Morning fog was shrouding the hill first thing this am, but sun was peaking through, and the track was tacking up...Every rider had sand and gravel sticking to the thin clay covering their tires--a good sign that come go time, the track be running fast.
Sam Hill and Troy Brosnan, checking lines in practice
Troy in practice this morning.
Manon Carpenter's chain getting a bit more lube...
"A girl's gotta be ready to race in her best"- Rachel Atherton scrubbing her shoes clean before donning the UK National kit for her run at the title.
All systems go: Dougie "Fresh" Hatfield tightening down Josh Bryceland's rotor bolts on the back up wheels before practice.
The sign of a good morning for a race mechanic: an empty service center. The Fox Racing Shox crew telling war stories about the girls in the bar last night and laying bets on the races to come later in the day.
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Monkdawg working over Gwin's brakes first thing this morning before practice started. Official word is that the prototype brakes Gwin's been using since last winter failed after a some hard cornering - Shimano engineers are tearing into the brakes to determine what went wrong. These are prototypes, though, not production, so the guts are a bit different than what everyone else is running. Gwin was offered the production brakes as soon as they became available, but favoured the feel of the prototypes over the production versions; my guess is that he will be on production brakes in Norway for the World Cup Finals.
T-minus 0:01:49 til go time.
Holly Feniak has never raced a World Cup, but came to Austria to win. Mission accomplished!
Tahnee Seagrave givin 'er...but coming home 8 seconds down to Holly.
Loic Bruni is leading the Jr Men's World Cup overall this year, no real surprise that he won here.
I swear for a second Richie Rude went Houdini on the course and slithered his bike around the course pole as if his entire body and the bike were made of rubber. It was the damndest thing I've ever see a rider do.
Connor Fearon...
The track was firming up nicely by the time the elite women were rolling out of the gate. It was still soft in the first corner, and in a few patches down lower in the woods. But overall, it was looking good to go for the big kids.
Morgane Charre was hot out of the gate and kept the pace high, coming home 1.199 seconds ahead of Ragot. While not totally unknown, she's had good results before including a podium in Val di Sole this year, no one was really expecting her to win here.
Ragot on track for a second place finish.
Manon Carpenter won Worlds at Champery last year as a junior, and it looks like she's just going to keep going. On the podium in South Africa before an injury in Val di Sole took her out for the next few races, it will be interesting to see how she does in Norway. Third place here today.
A fair number of riders and wrenches speculated that Rachel's back troubles and her rolling the start in timed training yesterday was nothing more than a mind game she was playing on the competition. Wonder no longer: +5.894 and off the podium on a course that suited her to a "T".
Miller time! Miranda Miller dropping in to do some berm smashing. While Miranda ended up 17th spot, there were three Canadian girls in the top 10!
It's the World Champs, after all, and seeing nations like Iran represented was pretty damn cool. "Bikes" is a universal language.
Kazakhstan. Not a country known for producing DH MTB racers... But with deep roots in cycling. 20 year old Alexandr Zubenko was +2:52.207 off pace, but damn--the fact he raced here at all was pretty damn cool.
Keeping it low: Joe Smith skimming the tables on the way to second woods.
Logan Binggeli dropping into first woods.
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Bryn Atkinson and then Sam Dale set the early fast times today. After the first 80 riders it was Dale, Atkinson, and then Johannes Fischbach on the hotseat, all within a second. Steve Peat looked to be having a good run, but crashed and it was over. Florent Payet came down fast, -2.27 to move into first and push Fischbach off the hotseat. Then it was Markus Pekoll's turn, he couldn't beat Payet, but he moved into 2nd +1.5 back, and then we were in the top 20. Cam Cole had a less than inspiring run, and then it was Troy Brosnan on track. His first race back after his injury, and he washed out in one of the first corners, a hard crash, possibly injuring his shoulder. Troy was followed by Justin Leov, riding in the last race of his career. Not a top finish for him, but a solid end to 10 years of racing. Marcelo Gutierrez down with a time fast enough to put him into third spot on the hot seat, and then it was Andrew Neethling, sending it huge over the jumps up top, and looking fast through the motorway. Fastest at the first split by half a second, he got sideways on the wooden berm and it was over. Blenkinsop down and into 4th spot +2.14.
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Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas has been moving up the ranks, and his 10th place finish today will definitely be a good confidence booster. You can be guaranteed his coach and manager, CG, will be celebrating with him tonight!
Needles was fast at the top and looked like he was on his way to a podium finish when he washed out on the wooden bike park berm and almost went off track. It cost him at least 4 or 5 seconds, more than enough to take him out of contention
Mick Hannah was fastest in timed training yesterday, and he went through the first split -2.6 up, looking incredibly fast, down to -1.9 at the second split, he finished his run -2.087 to take the hot seat with a 3.23.93.
Hannah hugging the fence in the final woods section of the track
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Josh Bryceland stayed low over the first big jump and then sent it over the second, only a second back at the first split, he looked really quiet and fast but went down in the woods, pushing his front tire up out of a corner. After his crash at Worlds last year he's got to be feeling a little discouraged...
Damien Spagnolo is always a threat, and had a great result at Worlds last year. +1.4 back at the top split, +1.7 at the second split, not fast enough. +2.645 at the finish. Good enough for 6th place at the end of the day though. Stevie Smith still in the hot seat with 5 riders left.
Sam Hill pinning it through the top, only +0.8 back at the first split and then into the woods, +2 at the second split, this was not going to be Hill's day, +2.192 at the finish, 4 riders to go.
Brook MacDonald won the last World Cup in Val d'Isere, but he's not known to be a pedaler. He was +2.5 back at the first split, and then a few mistakes in the woods put him +3.55 back at the second split, this was not going to be his day. +3.6 back at the finish, and he ended up in 8th spot.
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Greg Minnaar hasn't won a Worlds since 2003 and was giving her everything at the top. Greg knows how to pedal and he was up by -0.516 at the top split, then held it together through the woods to be -0.5 at the second split, and -0.581 at the finish and into the hotseat, with only Aaron Gwin left at the top.
Unfortunately Aaron Gwin suffered a major mechanical at the top, and was forced to roll down the course, leaving Greg Minnaar with the win. While Greg's win was very well won, we can't help but wonder how Gwin would have done given a full run.
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Brake trouble? Crash? World Champs chances in the rubbish bid? Screw it...Gwin throwing down a signature move not seen on a finishing straight since his debut at Mt St Anne a few years or so ago.
I'm with Caste1200, that other announcer was a total douche bag. Have a bunch of different riders in there as the secondary announcer! Anybody but the douchey dude who was with Warner!
Anyone else get annoyed with the.. flags, same in every sports event? fra, can, usa, ger, uk.. boring, i just tell you that I feel that this is not good. i always support the rest of the world minnar deserved. congrats.
I was hoping he'd do a one-footed table (a'la - CG) but, yes, those were some nasty bar-humps. While he didn't win, it is nice to know that he still represented for the fans. Good on him...surely he's going to have a lot more fans based on his sportsmanship in the face of a rather humbling defeat.
I'm still bummed that Peaty crashed when he was definitely on a banger of a run.
Rob Warner "(Stevie) looks like he left the pub at 2 with a 10 and woke up with a 2 at 10"
I agree with you that Minnaar completely deserved this. It seems like he put everything into this season so even though Gwin didn't win, this is def. an awesome consolation prize as a spectator. Next season is going to be crazy (especially the Pietermaritzburg stop) to see him ripping in the rainbow jersey. Its insane how long he's been killing it for.
Greg was killin' it. He made up time where ya would have thought there wasn't any to make up. Congrats to him. Stevie put on a great show. And not so sure that Gwin would have won by the way he looked at the top unless the mech. failure was real early in the race
^ Apparently pictures of him were put online of him playing strip pool, more specifically a shot of him bare hugging a naked chick. I guess no one cared except for the media... go figure.
Stevie would have won it if he were better at the flatter sections, he totally rocked in the woods. He needs to go home and practice cardio, intervals and booring shit. Then he'll win it next year.
he isn't as powerful a rider as minaar or hannah or gee. he smoked the woods section though, i wonder if anyone was faster through there than him. great ride for him. he just need a gold now to cmplete his worlds set of medals. he's young and getting better evry year. may have finished 3rd this year but overall he was solid on the season
Of course I know that Stevie won that, how could I have missed it? It was ment as a positive comment that he was better than all others in the technical stuff, he just needs to do even more cardio because of the flat boring sections. What qbert said
I thought that Morgane Charre's win was pretty special. Her behavior in the hotseat and at the award ceremony suggested that she had no illusions about winning, she just showed up and give it everything she had, surprising everyone, including herself. Pretty cool.
basically it means he went home with a girl who he thought was a 10 in the looks department but woke up next morning and she was a 2 in the looks department. It looked like he had a winning run but it didn't work out.
Did Minnar just hint that the'll retire at the end of next season? refering to the chance to win a third world champs next year in PMB as "...good way to end it..."
Hope he'll still be a round for a while yet and reading too much into an innocent comment.
Agree with JMslo. Next year his home race is at the end of the season, so he meant winning World Champs would be a good end to the year at his home event.
Certainly hope he won't be retiring, hes one of my favourites to watch, consistently fast. Great race.
he had a great run, such a champ he is. Each race he is getting better and better. I dont think it will be to long before we see him on the top spot.
Congrats to Greg on an awesome race and a well deserved world champs win.
sam hill will kill it next season, he rides flats and it was a pedally course, cannot wait for next year, smith atherton hill gwin minaarr mcdonald to name a few man its going to be close
According to Gwin, it was: "Just a freak brake malfunction that led to a crash." Then he added: "Guess that's racing!" He's a solid dude. For sure he's disappointed, but he doesn't let this kind of stuff define him. Looking forward to seeing what he does in Norway, and hey- he's got the overall title.
I'll be the first to admit that Canada has stepped up to the plate in the DH discipline. It used to be the Andrew Shandro show and not much else. Lots of talent in those hills - and still enough left to continue slaying slopestyle comps.
According to Mick Hannah via Twitter, Gwin had a problem with his brakes at the top of the course. he uses brakes? good job stevie knew youd get on the podium. weird rachel didnt.....
I have no problem with guys being ticked off after a race. Stevie looked bummed yesterday and it's something people get on Gee for alot. These guys are competitors. They work their whole lives for these races. They should be disappointed. It doesn't mean they are jerks or sore losers.
Stevie was so pinned on the tech stuff, one of the only riders to make up substantial time on the bottom of the course. I'd be frustrated if I were him too. When a guy like Gwin says something like, "I don't think people realize how much pedaling this track actually has", you can only assume it takes a ridiculous amount of fitness to win. To me it's just a shame to have the *downhill* "world champion" determined by sprinting an 8" bike down a nearly flat "motorway". At least there were no dropper posts!
I don't think Smith was sour as much as feeling snake-bitten. He was close in 2010 and almost pulled a World Cup win earlier this season. At that level and on that particular stage, losing by just over a second will leave most of us looking that way. I'm sure he was recalling what tiny mistakes he made in his run and was kicking himself in the ass.
And, yes, Minnaar was as deserving (and overdue) as anybody in that field. It's only fitting that the one guy that's been able to stay within reach of Gwin the last couple of years take the gold. Lots of "what ifs" regarding crashes and mechanicals but, hey, that's racing. Yesterday was Greg's day and I can't wait to see him racing in Norway with the champion's stripes!
gutted for Gwin, great top 5 though, I expect Hill will be giving everyone a run for their money next season. And Minaar had the best kit out there anyway, looks good on the top step. So, UCI, you still want to have worlds in the middle of next season? I certainly don't.
Sam needs to clip in on a track like that. There are times that he can't keep his feet on when you need to (notice turn three with shoulders forward and one leg back past the rear wheel).
Peaty's was good but I agree it was allllmost a little over the top. To be perfectly honest I don't think anyone had an amazing kit, or even an amazing bike colour - it was all a bit stock standard this year around.
@FaullGuy, no he doesn't, Sam Hill is the loosest guy on the planet and that's what he know's how to do, if he went clips, it wouldn't be the same, he is still the best rider to watch down the mountain. Flat Pedals for LIFE!
I can see people thinking Peatys race "kit" was s bit over the top. However I loved it! You can't say anything about his bike though, that was MINT!! Custom airbrushing with the union jacks, custom brushed Enve rims...I could go on and on!
Peaty especially - he was on a legit podium-pace...not that Bryceland wasn't. Also harsh was Neethling's bobble - he was on a cooker of a run up until that point.
Congrats Greg!!! class act right there. Hats off to our boss the Canadian Chainsaw massacre... Surprising that the fastest American had no sponsor at the beginning of the season... Way to go Luke! Also surprising that there are no Americans in top 20!!!Great race...
Big props to Minnaar! Had a feelin he'd win (can't say why). I love the Syndicate team.
No hate or disrespect to the others. All the riders represent why we love to ride. At the end if the day the what if's, should of's and could of's don't mean much.
I personally don't put much into competition; ride because it's fun and because you want to get better.
Bases on above comments I'd hate to be Gwin's bike tech. Ouch.
Gwin's Tech "monkey" is one of the best in the biz, any team would love to have him on board. I do find it a bit odd why Gwin would risk the Worlds on prototype brakes though. He has all winter to test them out. For sure there's more going on then the info I have,
Sounds like he's been using them most of the season and he has had a few decent results with them. One of those "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" things. Unfortunately, they broke at the absolute wrong time. Agree with z05m in regards to testing them in less critical moments, although they are the folks that push the technology in our sport and the best proving-grounds, of course, are races. I'm sure Monk was more gutted than anybody on the hill during Gwin's run...including Gwin himself.
i googled those mysterious looking characters and google said...."Every time up the hill to a flat tire, the legislation paste as evidence"...the plot thickens..
Rockwell was better then Tippie.
And if you don't know who Rockwell is then, you obviously didn't pay any attention to the banter between him and Warner.
lol, he just happens to be Myles Rockwell, a legend of the sport and a world champion. It does annoy me how some clipped in riders always have to bang on about how flats are not as good though, same with when Brian Lopes did some commentating a while back. I also thought he was over critical on a lot of the things he said.
teamdoa- its a fact that you cannot get as much power or strokes in compared to clipless if you're bouncing around in a tech/bumpy section because keeping your feet in place is the most important thing at those moments. We all know that its a personal preference so I think you're being overly sensitive about your pedals, haha. They're just pedals, afterall.
guys don't hate on rockwell,compared to the itailans commentaries this is pure gold,i'd rather watch the english version on an old pc screen than see the italian version on a 42" hd tv...this says it all
The commentry was not good, but not as bad as the unlistenable dribble on the few moments of crankworks coverage that I managed to sit through. I think that if the co commentator spot isn't a passing through guest every few riders (like it was on Freecaster) then it should go to Wyn Masters. Pretty sure if it was a Warner / WynTV partnership there would be plenty of one liners, and general entertainment.
I though Rockwell ballanced out Warner's Warnerness with some good intel on the racers and the course, but not in anal way like some of the other guy they occasionally have.
But really, for worlds it should always be the dream team of Warner and Pagey!
Liam, I think you missed the part where I said it was all about personal preference. What you're most comfortable riding with is going to have the biggest positive impact on your riding... that still doesn't dismiss the fact that you cannot pedal as hard or as much in rough parts of the track, is that a big disadvantage? Clearly not as you pointed out, Sam Hill. Really, you guys have to stop taking talk about pedals so seriously or personal... its really weird that you get offended by trivial crap like that.
Brook MacDonald just won Val d'Isere on flats too. That track was all kinds of loose. I think the real clips advantage is not on the tech. bits, but on tracks like PMB and Leogang where an enormous pedal section basically decides the race.
Yeah, you need to always wait and then read. The original article was posted less then 5 minutes after the end of the race, and no information was available at that time...
Stoked for sam dale !! He had a gd run .. Gutted for troy brosnan tho i thought he was guna do sumat special .. Cant wait for world cup now minaar vs gwinn !!
That picture of Troy is just.. amazing. Really sending the vibe of riding, he is sooo loose on that demo. simply amazing. Too bad for Gwin but at least we saw a fun and stylish run
Shame for Peaty, as his twitter says, his splits were pretty damn good. What an amazing rider, still getting times most people could only dream of. He can't retire as I think he has a damn sight more to give considering how he is still better than most other riders half his age.
Hats off to Greg!! very good run, edging out Gee. Kudos to my personal fave Stevie!! Oh, all carbon dh bikes on the podium! Too bad on Gwin, that's racing, anything can happen. Hope to see Stevie on the top podium on Norway.
At first I was thinking they gave time-bonuses for extra style down the hill. OK, I lie. Great to see he can have fun in the face of defeat...surely his time will come.
Yikes. Too bad. Feeling pity for Monk. Would like to know the exact specifics on what the failure was and what caused it.
CG's big crash was due to brake failure this year also.
"Monkdawg working over Gwin's brakes first thing this morning before practice started. Official word is that the prototype brakes Gwin's been using since last winter failed after a some hard cornering--Shimano engineers are tearing into the brakes to determine what went wrong. These are prototypes, though, not production, so the guts are a bit different than what everyone else is running. Gwin was offered the production brakes as soon as they became available, but favored the feel of the prototypes over the production versions; my guess is that he will be on production brakes in Norway for World Cup Finals. "
CG's crash was due to the hose being ripped off by some nasty rock, so the brakes themselves are not to blame, bad luck or/and mistake (like picking the wrong line or something). And as Gwin was running prototypes (looks like the XTR 985 levers, not the Saint ones), don't worry about your Saints
Gwin seemed to enjoy the rest of the run, bikepark style yet I guess he's going to be really angry to win that Hajsfell round (and prepare even more for next years' worlds)
You DID see the video of him crashing pretty hard into the crash-netting...no? I think he earned his "clown" run...which he still finished 83rd in despite that nasty tumble.
That's the 2nd WC rider I've seen have brake failure with the new Saints (Gwin/Beuamont). Think I'll stick with my 2011 model until they iron out the glitches.
Gwin's were prototypes...not the ones us normal-folk can get our grubby paws on. I'd guess they're going to not release those prototypes into production just yet. I'll pass if they do.
Does anyone else find it ironic that Gwin's "signature move" is the bar hump, even though he his so religious he probably has never even had sex before?
so, Gwinny's brakes failed. both of them, at the same time at the top of the run. i really wonder hoe Shimano and Monkey are going to feel about that statement. cant wait to hear Shimano saying `¨yhea....these were prototypes...we really screwed up and failed to deliver a reliable setup for this years best racer of the circuit. Ho well, brakes cant work all the time!...sorry Gwinny, hope you win next time.'' right....
i'm i the only one whow thinks this explanation is completly off?
Aaron...dude...next time one of your brake's power goes weird on you,....dont throw your run away and clown around. Big moves money shots are great but leave them to Cedric, Brendog and other guys who needs some exposure. Put your f*cking head in the race and win and/or loose.i dont care but race. ...not fu(king off reason. race, crash,win, loose by seconds or a mile.....just race. looser.
just fu(king race when it's important.
i know, i know i'm getting treample whit the negs...i dont care. i wanted him to race. you can race whit one brake. you wont win, that's for f*cking sure, but race raceboy.
Honestly it's a good move, can't race if you laid up in bed. No disrespect to CG and his situation couldn't be prevented, but look at him now. CG on crutches watching everybody else race. Also fabian barel also had a break malfunction a few years ago and crashed on his race run. You can't race with out breaks and it was a smart move by him.
Congrats to gwin to throw the towel in and give the crowd some excitement with his bar humps.
recently, a big MMA fight with anderson silva was said to be live in Brazil. thousands paid thousands of $ to see a "live" fight but it was recorded... hahahahahaha like Red Bull "live" broadcast
Perhaps you're forgetting that there are three riders on track at any given time right now, so it's physically impossible to show much more of each riders run live and in real time.
boring, i just tell you that I feel that this is not good. i always support the rest of the world
minnar deserved. congrats.
I'm still bummed that Peaty crashed when he was definitely on a banger of a run.
I agree with you that Minnaar completely deserved this. It seems like he put everything into this season so even though Gwin didn't win, this is def. an awesome consolation prize as a spectator. Next season is going to be crazy (especially the Pietermaritzburg stop) to see him ripping in the rainbow jersey. Its insane how long he's been killing it for.
Hope he'll still be a round for a while yet and reading too much into an innocent comment.
Sad to see it end like that for Gwin=(
Congrats to Minnaar FTW!
Emm, what english crowds? Its the scottish spirit that makes fort william legendary.
congrats to greg though
And, yes, Minnaar was as deserving (and overdue) as anybody in that field. It's only fitting that the one guy that's been able to stay within reach of Gwin the last couple of years take the gold. Lots of "what ifs" regarding crashes and mechanicals but, hey, that's racing. Yesterday was Greg's day and I can't wait to see him racing in Norway with the champion's stripes!
Completely dialed.
No hate or disrespect to the others. All the riders represent why we love to ride. At the end if the day the what if's, should of's and could of's don't mean much.
I personally don't put much into competition; ride because it's fun and because you want to get better.
Bases on above comments I'd hate to be Gwin's bike tech. Ouch.
Speedy recovery to all and props to the winners!
Congrats to Minaar & Charre
"Greg Minnaar hasn't won a Worlds since 2003 and was giving her everything at the top"
damn minaar i was rooting for gee man
"Monkdawg working over Gwin's brakes first thing this morning before practice started. Official word is that the prototype brakes Gwin's been using since last winter failed after a some hard cornering--Shimano engineers are tearing into the brakes to determine what went wrong. These are prototypes, though, not production, so the guts are a bit different than what everyone else is running. Gwin was offered the production brakes as soon as they became available, but favored the feel of the prototypes over the production versions; my guess is that he will be on production brakes in Norway for World Cup Finals. "
Gwin seemed to enjoy the rest of the run, bikepark style yet I guess he's going to be really angry to win that Hajsfell round (and prepare even more for next years' worlds)
nice to see those standing there
both of them, at the same time at the top of the run.
i really wonder hoe Shimano and Monkey are going to feel about that statement.
cant wait to hear Shimano saying `¨yhea....these were prototypes...we really screwed up and failed to deliver a reliable setup for this years best racer of the circuit. Ho well, brakes cant work all the time!...sorry Gwinny, hope you win next time.''
right....
i'm i the only one whow thinks this explanation is completly off?
Aaron...dude...next time one of your brake's power goes weird on you,....dont throw your run away and clown around. Big moves money shots are great but leave them to Cedric, Brendog and other guys who needs some exposure. Put your f*cking head in the race and win and/or loose.i dont care but race. ...not fu(king off reason.
race, crash,win, loose by seconds or a mile.....just race.
looser.
just fu(king race when it's important.
i know, i know i'm getting treample whit the negs...i dont care. i wanted him to race.
you can race whit one brake.
you wont win, that's for f*cking sure, but race raceboy.
I was really disappointed that Gwin had a mechanical. Maybe next year he'll git 'er done.