Gisborne rider still chasing Rio spot

KIWIS CAN FLY: Gisborne’s Nick Fox, in BMX flight, was in top form in Canada. Pictures supplied by Black’s Coaching (action) and Justin Tuchscherer

GISBORNE’S Nick Fox goes into potentially the biggest BMX race of his career on the back of a second placing in the final day of a three-day UCI meet in Calgary.

Having missed the first five world cup series races, Fox needed a confidence-booster ahead of the last race of the cup series in Rockhill, South Carolina, on September 26.

The 21-year-old, chasing a spot in the New Zealand team should they qualify for the Rio Olympics, rose to the occasion in Canada.

“The Rockhill race is huge for me after missing the other world cup races,” said Fox, who spent five months recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in the New Zealand championships in April.

“I need to qualify for the top 64 in Rockhill, which would give me points towards one of a maximum of three places in the New Zealand team.

“I was stoked to finish second in Calgary. I’m rapt to see the pay-off in areas I put so much focus on in my training over winter, and I’m extremely happy to be back healthy on my bike, and doing what I love.”

Fox said that on Day 1 of the qualifying heats in Calgary he had some “sketchy moments”.

“I made the final and decided to play it safe and pick an outside lane. I had my best start of the day but wasn’t aggressive enough cutting off the other riders and ended up sixth.

“Even though I would have liked to have done better, making the final and coming sixth was a massive confidence boost — getting back into my racing and producing my best start.”

Growing confidenceFox qualified for the final in Race 2, “gaining more confidence with every lap”.

“I decided to go in the outside lane again, which would force me to have to get the best start I could. I had a good start, which had me third coming out of the first corner, but a lack of race smartness cost me.

“I followed another rider through the next straight before he swerved and braked in front of me, which ended our chances of a podium, and I had to settle for another sixth.

“But I’d qualified for two successive finals and was looking forward to the final race day.”

After an extremely tough qualifying heat, which Fox said pushed him to go 100 percent flat out on every lap, he again qualified for the final.

Boosted by the confidence from his two previous finals, Fox chose a middle lane.

“That meant any slight delay and I would be cut off at the start,” he said.

“I popped out of the gate in the final with my best start of the weekend and put myself in a position fighting for the lead with another Kiwi, Trent Jones, who had the inside advantage on me.

“I fought hard to get the lead but a few simple mistakes meant I finished second. At least I was on the podium and now I can’t wait for the world cup race in Rockhill.”

After the world cup race, Fox will stay in the United States until October, competing in a US pro series SuperX race in California, pro races in Florida and the US grand national races in Tulsa.