Wright crowned junior women's European mountain bike champion

Wright crowned junior women's European mountain bike champion

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Great Britain Cycling Team’s Sophie Wright delivered a wonderful performance to be crowned junior women’s European cross-country mountain bike champion in Sweden.

Evie Richards won bronze in the under-23 women's race to double Great Britain's medal tally on Saturday.

Seventeen-year-old Wright took the lead on the first lap and built up an advantage of over three minutes over the four laps of the course - totalling 17.3km - on the Huskvarna Mountain.

Wright, part of British Cycling Olympic Junior Academy, crossed the line in one hour, eight minutes and 14 seconds to secure the gold medal.

The first year junior, third in the UCI Junior MTB Series in Switzerland last month, finished three minutes and three seconds clear of France’s Helene Clauzel in second, with Denmark’s Caroline Bohe third.

Emily Wadsworth was 13th with a determined ride in the warm conditions.

Seventeen-year-old Wright took the lead on the first lap and built up an advantage of over three minutes

Richards on form

Nineteen-year-old Richards was again in the medal mix. The under-23 cyclo-cross world champion was third in the elite race at the Swiss Cup in April and her strong form was on show in Sweden.

After the first of five laps Richards had worked her way into third where she would stay for the remainder of the race.

Richards completed the 21.5km in one hour, 26 minutes and 22 seconds, two minutes and 22 seconds behind winner Sina Frei with Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds second.

Nineteen-year-old Richards was again in the medal mix.

Junior men

Will Gascoyne worked his way through the field to finish 10th in the junior men’s race.

France’s Thomas Bonnet took the victory with Switzerland’s Vital Albin second and Bonnet’s countryman Axel Zingle third.

Bonnet completed the five laps in one hours, 13 minutes and nine seconds with Gascoyne three minutes and 38 seconds back.

Sunday sees Britain's Iain Paton race in the under-23 men's event and Grant Ferguson on the start line for the elite men's race.

Results

Junior women

Junior men

Under-23 women