Day 3 of the UCI BMX World Championships 2011 for the first time ever presented four time trials gold medals in the classes junior women, junior men, elite women and elite men. Australia ran off with the golden medals in both junior classes while British Shanaze Reade took home yet another gold in the elite women and Norway’s André Fossa Aguiluz surprised everyone when he took gold in front of all the favorites in elite men’s class.
Shanaze Reade takes 4th gold
At the elite womens’ competition it was not a surprise that the 23 year old Shanaze Reade took the gold. Speedy Reade is a top rider in her class with 3 senior World Championship titles to her name in BMX Supercross in only four years – today came the fourth.
Shanaze reade stated this Monday that she wouldn’t be racing in Copenhagen due to a wrist injury but on Wednesday she appeared in Copenhagen and today she won the first ever World championship time trial title in a time of 37,440. A performance she was very proud of:
“I’m so happy that that I won today. Time trials are not my biggest force, but I know the track in Copenhagen from training and racing and that was a great advantage,” Shanaze Reade said.
Great gold for Norway
Everything cyclists from Norway races turns to gold at the moment and the biggest surprise today was when Norwegian André Fossa Aguiluz conquered the top of the podium from some of the biggest favorites in the men’s elite class. His bewilderment was obvious and to the question if he had expected to win, the 20 year old world champion answered:
“I’m just as surprised as everyone else here. I don’t get it. But tomorrow is yet another day with elite races and that will have my full concentration now.”
Australian junior golds: We’ll take it all in London 2012
The Australian team took both gold medals in the junior classes and the cheering audience showed without a doubt how big the success was for the people from Down Under. At the press conference afterwards, a humble 17 year old Darryn Goodwin said that he had just been doing what had to be done to win the medal.His 18 year old gold medal compatriot, Melinda McLeod, stated:
“There must be something in the water in Australia at the moment – we’re on the top of the world right now, and Australia will without a doubt dominate the BMX discipline at the Olympics next year in London.” It was McLeod’s 5 championship title but first in elite racing.
Saturday’s racing:
Top 64 elite men and junior men
Top 32 elite women and junior women
Race for rainbow jerseys from 1pm.