British mountain biking had a strong weekend at the 2021 UCI World Championships.

Although the senior gravity riders missed out on medals, there were multiple top-ten finishes and a gold medal in the XCO race.

Evie Richards produced a terrific performance on Val di Sole’s technically demanding short-circuit XCO track, to win.

Stopping the Swiss

After their showing the Olympics in Tokyo, the Swiss women were expected to dominate, but Evie had the measure of all, winning by over a second.

In the downhill events, Val di Sole’s ‘Black Snake’ track proved brutal and unforgiving. Many riders went down in the dusty conditions – or were forced down the timing sheets, compromised by mechanicals.

In the junior men’s division, Jordan Williams secured a silver medal for British downhillers, with Canada’s Jackson Goldstone being the winner – despite having a crash during his run.

Hart just outside the medals

In the senior women’s race Tahnee Seagrave managed a fifth, with France’s Myriam Nicole winning.

The senior men’s race saw downhill mountain biking’s evergreen Greg Minnaar victorious, with a fourth World Champs medal.

Danny Hart was the best senior British rider, finishing fifth, with last year’s World Cup overall winner, Matt Walker, in seventh.