After having to wait an extra 24 hours the riders picked up where things were left off two days prior. The riders have been whittled down to the last 16 in each class and will battle through three rounds of semis.
GO211 rider Kyle Bennett lucked in with a rain delay which gave him an extra 24 hours to fix his shoulder. Kyle had trouble breaking into that top four in the first two rounds of his semis with a pair of 5th place finishes. He needed a top three finish in the last semi to move on to the main. Kyle came so close when he finished 4th and missed qualifying by one point.
GO211 rider Donny Robinson was in the same semi as Kyle. A pair of 2nds set up Donny for good points going into the third round. Things got messed up and Donny scored 6th place in the last semi. This still allowed him to easily qualify in third place.
In the main Donny was looking to have to go around everyone down the first straight when he had to start from gate eight. He got a good start and may have even had his front wheel in front. Everyone made it out of turn one OK. It was turn two where Donny made his move. Jared Graves and Maris Strombergs were leading, while Donny's Team USA team mate, Mike Day was in third and had a sweet line which set him up on the inside for turn two.
Donny followed Mike’s line up the second straight and into turn two. Sifison Nhlapo and Graves were on the outside, got in contact with each other and crashed, leaving Donny to slide by on the inside of the turn behind Mikey.
Donny moves up to third, and tries to battle with Mikey for second, but had to finish with a bronze medal.
The only GO211 rider in the elite women class, Jill Kintner had a very consistent day. In her three semis Jill finished with all thirds to book a spot in the main as second place qualifier from her group.
Things were a bit tougher for her in the main though. She hung in there in fourth place until a crash by Great Britains', Shanaze Reade in the last turn while in second moved Jill up a spot and on to the podium for a bronze medal.
Go211 sends out BIG props to dR and Jill, great racing, and congratulations!!!!!
