Race Report: OMX Pro Team At The XC World Cup

We already reported briefly on Annie Last and Isla Short racing XC in Mont-Sainte-Anne, despite British Cycling riders heading for the UK Nationals instead, and that they got top ten finishes. The OMX Pro Team have got in touch with their own account:

“Isla rode a brilliant race to finish inside the top ten for the second time this season, and with that she achieved qualification for the Commonwealth Games. She didn’t have a great start but the long opening climb allowed her to move up into sixth place in the early stages of the race. A few small mistakes on the extremely technical course cost Isla some time but her climbing legs clawed back the seconds and she was, on lap three, in the running for fifth. By the final lap Isla had dropped to seventh but this still gave her a U23 career-best result and a wonderfully big smile at the finish!

“Annie put in another impressive performance to finish eighth and bring herself within fifteen points of the World Cup overall third place. It was brilliant to see Annie on the front row of the World Cup start and she made the most of it by leading out the race and then attacking into the first technical climb to avoid any mishaps from other riders. Annie’s technical prowess was clear to see on the legendary Mont Sainte Anne course and this gave her precious seconds throughout the race. Annie had settled into her own pace by the end of lap one and was sitting in sixth position. The final two laps were tough and Annie was just out-sprinted at the finish and finished in eighth. She was really satisfied with her performance and the way the race unfolded. There are so many talented women who can win a World Cup, so to be inside the top ten is an amazing achievement.

“Martin had an incredible start, riding up into the top twenty by the top of the first climb. Near to the front of the race he avoided congestion and was able to showcase his skills on the descents. As the race settled, Martin was still inside the top thirty but unfortunately an untimely puncture lost him a lot of places and he found it difficult to then find his rhythm again. At the end of seven gruelling laps he finished in 52nd.”