Exeter’s Craig places 16th in Cup cycling race, 2nd for U.S.

VALLNORD, Andorra – Exeter native Adam Craig continued his quest to earn one of two available berths on the U.S. Olympic Mountain Biking Team with a 16th-place finish at the International Cycling Union’s World Cup race here Sunday.

Craig was the second-fastest American in the race, trailing only Todd Wells, who finished a career-best sixth among the 120 riders.

Christoph Sauser of Switzerland won the race, edging South African Burry Stander by nine seconds. Canadian Geoff Kabush placed third, 18 seconds behind Sauser.

Wells was 2:17 behind the leader, while Craig was 4:37 back.

The next-fastest American was Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski, who placed 31st, while Sam Schultz (40th), Jeremiah Bishop (41st) and Michael Broderick (58th) were other Americans in the race.

Wells now ranks atop the American contingent in the World Cup point standings, ranked 10th overall with 350 points. Craig is next among the Americans and 17th overall with 304 points.

Horgan-Kobelski is the third-ranking American with just 128 points.

The World Cup circuit resumes next week with the fifth stop of the season at Fort William, Scotland.

That’s followed by the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships to be held at Val di Sole, Italy, on June 22.

The U.S. Olympic Mountain Biking Team will be announced shortly thereafter, based primarily on World Cup and world championship meet results.