Hannah Roberts and Logan Martin triumph at Diriyah World Cup opener
Roberts took victory with the last run of the women's final, as Olympic champ Martin edged out Marcus Christopher in Saudi Arabia.
Cycling BMX Freestyle
Hannah Roberts produced when it mattered to take victory in round one of the BMX Freestyle World Cup in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday (18 February).
With the last run of the competition, and having aborted her first run with ankle pain after putting her feet down landing an opening backflip no-hander, the Olympic silver medallist scored 89.40 to snatch the win.
"I just wanted to do the best that I could. I ended last season real rough with two back-to-back injuries. Hitting my ankle, I was kind of like defeated.
"I don't know, I got pumped watching everybody ride. Everybody's riding so sick so I was just hyped up and I dropped in and sent it."
USA's four-time world champion went with a straight backflip to start her second run which was filled with bar spins and no-handers and headlined by a spectacular double tail whip.
She overtook Sun Jiaqi of People's Republic of China, who scored 87.00 on her second run, with another American, Perris Benegas, in third thanks to her first run of 85.40.
China's Sun Sibei (83.80) was the last of the four riders in heat two to better the scores from the first heat which was headed by team-mate Zheng Qian's 80.80.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Charlotte Worthington had scored 77.20 on her first run but was unable to improve in her second and had to settle for second in the heat which ended up being sixth overall.
Valeriia Liubimova and Oike Minato both suffered near-identical crashes on their second runs, just overdoing backflips and landing heavily on their backs.
While Oike was able to walk gingerly away, Liubimova stayed down and had to be strapped into a stretcher before being wheeled off.
Logan Martin took victory in the men's final but his rivals showed they will be gunning for top spot in later rounds.
Australia's Olympic gold medallist was slick in his first run which featured a 720 double bar spin and triple tail whips in opposite directions.
His score of 93.50 eventually proved enough for the win, but a fall on his second run meant a nervous wait for the two-time world champion.
Marcus Christopher put together a spectacular first run with a 360 downside quadruple tail whip and a 720 downside tail whip. He earned a score of 92.40 with some portions of the crowd audibly unimpressed that he did not go into the lead.
The man from Ohio, who rides with Olympian Nick Bruce, was on track for an even better second run but fell on a flair tail whip and had to settle for second.
Reigning world champion Nakamura Rim, who topped qualifying, went for huge opening tricks on his two runs and fell both times to end up in 12th.
Meanwhile, Britain's Kieran Reilly showed he was one to watch with some great tricks. But falls on both runs on a closing double flair saw him finish up in ninth.
Another American, Brian Fox, rounded out the podium thanks to his 90.10 which was the best score of the first heat.
Round two of the BMX Freestyle World Cup takes place in Montpellier, France from 17-21 May.
BMX Freestyle World Cup Round 1 results from Diriyah, Saudi Arabia:
Women's final
- Hannah Roberts (USA) 89.40
- Sun Jiaqi (CHN) 87.00
- Perris Benegas (USA) 85.40
- Sun Sibei (CHN) 83.80
- Zheng Qian (CHN) 80.80
- Charlotte Worthington (GBR) 77.20
- Oike Minato (JPN) 71.20
- Valeriia Liubimova 69.00
- Nikita Ducarroz (SUI) 66.80
- Sasha Pardoe (GBR) 63.80
- Naito Nene (JPN) 62.00
- Kim Lea Mueller (GER) 61.60
Men's final
- Logan Martin (AUS) 93.50
- Marcus Christopher (USA) 92.40
- Brian Fox (USA) 90.10
- Jose Torres Gil (ARG) 87.60
- Istvan Caillet (FRA) 79.40
- Irek Rizaev 76.60
- Kevin Peraza (MEX) 70.00
- Kaden Stone (USA) 69.10
- Kieran Reilly (GBR) 67.40
- Justin Dowell (USA) 59.20
- Daniel Sandoval (USA) 48.40
- Nakamura Rim (JPN) 19.40