Finals Photo Epic: The Puzzle - Val Di Sole World Cup DH 2019
Photo Epic presented by Five Ten
The Black Snake is a boa constrictor to the brain for most riders, even with a modicum of consistency of conditions. A track wider and rougher than any other, even a couple of seasons ago when this iteration of the course was first conceived, it is now almost completely devoid of any comforting loam; more eroded and savage than ever. Throw in one gratuitously violent storm for qualies and then pour two or three hours more heavy rain on top and no amount of muscle could save you from the wrestle with the kind of slippery python that reared its ugly head. From that point, it became a thinking man's race, a jigsaw with great boulder-sized puzzle pieces that to all but most bicycle-astute, just did not fit well together.
Riders were left with the biggest head-scratcher of the season so far; how to approach race day on a track that had destroyed their confidence and weathered their mettle so badly. As the Italian sun heated the ground back up, the grip was surely returning to the most treacherous sections, but to what extent? Few could be sure, but four riders got it exactly right; the first time winners in each category. Mille Johnset took her maiden victory for team Atherton and Norway, leading out a bewildered Vali Holl. Kiwi junior, Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, as much a surprise to himself as anyone else, found himself on the top step ahead of another unfamiliar face, Zak Gomilscek of Slovenia. Meanwhile, in the women's race, Marine Cabirou brought the French revolution over to the women's field with a colossal virgin win of over 11 seconds. Cabirou's growth in skill and confidence is absolutely plain to see, with or without three of the biggest female names present, even finding time for style on the finish jump.
The near-unrideable conditions of men's qualifying yesterday had bordered on the farcical and although blue skies prevailed, the start order was in disarray. To some riders all the change had clearly burrowed far too deep inside their heads, wreaking irreparable damage and with no chance of restoring the shattered trust in time. For Laurie Greenland, that was not the case and following a rip-roaring display of superiority on the most challenging course on the circuit, victory was his by a sizeable 2.8 seconds. Always capable of a breath-taking charge down the gauntlet, Greenland came into the race with the formidable CV of a second-place here in 2018 and a silver medal at the 2016 World Champs. The completely ecstatic and almost speechless winner was able to explain the combination of brains and brawn he used to wrap this one up, even using some special lines his dad had suggested from the walk they made together three years before. We now look ahead to Switzerland and the final rounds of the series, hoping for a little more of the same crazy drama. It's all we know in this business after all.
Hello sunshine. A colossal relief for all concerned to have such a contrasting day of weather after the carnage of qualifying.
Here comes the noise.
Vali Höll warming up as the sun began to shine in Val di Sole.
Anna Newkirk would take third in Junior Women.
Höll was the first to admit she struggled with this slippery Italian serpent from the start. She got taken down fair and square by Mille Johnset this time.
Norwegian, Johnset, was the first racer to join the first-time winners' circle today.
Your top three junior women in Val di Sole: 1st Mille Johnset, 2nd Vali Höll & 3rd Anna Newkirk.
Fast kids club meets at the top of the hill, first thing in the morning.
Thankfully, the mud tires were packed away today as the sun began to rapidly dry yesterday's waterlogged track.
Zak Gomilscek takes his first podium and only 0.3 seconds off the win.
Kye A'Hern charging into third place.
Lucas Cruz's hopes of the podium were dashed in a big crash. We were glad to see him get up unscathed and finish off his run.
Out of nowhere, the winner of the Junior Men's race would be Tuhoto-Ariki Pene from New Zealand.
Huge first World Cup win for this racer from a land far, far away. Well deserved on this unforgiving track.
Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, still in disbelief as the podiums get on.
Your top three junior men in Val di Sole: 1st Tuhoto-Ariki Pene, 2nd Zak Gomilscek, 3rd Kye A'Hern
Pasty dirt and treacherous roots greeted the elite men and women for practice after junior finals. Over the next few hours, things remained sketchy before the grip level rocketed back up to that of timed training.
Marine Cabirou put the work in here in Italy from the outset and it paid off.
Cabirou annihilated the competition today, a commanding debut victory.
Veronika Widmann had more to give on this course, but mistakes cost her and she had to settle for 4th place on home soil.
Nina Hoffmann exploded a wheel during a big crash in her run.
Hoffmann's day, in a nutshell.
Camille Balanche takes her first podium with an emphatic 3rd place.
The game face of Camille Balanche as she crossed the line.
Emilie Siegenthaler back on pace as she closed out the women's podium.
A crash, then a flat derailed Eleonora Farina's day in front of her home crowd. Visibly upset in the finish area, friends and family tried to console her.
Cabirou whipping over the last jump and well into the green over the rest of the field.
Lit up. What a season it's been for the young French woman.
Cabirou knew that her run would be tough to beat.
Tracey Hannah pushed hard and made a few mistakes in the process. She was no match for Marine Cabirou today.
The reaction on the hot seat as soon as the win was official.
It was an emotional one for Marine Cabirou who took her first World Cup win by a massive twelve seconds.
Fastest women in the west... Cabirou, Hannah, Ballanche, Widmann and Siegenthaler.
The only rain on Saturday was champagne showers. The women didn't seem to mind.
Victory. It's sweet.
The thought on everyone's mind after yesterday's fiasco.
Talks about line choice continued well after practice was done.
This track beats bodies and bikes alike. Henry Fitzgerald, getting ready for battle as his bike is looked over.
Hugo Frixtalon laying it over out of the woods on his final run.
Loic Bruni was catching up to pace in the splits, but couldn't climb out of the red.
One untrustworthy riding service, no bones about it.
Reece Wilson got faster and faster as his run went on, ending up in 14th place.
Amaury was not the only Pierron killing it out there on the hill today - Baptiste snuck into the top ten too.
Just outside the top ten was Charlie Hatton.
A great ride took Hatton into 11th place and put him in contention for the World Champs selection.
Troy Brosnan disgraced himself today with the worst result we've seen from him all season. Tenth, a horrifying performance, we can all agree.
No lack of speed on this track. You have to be on the limiter to compete here.
Thirteenth for the Denim Destroyer.
Strong performance for Remi Thirion in both qualies and finals. Eighth place today.
Insane form once again from the Austrian who's been knocking on the door at the World Cup for many seasons.
David Trummer smashes another top ten result, agonisingly missing the podium by less than a tenth.
Loic Bruni launches out the woods and into the hot seat, soon to be kicked off the top spot by Greenland.
Full gas to the line from Bruni to take 2nd. He leads the series with a season that has seen him take three wins, two seconds, and a seventh.
If there's a rider always hard on the hunt here in Val di Sole, it's Danny Hart.
Hart will be gutted with 5th. He was fastest at the top two splits and then picked up a flat somewhere towards the bottom of the track. Hard to know which position he would have placed without it.
Third place for Loris Vergier, nearly five seconds back from the winning time.
After a rough start to the season, Vergier has found his form, consistently landing himself on the podium.
The Syndicate's fastest Frenchman continues to be a threat, anytime, anywhere.
The thousand-yard stare of Amaury Pierron on his way to 4th.
What a ride from Greg Minnaar who was on pace for 3rd before making a huge mistake in the last section of woods. He kept his composure though, and would end the day just off the podium in 7th.
Weird to see Greg awkwardly standing in the crowd, watching on as the remaining top qualifiers made their way down.
Laurie Greenland always goes well here in Val di Sole, so it's no surprise that this would be the venue for his first win.
Inside line for Greenland on Sam Hill's corner and visibly carrying more speed than anyone.
No luck for the Bulldog this time after a crash off-camera, but the fans were still keen to see him fly.
With weather playing into his favour, Forrest Riesco was one of the last to start - 15th and a Redbull live appearance is pretty damn good, we'd say.
A valiant crack at the big time by the quiet Canadian, Forrest Riesco.
Man of the match here in Italy surely goes to Davide Palazzari, doing it for the home crowd. A "multo buona" qualie, backed up with a massive 12th place in the final.
The hot seat crew congratulate Palazzari on a good game.
There were a lot of eyes on this man today. After his qualifying heroics, Joe Breedon ended up 25th in finals - one of his strongest results to date.
It's been a while since we've seen the number 55 plate in front of the last man down the mountain.
The long wait he had to endure will seem worth it now! Everyone was stoked to witness Laurie Greenland take his first elite win.
The 2015 junior World Champ finally did it.
Joe Breeden inspects his split times after being the last man down the hill.
Mike Jones was the first to storm the finish corral in celebration of teammate Laurie Greenland's first win.
"Ecstatic" describes it.
These faces are getting familiar on the top steps.
Podium celebrations as Laurie Greenland's first World Cup victory puts a halt to the winning streaks of Loic Bruni and Amaury Pierron.
Greenland in a near-drowning incident.
Laurie drinking in the first World Cup win.
Always a party when there's a new winner at the World Cup.
Mick Hannah presented his tribute helmet to the family of Corrado Herin on the podium to close things out in Val di Sole.
And the battle rages. Onwards to Switzerland!
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Honestly why do people try comparing weekend warrior dentists to world cup downhill racers?
Really I had these rims for 2 seasons, including a year in Whistler, on a trail bike, only single small dent after all that abusement, no issues at all, even the tires fit well on tubeless set-up.
This isn't really true as when Loic came down he smoked the rest of the guys who had gone before, until Laurie put in a better overall time.
"I'll take the frame of amaury and the suspensions of loic and a pair of jeans please"
It’s not.....Strava is waaaay more accurate.
JVK : give me a pair of jeans please. oh and my phone...
Ride down with earpod in his ear.......