MARIGOT—ASM youth rider Kianny Noel won the Elite category in Sunday’s Vita Malt Mountain Bike Challenge in 1:40, just over a minute faster than favourite Otis Paines who came second.
Noel’s explosive first of four laps took Paines by surprise but for the remaining three laps the two were pretty even. Travis McGarry was third in the Elites (1:54:19). 10 riders took part in this category but the tough course produced three DNF’s, Ridge Bannis, Nicolas Warme and Remi Arrondell.
Sebastien Grall won the E-bike category clocking the fastest time for the course 1:24:03. Four E-bikes took part taking as expected the four fastest times and one was a non-starter.
Mark Maidwell stayed true to form winning the Masters category (three laps) in 1:23:10, with Karel Spijker in second (1:26:30) and Ronan Garnier third (1:35:36). An in-form Michael Bacon turned in a gritty performance for fourth place (1:36:32) to out-pedal close rival Juan-Pablo Piscione in sixth place (1:41:55).
Frits Bus traded sailing for mountain biking and finished in eighth place (1:55:42). There were three DNF’s in this category, Pascal Clement, Daniel Vuillez Sermet and Erik van Engelen.
The women’s race (two laps) was won by Sandra Garnier (1:05:14), Celine Verdonck second (1:14:11) and third Nicole Erato (1:19:49). Kenny Carty won the Junior’s race (two laps) in 54:40, Tristan Lancelevee was second (1:02:52), and Manuel Luzon-Genao third (1:05:02). The Cadet’s category (one lap) was won by Dyclai Nagau-Grell in 34:32.
Organisers were fortunate to have a dry morning for the race as rain seemed to be on the menu every day. Some 40 riders took part in the race.
