puncture thwarts Gallagher’s XCE assault in Albstadt

Puncture thwarts Gallagher’s XCE assault in Albstadt

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UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Round 1 - Albstadt, Germany
Day 1 - XCE (Cross Country Eliminator)
17 May 2013
Report: Eddie Allen


It was tough luck for British Cycling Olympic Podium Programme Rider Kenta Gallagher who left the Mountain Bike XCE competition in the 1/8 finals after a puncture.

Gallagher was Great Britain’s sole representative in the XCE event on the streets of Albstadt, Germany; the eliminator event enjoying full UCI World Cup status for the first time in 2013.

The 20 year old from Inverness went off in heat two of the 1/8 finals, dropping into third place on the opening straight of the 720 metre course. Coming into the final stages, Gallagher was eyeing a pass on the leading two riders when he suffered a flat rear tyre forcing him to exit the competition in frustration.

Straight after the race, British Cycling spoke to Gallagher’s coach Phil Dixon: “It was a slit in the tyre coming out the back end of the rhythm section. Kenta is gutted – he was sitting pretty in third wheel and was looking to overtake in the next straight.

"He’s in pretty good shape – he qualified pretty comfortably and his tactic was not to take it on too early – to save himself for the back end of it.”

Despite the setback, the early exit leaves more recovery time ahead of tomorrow’s U23 men’s XCO race, which Gallagher will contest alongside Great Britain teammate Grant Ferguson, as Dixon explained: “It’s a maximum effort but by going out earlier it won’t have taken much out of him. Everything’s to play for tomorrow afternoon for him in the Cross Country.”

Full results

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Kenta Gallagher Biog