Pinkbike Poll: Who Will Win the Les Gets World Champs?

Aug 26, 2022
by Sarah Moore  
Everyone is chasing rainbows this weekend


It's always difficult to predict who will win World Championships and this year is no exception. We've seen riders like Evie Richards, Reece Wilson, Danny Hart, and Camille Balanche win the World Championships before ever winning a World Cup and then there are riders like Aaron Gwin and Amaury Pierron who have consistently won World Cups, but the rainbow jersey has eluded them thus far. Partly because of riders like Loic Bruni, Greg Minnaar, Pauline Ferrand Prevot, and Nino Schurter that always seem to find an extra gear when racing in their nation's colours.

Greg Minnaar and Myriam Nicole were crowned as the Elite downhill world champions last year in Val di Sole, while Nino Schurter and Evie Richards claimed the rainbow jerseys in the Olympic-distance cross-country. There's a home crowd advantage for the French, riders who are trying to turn around a disappointing season with a top result at worlds, and a chance of thunderstorms... Who do you think will make it into the history books in Les Gets this year?




2022 UCI Downhill World Championships

Who will win the elite men's 2022 DH World Championships?



Who will win the elite women's 2022 DH World Championships?







2022 UCI XC World Championships

Who will win the elite women's 2022 XC World Championships?



Who will win the elite men's 2022 XC World Championships?




Would you rather win the World Cup Overall or World Championships?

Would you rather win the World Cup overall or World Championships?



Posted In:
Racing and Events Polls Les Gets Dh World Champs 2022 Les Gets Xc World Champs 2022 World Championships


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121 Comments
  • 115 2
 Why are there so many missing? Minnaar, Daprela etc...
  • 115 4
 And there are some in there that aren’t even racing lol such lazy journalism.
  • 7 2
 @enduroNZ: I can't agree more...
  • 35 3
 They want us to get ready for next year's world cup coverage
  • 1 15
flag elpunkito (Aug 26, 2022 at 0:28) (Below Threshold)
 I think the list is for those who haven't won the champioship yet
  • 1 1
 Seems like something went wrong, all the other lists are ordered alphabetically by first name - for the Elite Men‘s that also works up to letter E, after that it seems random who is there and in what order…
  • 2 1
 @elpunkito: Nah, Just in the Woman's XC listings Jolanda, PFP, KC and Evie have won it previously.
  • 1 1
 @elpunkito: Nino Schurter?
  • 34 1
 @elpunkito: where’s Finn?
  • 6 1
 Don't know why you mentioned Minnaar, it's not like he's ever won anything. I also love how the PB spellchecker highlights his name when you spell it correctly.
  • 33 1
 Im voting for Minnaar, Daprela, Iles, or Bruni. Oh, wait, sorry, I cant
  • 6 0
 Angel Suarez
  • 7 1
 Right but let's be honest the only name you need on the list is Pierron.
  • 1 0
 @enduroNZ: Pinkbike’s proof readers not awake in France yet
  • 3 0
 Siegenthaler is in there, but didn't she quit? She didn't do any world cup event, that's for sure.
  • 1 0
 You would think the winner of the last DHWC would of made the list
  • 2 0
 @L0rdTom: Yeah but MSA proved that he is not invincible and can occasionally biff
  • 2 0
 @commental: that's your operating system or browser, not PB
  • 1 0
 @manybrouce: i mean in the elite men dh list, gwin and pierron is there both yet to win the championship but danny hart is in the list too, he won in champery by 11 seconds i think and then he won again i just forgot the venue on the 2nd one so maybe the list is indeed messed up idk
  • 1 0
 @Augustus-G: sorry i only meant in the elite men dh list, that's why maybe my post is a little bit confusing
  • 11 3
 Apparently I cross checked the lists for all the categories except the one most people are interested in, that’s embarrassing. That list should be all be update to date now.
  • 2 0
 @L0rdTom: BK has a good chance
  • 1 0
 @pmhobson: Weird. It only highlights stuff when I'm typing on here.
  • 1 0
 Maybe you've heard of this Loic Bruni guy, I hear he's pretty fast, maybe even fast enough to win...
  • 1 0
 @sarahmoore: Bruni is still missing from the list
  • 1 3
 Drapela who won last time amd is holding all the time splits in first... Really who ever did this sheet should be fired doesn't know a shit of what's going on in DH...
  • 52 2
 Not normally one to criticise but that list is a disaster, missing huge names like Minnaar and Bruni and there's at least 5 riders on there who aren't even racing.
  • 7 1
 Call them out in the intro, miss them in the poll. Ugh. Updated now!
  • 1 0
 @sarahmoore: Sarah, you're still missing Bruni.
  • 3 0
 Still missing Bruni and Daprela-top local hopes... Smoke the weed after you write the article Sarah not before!
  • 30 2
 Greggggg Minnaaarrrr!! LOL we just want to see Greg up there.
  • 3 0
 Can hear Claudio's voice already
  • 6 0
 Minnaar? I mean when was the last time he won??

Oh right, yeah..
  • 1 2
 He's got enough... Time for another ones!
  • 6 1
 Well obviously he’s on the…. Okay he wasn’t somehow, I’ve added him now.
  • 24 0
 What is Sarah smooking and where can i get that stuff?
  • 9 0
 Cannabis is completely legal in Canada so you can get in anywhere, heard from a firend they sell some strong stuff overthere!
  • 6 0
 @winko: Looking at the shambles that is this list, I'd rather not partake, thanks.
  • 1 0
 @winko: tis true!
  • 16 0
 Really wanted to go with Finn.
  • 12 0
 No Finn or Loic...

And Jenny R. is still listed.

Maja Wloszczowska??? Did she come out of retirement???
  • 8 0
 Manuel Fumic??? Another one out of retirement.....

Who's next to mount a comeback? Annika Langvad? Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå?
  • 5 1
 @Augustus-G: Sabine Spitz will be worldchamp!
  • 5 0
 @bashhard: Bart will race himself.
  • 3 1
 You can now!
  • 5 1
 @Augustus-G: In my defense, I scheduled this article before I wrote the Jenny article. All other additions/omissions are inexcusable though!
  • 2 0
 @sarahmoore: OK, I'll give you that one. This time. Smile LOL
  • 1 0
 @sarahmoore: all good. Lightly poking. Or trying to be light about it!!
  • 8 0
 Bloody hell Pinkbike, did you even try with the DH list? FFS.
  • 7 0
 An entire article today for Jenny not racing, yet shes on this list!?
  • 7 4
 I don't really get World Champs tbh. Apart from the fact that you get to wear the stripes afterwards, it really isn't that different from any other race during the WC season?

The only noteable difference I can see, is that it's supposed to be more orientated towards country vs country, but there is very little focus on this in the racing coverage.

Am I missing something?
  • 8 1
 You get to wear the stripes afterwards, you are world champion. Not sure why saying you're the best at what you do isn't good enough?
  • 14 1
 @jeffrocx: best in the world on that particular track on that particular day. I think the World Cup shows more who is the best. But, that poll is pretty much 50/50 so we’re not supposed to agree!
  • 7 0
 "the fact that you get to wear the stripes afterwards" this is literally it.

Going down in history as a World Champion in any sport is something that holds extra prestige.

IMO it's similar to a bunch of other sporting events - not necessarily ones in which you become a World Champion, but things like winning Le Mans, Indy 500, Daytona 500 vs their respective championships. Some events just have more prestige and I think MTB World Champs is one of them.

I would be surprised (but also interested to see) if any racer would take a WC overall instead of World Champs.

don't get me wrong, there's plenty of sports where winning a World Championship isn't the most prestigious either... Tour De France win vs a World Championships in Road Cycling is an obvious one...
  • 12 3
 Not really; the best way to decide a World Championship is a season long series, like in MotoGP, MXGP, F1, etc

You can't 'fluke' a world title over a season.

A 'one off' race to decide a World Championship is flawed; the best rider could be sick, get a puncture, break a chain...and that's it.
Being good on one day, is no way to decide a World champion - but it's another outdated cycling tradition.
  • 4 1
 @Starch-Anton: Not sure F1 is the best example, the way the title was decided last season…
  • 5 0
 @Starch-Anton: I agree, F1 actually has a good way to decide the World champion.

I know it will never change, but the overall world cup winner could be the new world champion, then you get to wear the stripes for the whole next season
  • 3 3
 It's world champs. The winner isn't always the best full stop, but the best on the day. It's sport. It doesn't have to make perfect sense.
  • 2 1
 The stripes look cool and all, but the format is, dare I say... redundant?
  • 8 2
 I'd like to see World Champs be more like the Olympics. Teams of riders participating in a relay race. XC first, climbing one timed stage before tagging an enduro rider who then continues to climb (non-timed) to a timed descent form the peak to a mid point where they can tag their DH partner for the medal. And make it aft the overall series is completed.

Too big and complicated? Just make it DH & XC then. Vote up or down, I don't care. It's Friday.
  • 2 1
 @Staktup: I think that would be cool actually.

Regardless, World Champs should be more focussed on teams/countries imo. Makes no sense in it's current format.
  • 1 1
 @excavator666: It's an individual award that follows you for the rest of your career
  • 2 2
 @suspended-flesh: Obviously, but why? What is different about achieving it than any other WC race?
  • 2 1
 @excavator666: The stripes you own for life. It can change a career more than 1 WC win.
  • 3 1
 @excavator666 We used to get to see the Team Relay Event which is exactly what you're talking about, a Country vs, Country Team Event. I really do miss the coverage of it.
  • 2 1
 They should rename it to 'DH of Nations' or something similar IMO. It's a total misnomer, and without a doubt reduces the prestige of the overall championship. Not to mention,the majority of casual fans think the "World Champ" means overall champion.
  • 7 0
 VPN providers?
  • 2 0
 Not the fans in the US. You can watch 120 hours of people using golf sticks and whacking balls at a single golf event, weeks of paddle boarders whacking balls at a single tennis event, on 5 different tv channels and online. Bicycles... Is it the TdF? Nope, gonna pass. Thank god for Freecaster back when and Redbull tv, both companies streamed to open markets for free. Would have never known you could watch live mtb racing from around the world in the US. It's that bad.
  • 5 0
 It’s a long shot but I gotta pull for Gwin.
  • 1 0
 'Murica
  • 5 0
 Explain VPN to me like I'm five
  • 2 0
 It makes your device seem like it’s connected to the internet somewhere else. Good for privacy. Good for watching stuff online that’s blocked in our area (some shady company is broadcasting this year so we can’t want the better stuff).
  • 13 0
 It's like a Halloween costume for your computer. When you visit a house they don't recognize you or where you come from. This way you get the candy even though you're that jerk kid from down the block.
  • 1 0
 @somebody-else: that's the joke.
  • 5 0
 Greeeeeenland’s time.
  • 1 0
 I hope so
  • 3 0
 One gets the feeling that these articles always favor certain racers but this one makes it very obvious !
  • 3 0
 Maja Wloszczowska is dancing with the stars not riding this yeas... among other things. What an joke of the poll...
  • 3 0
 Amaury will probably win, but id love for BK to win.
  • 4 0
 Steve Smith
  • 4 0
 Ángel Suárez?
  • 3 0
 If the ladies let Loana get away it will be a race for second.
  • 3 0
 Finn for the win????
  • 2 0
 Voted Baptiste Pierron as he's not running in stead of Thibaut Daprela Smile
  • 2 0
 Why is Siegenthaler in the poll?
  • 2 0
 I think Daprela is going to get this one.
  • 2 0
 They're pulling a full Sven Martin on Finn Iles
  • 1 0
 Keyser Söze
  • 3 0
 Angel
  • 2 0
 At least Chernobyl Flückiger didn't make the list.
  • 2 0
 120 people think Evie Richards is going to win XCO?
  • 2 0
 Looks like the intern was tasked with putting this poll together.
  • 2 0
 Tebow Dracula p4 with a crash in quali. He’s my pick.
  • 2 0
 No Greg Minnar?
  • 3 1
 and Minar is missing too.... Back to the oven PB, this cake ain't baked yet....
  • 1 0
 Tryin to go finning if you know what I'm sayin
  • 1 0
 Good job leaving out many of the big names
  • 1 0
 Can't vote because Greg Minnaar is not in the list.
  • 1 1
 Living the retired riders on the list. Very hopeful, I like that optimism, Pinkbike!
  • 2 0
 Pidcock the poacher Wink
  • 2 0
 Definitely Cathro.
  • 1 0
 Always a Finn fan, but I'd still be very happy if Benoit Coulange won
  • 1 0
 I'd like Greg to win. Every year, since 2001.
  • 1 0
 Jordan Williams for the Junior DH Champs
  • 1 0
 Amaury and Vali. Myriam to be on pace but bin it Frown
  • 1 0
 No Siel Van Der Velden?
  • 1 0
 This should be good!
  • 1 0
 LMS, Gwin, Amaury
  • 1 0
 lol
  • 1 1
 What's the forecast looking like. A rain disrupted race perhaps?
  • 1 0
 Finn for the win!
  • 1 0
 Finn Iles
  • 1 0
 Balls
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