Everything Must Go - DH World Cup 6 Finals - Leogang
That's it, that's all. The 2013 downhill season just came and went in a blink. What began with total Atherton dominance, concluded with absolute Smith monopoly... A hat-trick of wins, two in messy conditions and one this afternoon with the pressure gauge turned up to 11, ready to blow. Stevie had the run of his days with the unimaginable weight of hype and anticipation on his shoulders, a mass that would crush and choke anyone less than a full-on bicycle prodigy. Congratulations to the fastest mountain biker the modern world has known, Canadian, Stevie Smith!
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 Nigel ready to rock early this morning. All prepped and ready to go. Stevie just had to do the rest. |
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| Misty Morning Mountain Top. |
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| The thick fog was in fact just an inversion layer. It was perfect at the top... Fastest junior in Austria out the gate. |
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| Innes Graham could only swoop in for 6th today, but don't forget has a whole other year to come in the juniors class to turn on the heat. |
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| Not happy to stop at the qualifying, Niederberger crushed the finals too, but it wasn't enough to dampen Vergier's overall winner vibes. |
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| Mike Jones tore it up for 3rd today but it was enough to allow his French counterpart the series. |
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| With a solid second place Loris Vergier snatched the junior overall. No small feat to take the title in a field as stiffly stacked as it has been this year. |
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| Spin classes with Tracy Hannah. |
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| Morgane couldn't quite bring it home again this time around, but she still sent it big. |
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| Super-styling. Seagrave. Seventh. |
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| She may have failed to catch Ragot today, but it's been a phenomenal year for Rachel Atherton. With such convincing wins of huge margins in Scotland, Italy, Andorra and Norway it seems a bit wrong that 2nd place could be just 130 points back in the standings, but it's all academic now...the deal is done for Ms Atherton once again. |
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| Sincere sportswomanship in progress... |
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| Emmeline Ragot gets her second win of the season in Leogang, a little better than a half second up on Rachel. |
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| Emmeline Ragot smiles like a champ, because she is. This is the second time we've seen this grin reign supreme this season. She stomped the win in Mont St Anne and managed it again here today by just half a second to seal 2nd place overall. |
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| A brilliant year for ladies racing... We hope you agree the girls have done us proud this season, picking up the pace substantially and throwing all the right shapes when it counts for some great photos and video. Nice one Rachel, Emmeline, Manon, Myrium, Morganne and everyone else! |
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| A very happy Jill Kintner landing her second podium at a World Cup. |
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| Troy was stoked to go race Leogang again and 'not die' after his bad luck last time around. |
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| A photographer overcooks his TK powers mutation to draw riders a little closer. |
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| Eyes of intent. 31st in elite for Junior World Champ, Richie Rude, would still be fastest junior... by a whisker. |
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| A huge personal best for Kyle Sangers of Perform X Commencal this afternoon, only 9 seconds back from miracle mustache speed for 20th spot. |
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| Steeze and sparkles. Wyn Masters has had a bit of misfortune at times this year, but was stoked to take 21st place today as a parting gift with the 2013 season. The Bulls Bikes matador will be back! |
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| Eddy 'looking for a team' Masters had a mechanical in his run, but was on for 26th in split 1. He has put on a solid show for everyone to enjoy this season with Hawaiian shirts, flip-flops, leather jackets, shell-suits, string vests and shark fins... then backed it all up with great riding that sometimes shamed some big names. Somebody sign this master tactician! |
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| Epic whip of the day. |
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| G-ing out with George. Brannigan was in the hot seat for some time today but in the end his time was improved by 7.5 seconds leaving him a little outside the top ten. Still he and Mulally have held the fort more than admirably in the wake of injured team-mates MacDonald and Williamson. |
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| Luke Strobel Unchained, going the 'Gnarway' for a last day of the season top 20. |
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| Steve Peat turned in a second top ten in a row to conclude a challenging season's beginning. |
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| Marcelo nailed his best ever result, missing the podium by probably a single pedal stroke. We're super excited to see his progression continue into next season. |
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| Top kiwi, Blenky, railed to 7th which was good enough to podium in the overall. |
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| Downhill is a rat-race. |
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| Rat Boy fans getting rowdy track-side with some green schnapps. |
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| Big day for Ratty. Bryceland put together a stellar run and took fifth place |
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| Great to see the wild child back on the box for the first time since Val D'Isere last summer. |
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| It was expected that Gee would have come in first or second, but the mountain gods just weren't with him today. Fourth place for the man we thought might run away with the whole thing at the beginning of the season. |
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| Sik Mik into the final turn, still fast enough to pull off a podium. Mik's time is coming very soon... Cairns '14. |
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| Loic Bruni was the very near winner today. He's been in the mix all season with aggressive performances, but was finally able to keep his lethal pace up all run and ride to his best ever result. So much more to come from le garcon. |
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| Greg Minnaar's super fan made it out to Leogang and put on an awards ceremony show. |
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| Stevie Smith circa 87... |
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| Smith looked deadly in practice this morning, carrying more speed on every section of the track than anyone else. |
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| Conquering the rough, Coleman style. |
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| Railing ruts and nailing...turns. |
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| Stevie Smith sailing to his third World Cup victory of the season, and the World Cup over all. Looks like he made the right bike choice in the end. |
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| 'In 20 metres, you have reached your destination'... Wilson GPS success. |
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| Mission complete! |
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| Public displays of affection abound... |
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| It's just possible Gabe Fox at Devinci will feel positive regards the outcome of this race season. |
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| Honey I blew up the kids... Even giant babies want to view the king. |
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| Smith, Bruni, and Hannah. No one could have asked for a more exciting race, or a more interesting line-up. |
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| A far cry from the outcome Atherton was looking for, and not entirely what some of us had expected. |
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| What a year it's been... Sven Martin agrees it's time for some R&R after the hard work is over. |
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| Irony from Red Bull...? That was no piece of cake. |
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| Those who predicted this outcome... spend it wisely. A stunning conclusion to one of the most intense seasons in recent memory. |
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| The truest of form. |
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| See it off, son. Churrrr. |
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| How many years in the making? |
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| So long Leogang, thanks for the epic views and golden memories. 2013, you did not disappoint us! Here's to the rekindling in April 2014!! |
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Lovely moment with Rachel Smith
haha that was funny.
What I want for next weason, more support to the girls!
This season been a blast, thnx to all the riders and esp. Gee & Steve for battling it out to the end.
And I say this as someone who has consistently defended Gwin from people who try to downplay his achievements. He was by far the best rider for the last two seasons and its up to him to regain that. People who talk like you generally have no appreciation of what it takes to win.
I also gotta say huge congrats to Stevie and the dedicated mom who helped him get there. As a father of two young guys who absolutely love Stevie and their bikes, you set a good example of what parents do for their kids.
Finish 6th one race? Everyone's freaking out, what happened, why, chainstays to short?
Brake failure? Its analyzed like national security is on the line.
Once your on top things change. People won't be as stoked next year when Stevie finishes 4th. Much like Gwinn and Gee, he'll be expected to win and anything less will feel more and more like a letdown.
Well done Gee for pretty much being the man all season. Sucks for him to finish like that but then that's racing...
And sorry Specialized but maybe Gwin shoulda stayed on Trek...? That was a huge fall from the top this season...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTyQBMMjZh8
i'm in love in DeVinci Wilson
Whats that rubber bootie stuff on Troys shoe??
This is to all you 'stache' fanboys
Canadians......
It's in the first paragraph. In all fairness, Gwin was dominating last season. The equipment hasn't changed that significantly since last year has it?
2- equipment hasn't changed that much, but the playing field has gone waaaaaaaaaay up, with times being way faster than last year and the times being really close in the top twenty. you have to be absolutely great to stay consistently top three in the races. Stevie has won three. Great Rider.
3- Gwin hasn't gotten worse, and i DONT believe that its the Demos fault, i believe it just show the speed of progress in the riders ability (which prove your point about equipment and my point about the playing field)
You're forgetting that tracks have changed. Courses this year are faster (and some would argue less gnarly) and therefore cannot be compared to last year.