Tegan Molloy (NSW) has won the World Champion crown in the Junior Women’s category of the Downhill UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in Hafjell, Norway.
After qualifying 3rd fastest on Friday, the reigning Australian Champion today was untouchable on her way to the title.
Molloy leapt onto the world stage in 2013 with a Bronze Medal at the Pietermaritzburg World Championships.
She carried this form into 2014 and has been the standout junior female on the UCI World Cup Series, with five World Cup wins from seven races on the way to being crowned the overall 2014 World Cup Series winner.
On race day, Molloy was the first rider down the tough Hafjell course.
The course terrain throws the perfect mix of challenges at riders including untamed rock gardens, flowing berms, high speed runs and large jumps.
Compared to seeding, Molloy was the fastest junior woman of the week at every time-check, and her time of 4:16.816 would put her in the hot seat.
A nervous wait would then take place as she watched the remaining riders in the field descend out of the forest and through the finish arch.
Her time would hold up today and she took the win by a significant 6.225s, earning the World Championship title and the right to wear the prestigious UCI rainbow stripes.
The 18 year old hails from the hills of Jindabyne and trains at Thredbo, an iconic destination in the sport in Australia for over 20 years.
The french pair of Viktoria Gimenez and Marine Caribou would ultimately win Silver and Bronze respectively.
Junior Men
The day for our Junior Men would belong to Max Warshawsky (QLD) who raced strongly to spend time in the hotseat and finish just one step off the podium in 4th place.
Six Australian junior riders started today’s finals with Matthew McCorkell (ACT) withdrawn due to an injury in seeding.
Warshawsky, 18 years of age from Mooloolah in Queensland will never forget his maiden World Championships.
He had a solid, clean run today that was the fastest at the time (3:37.721) and earned a long stint in the World Championships hotseat.
He would ultimately be replaced by Jacob Dickson of Ireland who would go on to finish third in 3:36.384.
Aiden Varley (VIC) also had a great day following up on a strong seeding time to finish his Championship race inside the top ten in 7th place (3:41.341).
Andrew Crimmins (NSW) is the reigning National Junior Champion and was Australia’s highest-ranked junior male leading into finals day.
Today wasn’t to be his day with a crash during his race run seeing one of the pre-race favourites finish 17th.
Also representing Australia were Benjamin Dengate (ACT) who finished 19th, Jackson Davis (WA) finishing 21st and Ben Hill (TAS) 41st.
The Junior Mens’ World Championship title would be won by Loris Vergier of France (3:29.090), with Great British rider Laurie Greenland (3:34.080) in second.
Junior Downhill Results – 2014 World Mountain Bike Championships
Junior Women
1. Tegan Molloy (AUS) 4:16.816
2. Viktoria Gimenez (FRA) + 6.225
3. Marine Cabirou (FRA) +28.314
Junior Men
1. Loris Vergier (FRA) 3:29.090
2. Laurie Greenland (GBR) 3:34.080, +4.990
3. Jacob Dickson (IRL) 3:36.384, +7.294
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4. Max Warshawsky (QLD) +8.631
7. Aiden Varley (VIC) +12.251
17. Andrew Crimmins (NSW) +16.385
19. Benjamin Dengate (ACT) +18.705
21. Jackson Davis (WA) +20.660
41. Ben Hill (TAS) +29.864