Downhill World Cup #1 - Maribor Finals
You could tell it wasn't about to be a normal day as riders made their way down to the gate for a 9:30 am start to practice. The gondolas were sitting at about 45 degrees on the lift line and the wind gusts were putting them past that. Not long after team managers and mechanics hit the paddock area, the lifts closed. Practice was delayed until buses were brought in to shuttle with and riders started to stress as the larger team vans were loaded up and headed to the top on the rally road, err shuttle road.Cold. Windy. Muddy. Bring on World Cup Downhill final runs in Europe!
You could tell it wasn't about to be a normal day as riders made their way down to the gate for a 9:30 am start to practice. The gondolas were sitting at about 45 degrees on the lift line and the wind gusts were putting them past that. Not long after team managers and mechanics hit the paddock area, the lifts closed. Practice was delayed until buses were brought in to shuttle with and riders started to stress as the larger team vans were loaded up and headed to the top on the rally road, err shuttle road.
It went from annoying to bizarre pretty quickly as a wedding was also taking place at the resort and a procession of minis had the shuttle road completely blocked for a few minutes.
 | Sabrina was freaking out, it was pretty relaxed and comical said Rachel Atherton after her win. |
The course, having been sloppy and slick the day before in the rain, was now quickly turning to peanut butter and turning bikes into 50lb blocks of Slovenian dirt. By the time the final 10 men got down, the track was a quagmire and the finish area was even worse.
Check out one final set of images as we roll out to the US Open in 2 weeks!
Rachel has a broken finger and smashed herself on the finish line double on Saturday, knocking herself out in the process. She is a trooper and took home the win on Sunday.
Greg Minnaar surprised no one more than himself taking home the win here in Maribor.
He just stayed smooth, gritted his teeth and pedaled his ass off.
To the victor goes the spoils!
Mud, what mud?
Sam qualified way out in front, but made a small error with a tear off and went down with one
hand on the bars. "I landed in the bushes on my head!" he said after. Fifth place.
This is why the World Cup loves Slovenia!
Crazy windstorms blew through Saturday night. Sunday morning, Bryn's tent had a second story. Mechanic Jason Marsh soldiers on as if nothing is wrong and with no regard for his own safety.
Some people get the Champagne and get to celebrate after the race. Some get back to work. After 2 spots on the finals podium and an overall leader's jersey, Monster Energy Specialized's Jacy Shumilak does what he does best. Get's the bikes cleaned up, tuned up and packed up for another set of long flights.
Here is a nice little Maribor DH edit from Northern Ireland filmer Andy Yoong:
Top 10 Men:
1 Greg Minnaar 3:23.42
2 Gee Atherton
3 Brendan Fairclough
4 Fabien Pedemanaud
5 Samuel Hill
6 Steve Smith
7 Aaron Gwin
8 Joseph Smith
9 Justin Leov
10 Cameron Cole
Top 10 Women:
1 Rachel Atherton 4:03.42
2 Sabrina Jonnier
3 Floriane Pugin
4 Myriam Nicole
5 Petra Bernhard
6 Mio Suemasa
7 Claire Buchar
8 Tracy Moseley
9 Emilie Siegenthaler
10 Emmeline Ragot
gee got second place not Sam?
Sam came 5th
Greg first
Gee second
Brendan thirrd
Fabien 4th
Sam fifth
that is what the uci website says at least...
EDIT: deeeee i just read saso's message
Someones a bike tech.
GIVE THE GUY A BREAK! LEAVE HIM ALONE!GO RIDE YOUR BIKE AND STOP INSISTING!
Good one Kurt, good one.
www.mtb.si/index.php?id=7&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=2228&tx_ttnews[backPid]=2&cHash=ef6a861ac1
mens 4X finlas
www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2kInX9D4yU
Rachel Atherton (race run)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTqVrxZe-tc
So stoked for STeve smith who got 6th!! great job Stevie, keep it up!
what happened to peaty??
"We understand that making the service only available via this small charge is a new direction and we would have loved to have continued bringing you coverage for free. Unfortunately, the costs we incur simply exceed the advertising revenue we receive. We hope, as MTB racing fans, you will appreciate the situation and continue to tune in to enjoy what promises to be yet another very exciting World Cup season."
and 45 for a lesbo show if they did it on my laps
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second-impact_syndrome
Nasty.
Still, i am guessing it was her decision not the UCI's. Maybe her manager is at fault here?
If a football team manager sent a player on, knowing he had an injury which could easily relapse, it'd be him that was was at fault. I'd say the player was dumb for agreeing to play, (In this case Racheal made a risky call) but when it comes to negligence / responsibility, the manager would get the flack.
I agree its mainly Rachaels responsibility, but if the manager and/or coach felt it was dangerous, then i imagine he could stop her. He works for the companies paying her wages after all.
PS. I'm not American thanks.
With that said, have you guys never had the passion in any sport to keep going and push through for victory and the glory that goes along with it? if not then you are probably the ones saying this was a bad decision or unsafe. I would have done the same thing as her.
I do wonder though, if she had crashed, and been brain damaged or similar (God forbid, touch wood etc) whether the manager would be called into question. Liability is a nasty subject these days.
Anyway, lets agree on this, i doubt her manager would have much swing even if he told her no. But do bear in mind Cathy Keslers comments about telling Peaty not to race the nationals in case he has to wear the jersey and lose sponser-ship space.!
And by the way, the fallacious logic you condemn me by would also make you an HIV/AIDS positive rapist living in perhaps the most crime-ridden country in the world. Statistically, after all, nearly more rapes and murders occur annually per capita in South Africa than the United States and much of the developed world combined.
And to say that UCI "can tell her what they think but they cant stop her" is just false; The UCI has every right to enforce rules upon the athletes that have signed themselves into the circuit.