Shanaze Reade third in Olympic test event time trial

By Nick Hope BBC Olympic sports reporter

Three-time world champion Shanaze Reade declared herself happy as third-fastest in the qualifying time trial at the BMX Olympic test event.

The 22-year-old is one of 170 athletes competing on the London 2012 course for the first time this weekend.

"I said beforehand if I got into the top five I'd be happy, so I am really pleased to be third overall," she said.

BMX TEST EVENT IN NUMBERS:

  • The track is approximately 450m long and features an eight metre high ramp at the start
  • The venue covers an area slightly larger than the average football pitch (160m by 90m)
  • 14,000 cubic metres of soil were used to form the track (enough to fill three Olympic swimming pools)

The performance sets her up well going into Saturday, which features quarter-finals, semis and a final.

Only Colombia's Mariana Pajon and Lauren Reynolds of Australia were faster that Reade in Friday's qualifying time trials.

And Reade was also third in the 16-woman superfinal later in the afternoon, with Magalie Pottier of France fastest.

Reade will be joined in the quarter-finals by fellow Briton Abbie Taylor, who finished 25th in qualification.

Taylor said: "The atmosphere was great and the crowd were really supportive.

"Even if I don't get to go to London 2012, I can say I've been here and seen it for real."

Pedal problems end Reade's world championship title defence

The BMX Olympic test event, which doubled up as the third round of the UCI Supercross World Cup Series, is only the second sport to take place in the Olympic Park, following the basketball test event which began earlier this week.

A crowd of 2,500 - the current capacity - is expected at the venue. The capacity will increase to 6,000 by the beginning of the Olympics.

The London course is characterised by a series of jumps, bumps, tightly banked corners and a unique tunnel underpass.

Of the 170 competitors, 64 male and 32 female riders progressed from Friday's time trials.

TEST EVENT FACT:

  • The BMX Track will host both the men's and women's Olympic BMX competitions next summer, with a total of 48 riders competing for two gold medals.

In the men's event on Friday, Cal Strickland's 59th spot represented the British team's best effort.

Connor Fields of the United States managed the quickest time in the time trial, although he was usurped in the superfinal by Sam Willoughby.

Follow Olympic sports reporter Nick Hope on Twitter  for updates.

Shanaze Reade explains the basics of her BMX bike