BMX coach Kiwi Olympian Kurt Pickard enjoyed a breakthrough victory on the first day of the USA BMX Nationals series in Pittsburgh at the weekend.
The 22-year-old Bay of Plenty rider scored his first grand finals win in the US against some of the major competition he will face inthis month's UCI BMX World Championships in Auckland, including two-time Olympic champion Maris Strombergs.
Pickard was unbeaten in his qualifying motos and elimination rounds, winning the Grand Final ahead of world championship-bound Americans Corben Sharrah and David Herman, while Strombergs from Latvia crashed while leading in his semifinal.
The win was a boost for the Tauranga rider, who crashed in the quarter-finals at the London Olympics and carried a niggling injury into his preparations in the US. "The win means relief, a monkey off my back and it feels good," Pickard said. "Now I have some racing under my belt I am starting to feel more comfortable. Looking at the results it paints a picture than I am on target for the Worlds. I've grown a lot and learned a lot since I have been over here and I think that's more important than the result itself so I am looking forward to Auckland."
BikeNZ BMX coach Ryan Hollows said the result was great. "Kurt has been slowly improving, getting better ... and mentally stronger. Today was the day he finally broke through.
"He was untouchable and everyone trackside was picking him for favourite," he said. "It was a stronger field than at Rockford two weeks ago with world champion Sam Willoughby the only big name missing from the big hitters while Maris [Strombergs] has been an addition."
The UCI BMX World Championships will run from July 24-28 at Vector Arena, Auckland.
