Roger Rinderknecht wins the silver medal at the 4X World Championships

Without competing at any of this year’s World Cups, Swiss Roger Rinderknecht showed his enormous skills by placing second in the 4X finals of the mountain bike World Championships last weekend in Italy. Now, Roger is very motivated for his expected attendance at the Summer Olympic Games in Peking, China. The World’s best mountain bike 4X athletes met last Saturday, June 21st, to crown the world champion 2008. The 4X-track in Val Di Sole was challenging and the injuries of Michael Prokop and Dan Atherton during the warm-up session showed again, how risky this mountain bike discipline can be. Roger Rinderknecht has been training for the 2008 Olympic Games (first time in BMX race!) for two years now, but nevertheless he took the chance to show his skills during the mountain bike world championships. After eliminating 2007 European Champion Joost Wichmann in the quarter finals, Roger made his way together with Jared Graves into the last round by winning the semi-finals against Brian Lopes and Ross Milan. It was the fourth time for Roger to compete in finals of 4X World Championships within the last five years. The finals were sizzling hot. Being settled on the disadvantageous outside lane, Roger had to give his best racing against Jared Graves (Australia), Mickael Deldycke (France) and Rafael Alvarez de Lara (Spain). Roger was not able to pedal to the inside of the track fast enough, but leading Jared Graves was hit by Mickael Deldycke in the first berm and Roger’s front wheel clipped the back wheel of Deldycke, too. All three riders crashed. Lucky Rafael Alvarez de Lara took the leadership. Roger was the first one to be back on his bike as well as on the track and able to secure his second place during the rest of the final run. Mickael Deldycke got third, Jared Graves who crashed another time got fourth. Having won the silver medal at the mountain bike 4X World Championships the second time after the worlds 2006 in New Zealand, Roger is now completely focused on the BMX race competition at the Summer Olympic Games. He achieved one of the 32 Olympic starting places given out by the UCI. But Roger is now waiting for the ultimate decision of the Swiss Olympic Association: "Even though it was 4X and not BMX, I hope that it shows the Swiss Olympic selectors that I am up there with the top guys, and that I can perform under pressure. The Olympic selection is going to be decided on July 21st. So I am straight off to the preparation now." Roger's sponsors are convinced that he will make his way to Peking: GT bicycles, Oakley, IXS, Magura, DT Swiss, SR SUNTOUR and Crankbrothers are wishing Roger only the best for the upcoming Olympic challenge. Please visit www.freecaster.tv/, to see the whole finals.