Tour Down Under
Lauren Dickson impressed on debut for new team FDJ-Suez at the three-day Santos Tour Down Under which opens the Women’s WorldTour calendar. The former Handsling-Alba rider was on domestique duties for team leader Ally Wollaston and led from the front as the New Zealander won the opening two stages.
An excellent performance on the third and final queen stage would see Dickson in contention for stage honours as the peloton battled two ascents of the steep Corkscrew Road.
After keeping in the chase group as the leaders battled out for stage honours, the Scot used some excellent descending skills to stay in with the second group on the road and come home 11th – to take 16th place in the overall.
A very strong showing in her first race – coming out as top FDJ-Suez rider.
Tomorrow sees the Men’s Tour Down Under get underway with Callum Thornley aiming to impress on his own WorldTour debut.
UCI World Cup
Like many people turning on STV on a Wednesday night in the mid-00s, Benidorm was the destination for latest round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup.
Cameron Mason (Seven Racing) made his return to racing after winning the British title in a less warm South Shields. The sandy parcours isn’t a favourite of the Linlithgow native, but a good start saw the Mason as high as eighth in the opening lap.
The Valenciana round offers a good racing option for those, like Mason, currently focussing on training and his mid-pack finish would be good mileage in the legs as the Scot sets his sights on the World Championships in Hulst and final rounds of the X20 Badkamers Trofee.
BMX
Back at home, the latest round of the Cumbernauld Centurions BMX Winter Series went ahead on Saturday. There were victories for Cameron Reid and Eilidh Watson in the 16+ categories.