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Pemberton’s Tegan Cruz wins CWNEXT Pump Track in Innsbruck

French dominate pro classes at Austrian Crankworx round

Photo by: Clint Trahan / Crankworx

Tegan Cruz cruised to a win in his first event of Crankworx Innsbruck, with the young Pemberton, B.C. rider topping the podium in Thursday’s CWNEXT Pump Track Challenge.

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Cruz beat out a very international crowd for his win. Mexico’s Gil Ian was second and Austria’s Florian Heinecke third. Tegan Cruz is no stranger to Crankworx racing. He’s followed his older brother, Lucas Cruz, through the Kidsworx events at Crankworx Whistler. This is his first international Crankworx win.

“I loved my time racing today,” said Cruz. “I had lots of fun, and I’m super happy to be back racing! Big thanks to everyone at Crankworx. One down and two to go!” Next up is saturday’s CWNEXT Dual Slalom before Sunday’s Downhill Innsbruck p/b Raiffeisen Club.

RockShox Pump Track Challenge Innsbruck 2021 – Men’s Gold Medal Race

Pro Men: France v. France

In the men’s race, an international roster gave way to a showdown of the top French riders. Thomas Lemoine and lined up against Chaney Guennet for the final round. While Lemoine led after the first of two runs, it was 2017 and 2018 Innsbruck Pump Track winner, Guennet taking the win. Though it’s not his first win in Innsbruck, it still felt fresh to the Frenchman.

“It feels different each time,” said Guennet. “Last year I finished second, and this year first. It’s been a long time since I finished on the top step so, it’s perfect.”

Bas van Steenbergen was again the top Canadian in the Pro Men’s race, matching his fifth place finish from Thursday morning’s Dual Slalom in the Pump Track Challenge.

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RockShox Pump Track Challenge Innsbruck 2021 – Women’s Gold Medal Race

Pro Women: France vs. U.S.A.

While the Men’s event was a French showdown, two U.S. Pro Women challenged France’s Mathilde Bernard in the Pro Women’s race. Bernard faced Jordy Scott in the semi-final. The French woman advanced to take on another American, Kialani Hines.

Clocking the fastest times all day, Bernard knocked out 2019 Queen of Crankworx, Vaea Verbeeck in quarter finals and Scott in the semi’s. Hines did her best to challenge the French rider, making up ground in the second of two runs. But it wasn’t quite enough to unseat Bernard, the defending Innsbruck Pump Track winner.

“I won here last year,” Bernard said after the race, “So to win again is so cool for me.”

Verbeeck is the top Canadian Pro Women, in seventh. Casey Brown followed in 11th, after her Dual Slalom podium earlier Thursday and a second in Whip-Off Champs on Wednesday evening. Georgia Astle rounds out the Canadian effort in 17th.

Crankworx Innsbruck continues Friday with the Dual Speed & Style. The weekend heats up with the main events: Downhill and Slopestyle.