Evie Richards became the first British mountain biker to ever win the women’s elite cross-country world title with a performance that left even her in disbelief.
Richards made her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, with the way she performed on the biggest stage of all suggesting there was plenty more to come in her future.
But not even the 24-year-old herself expected that to come so quickly.
The Brit started the race in strong fashion in Val di Sole, well positioned in the top three following the first two laps in the gruelling 90-minute race.
By lap three, she was in front – and never looked back.
Richards was a junior cross-country World Championship silver medallist in 2015 before becoming the first women's U23 winner at the cyclo-cross World Championships.
But this outing was a cut above all that had gone before, adding to her short track silver medal from earlier in this week’s programme to don the rainbow jersey with a staggering performance.
There was no catching the Malvern native once she had taken the lead, moving further and further ahead of the field to stop the clock in 1:23:52, a full minute ahead of her closest rivals.
Looking over her shoulder in the closing stages, she could scarcely comprehend what she was achieving in Italy.
“I can’t believe it – I’m really shocked. I didn’t have much confidence going into this race but the race plan was about having confidence,” she said.
Nothing but full-gas from @eviee_alicee 🇬🇧 🚀
— UCI MTB (@UCI_MTB) August 28, 2021
We’re into the final lap! #ValdiSole2021 pic.twitter.com/hQG0G7b3wv
“I said a few days ago that I’ll shine one day and today was my time to shine.
“I can’t believe it, I didn’t think I’d ever be good enough to win a race like this. I am so shocked.
“The last three weeks at home have been amazing, I trained really well and when I’m happy, I race really well.
“I truly have been really happy at home and that showed today.
“I’m so grateful to my support staff and coaching at home, it’s taken a long time to find these great people but they’ve been so key in getting me there technically.
“It’s taken years to come together and I’m so shocked.”
Richards follows in the footsteps of Annie Last, with the silver medallist from 2017 the only other British woman to win a women’s cross-country medal in the Mountain Bike World Championships.
Pic: SWpix.com