Moseley mixes it up in Worlds team relay

Downhill world champion Tracy Moseley made an unusual appearance in yesterday's cross country team relay at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Champery, Switzerland.

Mosely filled the role of the required female racer on Great Britain's team relay squad. She competed wtih Kenta Gallagher, Grant Ferguson and Liam Killeen.

"I've never had so much support out on course," said a cheerful Moseley, still winded after her one-lap, all out effort. "I probably had more support than anyone else out there because all the downhillers couldn't believe I would actually do the team relay and came out to see it."

She was in good spirits after finishing her lap.

"I don't know if you'll see me doing that again! It was quite an experience," she said. "Hats off to everyone who does that kind of thing every weekend because it's not pleasant."

Moseley had plenty of time to practice on the cross country course. Used to super technical downhill World Cup courses, the rocks and roots on Champery's tough cross country course didn't phase her during practice, but she found them a bit harder at race pace.

"I loved the cross country course in practice. It was so different racing it," said Moseley. "Having pre-ridden the track, I thought I could ride everything fast, but I could just not recover. I had not experienced racing like that and recovery was not happening. Even the sections I was loving in practice were so hard because I was absolutely ruined."

It was her first time doing a team relay. "I was nervous and didn't want to let the guys down. I had no idea how I'd go."

The British team finished a respectable ninth place out of 21 total teams.

When asked if the effort would impact her chances of defending her downhill title on Sunday, she said, "I don't think today will be a problem for my downhill - it won't affect me. This downhill course probably only has about three pedal strokes. It's just a steep track."

The course is similar to World Cups held in previous years except that a few jumps were added at the end.

Moseley has been enjoying trying some new kinds of racing this year. In the spring, she participated in the Cape Epic mountain bike stage race in South Africa.

"I'm open to try things," she said. "I'm enjoying my riding at the moment and mixing things up."

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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews.  She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.