Phillips targets UCI BMX Supercross World Cup victory after worlds frustration

Navigation:
Home » BMX

Great Britain's Liam Phillips is determined to put his world championship disappointment behind him by winning the UCI BMX Supercross series.

Phillips went to July’s competition in Rotterdam as defending world champion but saw his day cut short after a collision with France's Damien Gaudet in his opening race.

The 25-year-old makes his return to the international scene this weekend in the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup at Santiago del Estero in Argentina and leads the overall standings with just two rounds remaining.

"The worlds was disappointing, it's certainly not the way I envisaged my world championships going," said Phillips.

"It was just frustrating not to get the opportunity to race to be honest and that was all I wanted - to get out there and have that opportunity to race for the rainbow jersey.

"To have that taken away at such an early stage was quite something to get my head around. But at the end of the day the season carries on and for me everything falls on the world cup overall. That's something I am excited to get out there and race for."

The trip to South America is quickly followed by the final round in Chula Vista, California, on the 26-27 September.

Victory for Phillips in the five-round series would make him the first-ever British male to triumph in the competition.

A convincing win at the opening meeting in Manchester was followed by third place in Papendal. But an uncharacteristically poor start in the last round in Berlin saw Phillips exit at the quarter-final stage.

He now sits 40 points clear of France's Joris Daudet but with 225 points on offer for the winner any slip-up could see changes at the top of the rankings.

“Everything is going to this world cup overall,” said Phillips, who finished third overall in the 2013 series.

"So far it’s been a successful first three round with two podiums - really I need to carry on that and get on the podium in the next two rounds and that should be enough to win."

"I think for me the overall takes care of itself as long as I perform well at the next two rounds so my focus is to go to Argentina first and perform the best I can.”

Despite the possibility of a post-world championship hangover, two-time Olympian Phillips insists his preparation for the close of the campaign couldn’t have been better.

“I've been training really well since the the world championships.

“I've just been really enjoying riding my bike and that has been showing certainly during training and the other lads have certainly contributed to that. We've had a lot of fun over the last couple of weeks doing different stuff on the track and keeping the physical side of things up away from the track.

“I'm going to go to Argentina and do the best I can and hopefully still be in with a shot of winning the title come Chula Vista.”

Fans will be able to watch the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup live with video on the British Cycling website.

British Cycling Fan