Evie Richards and Sam Gaze are the latest winners in what is a very busy week in the world of mountain biking. Sandwiched between two World Cup weekends, Wednesday was the mountain bike (XCO) event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
For Richards, the win is a step up the Commonwealth Games podium. Now an elite world champion in cross country, Richards was second behind Annie Last the last time the Games were held on Australia’s Gold Coast. It’s also the Trek Factory Racing rider’s first event back after stepping back from the World Cup season to heal a lingering back injury.
This year, Richards was flanked on the podium by Australia’s Zoe Cuthbert and South Africa’s Cape Epic veteran, Candice Lill.
On the men’s side Sam Gaze repeats his Commonwealth gold from the Gold Coast. It was, again, a Kiwi 1-2 with Ben Oliver replacing Anton Cooper in the silver medal position. Alexander Miller of Namibia lands third.
After a medal from Haley Smith in Australia in 2018 and a 1-2 finish from Catharine Pendrel and Emily Batty in Glasgow in 2014, Canada did not send any mountain bike athletes to Birmingham for the 2022 event. With wins from Marie-Hélène Prémont and Crissy Redden in 2006 and 2002, Birmingham 2022 is the first time in the 21st century that a Canadian woman is not on the mountain bike podium at the Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games cycling events move to the road next. The road race takes place Thursday, Aug. 4th.
Results: 2022 Commonwealth Games cross country mountain bike (XCO) – Birmingham, England
Men
| 1 | NZL | Samuel GAZE | 1:34:19 | +0:00 |
| 2 | NZL | Ben OLIVER | 1:34:50 | +0:31 |
| 3 | NAM | Alexander MILLER | 1:36:20 | +2:01 |
| 4 | NIR | Cameron ORR | 1:36:29 | +2:10 |
| 5 | ENG | Joseph BLACKMORE | 1:36:29 | +2:10 |
| 6 | AUS | Sam FOX | 1:37:20 | +3:01 |
| 7 | AUS | Daniel McCONNELL | 1:37:26 | +3:07 |
| 8 | ENG | Harry BIRCHILL | 1:37:56 | +3:37 |
| 9 | NIR | Christopher McGLINCHEY | 1:40:19 | +6:00 |
| 10 | JEY | Rhys HIDRIO | 1:41:29 | +7:10 |
Women
| 1 | ENG | Evie RICHARDS | 1:34:59 | +0:00 |
| 2 | AUS | Zoe CUTHBERT | 1:35:46 | +0:47 |
| 3 | RSA | Candice LILL | 1:36:12 | +1:13 |
| 4 | SCO | Isla SHORT | 1:37:07 | +2:08 |
| 5 | MRI | Kimberley le COURT de BILLOT | 1:43:57 | +8:58 |
| 7 | KEN | Nancy Akinyi DEBE | LAP |
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