Stand Tall: Lenzerheide DH World Cup - Qualification Photo Epic
This is it. Don't get scared now. Qualifying day is done and finals beckon, but only for the lucky few who survived the full-speed dash of the gauntlet. Plenty did not. Protected riders Brook MacDonald and Connor Fearon each rolled out of the gate, then called it for the day, both taking big diggers in training sessions. Luca Shaw was onto one of the fastest times, but blew up before the line. George Brannigan exploded in the top rocks, but still qualified, while Greg Williamson was not so lucky. Perhaps worst luck of the day went to Brendan Fairclough: 9th at split one, then suffered a mechanical and missed the cut—21st place in the overall.
Today was all about facing up to the beast and getting it done - even the man who ruled the roost had his own problems, getting his knee patched up, home surgery style and then sending it into first place anyway. Finn Iles seems unstoppable. He went down damn hard in the rocks in the morning, then rode into third in qualies on a flat. And let's not forget: the fastest time in the women's went to a rider who pulled her own dislocated shoulder back into place on track just a few weeks ago... Healing vibes to all the riders who crashed out of the contest, particularly British junior, Megan James, who fell on the fastest section of the track and was airlifted out during her run. It's mighty mean out there and everybody knows it's going to get meaner when finals come around.
Suffice to say Finn Iles got absolutely served in the top rocks during morning practice. Resilient as ever, it wasn't enough to stop him from sending his qualy run to 3rd—with a flat near the end.
First light breaks over the ridge as the women and juniors headed up for practice.
It's a fine balance between pushing too hard and overcooking it, or being conservative and ending up down the time sheets.
Myriam Nicole drops out of the start for her qualifying run. Second place ahead of Tracy Hannah means she is now the theoretical points leader of the Women's World Cup.
IFR's Charlie Harrison went into beast mode out there today and sent it right up into 11th spot.
Tahnee Seagrave won't be happy with 5th, but she's not far off the pace and has plenty of scope to move up the results sheet.
A great ride from Joe Smith today, who will be keen to lay down a hot one with the new team. A 12th for Norco's Brit.
Rachel Atherton has taken it easy this weekend with fewer practice runs than her competitors, but it seemed to play to her strengths—she vaulted to the top of the pile.
Bruni slotted into 4th a bit off the pace of the leading trio.
Tahnee has been struggling after a big crash yesterday.
Luca Shaw was right on the pace until the very last split. He'll hope to bounce back and maintain the same speed tomorrow.
Gee Atherton into 41st, which is incredible given how short a time it was since he was laying in a hospital bed with a dislocated hip.
The 100 plate takes it! Well, 18th place anyway. Not bad, Marc Beaumont.
The mechanic preps Troy's bike whilst the physio readies his body for the battle tomorrow.
Danny Hart started his 2016 winning streak on this track and would like to repeat that result.
Matt Walker, making the big bike sing.
Kade Edwards had a nightmare of a run today, but look for him to be a podium threat in the junior race tomorrow.
Laurie Greenland had a big off just before qualifying, but it was nothing a few bandages and some tape couldn't sort out.
13th for Greenland.
Full gas and no brakes through the narrowest of tree sections are one of the many reasons Aaron Gwin is on top of the leader board. With the top three less than two seconds apart, tomorrow's final is going to be a nail-biter.
Manon Carpenter found herself back in 7th and will have to get busy on track tomorrow morning to find those lost seconds.
Carpenter bombs through the rocks just as the sun was begins to brighten things up.
Alex Marin hasn't quite found the pace that landed him in the top 10 last week. He would end up 31st.
5th for Loris Vergier and in touch with the leaders.
Adam Brayton, floating on the edge of adhesion towards the bottom of the track.
Baptiste Pierron, Amaury's brother, is in the form of his life right now. After 12th in Andorra, he upped his game one more to score 7th in today's qualies.
It might just be qualifying, but with points on the line, it still puts riders nerves on edge.
Mark Wallace equals consistency. 8th for the Canadian.
Some riders are super serious during warmup, while others have a more light-hearted approach. Miranda Miller is never afraid to crack a joke or a smile to lighten the mood a bit.
Brendon brushes the tree branches on the big high-speed step-up.
More rocks and a whole lot more dust was on tap for racers as they took to the track for morning training sessions.
Just 1.2 seconds off the pace and in 3rd spot for Tracey Hannah. What a race we have on hand in the women's field this weekend.
Monika Hrastnik continues to show great potential—today, riding to 8th.
Finn Iles, collecting his thoughts before attacking the flat out Lenzerheide track. There isn't anything particularity difficult here, but going fast on a marbley surface is where the challenge comes in.
Iles punctured part way through his qualifying run, but that didn't stop him from posting the fastest split at the bottom of the track en route to his 3rd-place finish.
Judging by a 42nd top split and ripped trousers, its fair to say Kade Edwards has more in the tank.
Jack Moir wins the sickest scrub contest today.
Moir, shutting down this game of 'Scrub.'
Sylvain Cougoureux takes his second fastest qualifying of the season, can he hold onto this one tomorrow?
Fastest at the speed trap could be an indication of Tracey Hannah's commitment to keeping that plate. Tomorrow, she may need to find only 1.3 seconds on the hill to keep it.
The World Cups travel to some pretty scenic venues, but Switzerland may be the best of them.
Emilie Seigenthaler tries to escape the heat while warming up before qualifying.
Siegenthaler had a great ride: 4th, just 2.3 seconds off the money.
Lengthy course holds, due to crashes and injuries during the junior race, meant lots of downtime up top the elites.
Last year's winner, smashing the lower turns en-route to 6th, with five seconds to find tomorrow.
Joe Breedon brought his A-game to Lenzerheide, claiming 2nd place behind Cougoureux this afternoon.
Eleonora Farina, charging hard and rewarded with sixth place, ahead of Carpenter.
George Brannigan's qualifying run went anything but to plan.
'Does my ass look flat in this?' asks Isak Leivsson.
No hands mean no brakes, and that was Mick Hannah's approach as he rocketed into 8th.
A few broken spokes and a wobbly wheel kept Greg Minnaar from pushing as hard as he would have liked today.
Troy Brosnan couldn't quite back up his fastest time yesterday, but second's the next best thing. Can he step it up and lock down back-to-back wins here?
Keeping a low profile in training and racing with no pressure seems to be working for Rachel Atherton, as she finds herself in the familiar spot atop the leader board.
Every little bit helps. Aaron Gwin clawed some overall ground back, but it's tomorrow when the big points get dished out.
Job done—just one more time.
Clip review time for Luca and Greg chez Syndicate.
Brendan Fairclough, waiting for feedback from the trackside. Brendan had the pace today, with fast splits—until it all unraveled at the bottom. He ended up outside the top 80 and is an unprotected rider.
Close of play, with just one last chance to make it count here in Lenzerheide.
Sending it into finals like...
MENTIONS: @natedh9 / @davetrumpore / @rossbellphoto
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All of the photos are unreal though. The work Pinkbike & the photographers put in for us to view for free is outstanding.
Of course we all pay for it when we buy stuff which pays for this type advertising but still amazing work!
Damn kids these days.
yeah, that looks better