Great Britain’s number one and three time elite women’s world champion Shanaze Reade crashed out at the UCI BMX World Championships in Birmingham at the weekend.
Reade was at the front when she slipped on the first corner in the quarter-finals, fortunately avoiding any serious injuries.
She had qualified second fastest in her categories on Friday and had looked to have been continuing in the same vain, winning all three of the qualifying motos.
Commenting on Reade’s fall, Olympic BMX coach Grant White said, “The speed was that high and in a nutshell, the speed and the angle of the tyre, the traction wasn’t there.
“She was going fast into the first corner, tried to take a nice tight line and it just slipped out. That’s our sport and these things happen. She is not the only rider who this has happened to this weekend and that’s the end result really.
“She had the fastest lap of the day up to that point, that was faster than what she did last night. Things were stepping up well, she had a great first straight she was opening up more and coming into her own.
“She said she was having a great day, she was in a great mindset and enjoying herself.”
Meanwhile, British Cycling Academy rider and last year’s junior women’s silver medallist Abbie Taylor exited the elite women at the quarter-final stage after an impressive run in her first world championship in the category.
“I really enjoyed it - they’re really fast and the crowd were fantastic and gave loads of support,” Taylor said. “It’s really difficult, you look up to these women and then all of a sudden you’re on the gate with them so I’m getting used to that now.”
Lizzie Flint, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
Photo credit: www.flickr.com/photos/britishcycling
