Chris Kovarik
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 March 1978 Dandenong, Victoria, Australia |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Downhill and four cross mountain biking |
| Role | Rider |
| Professional team | |
| 2008-present | Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense Cycle |
Chris Kovarik (born 1 March 1978, Dandenong, Victoria, Australia), is an Australian professional racing cyclist specialising in downhill mountain biking and four cross mountain bike racing. He is a multiple Australian national champion and multiple World Cup winner.
Cycling career
[edit]Kovarik started competitive cycling when he was 17 years old and has been a member of the Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense Cycle's MTB Race team [1] since its creation in 2008. Kovarik was joined by fellow Intense rider Finland's Matti Lehikoinen for the 2010 race season.[citation needed]
In 2004, Kovarik shattered his ankle, broke the tibia on the same leg and spent 4½ months with a metal cage around his leg, leading to 7 months off the bike and missing the 2004 World Cup/Championship season. At the time, doctors had said that he may never ride again, however, he went on to place 5th in the World Championships in New Zealand in 2005.[citation needed]
In 2008 Kovarik married teammate and fellow downhill mountain Bike rider, Canadian Claire Buchar.[citation needed]
Chris won the Australian National Downhill Championships in January 2010 at the SRAM Corporation Australian Mountain Bike Championships in Adelaide.[2]
Kovarik's career highlights include:
- 2000 - Australian National Champ
- 2001 - Australian National Champ
- 2002 - Australian National Champ
- 2002 - 1st World Cup : Fort William (won by 14 secs)
- 2005 - 5th World Championships : New Zealand [3]
- 2006 - 1st World Cup : Mont Saint Anne [4]
Major wins
[edit]- 1998
- DH MTB National Series
- 1st - Round VIC
- 2nd - Round NSW
- 1999
- 1st DH MTB Norba Series Mammoth Mountain USA
- DH Norba Series
- 1st - Deer Valley USA
- 2nd - Mount Snow USA
- DH MTB World Cup
- 2nd - USA
- 10th - USA
- DH MTB Australian Titles
- 2nd - VIC
- 3rd - NSW
- 2nd DH MTB National Series Round VIC
- 2000
- 1st DH MTB Australian Titles QLD
- 1st DH MTB Norba Series Round USA
- DH MTB National Series
- 1st - Round QLD
- 1st - Round VIC
- 2nd DH MTB Norba Series Round USA
- 3rd DL MTB National Series Round VIC
- 7th DH MTB World Cup
- 8th DH MTB World Cup USA
- 10th DH MTB World Championships ESP
- 11th DH MTB World Cup CAN
- 2001
- 1st DH MTB Australian Titles VIC
- 1st DH MTB World Cup CAN
- 1st DH MTB National Series Round VIC
- DH MTB World Cup
- 2nd - CAN
- 2nd - FRA
- 4th - CAN
- 4th - #1
- DH MTB Norba
- 3rd - Series #1 USA
- 3rd - Series #3 USA
- 5th - Series 2 USA
- 4th DH MTB World Championships USA
- 2002
- DH MTB World Cup
- 1st - USA
- 1st - GBR
- 1st - SLO
- 8th - FRA
- 9th - CAN
- 1st DH MTB Australian Titles NSW
- 1st DH MTB Championships Series USA
- 3rd DH MTB World Championships AUT
- 3rd DH MTB National Points Series GBR
- 4th National MTB Series USA
- 5th DH MTB Mercury Sea Otter Classic USA
- 5th 4X MTB Mercury Sea Otter Classic USA
- 17th 4X MTB World Championships AUT
- 2003
- 1st DH Norba Series #2 USA
- 2nd DH MTB World Cup FRA
- 4X Norba
- 2nd - Series #3 USA
- 5th - Series #2 USA
- 4th DH MTB World Championships SUI
- 6th DH MTB World Cup GBR
- 2005
- DH MTB World Cup
- 2nd - #3 AUT
- 3rd - #6 USA
- 4th - #8 GBR
- 4th - #2 GER
- 5th - #4 CAN
- 17th - Championships ITA
- 41st - #7 ITA
- 8th DH Australian MTB Championships VIC
- 9th 4X MTB World Cup #6 USA
- 11th 4X MTB World Cup #4 CAN
- 2006
- DH MTB World Cup
- 1st - #4 CAN
- 5th - Championships NZL
- 5th - #3 GER
- 8th - #1 ESP
- 9th - #6 AU
- 15th - #5 BRA
- 20th - #4 SCO
- 3rd 4X MTB World Cup #4 SCO
- 3rd Australian DH MTB Championships VIC
- 49th 4X MTB World Cup #1 ESP
- 2007
- 7th 4X MTB World Cup #4 AUT
- DH MTB World Cup
- 23rd - #4 AUT
- 38th - #1 ESP
- 86th DH MTB World Championships GBR
- 2008
- 6th MTB World Cup DH #2 Andorra
- 12th DH MTB World Championships ITA
References
[edit]- ^ "Chain". Reaction Cycles/Intense Cycle's MTB Race team. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 2010-03-01.[dead link]
- ^ "Results - Mountain Bike 2013". Archived from the original on 23 May 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ "Downhill Final Results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
- ^ "2008 UCI Mountain Bike Results". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2010.