Finals Photo Epic: Time Is Money - Leogang DH World Cup 2019
Photo Epic presented by Five Ten
There aren't many races on the circuit where 4 seconds off the top pace sets you back outside the top 10. Leogang is a track where the riders stack up on the same second like nowhere else and those dastardly 'what ifs' play on the mind of racers more than ever. The slightest drag of the brakes, a pedal too many here or a pedal too few there; these are the things that will have Greg Minnaar and Troy Brosnan lying awake tonight having ridden to the same second as Loic Bruni. Actually, there's no way Minaar's even trying to sleep, the bar's not going to drink itself dry.
Conditions had riders walking a tight-rope of pushing ever harder to squeeze out the milliseconds, but not so much as to overcook on an extremely dry and untrustworthy surface beneath their tyres. Indeed in many sections, the Austrian Autobahn may have been the loosest we've seen it for several seasons in terms of dirt. Taping, on the other hand, was probably the tightest riders have encountered and many were punished for their lack of precision either on the clock or with explosive crashes.
Time is money here in Leogang, just a little more than usual and it was Bruni, Hannah, Daprela and Holl making bank across the categories. However tight the times were, the cream always rises to the top. We now adjourn the competition until Andorra 3 weeks from now.
Summer days in the high mountains.
Go time in Austria.
The only way is up. Joseph Foresta ride the elevator up to the lift for first laps.
Vali Holl settling into her pre-race routine.
Preparing to take back what was once hers on home turf.
Mille Johnset would ride to 3rd place, less than second behind rival, Newkirk.
Anna Newkirk in the series leader's jersey took 2nd in the junior women's race.
Vali Holl is the undisputed queen of Leogang once again.
Your top 3 Junior Women. 1st Vali Holl 2nd Anna Newkirk 3rd Mille Johnset
Showing yesterday was no flash in the pan, Matteo Iniquez seizing 3rd and his first podium.
Kye A'Hern matching his number plate with a number two spot on the podium.
Thibaut Daprela soaking up the vista en route to the top spot in the junior men's race.
Daprela is a force to be reckoned with; 1.9seconds in the clear today.
Rachel Atherton in the zone.
Raphaela Richter couldn't quite match her 5th place from yesterday but 6th at your first world cup is still one hell of a ride.
Best result yet for Kate Weatherly taking home third.
Marine Cabirou had yet another strong run today, just 0.2 shy of third place with a crash.
Nina Hoffmann has got a taste for the podium now and went one step higher than last week and into second.
Two podiums on the bounce for Vero Widmann, let's see if she can muster the three-peat.
A dark day for Rachel Atherton in Leogang.
With the dry weather and heat, the track became unpredictably dusty and slippery in the upper sections, catching many riders off guard. Rachel was one of many victims today.
Tracey Hannah has shown that she has the speed all year and today it finally all came together.
Hannah claims her fourth career win, her last being Fort Bill 2017.
The queen of Leogang this time around, Hannah, salutes the crowd.
Hannah's been riding with confidence all season and it was finally rewarded today.
What a beautiful day in a beautiful place.
Aaron Gwin's mechanic giving the brake levers just a bit more feel before training.
Danny Hart and Jordi Cortez review some helmet cam footage while discussing the parts of the tracks that had Danny looking to adjust his suspension setup a bit.
The Canyon gang heading up to tackle the loose and dusty track one last time.
Laurie Greenland putting in the final touches on his race rig. Unfortunately, no amount of fine tuning can prevent an untimely crash.
The best watching the best during the last lap of practice. The last rut before the motorway was a key point of interest.
That's more like it from Luca Shaw. He got steadily quicker as the track went on, ending up in 9th.
Luca Shaw scrubbing the final jump into 9th.
Charlie Harrison sends it to seventh place.
Harrison, Walker, and Wilson watch the riders get wild on the big screen.
Not Greenland's day out there with a massive crash up top.
Loic Bruni conducting a little business on and off the bike.
What a turn around after qualifying. Loic Bruni went home scratching his head yesterday but found all the answers today.
Bruni dropped in with ten riders to go in front of him and after having some difficulties trying to figure out the course over qualies, it's safe to say he managed just fine.
Bruni through a sliver of light down into the finish area.
Super Bruni absolutely flew today. No one could touch the champs time.
Mark Wallace just missing out on that top 10 in 11th place.
Dakotah Norton went for style on the final jump after crashing further up the track.
It wasn't the all-out blistering run we are used to seeing from Gwin here in Austria, but it was everything he needed to do after a disastrous Fort Bill.
The 4 time Leogang destroyer 30 yards from the line.
Aaron Gwin's luck has turned around somewhat. 5th place today. Hopefully, the momentum will carry on to Andorra.
And the pressure eases for AG as his first podium on the M29 comes at round 3.
Jure Zabjek is beginning to fire on all cylinders again after last year's injuries. 10th place on the day for the Slovenian.
Most excellent to see Remi Thirion crushing his demons here in Leogang and riding to 15th place.
Just 0.10 off the podium in 6th for Amaury Pierron with a knee injury potentially holding him back from top pace.
Not exactly the repeat podium performance for young Finn Iles this weekend. He'll be looking for redemption in Andorra.
Mathieu Dupelle doing the final checks on Connor Fearon's sled.
Fearon speed tucking with only one jump to go.
Yet another Austrian top 10 for the Aussie.
Danny Hart finished with the podium for the third time in three world cups.
Hart as tucked as can be for max speed into the finish jump.
Troy Brosnan, a.k.a. Mr. Consistent, dropping the landing gear. Troy finished third yet still leads the points race going into the break.
Troy Brosnan throws it over the line for a third-place finish.
19th with a crash and 6 seconds off the win for Loris Vergier. There was at the very least a podium there for Vergier.
Disbelief for Vergier losing the front with only one and a half turns to go.
Loris Vergier was within reach of Bruni's pace before sliding out on the last flat corner as you drop into the arena. Loic wasted no time running over and comforting him.
Quite rightly the man was gutted. He was on podium pace, but exactly how far up he would have featured is hard to gauge.
Greg Minnaar is always up there in Leogang but hasn't managed a win since his 2012 gold. Today he so very nearly wen the distance.
It was oh-so tense in the hot seat, but the long wait was worth it in the end for Loic Bruni.
Minnaar almost had it. At 38 years old his riding is as impressive as ever.
Win number 2 of the season for Loic Bruni.
Pumped on second by just a fraction, the GOAT celebrates. Better believe he's back.
Good mates Bruni and Minaar hug it out in front of the crowds and cameras.
Let's see what the Gwizard can pull out heading to the next round in Andorra with a bit more time for his ankle.
Two absolute legends and tip-top sportsmen.
The fastest men in Leogang in front of the masses.
Never one to hold back with the celebrations, Bruni shares the champers.
Not the weekend Amaury Pierron was looking for after a heavy crash and the resulting knee pain. 6th was damage limitation as he drops further behind Troy Brosnan in the overall. You can guarantee he'll come out fighting in Andorra.
What a day up against the clock.
Bottoms up, Loic.
Words to live by, Loic stayed true to them today.
Tracey Hannah once again wears the leaders jersey after three rounds of racing.
Moir and old teamies, Harrison and Lucas talk the talk after two very different weeks of mixed fortunes at the races. Onto the next.
Austria, you've been good to us. Time to fly away home.
MENTIONS: @natedh9 @davetrumpore @mdelorme @andy9 @rossbellphoto @FiveTen
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Maybe he will prove me wrong, like Minnaar has done. Let's hope so. It would be good to see him win the world championship at some point.
Gwin was less than 2.5 back, got a podium, and qualified 2nd in round 1. I think he's pretty much on pace. The days of domination are gone tho with such insanely fast young talent going balls to the wall every race. I guess that's what you're saying though.
I'm predicting 3 Frenchies in the top 4 come September with Brosnan thrown in there somewhere. He's got as good a chance as any ending up in the top spot overall.
Awesome season so far! 4 more weeks now.....
So sitting there with both hands on a cell phone is being in the zone? So when I ride by the bus stop I can get excited to see everyone IN THE ZONE? When I go to the motor vehicle department I know I'm in a special place because everyone there is IN THE ZONE? Or when I'm at a concert and the band isn't playing a hit song I can look around and see all those people IN THE ZONE? Or when I'm driving and my wife isn't even looking at the scenery I can know in my heart that she is IN THE ZONE...and not screwing around with social media or games online?
Oh...ok.