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Baker battles through tough conditions

 

Baker battles through tough conditions

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AOC
Baker battles through tough conditions

Australia’s Michael Baker fought hard in today’s men’s mountain bike race as he finished in 27th at Singapore’s purpose built Tampines Bike Park.

 

Australia’s Michael Baker fought hard in today’s men’s mountain bike race as he finished in 27th at Singapore’s purpose built Tampines Bike Park.
In what were extremely hot and humid conditions, the Canberra local completed six of the seven laps before being forced to retire.
Colombian cyclist Botero took out the top spot in a time of 58:42, after an ongoing battle with Italy’s Andrea Righettini, 47 seconds back, and Belgium’s Laurens Sweeck.
Sweeck, Righettini and Dutchman Thijs Zuurbier took control early as they managed to break clear of the rest of the pack on the 3.1km track.
Starting on the front line of the race, Baker was in twelfth after the first lap, before dropping to 23rd after the third lap, 2:53 behind the leading group. 
Three laps in Botero tracked down the leaders as the Dutchman fell back, a move that would see the three riders take control and set up a race amongst themselves for the top three positions.      
It was always going to be tough for the 18 year old who has been doing his best to prepare for the competition in the cold winter of the nation’s capital. 
“I have been training outside in leg warmers and arm warmers to try and simulate the heat but nothing could prepare me for this.
It was so hot out there it was hard to get the breaths in.” 
After turning his focus from the mountain bike to the road race following the 2009 season, Baker will now try and focus on the men’s road race this Sunday.
“I am going to put this behind me.
I am really looking forward to the road race, it is going to be a hell better performance than this.”
Attention will now turn to the time trial with Australia’s Jay McCarthy on course tomorrow before Matthew Dunsworth and Kirsten Dellar contest the men’s and women’s BMX on Thursday.

Australia’s Michael Baker fought hard in today’s men’s mountain bike race as he finished in 27th at Singapore’s purpose built Tampines Bike Park.

In what were extremely hot and humid conditions, the Canberra local completed six of the seven laps before being forced to retire.

Colombian cyclist Jhonnatan Botero took out the top spot in a time of 58:42, after an ongoing battle with Italy’s Andrea Righettini, 47 seconds back, and Belgium’s Laurens Sweeck.

Sweeck, Righettini and Dutchman Thijs Zuurbier took control early as they managed to break clear of the rest of the pack on the 3.1km track.

Starting on the front line of the race, Baker was in twelfth after the first lap, before dropping to 23rd after the third lap, 2:53 behind the leading group. 

Three laps in Botero tracked down the leaders as the Dutchman fell back, a move that would see the three riders take control at the front and set up a race amongst themselves for the top three positions.      

It was always going to be tough for the 18 year old who has been doing his best to prepare for the competition in the cold winter of the nation’s capital. 

“I have been training outside in leg warmers and arm warmers to try and simulate the heat but nothing could prepare me for this.

It was so hot out there it was hard to get the breaths in.” 

After turning his focus from the mountain bike to the road race following the 2009 season, Baker will now try and focus on the men’s road race this Sunday.

“I am going to put this behind me.

I am really looking forward to the road race, it is going to be a hell better performance than this.”

Attention will now turn to the time trial with Australia’s Jay McCarthy on course tomorrow before Matthew Dunsworth and Kirsten Dellar contest the men’s and women’s BMX on Thursday.

 

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