CYCLING: The Queen of BMX Caroline Buchanan has started off the international season with a statement of intent after a stunning victory in the first round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup series in Manchester.

Buchanan continued her love affair with the tight indoor track, having also won the race last year, as she started the defence or her world cup series crown in the most ideal way.

The enthralled and vocal Manchester crowd was treated to spectacular racing throughout the day as the riders battled not only for world cup series points, but all important Olympic qualification points as well.

In an elite women’s final that read like a who’s who of women’s BMX, it was Buchanan who flew out of the gate from lane five to grab the hole shot and a lead she would never relinquish, the ultimate reward for a gruelling pre season.

“I feel really good, you feel like this caged tiger in the off season and your just training, training, training, so it’s so good to get back on the world cup circuit and hold it in until the final and then unleash that mongrel,” Buchanan said.

“The girls are racing so tight right now, there is a solid top five so anyone can win on the day and it’s a great challenge and I’m just happy to be here.

“I’m so stoked to take the win and kick off the series with a bang.”

Other Australian women in action included Lauren Reynolds who fell just short of qualifying for the final after she finished sixth in her semi-final, while Rachel Jones and Melinda McLeod were eliminated in the quarter-final motos.

In the elite men reigning world champion Sam Willoughby put it all on the line in the final in an attempt to catch a leading Liam Phillips on his home track, but unfortunately came down on the second turn to finish sixth. Phillips went on to claim his third win in a row in Manchester, the victory complimenting his Time Trial triumph the previous day.

The 2014 world cup series runner up Anthony Dean was knocked out in the quarter-finals, and was joined by Bodi Turner as the two finished eighth and seventh respectively, while Josh Callan and Corey Frieswyk failed to progress past the motos.

The elite Australian riders now return to Australia for the BMX National Championships to be held at the Sleeman Sports Complex, Brisbane from April 28 to May 3 before heading to Papendal, Netherlands for the second round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup series on May 9 and 10.

BMX AUSTRALIA