Qualifying Photo Epic: The Essence of Wetness - Maribor DH World Cup 2020 Round 1
Photo Epic presented by Five Ten
Derek Zoolander once said that wetness might well be considered the 'essence of beauty', but things had already turned ugly here in Maribor before first wheels had even hit the ground. It was a dark and damp start to proceedings with heavy rain continuing throughout the day, creating a very different race track for the riders to tackle just as we're getting towards the sharp end of the weekend. The riders had time for a couple of gloomy practice runs this morning to try and dial in the conditions before the stopwatches came out for the first time in this extremely delayed and disrupted 2020 World Cup season.
It was last year's overall winner Tracey Hannah and last weekend's World Champs winner Reece Wilson who adapted best to the conditions and stole a march on their rivals, both laying down commanding runs to break free from the chasing pack, Tracey by over 5 seconds and Reece by nearly 3. Tracey Hannah was followed in by Myriam Nicole, Monika Hrastnik, Eleonora Farina and Camille Balanche whilst Reece had Thibaut Daprela, Matt Walker, Loris Vergier and Remi Thirion in behind him. In juniors, Anastasia Thiele and Oisin O'Callaghan will get their first chance to be the final riders down the hill tomorrow as they go in pursuit of their maiden World Cup wins.
Whilst the track conditions and overall weather are set to be nowhere near the level we had last week, things are still looking unpredictable which means we've got another frantic race in prospect tomorrow. Will Hannah and Wilson hold out to take the glory or will someone lurking behind them spring a surprise? Time will tell.
Remi Thirion pulling off the rain and dirt which had him seeing fifth place.
What is this, a waterfall for ants? It certainly was a moist one. Again.
The continuing rain seemed to keep the rocks clean and grippy for riders until the end of the session.
At least it's not snow... about the only positive it's possible to take from a day this dark and wet here in Pohorje bike park.
The first time the rainbow stripes were put on in between the tapes for Reece Wilson.
Wyn Masters nipping at the heels of Hugo Frixtalon in the steeze-stakes.
Loic Bruni a little further back than you'd expect today but come tomorrow you know he'll turn that around.
Danny Hart kept it low-key with a time just outside the top 10 in the driving rain.
The discovery that people do actually read the captions has hit us hard. The pressure is now too much. Here are some wet leaves.
Reece Wilson testing the limits of grip this morning, needless to say he found them and was able to dial it in for his qualifying run.
Sixth this afternoon for Tahnee Seagrave and we have to assume she is saving her full tilt runs for when it counts.
Troy Brosnan always there knocking on the door.
Look at the whip! Danny Hart enjoying his morning practice.
Jack Moir again obsessing over sixth place finishes.
Matt Walker seems to really gel with the track in Maribor, he got his first podium here last year and slotted into third in qualifying.
Brook MacDonald had some predictably loose moments on the hill in the slop and came in a little down the order.
Deadliest catch, Myriam Nicole, escaping the netting.
Remi Thirion back in the mix this weekend. Good to see him at the sharp end of things once again.
Anastasia Thiele took a comfortable fastest qualifier in the junior women, can she replicate that tomorrow?
We're still waiting to see Aaron Gwin go back into beast mode and despite the parallels of 2017 Mont-Sainte-Anne with today, he didn't flip the switch and safely rolled into 19th.
The open section above the rock garden was a river this afternoon. Mille Johnset navigating through the ski poles.
Tracey Hannah carrying on her form from 2019 and looks to be the one to beat this year. 5 seconds up on the women's field today.
Ruts began to form by day's end from all the rain.
Big result from the ever stylish Dakotah Norton. 8th in a very wet qualie.
Loris Vergier about to launch it into the rock garden.
Oisin O'Callaghan was another new World Champion ahead of the pack today. First place by just under 2 seconds and sketchy overtake of the junior who started before of him.
Jure Zabjek is home on this track in any weather. 15th for him today.
Morning practice kicked off with a slippery track waiting to be bedded in by riders.
Last year at Maribor, if you remember, Greg the Goat had a bit of a nightmare and failed to qualify. Today he kept it steady and upright for 20th place.
Eleonora Farina in the hunt for the podium positions once again, she was just 3 tenths back on third-placed Monika Hrastnik.
Mille Johnset watching a quick selection of memories from her entire life.
Ending with a fine, nac-nac save.
Thibaut Daprela was green in split two, settling for second once down the hill.
Dark, cold and raining. Summer this ain't. Nathan suited and booted for the extreme Maribor wet.
10,000 ISO and night becomes day... Just without any detail and a whole lot of fuzz. Camera settings made for grim reading today.
Monika Hrastnik safely through the slalom stream into third today.
Reece Wilson proved he's no one hit wonder. First in qualies by a sizeable margin in the worst possible weather and track conditions. Hats off.
Good one today for Finn Iles just outside of the top 10.
That's no way to treat a new jersey, Camille Balanche.
Quite the contrast to yesterday's conditions.
Foot out flat out for Myriam Nicole into a second fastest qualifier, albeit 5 seconds back on Tracey Hannah.
Loris Vergier, skimming across the river, placing fourth.
Just in case you didn't fully realise... it was damp.
And with the autumn weather the motocross theme continues... The finish jump has seen better days even before the first race day tomorrow.
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Definitely one of the best transition from junior to elite for a while, hopefully weather let's him have a ride he deserve to show what he can do.
In the french riviera they called him "the next vouilloz" when he was 14/15yo
Wait and see
Discuss
Balmy.
grip is awesome!
oh, and it is usually dark that time of the year where we are riding.
I think, the whole DH/EWS should be this time of the year and the XC/Road racing in the summer.
I already booked the room as a precaution.
Hahaha one of the best caption I've seen in a while!