Great Britain’s Liam Phillips took a superb second place at the fourth round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Santiago del Estero to extend his overall lead in the series with one round remaining.
Phillips, who won Saturday’s time-trial in Argentina, narrowly lost out to Olympic champion Maris Strombergs with a photo finish needed in the final.
The result means the 25-year-old is 130 points clear of Australian Anthony Dean with the final round taking place in Chula Vista, California, on 26-27 September.
Phillips’ teammates Kyle Evans and Tre Whyte exited in the quarter-final and moto stages respectively.
In the moto heats, Phillips and Whyte were drawn together with the former sent to the floor in race one after a collision on the first corner.
The 2013 world champion, though, came back strongly and third and first-places in the remaining two races saw him progress comfortably behind rival Dean as the top four went through.
World championship bronze medallist Whyte took third, fourth and fifth to find himself level in fourth overall with Canadian Tory Nyhaug on 12 points.
With the count back system required to separate the two, Nyhaug’s position ahead of Whyte in the last heat meant the 19-year-old’s day was brought to an end.
Evans qualified first through his heat with some impressive riding but a poor start in the quarter-final proved costly with no chance for the 20-year-old to recover.
Phillips continued his resurgence with victory in his quarter-final before finishing behind Strombergs in the semi-finals.
In the final, starting in gate four, Phillips gradually gained on Strombergs and pushed the double Olympic champion all the way to the line with the Latvian winning by a wheel length.
The result is Phillips’ third supercross podium of the world cup after victory in Manchester and third in Papendal.
Phillips would become the first British male to win the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup if he is able to hold on to his lead in California.
Results
Elite men's supercross
Elite men's overall standings
