Leogang World Cup 2011 - DH in photos
Photos by Fraser Britton and Colin Meagher
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![GT Fury on the way back to the top Mick Hannah s been having a rough go of it so far this season. The GT rider was the first top rider on the track this morning working hard to find his mojo again.]()
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![Dan Atherton throwing a bit of roost.]()
![Sam Hill spreading a bit of peanut butter]()
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![Loic Bruni the new kid on the Lapierre squad has sick handling skills but was no match for the mud during the morning training.]()
![Just another day on the World Cup... Melanie Pugin gets things rolling during the Women s final.]()
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![Sabrina Jonnier racing in the 2011 Leogang World Cup Downhill Final]()
![What might have been. Jill Kintner had the fastest time at the first split. And the highest speed in the speed trap. But a rut in a jump tossed her off line and off course with a bit of an over the bars incident. Look for Jill to keep finding her DH legs with the way she s progressing a podium is likely just around the corner.]()
![Rachel Atherton was having a smoking run. She was second fastest at the first split tops at the second split and then tossed it away in the lower woods somewhere. One thing s for certain - Fort William was home turf Leogang most definitely was not. But Rachel is most definitely back.]()
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![Neko Mullaly--second junior in on the day but 4 seconds back behind Troy Brosnan.]()
![Wyn Masters managed to scratch his way into the final edging past 184 racers--almost as tight a squeeze as it was getting past this tree on his finals run.]()
![Luke Strobel knocking on the top ten door with a solid 14th place.]()
![Timeless. Steve Peat.]()
![Greg Minnaar looked like he d put it together--he had one hell of a run.]()
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![Gwin into the finish corral. Gwin is now 56 points ahead of Minnaar for the World Cup overall and 101 points ahead of Gee Atherton. Gee is definitely not out of the hunt for the overall but it looks like it s going to be a drag race between Minnaar and Gwin at this point.]()
![Sweet day for Canadian racing with Steve Smith taking fourth on the day.]()
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The American Dream and Mitch Ropelato take an early morning gondola ride to get some practice in. Do these guys love racing? FER SHURE!
GT Fury on the way back to the top, Mick Hannah's been having a rough go of it so far this season. The GT rider was the first top rider on the track this morning, working hard to find his mojo again.
Monster Energy got a delivery of special footwear for this week. Last year the weather here was abysmal, this year, Jacy was looking like an extra of of the deadliest catch for no real reason.
Globs of mud and a slick rear tire are what greeted riders this morning right out of the gate. Minnaar makes the most of it and just tries to make his way down into the next section.
Ya, good luck with that.
Dan Atherton throwing a bit of roost.
and Sam Hill spreading a bit of peanut butter
before going down. Not to overplay the mud, but this morning it was looking like it might play a huge part in the outcome of the race once the sun came out and it started to thicken. The holes were so deep they even sucked in a World Champion, but Hill's good natured running commentary as he got up had the collected fans laughing heavily.
Loic Bruni, the new kid on the Lapierre squad, has sick handling skills, but was no match for the mud during the morning training.
Just another day on the World Cup... Melanie Pugin gets things rolling during the Women's final.
Emmeline Ragot shows us how not to make your way through a mudpit.
while Sabrina manages to hang on...
What might have been. Jill Kintner had the fastest time at the first split. And the highest speed in the speed trap. But a rut in a jump tossed her off line and off course with a bit of an over the bars incident. Look for Jill to keep finding her DH legs; with the way she's progressing a podium is likely just around the corner.
Rachel Atherton was having a smoking run. She was second fastest at the first split, tops at the second split, and then tossed it away in the lower woods somewhere. One thing's for certain - Fort William was home turf; Leogang most definitely was not; but Rachel is most definitely back.
Florian Pugin. The diminutive frenchwoman had flashes of brilliance over the last couple of years. Today she showed it wasn't a fluke - Flosser is here to stay with her first world cup win!
Neko Mullaly - second junior in on the day, but 4 seconds back behind Troy Brosnan.
Wyn Masters managed to scratch his way into the final, edging past 184 racers--almost as tight a squeeze as it was getting past this tree on his finals run.
Luke Strobel knocking on the top ten door with a solid 14th place.
Timeless. Steve Peat.
Greg Minnaar looked like he'd put it together--he had one hell of a run.
Old man Gracia was riding like he was 19 again. Good to see him back in the top 10 and kicking ass. In his words... Tonight we party!
Steve Smith, 4th place and his best World Cup finish ever. MSA may very well turn into his personal stage for a coming out party. He made the change to clip pedals this season and is charging. The big guy can put the power down.
What is there to even say about Aaron Gwin? He found something this off season and it is paying off.
Gwin into the finish corral. Gwin is now 56 points ahead of Minnaar for the World Cup overall, and 101 points ahead of Gee Atherton. Gee is definitely not out of the hunt for the overall, but it looks like it's going to be a drag race between Minnaar and Gwin at this point.
Sweet day for Canadian racing, with Steve Smith taking fourth.
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Peaty may not be on the top of my list of racers to cheer for, but I have much more respect for him considering he's got over a decade on some of the top 10 regulars. Can you name more than a handful of pro athletes still at the top of their game who are pushing towards 40 all the while giving the 20-somethings a run for their money?
: )
Cardiac arrest yet?
but he could still pull it together.
Was hoping Mr Sam was going to stay ontop but with Mr Gwin to run I was nervous.
The track was super muddy and sticky by the end of day was challenging enough just to walk down.
I have some shots from the weekend here: 48frames.zenfolio.com/bikes
looking forward to the next rounds.