Madison Saracen Pietermaritzburg WC Report
The first World Cup of the season is always a testing time; new bikes, new teams, new sponsors and old rivalries all come together at a time when riders are trying to state their intentions for the season ahead.
Qualification went well for the team, with both Harry Molloy and Manon Carpenter earning the right to ride in the finals. After a testing time on the World Cup circuit last year, Harry qualified in 42nd place, whilst Manon managed to qualify in 10th place in her first Elite World Cup after winning both the World Cup and Junior World Championship titles last year. Philip Atwill failed to qualify for the finals at this, his first World Cup after taking a tumble during his run, but we have no doubt that Phil will be putting in some good results now that he has his first World Cup under his belt.
Race day came and Manon was on top form, taking an early trip to the Hot Seat, where she remained until the final rider, Tracy Hannah, managed to shave a mere 0.9 seconds from Manon's time. This second place finish gives Manon her first World Cup podium and shows just how much her off-season training has paid off.
Harry Molloy put in a solid run in the Men's race, finishing in 50th position, giving some strong foundations from which to build on throughout the year.
Congratulations to the team, who will no doubt be celebrating a great start to the racing calendar!
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