The Hills Are Alive: Qualifying Photo Epic - Leogang DH World Cup
The hills are alive with nothing but the sound of racing, and by god does it sound fast. Conditions began heavy and slick, following several torrential downpours in the night, but the jagged peaks of Salzburg were quickly revealed and today saw eager riders piled up, ten to a second. Only the very best were able to make any kind of space for themselves.... such as Tracey Hannah, for example. Australia's fastest female export is riding like we've never seen, attacking the course with a newfound venom and was able to get out in front with over two seconds back to Tahnee Seagrave and another four to Manon Carpenter.
In the elite men's race, Aaron Gwin did little to sooth the psyches of anyone afraid he might want to land his three-peat out here, also forming the largest margin in the elite men's field and riding to a 3:10.3, over two seconds up on Greg Minnaar and Troy Brosnan. For the juniors' race, Matt Walker once again took down main challenger to the junior title, Finn Iles, in yet another battle we can't wait to see unravel. With another solid day of baking alpine sun on the way, us lucky bicycle sports fan seem to in for an absolute treat when the beeps go off in the morning.
Insert horrendously banal caption about office window views here...
The remnants of the overnight rains lingered through the morning, but by afternoon it was nothing but pure sunshine.
Finn Iles' gear awaiting battle.
Vergier has been laying down hot runs in qualifying so far this year before misfortune on race day; here's hoping for a clean day tomorrow.
A light in the storm shows the way out of the start and into the first jump.
Italian privateer, Alia Marcellini, sending it to 7th spot today.
Luca Shaw motoring down the jumps on the motorway and into 10th.
No big wheels for the Bergamont boys this weekend - Reece Wilson is back on the 27.5" bike.
A high speed traction control fail on the greasy roots first thing for Manon Carpenter.
Manon checks some lines waiting for that 'near miss' surge of adrenaline to flush through.
Mariana Salazar looking to back up her big Fort William result on a very different course.
Markus Pekoll with 'no hope' of avoiding the biggest of the holes in the chattery first turn.
9th for 2012 Leogang World Champs winner, Morgane Charre.
Finn Iles was looking for redemption after Fort William, but would finish second yet again in qualifying to Matt Walker.
Bad luck could not have come at a worse time for Junior Max Hartenstern. He was looking like one of the fastest on track all week but this crash in qualifying would end his weekend prematurely.
Walker just tightened up the points race in the junior men's race by going fastest in qualifying.
Who needs man-made berms when riders can make one naturally out of a loose and muddy off-camber?
Number 1, so why try harder? Because 20 wins just isn't going to be enough.
One fine day on the hill for the DH photographers of the world. Long-time master shooter, Sebastian Schiek, takes in the epic views between riders.
If you don't like the weather in the mountains just wait a few minutes... It'll likely change.
Connor Fearon hammering into the hall of fame section behind training buddy, Bernard Kerr.
Watching and learning from the explosive mistakes of others... a tip for the top.
The 'silicone surfer', Laurie Greenland, is looking mighty dangerous out on track, as if 7th with including a big mistake wasn't warning enough...
Got to save those legs for race days.
Jack Moir had a small crash today but still has work to do if he is to repeat his Fort William success here in Leogang.
Tuck and roll in the roots... it's a young man's game.
The World Champ just hanging in the ether.
Moto style from Mick Hannah en route to 6th in qualifying. Leogang has traditionally been one of his best tracks and he will be charging for the podium tomorrow.
You know the times are tight when Eliot Jackson is 12 seconds back and finds himself mid pack.
Sam Blenkinsop can make the tamest turn look wild.
The one bad thing about Loic Bruni's kit this year is that its pretty obvious when he's hit the deck.
Matt Walker is looking absolutely ferocious once again here in Austria.
Paula Zibasa of Lativia came along today to smoke the junior women's field by almost 5 seconds. Can she be stopped tomorrow?
Sam Blenkinsop railing one of the big wall rides above the bottom woods.
Not many scrubs going down this year on account of the main line having shifted to the space in between the kicker and the flat. American, Devin Kjaer, serves one up anyway... Good on him.
Kaos Seagrave is firing on all cylinders this season, getting well in touch with the elite men's times.
Let's hope for more of this weather again tomorrow. With rain falling on the final riders in the first two rounds it would be nice to have an equal playing field for everyone in the finals.
Switzerland's Emilie Siegenthaler wall-riding her way into 6th spot this afternoon.
Laurie Greenland is on form this weekend and sits 7th going into the finals.
Loris Vergier and the 100 yard stare en route to 5th in qualifying.
It's hard to shoot the riders when the landscapes look this good.
Bernard Kerr floating into the high speed bottom section which should be lined with fans tomorrow.
Manon Carpenter came fourth, but it is a long six seconds between her and Tracey Hannah.
Vergier produces those sweet airtime goods we were all hoping for.
Tahnee looks set to give Tracey Hannah a run for it tomorrow after finishing just 2.4 seconds back in qualifying.
Part time model, part time sender, Dean Lucas, romping his polka dots back into the top 20.
Eleonora Farina is a real rising star in the women's field... 5th today, can she repeat for finals?
It's tight racing at the top with a few seconds taking you from hero to zero.
Danny Hart about to take cover in the tunnel from the incoming rain storm.
There's a multitude of steep line choices in here and in fact, more than a few spots.
Neko ducked out of training early yesterday after crashing and injuring his wrist. Taking it easy into 26th today, he will hopefully be close enough to full strength to keep a good thing going.
A red flag came out after Remi Thirion took a nasty crash on the controversial finish line jump. The first to have a second go at it was Troy Brosnan who would end the day in 3rd
Brosnan rocketing into third with his rerun, he's in touch for tomorrow.
Unprotected rider, George Brannigan, riding back into the top 20 today where he belongs.
Fastest at all four splits, Tracey Hannah is looking to extend her overall lead and make it two wins in a row.
Greg Minnaar came second in qualifying but has Aaron Gwin in his sights for Sunday's final. With the top five all crammed into four seconds it is going to be a tight one.
Aaron Gwin and Leogang work well together; the American has almost unrivaled ability and efficiency at pumping and eking out the pace on such a high speed course.
Consistently the man to beat in Leogang year after year, Aaron Gwin once again set the fastest time of the day.
Matt Walker's Saracen getting the luxury treatment with washes in between runs. The track would have dried out ten fold by the time he went up for his seeding run.
Time to check those helmet cams and think where those micro-seconds might be leaking away.
With the Athertons on hiatus, there's a different brother and sister act topping the ranks...
First for a very happy Tracey, and sixth for her her bother Mick. It was a good day on the hill for the Hannahs.
Suspended Productions at the post-qualy interrogation stations.
A safe and sound qualy for GT's English quarter, Sam Dale.
Loic Bruni, taped up and ready to give it another go tomorrow.
John Hall doesn't lose sleep worrying about loose bolts the night before finals because none of it makes any difference to Gwinny's run now does it! John probably does fall asleep hearing tired old jokes like that though. Touche!
Put yourself in this guy's shoes... Feels kinda nice being the best doesn't it?
Sending all our best thoughts and wishes out this evening to World Cup super talent and tremendously good guy, Remi Thirion, following his crash on the final jump during qualifying. The latest word is a broken collar bone, ribs and a couple of fractured vertebrae, which we'll be happy to call a lucky escape. Rest up Remi! Get well soon also to all the other fallen riders out here, not least Thomas Estaque, Lachlan Blair and Fraser McGlone. Heal well guys!
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could been worse, definitely. Get well man.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkrS7XUN4ng
Remi and other racers give it their all to do what they love and provide us with some great viewing. Show respect when they are hurt.
but damn Remi had uber speed for that jump, i wish him and all other who are struggeling with injuries a quick recovery!
Looks like the girls having a hard time adapting to the high speeds. It definitely takes some adjustments, I hope they can get out unscathed.
There sure is a lot of crashing going on across the board for a track EVERYONE complained was too easy.
Disclaimer: I love 29 wheels, they are crazy fun in turns if you learn how to slam them down, for scale I'm comfortable hitting Dwayne J/A-Line, but not Crab Hits on 29 trail bikes, I have no idea if this was mechanically induced, and I wish Remi the best possible!
There were far too many other close calls here by other riders so it's the jump not the wheels
A LOT harder to controll in the air and especially a buckaroo!!
Overall misstakes from riders happen but I think its fair to say that the run in (when dry) gives a bit to much speed to easily. A guy of Remi's caliber shouldnt overshoot the landing that much and by the looks of it while trying to scrub it. Racing over jumps call for a really good builder so he can sense just how much speed the best can carry into it. Especially on such a big jump any small misstake will cost you dearly which is unecessary imo.
But major healing vibes to everyone that has hit the deck.