VN news ticker: Riley Amos lands breakout World Cup victory in Leogang, Injury forces Daryl Impey out of Olympics
Here's the news making headlines for Monday, June 14.
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Riley Amos lands breakout victory at Leogang as Loana Lecomte, Mathias Flueckiger win elites
Coloradan rider Riley Amos took a breakout win in the U23 cross country World Cup in Leogang on Sunday. The 19-year-old’s victory over Martin Vidaurre Kossmann marks the first time an American has won a U23 World Cup.
“Today we didn’t just win a World Cup. Today the USA stood on top of a male U23 World Cup podium for the first time and stood on top of any male World Cup podium for the first time since 1994 (correct me if I’m wrong Ned Overend),” Amos wrote on Instagram.
“This is the power of youth development in the US … I am so proud that I could hold on to that spot after a crash and some stomach problems, and I’m so pumped to be here at 19 years old.”
In the elites, Loana Lecomte took her World Cup hat trick Sunday. The Frenchwoman bettered Jenny Rissveds and Laura Stigger to make it three-in-a-row in cross country racing.
“I’m very happy to have this shape,” she said. “I just prepare the best I can and it is enough. It’s strange, because I have now won four World Cups as an elite, but I never won a junior race or a U23 World Cup.”
Jolanda Neff crashed and broke her hand but still managed to ride to fourth.
Mathias Flueckiger won the men’s race, beating Ondrej Cink and Anton Cooper. With Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock not racing, the result put Flueckiger into the classification lead.
Daryl Impey out of Olympic Games with injury
Daryl Impey has withdrawn from this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo due to an injury he picked up in a crash at the Ruta del Sol in May.
Impey collided with BikeExchange rider Rob Stannard in the sprint for the line on the final stage, with both hitting the deck hard just short of the line. The South African has not raced since the incident and currently has no upcoming events on his program.
“Due to the crash and injuries sustained from the final stage in Ruta del Sol on 22 May, I am forced to withdraw myself from Team South Africa for the Tokyo Olympic Games this year. I wouldn’t sleep at night knowing I wouldn’t be in the best condition possible to represent my country,” Impey wrote on social media.
“SASCOC [South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee] and Cycling SA are aware of my withdrawal and will announce a replacement in the coming days. I wish the team success in their preparations and I am sad that I won’t be there, but making up the numbers or just pinning on a number is not what the Olympic Games are about, it’s about an opportunity to make someone’s dreams come true and I wouldn’t want to stand in the way of that happening.”
A small update regarding @Tokyo2020. All the best to @TeamSA2020, we are all behind you 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/TQM6AL7pcW
— Daryl Impey (@darylimpey) June 14, 2021