World Championships 2011- Race Day in Photos
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 This is what staff and riders woke to Sunday morning. The blazing sun we had seen the entire week went away and the clouds rolled in heavy. They got lower and lower as finals approached. By Elite men, it was socked in almost all the way to the bottom. |
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| 7:30 Am; Race Day. Only mechanics and photographers are lurking the pits this early on a rainy world championship morning. The eternal choice... cut or full spikes? With monumental rain overnight, dries are out of the question. |
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| The inside of the Monster Energy Specialized team RV is organized and ready for go time. 3 team kits lay in wait for their riders. |
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| The choice was cut spikes. Just a tiny cut with a hint of ramping on the front. A little goes a long way. Too little taken off and the tire will roll too slow. Too much and that precious grip that a spike gives you goes away. |
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| Leftovers. Talc and tread shrapnel. |
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| Was it the right tire & cut choice? Riders aren't the only ones getting nervous in the early hours before the biggest race of the year. |
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| Early morning practice and Aaron Gwin was not going easy. Full speed right off the hop. |
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| Tim Bentley gets his whip on with a few hours to go. Anything to put a rider's mind at ease - and having fun takes the edge off. |
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| Blenki styles it over one of the jumps in his last practice run before becoming a world's bronze medallist. |
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| Connor Fearon took some time off the last few races to go finish high school back in Oz. Now that that is finished, Connor is ready to hit the circuit full time. Watch this space - Fearon is no joke. |
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| Race run for Troy Brosnan. Diving into the finish and a sea of fans after a run that was "one big moment" in the mud of Champery. World Champion for the second time at the age of 18. |
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| Josh Bryceland's socks make their way up into the fog for his race run. Bryceland went down hard in his run, but lived to tell about it and was all smiles with Danny Hart at the bar afterwards. |
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| Hart throws down the devil horns and a grin on his way up to the start. Little did he know he'd have a much bigger reason to party come 45 minutes later. |
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| A legend's last run. The race circuit will miss Fabien Barel, the best ambassador downhill has ever had. Look at this photo and realize this multiple time world champion is racing with 4 broken ribs on the toughest track of the year, pushing himself to the absolute limit to go out in style. He wound up in 10th place, ahead of about 85 riders; most of whom are 10 years younger. Legend. Heal up and enjoy some time off the bike Fab. |
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| The rain got harder and harder as the day went on an this puddle got deeper and deeper. Andrew Neethling doesn't avoid the massive finish line jump puddle as some did. Rotors sizzled like a motocross in the wet after racing on this track. |
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| With this run, Danny Hart became legendary. 12 seconds ahead of second place in the rain, on the toughest downhill track on earth. |
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| Danny Hart. 2011 World Downhill Champion. |
Photos by Fraser Britton
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hahaha... i love you man!
Was this broadcasted on freecaster? I wanna see a replay.
PS : Blenki have more style on bike that yeasterday's party in the pub. Just awesome ! Huhu ^_^