Elite Qualifying Results from the Fort William DH World Cup 2024

May 4, 2024
by Ed Spratt  
After the Timed Training session, the Elite racers are now against the clock to decide who progresses to the semi-finals.

At the first time of asking in 2024, Tahnee Seagrave has come out of the off-season in strong form as she takes the top honours in the Elite Women's qualifying. Crossing the line with a time nearly two seconds ahead of the next rider Tahnee Seagrave is hungry for a second elite win at Fort William as she only lost the race lead once during her run to Vali Höll in the second sector.

Nina Hoffmann ended the session in second place as she laid down a consistent run that was in touch with the leader until split four where she lost around a second to the top qualifier. Anna Newkirk had an amazing run gaining places in the bottom sectors to end her qualifying ride in third place.

2023 overall winner and current World Champ Vali Höll couldn't quite match the top time as she dropped to fifth place in the standings. Höll did take the lead during the second sector but she lost around 5.4 seconds in split three through the upper woods.

In the Elite Men's qualifying Loiuc Bruni topped the results sheet as he was unmatched by the rest of the field. Ending his run over three seconds in the lead Loic Bruni is looking dominant on a course that has been tough for him in previous years. Sitting in second place is Bruni's teammate Finn Iles, making it a Specialized Gravity top two.

There were more top results for Canyon as after Seagrave's top qualifier, both Luca Shaw and Troy Brosnan made it into the top five with third and fourth place respectively. Oisin O'Callaghan wrapped up the five fastest riders and was the only other person with four seconds of Bruni.

Check out the results below.



Results:


Elite Women


1st. Tahnee Seagrave: 4:48.043
2nd. Nina Hoffmann: 4:49.921 / +1.878
3rd. Anna Newkirk: 4:50.534 / +2.491
4th. Camille Balanche: 4:51.409 / +3.366
5th. Vali Höll: 4:51.739 / +3.696



Elite Men


1st. Loic Bruni: 4:08.331
2nd. Finn Iles: 4:11.624 / +3.293
3rd. Luca Shaw: 4:12.089 / +3.758
4th. Troy Brosnan: 4:12.240 / +3.909
5th. Oisin O'Callaghan: 4:12.317 / +3.986




Full Results:


Elite Women


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Elite Men


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Semi-Finals Start Lists:


Elite Women


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Elite Men


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Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,125 articles

177 Comments
  • 76 4
 Is it a lot to ask some live voice, a finish camera and some interviews?

can't believe this shit show with all the technologies and youtubers available nowadays...

Just a live insta account and some grace... it doesn't take more to beat Warner Bros mega Show...
  • 3 0
 this
  • 18 0
 Allowing simul live streaming like e-sports could be great for this. Allow some of the podcasters/youtubers out there like The Downtime and Ride Companion to provide reactions and commentary with streaming the qualies
  • 1 3
 ugh so many stuff happened... Dakota, Laurie... not worth the show...
  • 2 0
 @PauRexs: what happened?
  • 3 2
 yes. it's a lot. stop being entitled
  • 1 2
 @kennyeggs: we missed a big pie of the show
  • 1 0
 tiz-cycling-live.io/livestream.php
Click Blue button look at Sundays listing
  • 1 0
 I watched the last of the qualifying from the finish area grandstand and there was no video of the riders on track. Looks like it was sorted for the first race tho.
  • 41 0
 I thought discovery were supposed to be progressing the sport?! Instead we’re back in the dark ages watching a live timing screen not knowing what’s actually going on. Didn’t think it was possible to take the sport any further backwards than they did last year…….
  • 10 9
 It’s always been like this for qualies. They’ve never been broadcast
  • 7 0
 @bgoldstone: I’m referring to semi’s
  • 3 0
 @bgoldstone: I love you unc but are you quite sure they haven’t hung us out to dry here?
  • 4 0
 @owl-X: doesn’t sound like semis were planned to be broadcast this round based on Ed Spratt’s comment below. I do know that the qualies have never been broadcast.
  • 26 0
 Clearly the best way to progress the sport and increase its popularity is to restrict previously free to view content behind a paywall, then reduce the broadcast length and overall amount of content. Industries always get better when corporations solely driven by their next quarterly shareholders report and not the long term viability of the industry get involved!
  • 5 0
 @bgoldstone: for sure on the qualies, I got you. Just afraid for semis here.

If there’s one thing WBD has proven, it’s that they should never be given the benefit of the doubt…they’re like 0-for-27, especially when they are quiet about something. They’ve been quiet about semis, I’m learning.
  • 2 1
 hey I ve been here from the first day announcing this conspiracy and why...
  • 36 0
 what a joke of an organisation you truly are the uci. All these teams, riders, and sponsors putting money and effort into the sport for the fans, and you provide 0 coverage all weekend, this sport needs to be privatised by the teams/sponsors/redbull disgraceful.
  • 34 1
 Can't believe they ain't showing semis, what's the point in it when ur not giving screen time to the 30 who don't qualify for finals? Thought that was the whole point last year, now quali is just a quali for quali (semis) unbelievable
  • 1 0
 Been trying figure it, read some stuff that says semi's are live and free on the Whoop YT page but you can only watch the finals live through a paid subscription. Is that still the case (re semi's)?
  • 2 0
 @markdavid: I've just been trying to find the semi's - they aren't on my Discovery + package.
  • 5 0
 @tremeer023: Same here, I buckled and paid for a subscription only to find that half the coverage isn't even on there!
  • 1 15
flag henrycant FL (May 4, 2024 at 5:56) (Below Threshold)
 @tremeer023: semis are live on youtube I believe, not sure what channel though
  • 2 0
 @henrycant: can’t find em.
  • 2 6
flag chrismac70 FL (May 4, 2024 at 5:59) (Below Threshold)
 Those 30 -60 never got airtime with rb
  • 18 0
 @henrycant: nope, no broadcast of the semis happening. I’m actually pretty raging about this!
  • 1 8
flag henrycant FL (May 4, 2024 at 5:59) (Below Threshold)
 @owl-X: because its not on yet, starts at 3pm UK time
  • 4 0
 @henrycant: I’ll hold you to it!
  • 1 0
 @chrismac70: a few did, if they were in the hot seat…but nobody was forced to do a second timed run to make the finals. WBD made that happen, and we know they can show it to us.
  • 5 0
 @markdavid: nothing on their shitty yt channel
  • 5 0
 Because they are a relic of 20th century, they understand cable TV only, nothing else. They are f*nk Flintstones of broadcast.
  • 3 0
 @tremeer023: not listed on Eurosport either
  • 8 0
 @aliclarkson: it's feking outrageous, Imagine being a athlete looking for sponsorship.
Yes unfortunately I won't get any air time unless I'm in top 30 in the world ! Makes the sort even more elitist it's a f*cking shit show
  • 1 0
 @markdavid: only listing I can find on my you tube premium is Junior finals 12.00 GMT
  • 2 0
 @aliclarkson:
Check this stream out
Click blue button and it's live stream all day tomorrow from 11.25
tiz-cycling-live.io/livestream.php
  • 1 0
 @deertrackdoctor: Turn on your adblocker and hit TIZ's 'Buy Me Beer button'!!
  • 17 0
 Does anyone know how to make our complaints visible, I'm tired of the way broadcasting is, first they show us semi-finals, now you can't see them and on top of that you have to pay to see the finals, this is a f**g
  • 11 1
 Can anyone actually watch this? Thought this was going to be streamed on YT.
  • 1 0
 Cannot find a livestream as well...
  • 2 0
 It seems only the junior finals will be streamed on YT. I guess head on to Tiz
  • 1 1
 23 hrs time id jwdh then 30min later is jmdh at 11pm nzdt
  • 1 12
flag henrycant FL (May 4, 2024 at 5:39) (Below Threshold)
 Qualifying has never been live streamed, semi finals are free to watch on YouTube I believe at 3pm Uk time, not sure what channel though.
  • 1 2
 @henrycant: Nice to know the semi finals will be streamed on YT too!
  • 6 0
 @henrycant: nope dude…
  • 8 1
 Doesn’t look like there’s live streaming for semis today? Or am I missing something? Even if you pay for it.
  • 4 0
 Apparently not. This was posted on the UCI MTB website yesterday, only mentions you can watch all the finals. ucimtbworldseries.com/news/where-to-watch-fort-william

"You can watch the action from the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Downhill season opener in Fort William, Scotland wherever you are in the world. Both the men’s and women's UCI Downhill World Cup Junior races will be broadcast live on the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series YouTube channel, while the Elite finals will be shown on one of the below channels or streaming services."
  • 18 0
 @donimo: soooo, what’s the point of semis then? All the risk, no exposure, immediately after something that already qualifies you for a final haha
  • 3 0
 I get Discovery + as a freebie with BT and it shows nothing until tomorrow 11.25am…..I’ve looked everywhere to see if I can access a live feed….the lack of communication on the coverage of this incredible event is nothing short of a total disgrace….something should be done about it….it’s all so shit !
  • 3 0
 @Kersh: Tell me about it. Based on some earlier comments here the semis have been shown as upcoming at least on Eurosport at some point. I just subscribed a couple of days ago (for a couple of weeks before we get MAX here on the 21st) and at that point all I could see were the finals on Sunday. There's been nothing on the UCI MTB YouTube page as upcoming live until today, now there too are just the junior finals tomorrow.

I don't know if the semis were supposed to be shown and they had to cancel for some reason and decided not to say anything about it, or if the info on the semis being broadcast this season too has been incorrect. Either way, shit communication.
  • 20 0
 It's looking like there won't be a live broadcast for the semi-finals at least for this weekend. We spotted semi-finals weren't listed as 'TV Live' in the Fort William race book and contacted WBD for confirmation but we have still not received a response.
  • 29 0
 @edspratt: please get mad about it then, for all of us
  • 13 0
 @edspratt: No response? That's not like them, they usually excel at communication. /s
  • 2 0
 @edspratt: unfortunately a bit of miss-information surrounding the coverage…for example MBR UK website:

MBR UK - How and where to watch

If you’re in the UK, then the racing will be shown on Eurosport TV channels as well as the Eurosport and Discovery+ apps. The Junior category racing and Elite semi-finals will be available for free, live on YouTube as well as the UCI Mountain Bike World Series website. But for the Elite finals on Sunday, you’ll need a subscription to either Discovery+ or Eurosport. If you go down the Discovery+ route you’ll need the Standard Plan, which is £6.99 a month – you can join for just one month but you’ll need to immediately cancel the subscription to avoid paying for a second.
  • 2 0
 @edspratt: I wouldn't be surprised if splitting the semis and finals to different days is to blame? I mean it must result in a considerable cost increase. Previously any film crew, commentators etc were all there on the finals days already to do the finals show, so just doing a few more hours beforehand wasn't a huge deal...whereas getting everyone there working for an extra day must add a lot to the bill...which isn't going to be what they want considering the semis are free to view.
Either way, it makes the semis completely pointless if it's not going to be broadcast. It's not just rubbish for fans, if I was a rider or sponsor who isn't going to make the finals coverage I'd be livid!
  • 4 0
 @edhayetc: But the junior finals were on the day before the elite finals last year and they were broadcast live (and for free), right? This year they've essentially swapped the junior finals and elite semis time slots around, but it would still be the same two day job.
  • 3 0
 @edhayetc: meanwhile they’re trying to charge US customers $20-26/month to watch JUST the finals now
  • 3 0
 @donimo: Well with audience numbers (and therefore advertiser appeal) likely going down the shitter for them, the less they can spend the better probably. Mad to think they didn't realise their BS would push people away. With the semis broadcast nixed at the last minute in truly amateur fashion and the lack of communication, the vicious circle is spinning even faster. I wonder what the riders think of this and at what point their patience runs out.
  • 2 0
 @edspratt: thanks for letting us know
P.s
tiz-cycling-live.io/livestream.php
Blue button tommorows listings
  • 2 0
 @donimo: good point, I'd forgotten that. So yeah, no excuse whatsoever, which makes it even worse. They argued last year that it was ok to put the finals behind a paywall because they'd created an otherwise pointless semi final which would be free for fans to watch, and for riders/sponsors to get exposure...now all the semis do is reduce the number of riders who will get any exposure at all...behind a paywall of course. So sad. The really are going to destroy the sport if they carry on like this. The lack of communication/changing what they previously said is inexcusable too.
  • 5 0
 If Bruini replicates that it’s a race for second place for the rest.

On Vitals raw footage him and the bike do look completely dialled through the rough stuff.

Oh and go Oisin!
  • 6 0
 Mechanical for Dak? Flat? He was bleeding time but doesn’t look like a crash.
  • 7 0
 Flat
  • 5 0
 Download the start list and it will tell you the protected riders

prod.chronorace.be/angular/results.html#/uci/event/20240503_mtb/DHI/CG1
  • 2 0
 nice, thanks for the source bgoldstone. Dak is alive with the P.
  • 6 0
 Minnaar, 42 years (he's 1 month older than me ) and still hammering it! GREAT!
  • 1 0
 I haven't really been following dh this year. Is Gwin retired now or what is he at? Bit of a bummer to see him and Sam Hill go out on a low/injured if they are both retiring.
  • 2 0
 @Diarmuidbikes: I believe he's still recovering from an injury sustained last year, I've heard he's in the commentary booth for the first 4 rounds.
  • 7 2
 can someone please tell Superbruni to chill the f*ck out? Asking for my FL Roster...
  • 4 0
 Still can change your vital fantasy
  • 1 0
 @Roost66: And pick Juniors
  • 4 0
 Hey Chris Ball we need to talk again…Josh Carlson has kind of taken over as say whatever company line guy, but we haven’t forgotten you. Need a little help here bud…
  • 2 0
 Okay folks I have a live stream for tomorrow all day from 11.25 GMT it's being streamed on Tiz Cycling . If you look at the home page and click blue button it's lists UCI DH for William on Sunday . There's also a live chat .I suggest we all sign up and support it tiz-cycling-live.io/livestream.php
  • 6 1
 Has Bruni found a shortcut?
  • 2 0
 Cheat code for sure. Hover bike.
  • 1 0
 After watching pretty every world cup for the last 10-15 years I don't know if I can ve bothered this year with all the hassle and time it took last year. I don't have the time to spend a full day watching it now and paying for watch is arguably worse coverage doesn't sit right either. Same really but I guess I'll just catch the highlights on YouTube if that's still a thing this year
  • 1 0
 Likewise,and as a result interest will decline.
  • 2 5
 Huh? Race isn’t till tomorrow and it’s just one show, 30 riders how it always was.
  • 1 1
 @wolftwenty1: yeah but it wasn't like that last year and semis should be broadcast today but they arent for whatever reason and then finals tomorrow so basically would be taking up 2 days of my time
  • 1 1
 @spudmaster: makes sense…less coverage takes more of your time.
  • 1 0
 Qualis have never been broadcast, last year semi finals were broadcast on you tube however that doesnt seem to be happening this year. junior finals are being broadcast on you tube. but yeah warner bros f*cked us this year. no free elite racing. (unless you use tiz cycling which doesnt even require a vpn but if you want a good free vpn, proton vpn is a good option)
  • 2 0
 Semis were also on their GCN+ app.
  • 1 0
 Good for Seagrave she deserves it I always felt bad for her nobody understand how much a head injury affects someone u might look fine but mentally ur not there .. it can take years if ever to recover.. I hit my head in 2014 racing and 2024 January i fell down stairs hit my head was concussed for 3 hours and miraculously every symptom I had from 2014 concussion is gone ...insane
  • 4 0
 Amaury looks good for a come back
  • 1 0
 Can anyone point me to the cheapest subscription package to watch the races in the United States? It seems to have changed so many times I don’t want to subscribe to the wrong thing…
  • 3 0
 The race shows on HBO Max on Sunday morning (finals) if you have it. Just search UCI.
  • 3 0
 Hmmm... Specialized Gravity top 2 qualifiers and 3 in the top 17. Good start to the season, I'd say.
  • 3 0
 Did Dak crash somewhere? Damn.
  • 2 0
 I think him and Laurie punctured or had a mechanical up top based on the splits. Hope they are both protected, as they would definitely be in contention.
  • 1 0
 @Mugen: That sucks! I really hope both are protected!
  • 2 0
 @xtr89: they are
  • 3 0
 Who is protected for qualifying?
  • 1 0
 I was thinking the same thing.
  • 2 0
 Anyone find out or know if Semis are going to be played on youtube as WOOP UCI stated they would?? WTF??...
  • 2 0
 Tonorrow final will not be able to eatch on Eurosport thanks to snooker worl champ !!! Ehat a shame UCI you kill our sport
  • 2 0
 jsut come to pinkbike before it starts, some dude usually posting links to the livestream lol
  • 1 0
 I've never had the Eurosport channels as such and only subscribed to their stream a couple of days ago on their website, but there it's listed under on demand as it's not on any of the channels but still available to watch live. I'd assume there's some kind of similar way to watch it if you're paying for Eurosport some other way?
  • 1 0
 Finals are in schedule, both men and womens.
  • 2 0
 @sarinerar: nope…at least in France it has been changed by Snooker worldchamp f*cking shame !!!!
  • 1 0
 @adrienjnt: hard to believe that, as there are multiple channels on eurosport and its showing both the snooker and dh finals at the same time
  • 1 0
 @sarinerar: nope they show road cycling on eurosport 1 amd snooker en eurosport 2….that’s really insane when actually UCI on Instagram communicates about Eurosport Broadcast !!!
  • 1 0
 @adrienjnt: don't worry, it's still scheduled here : www.eurosport.fr/watch/vtt

They will just broadcast it on the website/app, I do'nt know if it will work with the chromecast to get it on TV.
  • 1 0
 @Clemounet: okkkkk founf it on Eurosport 360°, I didn’t even know I had this channel
  • 2 0
 @edspratt any idea on who crashed and how they are gonna squeeze in 20 male riders before 3pm for semis
  • 4 0
 Sorry, I'm not sure right now. Several elite women riders also need another run after a red flag and there's still junior qualifying. It's looking very unlikely that the semi-finals will be on time.
  • 1 0
 @edspratt: Jesus, thanks for the info
  • 2 0
 @edspratt: can you go plug in some cameras then?
  • 1 0
 Maybe Josh Turner? He’s down as DNF and the hold ups are for riders behind him on the start-list
  • 1 0
 @Ally1: yes, was thinking him or the Spanish guy just in front on Brayton, wyn put out an IG story saying there was a red flag half way down so it was a rider before wyn
  • 1 0
 As much as the “primer” title annoyed me, anything w a list of event times and how to watch/follow before the race weekend sure was nice
  • 1 0
 How many woman and men go through to the semi's on the qualifying round? I did a quick search and couldn't find that out? I assume top 20 women and for the men?
  • 1 0
 60 mans, not sure about women.
  • 1 0
 It was 60 (plus any protected riders I believe) last year, I don't think anything has changed (apart from the lack of coverage).
  • 5 0
 Top15 women/Top 60 men
Plus any protected riders that finished outside of that
  • 1 0
 25 junior men make the final
  • 1 0
 Has live timing been paused again? Can't see any updates on Dan Slack's finish time. His running time has been stuck on 5:27 for ages.
  • 2 0
 Can't be another red flag surely hahah, honestly think semis will be called off at the rate, 5-10 elite women need a rerun 5-10 elite men need a rerun the whole of junior still need to have their quali runs and we know how reckless juniors can be, could see quali going to 4pm uk time atm and semis is supposed to start at 3
  • 1 0
 @sonnyw14: looks like Elite men reruns are now on
  • 2 0
 @sonnyw14: men’s re runs have just started. Don’t know if they are doing women’s after that if needed
  • 1 0
 @bgoldstone: They're now on Junior Women
  • 1 0
 @sonnyw14: junior women just started so doesn’t seem like any reruns for elite women
  • 1 0
 @bgoldstone: ah right, thought I read that some women were due a re run but perhaps not
  • 1 0
 @sonnyw14: They need to make qualis on Friday, semi’s and junior finals Saturday and elite finals on Sunday.
  • 2 0
 This is like trying to follow EWS.... which f'ing sucks. Gawd this is weak af. Idiots.
  • 1 0
 Just checked my YouTube and all that's being broadcast on you tune is Junior semifinals .
Listed as 12 noon UK time on Sunday ?is that correct ?
  • 4 3
 Only 15 women allowed in semi finals??? So we lose Miriam Nicole among others. Yet the men get 60 through... 4 times as many. What kind of BS is that?
  • 3 1
 6 times as many men raced qualies. As a percentage more women make it to semis. I would like to see to 20 women make the finals but then you are taking over half the field.
  • 3 0
 9th place for 42 year old Greg Minnaar....What a Legend!
  • 1 0
 The king of Ft Bill
  • 3 0
 Anna in 3rd?!?!? Unreal
  • 3 0
 Ohhhh. Anna. Nice and impressive. Also nice to see Cam coming back strong
  • 3 0
 Letsgo Anna Newkirk!!
  • 3 1
 Anybody know what happened to Jess Blewitt?
  • 2 0
 I checked the cube IG stories, just a mechanical DNF in the second corner and they said she is fine.
  • 2 0
 Li ve timing no longer working or is there a course hold?
  • 1 0
 There must be a red flag.
  • 2 0
 Which means it's probably Reece Wilson or Wyn.
  • 1 0
 @Folks: might be Adam Brayton
  • 1 0
 @Joe89: think so, just watched Reece and wyn come down the track
  • 1 0
 @jonnybeher: Reece and wyn that crashed or who are getting re runs - surely if they finished their crash can't of warranted a red flag
  • 2 0
 What is going on? Running times are way over normal. Someone crashed?
  • 1 0
 yeah, looks like a track hold berfore Reece and Wyn ...
  • 2 0
 No rerun for Reece and Matt?
  • 3 0
 Yeah Tahnee
  • 1 0
 The "Elite Women's Finish Spread" plot is showing data for Split 4, not the Finish
  • 2 0
 Top five men all have a horst link rear suspension.
  • 2 1
 Bruni - look at that time!
  • 2 0
 Greg!
  • 2 0
 French lines for Bruni?
  • 1 0
 How many woman qualify for semi?
  • 1 1
 I wish that was final results for men! 1st 6th 18th and 23rd for my FL team
  • 1 0
 Why do some riders have an asterisk * next to their name?
  • 1 0
 Under 23 i believe
  • 1 0
 Under 23 IIRC.
  • 1 0
 Vali must have stopped for drink on her quali run
  • 1 0
 Where’s the Juniors results?
  • 2 0
 Juniors are on track now, we will have their results posted soon.
  • 1 0
 @edspratt: can you investigate
euro sport listings for UK for today and tommorow has no mention of Uci DH ?
  • 1 0
 I love all the riders, but still: War Danny Hart!
  • 4 4
 No live streaming for the qualifications this year?
  • 1 3
 That is for semis, isn’t it?
  • 2 12
flag Muddy-Runs FL (May 4, 2024 at 4:52) (Below Threshold)
 @Roost66: last year they streamed the qualifications.
  • 9 1
 There has never been live streaming for qualies
  • 1 5
flag Muddy-Runs FL (May 4, 2024 at 4:53) (Below Threshold)
 Looks like only semis and junior finals are free on YT this year.
  • 6 0
 @Muddy-Runs: Not even the semis are scheduled on YT right now
  • 2 1
 @sp00n82: for real?
  • 6 0
 @Muddy-Runs: Yeah, only the Junior finals tomorrow are scheduled right now: www.youtube.com/@uci_mtbworldseries/streams
So it's basically the worst of both worlds, the riders have to risk more and we get to see less.
  • 1 0
 @sp00n82: what a joke!
  • 2 0
 @sp00n82: don’t forget that if even if you’ve paid for coverage this year you’re getting less than last year.

I didn’t complain about 6 hours of DH. Semis definitely diminished the finals but they mattered. They still matter, but WBD has decided not to show them.
  • 1 0
 Bruni is ridiculous
  • 1 0
 Props to Henri Kiefer
  • 1 0
 C'est parti !
  • 1 0
 Never count Greg out!!
  • 1 1
 What does the * mean next to some riders names in the list above?
  • 1 0
 U23
  • 1 0
 Where is Gwin???
  • 1 2
 This is all a very big disappointment
  • 4 4
 Jess Blew itt







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