The Algarve's Artur Mendonça achieved the best relative result of the National Team in yesterday's finals of the MTB World, which takes place in Les Gets, France, ranking 45th among 113 participants.
The men's Olympic cross country junior race (XCO) had in Artur Mendonça the best runner to defend the Portuguese colors. Starting with the number 57, the young Loulétano gained positions, placing himself in the orbit of the top 30.
However, in the second half of the race, some physical deficit and a fall, led Artur Mendonça to lose some places, ending up crossing the finish line in 45th position, spending 7min 29sec more than the winner, the German Paul Schehl.
In the women's team, Íris Chagas wore the colors of Portugal and finished in 41st place, among 62 participants, with 11min 55sec longer than the Swiss Monique Halter, who won.
«Iris ran a race within the goals that were set, but I believe that, with more work, it is able to go even further. The men's race went very badly. Guilherme Barros never met. Artur Mendonça started strong – perhaps too strong – and then his performance began to decline, being further disturbed by a fall», said national coach Pedro Vigário.
Yesterday was also qualifying day in the Downhill discipline (DHI), in which Portugal managed to qualify three of its four representatives for the finals, which will be played on Saturday.
In the elite category, Gonçalo Bandeira achieved the 27th record in today's descent, with 3'35''214, 9,140 seconds more than the fastest, Frenchman Benoit Coulanges. Vasco Vasconcelos was 97th, 37,712 seconds behind the best, leaving the final.
The two national juniors managed to qualify. Henrique Ferreira was 54th, with 4'07'738, 36,377 seconds behind Briton Jordan Williams, who set the best mark. Matias Camacho was 57th, at 39,230 seconds.
«Our juniors, who are still in their first year and who had never been present in a race of this level, fully fulfilled what was our goal for their debut, qualifying for the final. So did Gonçalo Bandeira, with a very good result, in the top 30, which opens up good prospects for the final», emphasizes Pedro Vigário.
This Friday there will be no competitions with Portuguese, who will return to competition on Saturday, the day of the DHI finals. Juniors will compete at 8:30 am and elite runners at 13:35 pm.
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