The sixth stage of the UCI World Cup BMX Supercross was held in Turkey on Sunday in extremely rainy weather. Vineta Pētersone fell in the finals of the U23 ladies’ group, finishing seventh while Kristens Kriegers took 12th place in the men’s elite, according to the Latvian Cycling Federation.
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The federation reports that the World Cup in BMX supercross continued on Sunday at the BMX Center in Sakarya Province, Turkey. Unlike Saturday’s race, it rained on the track on Sunday, making it very slippery in places.
It has already been reported that in the fifth stage competition held on Saturday, three Latvian athletes managed to enter the top ten at once. Kristen Krieger fought in the men’s elite until the semifinals, finishing in tenth place. Niks Rožukalns has the same position in the U23 men’s competition, while Vineta Pētersone won the eighth place in the U23 women’s competition after the fall.
In the sixth stage, the men’s elite Kristen Krieger started the day with a fall in the first round of the race. However, Ivo Lakuča’s student managed to enter the semifinals after finishing second in the last hope of the race. In the quarterfinals, starting not from the most convenient track, Krieger was able to win the high third place in his race. Krieger conceded only to two Colombians – Ramires and Peluard. This trip started with the legendary Georgis Dode. The Frenchman, who won second place on Saturday, fell on the wet track and did not go further.
The federation informs that Krieger started from the eighth track in the semi-finals. At the end of the first straight, our athlete had won the fifth place. After that, everything happened in a flash. Two Frenchmen collided in front – European champion Arturs Piluards and Edijs Klerts. Krieger was unable to avoid a fall at high speed. Our athlete left the track. He finished sixth in the finish. At the end of the race, Kristens took 12th place.
The feats of the first round continued in the grand final. After the start, the Swiss took the lead – Simons Markvārts and Sedriks Butī. Both were closely followed by Colombians. Butte fell first in the turn, who caught Markvart. The third Swiss in the final – Jill Bruner – also fell. A major fiasco for Switzerland. Meanwhile, the winner of the victory was the Olympic bronze medalist Alberto Carlos Ramiress. Second place for French driver Roman Resini, while the Russian finishes with Alexander Katishev.
In the ladies U23 group, Vineta Petersone took the second place in the first round race, giving way only to the Japanese Jui Jabuta. In the semi-finals, starting from the eighth track, Vineta was in the outer corner in the first turn, being in the fifth position. Next, our athlete fought hard for the place in the top four. In the last straight, the representative of “Valmiera AKSSC / Valmiera” did her main task, finishing in fourth place and reaching the grand final.
The final coach Ģirts Kātiņa also remained faithful to the eighth track. In the first straight of the track, Vineta fought fiercely for three, but this time too she could not avoid staying on the outside edge in the first turn. Entering the turn, the fifth stage winner Francesca Cingulani was hit by Vineta at high speed. Our athlete left the track, later returning to it and finishing in seventh place. Won Kanami Tano from Japan.
In the U23 men’s group, this time the first of the three Latvian riders was Mārtiņš Zadraks, the first junior, who won the third place in the first round. Two other students of coach Mika Puķītis – Niks Rožukalns and Edvards Emils Liberts – failed to overcome the first round. In his eighth final, Zadrak took seventh place, without further action.
The final two stages of this season’s World Cup will take place on the Sakarya track next weekend.
