Ondrej Cink wins U23 cross-country world championships

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  Ondrej Cink wins U23 cross-country world championships in Saalfelden, Austria. Photo: Frank Bodenmüeller | Frank-Bodenmüeller.de
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  Ondrej Cink wins U23 cross-country world championships in Saalfelden, Austria. Photo: Frank Bodenmüeller | Frank-Bodenmüeller.de

Ondrej Cink earned the privilege to wear the rainbow stripes of the world champion jersey with his winning ride in the under-23 men’s world championship race Friday in Saalfelden, Austria.

2010 junior world champion Michiel van der Hejden took second for the Netherlands after spending much of the race alone off the front. The European champion from the Czech Republic took the lead from van der Hejden on the second-to-last lap and didn’t let up until the finish.

Italian Daniele Braidot took the bronze when Austrian Alexander Gehbauer stopped to take a wheel change from a slow leak and lost the third slot in front of his home crowd.

Braidot’s twin brother Luca Braidot finished fifth.

Howard Grotts was the highest-placing North American rider, in 16th.

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