Portugal with two top 10 at the start of the European MTB Championships in Anadia – Observer
Portugal debuted this Thursday in the European MTB Championships held by Anadia with two top 10 places, on a day totally dedicated to the Short Cross Country (XCC) marked by the gold medals from Switzerland.
On the Tamengos track, Mário Costa was seventh and Ricardo Marinheiro 12th in the initial competition of elite winner by the British Charlie Al, animated by a breakout, decision, therefore, of a quartet in the phase.
Aldridge, who later isolated himself from the rest of the group in the finals, ended up 16 seconds ahead of Spaniard David Campos and 22 seconds ahead of Swiss Alexandre Balmer.
Mário Costa finished 1.20 minutes behind the winner, while Ricardo Marinheiro crossed the line nine seconds after his compatriot.
Raquel Queirós was eighth in the women’s race35 seconds behind the winner, the Swiss Ronja Blöchlinger, while Joana Monteiro was 12th, 2.01 behind the Swiss, who surpassed the Italian Giorgia Marchet by 13 seconds and the Swedish Linn Gustafzzon by 19.
In juniors, Íris Chagas was 19th, 2.04 minutes from the gold of the Czech Simona Spesna, while Tomás Gaspar finished his performance in 39th, four laps from the Swiss Yanick Binz.
It was our debut at the European XCC Championships and I think the in a brilliant way, we are in the race discussion, honoring the national colors. Our riders have earned a lot of UCI points, which is why we have the elite riders here. The junior male exception was our representative of the effects of being a little adjusted in the last few days, with the national MTB coach, Pedro Vigário.
On Friday, there will be three mixed relay events with the Portuguese teams comprising the elites Joana Monteiro and Ricardo Marinheiro, the under-23s João Cruz and Raquel Queirós and the juniors Artur Mendonça and Mariana Líbano.
In the afternoon, Bruno Silva and Ricardo Marinheiro compete in the BTT elimination event.