VCA 2008 Urban Downhill Race

Feb 22, 2008
by Jordan Holmes  
Valparaiso is a port city that is embedded in the seaside hills in Chile. Built in between slopes and summits. A city with millions of stairs instead of walkways and lifts that climb up and down the hills were roads can't go. Valparaiso is an ideal manmade environment to host one the most entertaining and crowd-pleasing racing event ever. This year a handful of top international riders – last years cup was taken by non other than Cedric Gracia – like Brendan Fairclough, Steve Smith, Micayla Gatto and others fought to take the trophy home with some of the top South American and Chilean Riders.
photo


VCA Valparaiso Cerro Abajo (Downhill Valparaiso) started in 2003, this has been the 6th edition of this race, year by year the event has been growing and it looks like it will keep on doing so. There was an estimated of 7000 to 8000 spectators along the course cheering the riders as they came down.

photo

photo

Views: 71,852    Faves: 629    Comments: 143


The course was some 2 kilometers long, it doesn't sound like much, but as always it was packed with really steep section, stairs and some pretty big jumps and if any of the riders made a mistake, their race was over.

Some parts of the Course would even go through back yards and buildings.

photo

photo

Practice run went ok for almost all of the 60 some riders, but some stress started showing on the bike, a few of them did not make it into the qualifying runs.

photo

Brendan leading the train


photo

Steve Smith


When the qualifying run started rims, tires and derailleurs started to fall apart, the riders pushing the bikes to its limits down the never ending stairs, trying to squeeze took quite a tall on the bikes. As a result Brendan didn't make it into the race (not the only one)

photo


It looks like the DT light wheel set was not the best choice.

From 60 riders at qualifying only the top 30 were allowed into the final
photo
photo
photo
photo

photo

Chilean Rider Antonio Leiva took first (for the fourth time)

photo

Another Chilean Rider Mauricio Acuña took second

photo

And Steve Smith took third

photo

Micayla Gatto took second

photo

Diana Marggraff from Ecuador took third and the winner for the girls was a very talent 16 year old Luana Oliveira.

the Official times:

Women

1 OLIVEIRA Luana BRA 3:24.34
2 GATTO Micayla CAN + 0:01.79
3 MARGGRAFF Diana ECU + 0:02.98
4 MIRANDA Veronica CHI + 0:24.33

Men

1 LEIVA Antonio CHI 2:40.10
2 ACUÑA Mauricio CHI + 0:04:88
3 SMITH Steve CAN + 0:10.84
4 FERREIRA Pedro CHI + 0:10.91
5 VASQUEZ Sebastian CHI + 0:11:75
6 LEON Johan CHI + 0:12:43
7 ARAYA Cristian CHI + 0:14.04
8 BASCUÑAN Pablo CHI + 0:15.09
9 MONZON Jorge CHI + 0:15.70
10 VASQUEZ Felipe CHI + 0:18:95
11 CONTRERAS Felipe CHI + 0:19.71
12 BOLCATO Lucas CHI + 0:20.43
13 ACUÑA Jorge CHI + 0:21:70
14 FORNARI Djone BRA + 0:22.03
15 MAUREIRA Dante CHI + 0:23.43
16 RAMIREZ Sergio CHI + 0:24.26
17 BRAVO Cristian CHI + 0:24.51
18 HALL Heikki USA + 0:25.10
19 SALAS Diego CHI + 0:26.64
20 DIAZ Martin CHI + 0:27:44
21 ALLENDES Gustavo CHI + 0:27:71
22 MALDONADO Pablo CHI + 0:29.13
23 KUKULIS Andreas CHI + 0:30.13
24 PIZARRO Francisco CHI + 0:33.64
25 ACEVEDO Jorge CHI + 0:34.21
26 ALVARADO Patricio CHI + 0:34.28
27 TRUMPORE David USA + 0:36.76
28 BARBOSA Ignacio CHI DNF
29 MARTINEZ Jose CHI DNF
30 PEREZ Santiago CHI DNF

photo

Brendan Had a Mechanical issue


Thanks to all the spectators and riders that came out. See you all next race!

Author Info:
spoiledgoods avatar

Member since Mar 20, 2000
624 articles

35 Comments
  • 2 0
 look at the last picture of brendog, look at his rear tire! the wheel also looks bent. i wonder what happened when he landed?
  • 4 0
 Congrats for Luana!Brazilian girls still ripping!!
  • 2 0
 Big Grin well done Luana Big Grin
  • 1 0
 congratulations LUANA .....parabems moça 16 anos só vai dar muito trabalho pras gringas em hihi bota pra baixo mina!!!!BRASIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLL
  • 2 0
 ohh... looked so damn cool:P
  • 0 0
 As colorful and intense as an urban race can be! Thanks to bikemonkey for the article and those awesome fotos!
  • 1 0
 Antonio leiva and taka acuña the victors of the day, National heroes

grande chile!!!
  • 2 0
 www.pinkbike.com/video/11357 video vca 2008 by "dh_waazaa"
  • 2 0
 Ferreira Almost Third, This Chileneans Are Becoming Fast,,,,!!
  • 1 0
 God dammit, this race looks so fun! I've always wanted to do an urban DH race.
  • 2 0
 amazing!!!

Brazilian girl at the top! great! =]
  • 0 0
 filete el vca lastima no estar en chile pero el apoyo esta vamos chile mierda!
  • 1 0
 Urban Downhill is the shit! They should have 'em in world cup events.
  • 0 0
 esa genteeee!!!!!! felicitaciones por el triunfo!! ese taca se reveló jaja saludos
  • 1 0
 How the heck did Dave Trumpore get to go?
  • 0 0
 is that meant to be a dis? do i even know you?

how did i get to go you ask? by getting invited

the race was rad... i ended up crashing pretty nicely and sliding down some stairs in the qualifier, but still made the cut for the finals... but after that i just cruised it in as i was pretty sore and had more fun doing little whips and stuff for the HUGE crowds rather than pinning it full speed
  • 0 0
 i can assure you, brendan's boxxer is no different than the one you can buy... he was also riding an 07 sunday team frame with 08 monster/iron horse decals

it is unfortunate he had bad luck with crushed rims, and rolling the tire off , as he was looking super fast in practice
  • 0 1
 i can assure you, brendan's boxxer is no different than the one you can buy... he was also riding an 07 sunday team frame with 08 monster/iron horse decals

it is unfortunate he had bad luck with crushed rims, and rolling the tire off , as he was looking super fast in practice
  • 1 0
 2 Canadians on the podium, heck yeah
  • 1 0
 where's the picture of Luana Oliveira?? 1st in woman!
  • 1 0
 sikkkkkkkkkk
  • 0 0
 this looks like a sweet event. i like the pic of nathen rennie.
  • 0 0
 hahaha brazilian girl rlz!! only sixteen and going on mad stuff!
  • 0 0
 look for the last picture, the back wheel.. OMG



But thats nice Big Grin
  • 0 0
 how do you enter these races or do you have to be invited
  • 1 0
 looks awssome.=]
  • 0 1
 wajajjajjajaja taka y tono les dieron masa a los gringos
  • 0 0
 looks like a fun race
  • 0 2
 antonio leiva is a awesome rider.


chiean riders RLZ lol




exelente carrea!!!! lo mejor!
  • 0 2
 look at them in all the picutres of him, then look at the other guys running boxxers, youll see the difference
  • 2 0
 ah yes, brendans appear to be black.
  • 0 0
 and hes closer
  • 1 4
 Anyone notice Brendogs big boxxer stanchions? and beefier arch on the lowers
  • 2 0
 look normal to me!....







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.036299
Mobile Version of Website