In for the Kill: Finals - Leogang DH World Cup 2016
Just when you think you've seen the fastest it's possible to go through a section, the quickest run you could imagine down a track, there'll be someone to come along and blow it to smithereens. At the world cup it happens every time. The sea of talent is a deep one right now in downhill racing and it only gets deeper and more cut-throat every season that goes by.
Two riders are more capable of slicing clean through the field right now than any others, in a clearly defined and downright murderous league of their own... Of course, we speak of the one and only Rachel Atherton; today riding to her 10th back-to-back victory and a grand total of 30 career wins and in the men's it's, 3-time series winner, Aaron Gwin who ticked off the Leogang hat-trick. For the umpteenth time, the Californian unleashed the beast on the rest of the pack and somehow emerged multiple seconds out in front.
After days of rigorous mud prep and sleepless nights thanks to a faulty weather forecast, the course continued to dry fast over race day, but it never quite seemed to get there. The majority of top-flight riders, unable to adapt, were left scratching their heads in the mixed up conditions and with the kind of result they'd rather forget. The level continues to soar and those who can't learn to fly quick enough are simply snatched up and dashed against the rocks by the ferocious competition. Must be why it's all so damn good to watch.
Somehow the evil weather stayed away throughout finals for all categories, instead hovering across the valley above those famous Leogang peaks.
This is how the day started, and with heavy rain having fallen overnight we were not feeling too optimistic.
It was a multiple tear off kind of day in practice.
The sixth Leogang world cup is down in the history books without a hitch. Thanks to all the officials that made it happen.
JUNIOR FINAL //
Specialized Gravity team mechanic, Kevin, had his hands full today prepping bikes for two riders both with very high chances of winning.
Mud gear or not, Finn Iles has some of the best style of any rider out there regardless of age.
Intense's Nikolas Nestoroff continued his great run of form to take 4th in the mud.
Sylvain Cougoureux backed up his superb qualifier and stomped a podium here in Austria.
German rider, Max Hartenstern, on a burner through the greasy rock garden to land a top 10 at his first ever World Cup.
Iles boosting to the moon and back on route to second place in Juniors.
It was a rough one out there today.
Gaetan Vige is already showing, shall we say, 'flashes of Thirion'. With today's win, he's now jumped up to second in the junior class.
 | The race was very technical and too muddy for me, but I am very happy because I still managed to take the win.. I did two big mistakes, but I got away with it! The track was still very wet for the juniors, but in the end, I am happy because perhaps in the dry I would not have been so good. I am second in the overall right now, I was third before. Hopefully I can have some more wins and be in the fight this season - Gaetan Vige |
Good sportsmanship between two rivals. Excellent to see competition and camaraderie even at a young age on the WC tour.
Commencal Riding Addiction's Gaetan Vige, all smiles after winning his first Junior WC race.
Your Junior Men's podium in front of the beautiful Leogang panorama.
WOMEN'S FINAL//
Manon battled with Tracey Hannah at each split but could never overtake her rival, eventually settling into 4th when all was said and done.
German champ, Sandra Rubesam, qualified for the first time this world cup, then put the hammer down for 9th.
Veronika Widmann ripping into another convincing top ten this afternoon.
Tracey Hannah carves the wall ride just above the muddy bottom woods.
It would be awesome to see the Canadian champ, Miranda Miller, race more World Cups and her 3rd place today should hopefully be the hint her sponsors need to help her hit up a few more rounds this year.
Miranda and Rachel Atherton trade battle stories at the finish line and threatening weather begins to roll in.
Emilie Siegenthaler hucking the rooty stepdown but coming in just off the back of the podium this time.
A well earned second place following a brilliant run for Tahnee Seagrave.
Seagrave in attack mode like she was the whole run... this time only 5 seconds back on Atherton.
Ten consecutive wins and now a grand career total of 30 victories, Rachel Atherton's prolific record grew one further this afternoon in the Leogang mud.
| I always said whichever 30 comes first; age or wins I'll retire! I didn't really start out to ever get so many wins, you kind of get on with it and it ticks away I guess. Suddenly, at 28, I was like 'sh*t no way... I think I can win 30 here' and then you do it and it's pretty mad. Maybe next I'll learn whips or no-handers or something ha! Tracey can do one-handers and Manon can do no-handers so there we go haha... I was really nervous this morning because I thought I might do something stupid like crash, you know, every race now I am bound to do something wrong! I had a bit of a wild run, a few moments here and there. It's been really hard all week, so wet in the morning practice for us. We were on the track at 8 am and it's so hard... I thinks the girls had it harder than anyone with the conditions for sure - Rachel Atherton |
Atherton, Seagrave, Miller, Hannah and Carpenter ruling the Austrian roost here today.
The only podium pain is champagne.
Miller hits the showers.
The Redbull skydive team on the fall to Earth before the men's finals.
MEN'S FINAL //
After threatening to rain all day, the sun finally broke through and finals went off without a raindrop. Even the slopestyle crew, here for the 26 Trix comp, came out to enjoy some sun and some DH racing.
MS Mondraker's Laurie Greenland had some big issues with a certain pole on track that was moved after the end of the training session. Florent Payet and Oscar Harnstrom also had crashes at that point due to the controversial last minute move.
Brook MacDonald out to improve the GT team's record this season, but struggling to find the podium form of Leogang last season.
It's a Word Cup, so no race report would be complete without a picture of Steve Peat... for one last season anyway.
Brayton going full Metal Mullisha on the final sender. He couldn't keep it inside the top ten this race, but 22nd is never a bad result.
The King was in attendance... both the real one and this old school version.
The chances of getting shot in the woods today were high.
When your name is Brendan Fairclough and your run doesn't go to plan you please the crowd by going more sideways than anyone else off the finish jump.
It was great to see Aaron Gwin's YT Mob teammate, Angel Suarez, getting his season back on track today, dropping into a respectable 23rd.
Matt Simmonds blasts through the thick and drying mud on the last technical chute on track.
Mick Hannah came oh so close to the top 10 he was hoping for and had to settle for 11th today.
And that, ladies and gentleman, is why they call the man 'Sik Mik'... 11th place with a suicide no-hander over the massive finish jump.
Remi Thirion pins it into the finish arena. He had a brilliant result here last year but just couldn't find that form again this time around, perhaps riding a little too cautiously.
After a fluffed up race run it was to infinity and beyond for the Ratboy.
Joe Smith shows you just how deep the ruts are up there on his way to an amazing return to the top 10.
Long range flash steal... Gee Atherton was on the struggle bus this weekend due to his big off in Scotland and then another hard crash in training, but fought on hard for 15th to salvage those important points.
A solid ride with one hell of a scrub for the fans, Connor Fearon took 8th.
Bernard Kerr, ready for the whip-off at Crankworx next week and still sending his best ever WC result with 7th.
Cube Global Squad's, Greg Williamson, true to his plate number, came in 6th, once again missing the podium by a whisker. One of these days he'll nail it good and proper.
Another brilliant result for Greg after some flat-out, original lines in the roots.
Greg Minnaar turns it up a notch through the slop on his final practice run.
Minnaar did his best to bring the thunder he found in Fort William, but might have pushed a little too hard in the greasy conditions.
Scrubbing style, but not speed, Danny Hart went into beast mode for finals.
Danny has found amazing consistency this season and landed on the podium once again.
Somehow Hart gave away his time advantage on Brosnan around the Stair of Contrast section.
Training harder than ever before and loving his new suspension set-up, Danny's having his best ever season.
Specialized mechanic, Aaron, gives Troy's bike one final check before he heads to the top for his race run.
Troy flies over everyone's head on an absolutely pinned run to third place.
Kinda wet, kinda dry... the theme of the race.
| It was so sick today, the track dried out so much and I was just thinking it's a timed run like in Friday's practice. In the back of my mind I was like 'it's gonna be dry so just go, go, go... just go for it and don't be scared'. I attacked the whole way down and went as fast as I could... no regrets! I was just having fun out there, doing all I could and hung it out, trying to get back to my old ways of last year. The season is getting on and on and I'm getting faster - Troy Brosnan |
What a weekend for Loris Vergier. Fastest at the first two splits, and so close to taking his first WC win today.
We're sure his teammate, Loic Bruni, wishes he was here to celebrate tonight.
Aaron Gwin was on a mission in practice today, hitting sections faster than we have seen him go all week.
Once again it was Aaron Gwin coming down the hill last, saving the drama to the very end. And what a run it was.
Aaron sends the winning goggles high above the peaks into the screaming crowd.
Congratulations all around for these two guys today. What a weekend, and what a race.
| This morning was rainy and sketchy to ride, I didn't like it very much, but this afternoon was just insane, the track was looking good. I pushed a little bit and it was so great to ride, I enjoyed it. Finally I got second so I am just stoked and it's just a good day bro, insane! We rode on Friday in the dry so I put my mind into dry mode. I think I pushed as much as possible, it was almost perfect... Aaron Gwin is just crazy fast so I don't care, I am just so happy to be second and for the moment I keep it cool with my expectations. It was so funny to follow Ratboy in the quali, maybe one day I will do it again. It helped a little bit for sure! - Loris Vergier |
Phil Atwill already well into party mode after scoring his best ever result of 14th.
Team Aus relaxing before podium appearances.
With the #1 on his back, Aaron Gwin climbs to the top step of the podium for the second time this year.
| There was more pedalling this time than last year, that's for sure! I really hammered the middle and the bottom because I rolled the top good, but it felt kind of steady. I was trying to be smooth, but slowed down a little too much and started making little mistakes. I hit the middle after getting through the roots still alive, so I thought I have to make it happen and put the hammer down. I didn't know any times, but I saw Loris in the first turn and he kinda ripped that thing to pieces so I thought I wish I wouldn't have seen that haha... I never really like to know how the others do because I want to try to have my best run and call it a day. So thankfully it was enough man! I was game-planning for wet conditions not for dry, but I am always stoked when it dries out because I guess it suits me a little bit better. We kind of guessed with the settings for suspension and the Fox guys did a great job and my bike felt really good. It was a bit difficult because the holes were really big and it was very windy at the top, so that dried the track out even more. I could have been a little more aggressive I think, but it's all good! - Aaron Gwin |
With the top three all armed, the champagne drenching was a little more extreme than usual.
Drink it in... Drink it all in
Real men of the mountain: Gwin, Vergier, Brosnan, Hart, and Minnaar.
Leogang 2016, uncorked.
Time to get clean after a filthy weekend abroad.
The six wheeled Bergamont bus rolling out of town with top 20 results for both Chapman and Masters.
Well wishers all around for Greg Minnaar as he returns to collect his stuff from the pits after one more podium.
Simply unstoppable.
MENTIONS: @natedh9 / @davetrump
Must Read This Week
121 Comments
I don't know but Onzas sponsorship didn't pay off so far but that's not something Maxxis is unhappy about.
www.facebook.com/Propaindirtzelvy/videos/1746648555577022/?autoplay_reason=all_page_organic_allowed&video_container_type=0&video_creator_product_type=2&app_id=2392950137
That comb over mind!
anyone else think he is just going crazy watching his team mates (vergier, iles) just crush it...
his rivals (brosnon, hart, minnaar) really stepping up...
and his nemisis (gwin) continues at another level...
not too much motvation, huh...?
Realistically not everyone is here to be #1 - there are some fantastic results and great narratives and stories of riders that seem to get bypassed because all Claudio can talk about is who will be #1.
There is a lot to like about Claudio but I think there are much better colour commentators out there.
Minnar's accomplishment is insane and he deserves all the recognition he gets no doubt. But Rachel is just completely dominant. They participate in the same sport. Soooooo......?
9 × dh world champ
5 × world cup overall
2 × dual slalom world champ
2 × four cross world champ
1 × dual slalom world cup overall
1 × four cross overall
3 × junior dh world champ
3 × bmx world champ
1 × bmx olympic gold medalist
Thats not including her EWS stuff or the fact shes just kicked cancer too!! Dont think cancer stood much of a chance really!
www.pinkbike.com/news/6-questions-i-want-answered-opinion-2016.html
Don't believe me ? Watch this bra
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ0qpQ4YupY
@ktmtb & @mentalhead I let anyone have his own opinion. But if you state it openly (like haxxx in this case), you better have a reason for it other than trying to be popular. There is still no one who could provide even a hint of a reason to dislike Gwin, other than that he eats gluten-free or doesn't drink alcohol. And applying your principle of letting everyone do and think whatever he/she wants, that's not even a rational reason to dislike him, after all.
If you think I'm Gwins fanboy, then you are mistaken - just read my comments on the Leogang results article... I'm already a huge fan of Bruni and I have been for at least 2 seasons.
So, let me sum up your logic: you are allowed to judge Gwin for no reason, but I'm not right to judge people on their opinion? Makes total sense
And btw I love Gee and can't stand ratboy so wtf do you want?