Mclain Ward Wins to Cap Off Great Week for USA at GCT Valkenswaard

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Created on Monday, 20 August 2012 11:15

Mclain Ward kept the tension going to the last minute in the final event at GCT Valkenswaard winning the closing speed class.

The American rider capped off a great week for the United States at the ninth leg of GCT winning the last 5* class of the weekend. Mclain, riding Zander, was last to go in the jump off - in a field of 19 riders - and had Marco Kutscher’s time of 39.64 in his sights.

He was uncompromisingly fast from the start and made ground turning into the GCT upright before the double and into the Jaeger-LeCoultre upright before the last. His time of 39.20 clinched the winning spot.

Mclain Ward and Zander at GCT Valkenswaard (Sportfot/GCT)

Harrie Smolders for the home nation was 3rd with a clear in the jump off on 40.67. Rodrigo Pessoa, of Brazil, was 4th on 40.78 and Edwina Tops-Alexander on 41.32. A number of riders tried shave off a bit of time jumping the GCT upright on the angle, but it simply left them with 4 faults at the following double combination. Three riders from the Netherlands and four from the USA were in the jump off.

The Global Champions Tour moves to Lausanne (14-16 September) for the next leg of the 2012 series. The new venue in Switzerland is eagerly awaited and will be a spectacular addition to the circuit as it races towards the climax in Abu Dhabi in November.