Irish pro Connor McConvey had what he describes is his strongest result to date in the opening round of the 2009 MTB World Cup in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa on Saturday. The Felt International rider was 36th in the two hour event and placed fourth of the under 23 riders.
“It was a really good race, goal achieved,” he told Irishcycling.com. “It’s a bit of a relief that I have proved to myself that everything over the winter has worked and I have moved up. The race was just like a Euro World Cup, as because it’s the first race everybody travelled down. So it was by no means any softer.
“I got caught up in a crash 100 metres after the start. I pushed really deep for the first 40 minutes to move up as much as possible. I suffered a bit after this - and this is where I lost U23 podium – but I came around and started to take people back. I blew a bit last lap.”
Fellow Irish rider Ryan Sherlock also took part, finishing 97th.
The race was won by José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Multivan Merida Biking Team), who covered the testing course 32 seconds faster than multiple world champion Julien Absalon (Orbea). Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing) was a further 20 seconds back, securing the first under 23 position, while his team-mate and current rainbow jersey-holder Christoph Sauser was fourth.
All were part of a group that had formed at the front of the race. Together with Olympic medalists Jean-Christophe Peraud (Massi) and Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) plus Martin Gujan (Cannondale) and Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower), these drew clear of the others. The group was later whittled down to just Hermida, Absalon and Stander, with the race winner then forging ahead on lap five of seven.
McConvey will head back to Europe feeling good about his performance. “It’s nice to know where I'm at,” he said. “I know the result won’t make the news or anything like that, but for me now at this stage in my career it’s a good place to be. It’s definitely my strongest result to date.”
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MTB World Cup XC, DH & 4X #1, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, April 10-12:
Race 6 - April 11: Elite men cross country:
1, José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Multivan Merida Biking Team) 1 hour 55 mins 3 secs
2, Julien Absalon (Orbea) at 32 secs
3, Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing) at 52 secs
4, Christoph Sauser (Specialized Factory Racing) at 1 min 17 secs
5, Wolfram Kurschat (Topeak Ergon Racing Team) at 1 min 20 secs
6, Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing) at 2 mins 1 sec
Irish:
36, Connor McConvey (Felt International MTB Team) at 10 mins 55 secs
97, Ryan Sherlock, at 2 laps
Under 23:
1, Burry Stander (Specialized Factory Racing) 1 hour 55 mins 55 secs
2, Mathias Flückiger (Trek World Racing) at 3 mis 38 secs
3, Alexis Vuillermoz (Lapierre International) at 5 mins 23 secs
Irish:
4, Connor McConvey (Felt International MTB) at 10 mins 3 secs
