Qualifying Photo Epic - Snowshoe World Cup DH Race 1 2021
The stopwatches came out today with the qualifying session for the first race of the week here in Pocahontas County. In the women's, it was business as usual, albeit with Myriam Nicole absolutely smoking the field; a massive seven and a half seconds up on her closest challenger today. 2020 World Champ, Camille Balanche, came away with second, followed by Holl, Hoffmann, and Cabirou rounding out the top five. They'll have some work to do in tomorrow's short morning practice if they are to have any hope of reeling in the rampant series leader.
The elite men's seeding had slightly more intrigue as both Daprela and Vergier were both absent from the front of the results sheet, which might have raised a few eyebrows if they had not both hit the deck. That left Finn Iles some opportunity to do the business and he will be last man down the hill for the very first time tomorrow. Could this finally be the young Canadian and former junior World Champ's moment? Unluckily for him, the times are ridiculously close, 1.8 seconds separates the leading 9 riders which means the battle for victory tomorrow is wide-open.
Vali Holl was all business this morning as practice started up. She wants a win bad.
Mikayla Parton launching the new jumps with ease.
To call the Snowshoe course unforgiving would be a slight understatement.
Dakotah Norton with the best style on the hill... he's hauling too!
Ele Farina with her mobile pit set-up before go time.
Farina dwarfed by the forest.
Siel Van der Velden with a tactical overtake on her way to 2nd place junior.
Tahnee Seagrave warms up before her first practice run this morning.
Another top 10 result for the super consistent Matt Walker today.
Morning gold for Goldstone, first place once again.
Danny Hart is well in the mix in 7th just 1.4 back.
Ben Cathro doing the business at World Cups! 44th and into the big show despite getting held up towards the bottom of the track.
5th for Marine Cabirou, but she'd rather move up the podium for the big show.
End of season is awards time for riders and media alike. Ross Bell has the nod for a golden member in photography.
Veronika Widmann blasting through the trees at the very start of the track.
A rough day for overall leader Thibaut Daprela. Luckily for him his main rival Loris Vergier also suffered a similar fate.
Tahnee Seagrave's attacking style is always so good to watch.
Tahnee wasn't over the moon with her run, but it really is too easy to bleed time on a track this punishing with any small mistake.
Izabela Yankova is a force to be reckoned with in the junior women category at the moment.
Reece Wilson into 8th with more in the tank for tomorrow.
Laurie Greenland shaving millimeters off the track.
Oisin O'Callaghan will be looking to end his junior career strongly before he steps up to elites next year.
Jackson Goldstone laid down a heater of a qualie. Expect more of the same for tomorrow's final.
Comfortably the number one heckler on the hill so far this weekend... What will run out first, the beer supply or his vocal cords?
Times are tight. Troy Brosnan in 7th was just over a second back.
Brosnan and Wallace ready for the first of two big days ahead this week.
Phoebe Gale had some issues on her run, not least riding far off line to avoid a crash in the lower rocks, but it was still enough for third.
Another strong one for Luca Shaw. He'll be in the mix tomorrow no doubt.
Menoyo Busquets lost a touch of tyre pressure and took himself out of the running in junior men.
Vali Holl into third today with lots of time to make up if she wants to catch Pompon.
Loic Bruni was on pace according to the splits until something went amiss towards the bottom.
Bruni piloting his rusty steed into 12th after a mistake in the final split.
No one wants to win more than Loic, here or mostly any other race.
Nina Hoffmann put down a run good enough for 4th today.
Phil Atwill a little off pace in today's qualie but can surely clean things up for tomorrow.
Mick Hannah around the high speed berms. A more than respectable 16th for him today.
Hannah is definitely enjoying his last go at World Cup racing after a fantastic career at the top.
Charlie Harrison into 10th and certainly with another shot at the podium coming back from his broken arm at round 1.
Dakotah Norton was pipped by Shaw today as top American, but either is well within striking distance of the win itself.
Dakotah inspects the rig after a brutal day of rock bashing.
An unfortunate day for the GOAT, hopefully he will still be in the running tomorrow.
Bad news for the World Champ Greg Minnaar with a suspected AC injury.
Loris Vergier had a huge crash at the top of his qualifying run. He's all good and will be gunning for the win tomorrow.
Not easy on the body at the top.
You wouldn't like Pierron when he's angry. Especially not if you were in a bicycle race against him.
Amaury has been off the top step too long and tomorrow he might just have to make a bit of a protest.
Camille Balanche hammering into a second place qualifier.
Balanche was best of the rest again, although a shade off Nicole's pace.
7.5 seconds. The Nicole gap at the top is broadening.
Myriam Nicole seems unstoppable at the moment. She has a quiet confidence that is translating into her race runs.
Benoit Coulanges' best ever qualifier; 2nd place, less than a second back.
Top qualie spot for Finn Iles. It's been a long time coming for the young man. The next step is hopefully a repeat performance tomorrow.
Man of the match crushing it in the slabs.
Big day for Finn but even bigger tomorrow. Race day is where you put your money where your mouth is.
The sun setting on another day of downhill action in Snowshoe. No room for error and ultra tight times on the podium, this one's sure to be a barn-burner.
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15 Comments
Great pics (as always).
Hahahaaa... Totally missed that. That's what I get for looking at these pics on my phone early in the morning. The pics look even better on my computer!!!