British BMX star Shanaze Reade brushed off a first run crash here Wednesday to go into the semi-finals of the women's Olympic debut race.
After crashing on a bend early on the first run, Reade - the defending two-time world champion - completed her second run and will now take part in a eight-rider semi-final on Thursday.
‘I don't know why I crashed,’ said the 19-year-old Reade, whose pride, more than anything else, seemed to be hurt.
Both qualifying runs for the men and women were effectively single-rider time trials, with the best times determining seedings for the quarter-finals (men) and semi-finals (women).
Thursday's women's semi-finals are held over three runs, with the top four riders from each eight-strong group going through to the final later in the day.
Qualification for the final is based on points accrued over three runs, with the least number of points counting.
Among Reade's semi-final line-up is Australian Tanya Bailey and Nicole Callisto, as well as Frenchwoman Laetitia le Corguille.
Reade said she would be less nervous once the real racing gets started.
‘Never be afraid,’ added Reade, who will be hoping her lightning starts in the group races will be key to Olympic gold.
Another Frenchwoman, former mountain bike downhill queen Anne-Caroline Chausson, clocked the fastest time of the field from the two starting runs.
Chausson was the only other woman rider to crash, but she survived to finish her second run.
‘I'm okay, nothing serious,’ said the Frenchwoman, who came back to her first love of BMX from mountain biking when it became an Olympic sport.
‘I'm super-motivated, as are all the girls here. It's my last competitive race of my career, and it's all I've been thinking about for two years.’
