Three and easy for De ste Croix

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4: Neil de ste Croix strengthened his grip on the 2013 Bicycle Works Mountain Bike Race Series with victory at Ferry Reach Park on Sunday.

The 1.5 mile course proved a fitting test for the 70 riders, providing a combination of technical downhills, brutal uphill climbs and unforgiving rock gardens.

In the Male A Class, de ste Croix held off a strong challenge from Brian Steinoff, who finished second, and Mark Hatherly in third to register his third-straight race win to leave him well clear at the top of the overall standings.

In the Male B Class, Daniel Oately returned after a week away from racing to claim victory ahead of Ian Port and Kareem Johnson.

Gabriella Arnold took top honours in the Female B Class ahead of Ashley Kirkpatrick, while in the Novice Male Class, Kyle Constable crossed the line first, beating Jason Thomas and Craig Ferguson into second and third respectively.

In the Junior 13-16 Female Class, Tristan Narraway took the glory over Alyssa Rowse and Jessie Godfrey. The race between their male counterparts saw Matthew Olivera claim first place with Christian Oatley in second and Alex Bordage third.

The boys’ Under 12 race saw Nahje Smith steal the show ahead of Kaleb Madeiros in second and Charlie Davis in third, while in the under 12 females, Kayla Raymond was head girl.

Racing continues next week with the introduction of a new format. Coney Island is a new track for the series this year, and the 4-Cross Eliminator race starts at 9am on Sunday, February 10.