The MSA Mustache Massacre - Mont St Anne WC Finals
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 No one knows what it's like, to be the bad man, to be the sad man, behind... the mustache. So they were all asking. |
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| Quite the stacked podium and quite the deserving Canadian atop it. |
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| Snap back to the juniors race and Luke Ellison had a serious moment just after this drop, a sequence which involved a full rocket-air, a no-foot-can, a dual knee-drag down the roots, a sprint alongside the bike and a leap back on... all in one swift, probably unintentional maneuver. Still sweet for 12th in the juniors. |
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| Gstaad-Scott's Niederberger powering across the Quebecois rock on route to third and keeping up appearances with 4th in the standings. |
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| Vergier now leads the junior series...by just 8 points! Competition is stiff, with an array of youngsters who could win any round... Lucas, Shaw, Vernassa, Wallace, Jones, Graham, Niederberger, Atwill and more. Vergier missed a win last round with a wipe out right before the line so this will be a much needed boost to his confidence and naturally his campaign. |
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| Pompon on final approach for the DH final. The morning practice was fast and furious: 1:15 to dial in the final line choices (and second choices--sometimes the best laid plans go awry and what not). |
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| This was the result Pugin was looking for here at Mt St Anne. Last year she got a broken helmet, the gnarliest black eye this side of a MMA double header, and a mandatory 3 weeks off the bike... This year? Third. Good trade. |
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| Charre was Charreging again but missed the podium by a second. Times are constricting in the ladies field as the season runs and more than few hit the gaping chasm that was the finish jump. |
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| The second of two stacks for the GT queen. Full head to slab contact was made, but she rode off to the rapturous cowbell of the crowd. |
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| Emmeline Ragot taking Rachel Atherton off the podium for the first time this season. Although Rachel crashed, it's good to see the faces change to hot things up a little. |
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| Not the last one to appear that we have become accustomed to... but Ragot has been knocking on a "W" all season long. Congrats to Emmeline! |
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| Nigel Page taking over for Fraser Britton and clearly giving him a run for his money. Photography is mostly common sense really. |
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| Bulldog's way back right now, still struggling with shoulder problems. He still looks fierce as ever on track so you know he'll be back. |
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| Florent Payet working hard to dial in the rock garden before hitting up an excellent 9th. This--perhaps more so than any other section of the track--was place to lose time. It was loaded with square edge hits that required a soft touch to flow. And downhill racing is about anything but soft touches. |
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| T-minus 1... Marc Beaumont getting the count down from Mark Mauarissen while warming up for the final and the 10th place he was to receive for his efforts. |
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| Brendan had a huge crash on his last practice of the day. He came off the hip, hit the drop and blew out his front tire. It ran straight off the rim, he hit the turn flat-out, balls on frame and went flying over the top into the marshal point parasol. It was all very uncomfortable. |
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| More than one racer had a hideous final practice run: Gee Atherton tried to reduce his ability to father a child, Gwin tried to punch something mid ball up, and Bren-dawg nearly merked a couple of marshals. |
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| Gwin's right hand is now sporting a bit of a hole between the outside two knuckles after his misdemeanor. |
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| Needles' crash in qualifying had one rosy result: a good long ride in the hot seat. |
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| Meanwhile the dark clouds amassed and threatened to make things difficult for the World's finest. |
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| Gee was lucky enough to see this dry dirt under his tires for most of his run while the others were left to boggle in the ruts and shamble. |
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| And the rains came down. Right after Gee took to the hotseat. Many suspected foul play, but few could prove his involvement in the adverse meteorological conditions. Why the hat...? Media get priority on headgear when it rains so as not to dampen their coverage capabilities. This young American citizen was obliged to donate his Uncle Sam topper to the great Lawrence CE. Which he was apparently delighted about. |
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| The 'dawg is back and so nearly on the podium. 7th place may be by way of announcement of his return to the scene as a serious race contender besides messiah of whip. |
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| One-life Greg was a little miffed at 4th. He won here in 2008 and typically comes at least 2nd. so he was itching to get back at the top this time. He changed to spikes last minute, a decision that might have cost him on the ground that had not yet soaked up the wet. |
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| Sam Hill creeping higher and higher up the podium, storms aside. |
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| Stevie warming up for his big Canadian debut. |
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| The only way is up. Smith rides the gondola up for his race run like an excited Labrador on the back seat. |
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 | I knew the top guys were all in the rain I knew it wasn't going to chop up and kept with the dry tires. The top was a bit mucky and just went into ruts earlier and just let it slide. I knew if I could just catch ruts I wouldn't crash.- Stevie Smith, Devinci Global Racing |
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| I saw the board was red on the final jump and said to myself 'Mother F-k!', crossed the finish line and looked back and it was green and said to myself 'Awesome!'- Stevie Smith, Devinci Global Racing |
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| Smith lapping up the stoke with the fans. |
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| Canadian Pride...100%! |
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| Top dog champagne showers. |
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| Stevie's Quebec-appropriate old-timey-movie-bad-guy mustache attire sure paid off this weekend. Nothing like winning on home turf. One. To. Remember. |
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Steve Smith for President!
As long as guys are gracious afterward, congratulate the winner, stand on the podium etc, that's it. If you watch the video Gee is one of the first people over to Stevie, gave him a big handshake (with a big smile on his face BTW). Expecting anything more than that is kind of ridiculous.
"Not going to lie, 2nd place today was a painful one.Not at all stoked but my own fault,rode too steady! Fair play to Stevie Smith on the win"
twitter.com/gee_atherton
Gee's a great athlete, and great athletes face disappointment. Let him have his disappointment, at least; he's earned it. And he'll get over it and move on and comeback. That's what great athletes (and people) do. That's why they're great.
It's the same is the tabloid news papers , find attractive famous female , stalk her for hours , wait till she yawns or sneezes and BOOM shes suddenly ugly/tired/haggard/ill..
Wait, no it's not. I'm from the U.S.A. and I was freaking out (in a good way) when Steve won. Soooo rad.
They all want to win and start prepping/training almost soon as the season is over. EVERYTHING is riding on that one 3-5 minute run.
I could imagine Gee being happy with 2nd and his continued lead of the World Cup series. He got beat by Stevie even with a small advantage to him. It was amazing riding from Stevie and any racer would be slightly stoked. Especially, when they are fellow Redbull athletes and spent time in New Zealand riding together for the film Follow Me. There is a lot of camaraderie in the sport of Downhill.
That said, he's the nicest f*cking dude in BC!!!!!!!! But just like Gee, he's intense as hell's heat! He's on a mission that's been seen nothing but consistent progression. This year, a win was inevitable. And short of winning, the only person that's been more consistent then he is Gee.
It's not easy being that motivated and intense to then turn around after a dissapointment and put the smiley face back on. For some, it is easier, but they are still disappointed and the wheels are still turning in the back of their heads.
And a short list of others I've seen disappointed / upset at the bottom of the hill include Ragot, Blenkinsop, and Nicole. All of whom are still aces in my opinion (not that it counts much).
But whatever! After a couple of runs down Duffman and a crash on Devils Club (brushing trees at speed is not good practice), these guys seem like gods!
That pic explains everything!
Huge props to the Brendawg for a super solid 7th, podium next?!
ha ha!
Perhaps a screenshot off the replay?
SO PROUD FOR YOU STEVIE!!! RAINBOW STRIPES coming...... :-)