Aussies Sam Willoughby, Anthony Dean power on in BMX as big guns undone by windy conditions
AUSSIES Sam Willoughby and Anthony Dean have survived a day of carnage at the BMX in Rio which saw big guns Maris Strombergs and Joris Daudet make shock exits.
AUSSIES Sam Willoughby and Anthony Dean have survived a day of carnage at the BMX in Rio which saw two-time defending champion Maris Strombergs and world champion Joris Daudet make shock exits.
Willoughby dominated all three of his quarter-final heats to complete a clean sweep going into Saturday’s (EST) semi-finals while Dean was just as impressive finishing second, first, first to also progress.
Youngster Bodi Turner was off the pace early finishing sixth, eighth and fourth and won’t take any further part.
But the big news was the shock elimination of Strombergs who was seen as one of the favourites to win gold as well as Great Britain’s Liam Phillips who crashed out.
Strombergs said organisers had ignored his pleas to change the course before the Games, saying he believed the first straight with a tailwind was too small.
“They did nothing,” said the Latvian who won gold in 2008 and 2012.
“Now we can see, it is what it is.
“Three very ugly laps.
“I don’t want to put anyone under the bus, stuff like that.
“It’s a good track for the girls but for us guys it’s not what we train for.”
Riders started at the top of the ramp in Deodoro and had a big tail wind making the first straight very fast.
“The wind is a big factor,” Strombergs said.
“The first straightaway, you just can’t go full speed. Normally the first straightaway, we try to go 100 per cent, 110 per cent, whatever we’ve got.
“Now it’s we get out of the gate 100 per cent and after the first drop, it’s 80, 90 per cent.”
But the Olympic champion said he not have challenged for a medal even if he did progress.
“Even if I raced tomorrow, I don’t think much would have changed,” he said.
“One of those weekends, one of those tracks.”
Willoughby said his was far from job done.
“Not even close, if I came here and went out in the first round that would be more than disappointing so it’s not even close to job done,” he said.
“It’s kind of what you expect from yourself, that’s why we’re here to try to win laps and do our best.
“It’s always the key (to get in front early) but especially today when it’s windy like this, it was carnage out there.
“But we train in these conditions a lot, it’s an outdoor sport, we never have perfect conditions, it’s part of the game.
“I feel I ran about 90 per cent today and ticked off clean laps and that’s what today was about, but I’m going to have to go quicker than that to get the job done tomorrow.”
Willoughby wasn’t aware that one of his main rivals in Strombergs had been eliminated when he spoke to the post-race.
“It doesn’t (register) because you’re the first person to tell me,” he said.
“All I knew I was walking up the stairs and Metallica was blaring in my ears all day.
“It’s not a relief, it’s just part of the process, if it was a relief, I’m walking on eggshells.
“I came here to win laps and that’s three out of seven done.”
Australia’s female BMX riders Caroline Buchanan and Lauren Reynolds are also in action in their semi-finals on Saturday morning (EST) and will be hoping to win through to the gold medal final.