Finals Photo Epic - Mont St Anne DH World Cup 5
What can we say? It's been a while. Four years is no short weekend, but after all this time, the one and only Sam Hill is back setting the kind of pace we used to know him for... the fastest kind. Qualifying off the back, but still in touch with 6th, he was more a wildcard pick than any kind of dead cert. Problems with his brakes in that run may have held him back from throwing down all his chips and giving away early his master-plan to destroy this infamous Canadian raceway when it mattered. It comes as a more than welcome surprise addition to the history books, as we see five winners from five rounds and indeed, the return of the king. Sam Hill at long last comes home to roost in the place where he won the World Championships and raced his first ever World Cup all the way back in 2001; the mighty MS of A.
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 Hopes and dreams. Ratboy's freshly laundered race kit sits neatly folded, ready to take the top step champagne soaking later on. |
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| Some people had other ideas... These hands had a strangle-hold on the track like no one could have predicted. Other than maybe Sam Hill's son, Bam, who called it all along if you have Instagram. |
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 | I wanted all year to win. Fort William I was happy to get second but still disappointed to not get top step. I was really looking forward to this race because the last big win I had was World Champs here in 2010, so I thought I may get things started again here...classic Mont St. Anne. The track is long, rough and fast... just a challenge all the way. I kind of like these sorts of conditions and I put a good run together, missed a few of my lines but I am pumped that I still pulled it off - Sam Hill - CRC Nukeproof |
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| The quiet American, Aaron Gwin, knows great success in these climbs. Today wasn't as he'd hoped, but we can assume he's saving something extra special for the home-soil of Windham next weekend. |
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| After a few days of on and off rain it was all sunshine today, making the track ultra fast, blown out and loose in more than a few spots. |
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| The Canadian fans were out in force enjoying the beers in the baking sun and offering a good mix of French and English heckle and generally raucous support. |
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| For king and country. Vaea Verbeeck had a hell of a day riding to 7th, right behind Micayla Gato who was less than maple leaf's breadth off the podium. |
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| FMD's Tahnee Seagrave made the third British girl on the podium and continues to cement herself as one of the World's top girl riders. |
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| Rachel Atherton closing in to Manon, but not quite enough to pull a lead. |
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| I've had good times and bad here really... I've won a few times, but crashed in the World Champs and then again last year. This year has been definitely the hardest for me mentally and my fitness is not there... I'm struggling on the long tracks. I had a six week bed rest after Australia due to a glandular fever infection, just before Fort William, which obviously set me back and I've tried to catch up but the mid season is just not the right time to get some solid weeks of training in - Rachel Atherton - Atherton Racing |
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| God save the Queen from #maddogboris |
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| Rachel Atherton pushing hard into the finish line. She is certainly in good form, but the top five's a tough crowd. It's unlikely we'll wait too long before she strikes again. |
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| Rachel was on a very fast run, dominating the upper splits but would lose time to Manon through the lower woods. Look for her to have no troubles with fatigue next week in Windham on a much snappier stateside course. |
| I am really happy with the result and being so close to Manon because I honestly thought I would be miles away. I'm looking forward to Windham, I do like the track there and it is a bit shorter than this one. It's all still to play for, keep it moving I guess! Rachel Atherton - Atherton Racing |
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| Manon Carpenter getting low and aggressive ready to pounce into the finish area for another win having kept last years winner, Ragot well at Bay. |
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| Manon drops into the final huge double to put herself well out in front on 1030 points. The series isn't quite locked up with Ragot on 870 and Rachel on 850 points. |
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| Just 0.77 seconds would come to separate the three fastest girls down the mountain, the tightest racing at the top of the ladies in some time. |
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| To the victors go the spoils.. and the champagne. |
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| It still feels weird, I am still expecting to not be up there! I'm really happy the racing is close, it's a bit boring when someone is miles ahead so it 's exciting to watch, it 's cool. Today I was actually not going really fast, I kept stalling all the time on the top before the first split... Under the gondola I was getting it together! I always do it like that, building up the speed towards the bottom so I guess I have to sort this out for next weekend because the Windham track's short. When I came down to the finish area I saw red on the board and thought: Oh no... but I snuck it back just at the end - Manon Carpenter - Madison Saracen Factory Team |
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| The junior season continues to captivate, with incredible racing as the North Americans shut down the Euro hopes this time round. |
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| Loris Vergier's knee tells you all you need to know about his weekend. He was fighting to tame the MSA beast that took him down in qualies but it only bit back again in the final. Third is still more than a useful result, however, and he lies just 4 points behind the series lead. |
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| Canadian Jack Iles took full advantage of being on home soil today, and shredded his Evil to an incredible second place. |
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| Luca Shaw qualified first and finished in first. The young American now has the number one plate back and he plans on keeping it at home in the US next weekend. |
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| Shaw has stepped it up big time this year, winning the first round in South Africa and storming to victory once again in Quebec. |
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| A badass scrub and the green light for the win. |
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| Doug Shaw couldn't be more proud of his son, Luca, right now. |
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| Smith checks out race progress from above hoping Nigel doesn't let go. |
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| Sam Blenkinsop smashed his stylish way down the course one last time and it was good enough only for fifth. |
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| Brendog sending through the dark of the lower rock section. After a strong 13th qualifying he settled for 18th at the close of play. |
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| All the high speeds can really take it out you. Norco International take a pre race-run nap. |
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| Exceptio Sport's Oscar Harnstrom sending it for team Sweden. |
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| Steve Peat finally got his race kit after riding borrowed gear all week while waiting for his bags to show up. 9 seconds back was enough to nudge him just outside the top 20. |
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| Bulldog Brook in wrecking-ball mode...Miley Cyrus has no idea. |
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| MacDonald looked pinned all week, but unfortunately couldn't match his podium performance from the last round in Leogang. |
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| Bryn Atkinson dropping in through the rocks where Greg took his fall in the morning. |
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| No fake... Harry Heath, on a team and getting it done. Only 7.4seconds away from taking the win. |
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| Quentin Chanudet putting style first for the crowds at 55kph. |
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| Just not his race. Any track, any conditions, Gee Atherton can make it work. His nasty fall in training definitely salted his game and left him back in 10th. Still a great result by anyone else's standards. |
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| Sam Dale couldn't find the kind of luck to match team mates Manon and Simmonds. |
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| Matt Simmonds slayed his way to 8th and only 3 seconds from the sharp end. The powerful Englishman is well on his way to top step contention. |
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| Loic Bruni was pushing hard in practice this morning, perhaps a bit too hard. Loic finished in ninth, surely not the result he was looking for. |
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| Bruni warps off the giant yellow box to the line. Windham could be right up his street or maybe Meribel in familiar climbs. |
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| Cheers to another epic World Cup in the books! |
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| Greg Minnaar had a massive crash today during practice and said he felt like 2 beers deep after the tumble. He escaped just a bit banged up and was able to still put down an incredible run in the afternoon with a swollen hand. |
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| Minnaar's run was a ripper putting him straight in the hotseat, and it looked like his time might even stick for awhile, but one rider after another came down and took just a little more off the clock. |
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| Gwin will take missing the podium on the chin and look right ahead to Windham. From the side of the track, his riding has stood out all year and the home soil incentive could be just the thing to lock it down in the race run. |
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| Aaron Gwin hits the last huck a little back in the red, his hopes of reigning supreme again on this course diminished. |
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| Blenki and Loic have been filming in Meribel, better believe they are ready to take the season finale down to the wire. |
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| Troy Brosnan was flying this morning. The series leader just wasn't flying fast enough to take another win. |
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| Brosnan left it all on track but he couldn't quite catch Sam Hill this weekend. He did however put some time into his main rival Aaron Gwin for the overall and will still carry the #1 plate into the next round. |
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| Danny Hart has been stepping his game back up. He trained on the track harder than anyone, but we're still waiting for something that matches that all-time World Champs run. |
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| Hart looked incredible once again today, but in all just short of his first ever World Cup win. Could he be another fresh winner in the last two rounds? |
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| Bryceland may not have won today, but he looked damn good all weekend and is clearly one the biggest threats out there. |
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| Bryceland and Hart tried their best to scrub away extra time but neither could manage to go one better than Sam Hill and would end up 2nd and 3rd |
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| Digging deep on the home stretch. Ratty didn't take the top step, but was stoked enough with second. The season's far from over yet anyway. |
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| Ratboy giving the drop a style check. |
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| Hill had a long deserved win today while Ratty has many more to come. |
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| The last time Sam Hill won a major race it was 2010 World Champs at MSA. The last time he won a World Cup was here at MSA in 2009. It's only fitting that the same venue would end his dry spell. |
| Everything is just working awesome this year, I'm in good shape and my bike feels awesome. JC hooked me up with some extra long pins in my pedals, so I got no problem. Flat pedals win medals I reckon - Sam Hill - CRC Nukeproof |
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| Sam Hill picked up where he left off with his last win here in 2010. It's been four years, but it seems only fitting he did it here. |
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| Hill squashes the final jump into the finish area as the timing clock in green tells the tale. |
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| Taking it home and praying it can go the distance. Once Hill starts winning, any chance for the rest of the field is going to go downhill quick. As Sam always says- flat pedals win medals! |
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| After Troy stole the win from his former mentor in Fort William, balance was finally restored today. Sam's been making steady gains all season, and it all came together at last. |
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| The CRC team is a tight-knit crew and Sam's teammates were the first on the scene to congratulate his very long overdue win. |
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| I always believed in myself and I'm very confident now for the upcoming races... there's no doubt in the back of my mind anymore - Sam Hill - CRC Nukeproof |
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| CRC team manager, Nigel Page, phones home as the fans begin to party following Hill's big win here in MSA. |
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| #selfies are all the rage these days, but how often do you see one of a World Cup winner and his proud father just moments after the race. |
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| Up from above looking onto the media frenzy around the soon-to-be interenet explosion of Hill winning another World Cup after all these years. |
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| Every fan hoped and dreamed for it, but few could claim for certain Sam Hill would ever get back on top and at arguably the most significant racing venue. |
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| Drink up Sam Hill, you earned this one. Crazy to think thirteen years ago Hill claimed 47th place here at his first World Cup and came back to win 2014. |
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| Burgers and brauts thanks to Giant Bicycles for a little birthday bash celebrating Andrew Neethling's 30th. It didn't go his way this time, but he is clearly well on-point this season. Happy Birthday Needles! |
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| The dust has settled and history has been made again. Very exciting history it must be said. Time to look toward the Windham round, if that sounds exciting to anybody... |
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Even better to see him on top after 5 years
www.bikemag.com/blog/the-bakery-my-date-with-rob-warner
"you keep saying that word...I don't think it means what you think it means"
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It's going to be tighter than any other race this season with it being a shorter track. I'd imagine the top-20 will be within 5-7 sec of the winner.
www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/pro-bike-sam-hills-nukeproof-pulse-41267
Can't watch on Redbull for some reason?