UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup: Bex Baraona and Richie Rude victorious in Tasmania

Bex Baraona and Richie Rude triumphed at the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup in Tasmania.

They were more consistent than the rest of the field in the tricky conditions, with Baraona taking second place on Stage 1 behind Harriet Harnden.

Just one second split them going into the final stage where Baraona showed her quality by winning the longest stage of the day to take the series lead from Harnden.

Isabeau Courdurier, who won the opening round, was fourth after suffering a leg injury in a practice crash, with Morgane Charre in fifth.

The men’s race saw Rude and Slawomir Lukasik go head-to-head all day, with the pair taking one-twos in four of the six stages.

Rude was last to go in the final stage and took advantage of the improving conditions to take the win.

Lukasik finished second, with Jesse Melamad in third, ahead of Jack Moir and Martin Maes.

In the women’s under-21 race it was a clean sweep for Kiwi Erice Van Leuven, who won all six stages in a stunning performance.

She finished the day more than a minute and a half up on Canadian Elly Hoskin. Aussie Lia Ladbrook was third.

In the men’s under-21 race, round-one winner Tasmanian Sascha Kim came out on top again after winning three stages. His compatriot Cooper Lowe was second and France’s Lisandru Bertini (was third.

The UCI Mountain Bike Enduro World Cup heads to Europe for round three, where the world’s best will be back in action in Finale Ligure, Italy on June 2-4.

– – –