Davison makes first World Cup podium

Lea Davison (Specialized) stepped onto the first World Cup podium of her career this weekend in Windham, New York. The American, who lives relatively nearby in Vermont, raced to a fifth place finish.

"I'm pumped. It felt awesome," said Davison according to her team's website. The 29-year-old was recently named to the US Olympic Team. She will head to London in August for the cross country mountain bike race with fellow American Georgia Gould, who almost won the Windham World Cup until her chances were dashed by a late, last lap flat tire.

Davison steadily moved up from ninth at the end of the opening lap to sixth place.

"I was in sixth for three laps and putting pressure on Marie [Helen Premont], who was fading a bit. I was closing on her, but at the top of the last climb, I was about 20 seconds back and still in sixth."

Lady luck intervened and showed Davison the path to the podium. "About halfway down the last descent, someone said Gunn-Rita [Dahle-Flesjaa] had a flat, so I was descending like a mad woman and I caught her and passed her."

With her consistency throughout the season, Davison is ranked 12th in the World Cup standings after six rounds. One round remains in La Bresse, France at the end of July.

In the nearer term, she will head to Sun Valley, Idaho to race the US Mountain Bike National Championships. In 2011 at nationals, Davison won the super D title and finished second in the cross country race.

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