Which Racer Will Wind Up on Top This Year? – Pinkbike Poll

May 19, 2017
by Vernon Felton  
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. It's an old stock market maxim and even though the worlds of finance and downhill racing are unlikely twins, that saying is as true on the World Cup circuit as it is on Wall Street. We know a new generation of riders will inevitably rise and displace yesterday's proven champs. Fair enough.

And yet whenever the World Cup season begins, the same old question rears its head in bars, bike shops and at the trailhead… Who do you think will take the overall title this year? Invariably, people's answers are populated by the previous season's top performers. It's hard to shake the notion that 2017's best racers will step forward from the ranks of 2016's Top 10.
Gwin goggs
Photo by Nathan Hughes.

Well, while I know anything can happen and that some new upstart might well storm the podium at each race this season, I'm going to ask you the same old question—Who will wind up on top at the end of the 2017 season? And since I'm lacking a crystal ball that can help me tease out the unknown younger riders who might surprise us all, I'm drawing our list of candidates for this poll from the top 15 in the 2016 Elite Men's and Womens' overall rankings.

Who should've been on this list and is being overlooked? Feel free to write in your own candidates in the comments section below.

Have at it.


Who will be the elite men's overall leader at the end of 2017?



Who will be the elite women's overall leader at the end of 2017?



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137 Comments
  • 426 3
 I wonder how it feels to have won the only WC so far this season and then not even make it on Pinkbike's overall winner poll? haha
  • 44 3
 Savage. Two up votes.
  • 17 2
 That guys knows the deal about what happened last race. But yea the could have at least included him in the poll.
  • 8 2
 I'll never know unfortunately
  • 5 0
 He took the top 15 from the 2016 overall. Maybe he was initially planning to use the top 15 from the 2017 WC in Lourdes but as it turned out for the mens, you might have been missing some decent riders on that list too.
  • 20 3
 it probably feels like he won a world cup
  • 1 2
 @vlajko: lol
  • 3 1
 @sino428: the deal that he got a lightning fast time and has every right to the podium? Razz
  • 3 7
flag Narro2 (May 20, 2017 at 6:36) (Below Threshold)
 he probably doesnt even know what pinkbike is
  • 6 0
 @Narro2: how dare you
  • 2 1
 He doesn't have a twenty niner. No chance
  • 2 3
 @leftCoastBurn: haha, sorry man got up on the wrong foot. But most likely a lot of profesional mountainbikers dont know the difference between pinkbike.com, vitalmtb.com, mtbr.com, etc... some just have them catalogued in their minds as the interweb's bike sites.
  • 13 1
 @Narro2: That's because they ride bikes, not keyboards.
  • 2 2
 @WeakenedWarrior: really?? You dont Say?!!!!
  • 111 3
 I think that whoever rides the fastest throughout the season will be the overall winner.
  • 112 0
 It's a bold move, Cotton, let's see if it pays off.
  • 21 0
 @vroomvroompartystarter: "I think the key here is going to be not getting hit"
  • 79 1
 As long as good racing and no serious injuries, that's enough for me
  • 32 1
 Man, this is an underrated comment! You're absolutely right--look at the difference in times on the podium most every race.. tenths of seconds. These guys are pinning it on the edge every time down the hill, it's exciting as hell! Just give me a safe season for all the racers, and I'm happy to see anyone take home the win.
  • 73 1
 For the women you should have just asked who was gonna finish second. Much better discussion.
  • 1 0
 It's just silly looking at the poll. She has more than two times all of the other votes combined at this point.
  • 48 4
 Josh Bryceland
  • 30 0
 Long Live The Magic Rodent
  • 10 0
 Basically came here to say this. He's already winning.
  • 3 1
 @endlessblockades: I may be wrong but i think you missed the word mushrooms
  • 35 11
 whoever's on a 29er
  • 3 1
 That will be nearly everyone by the end of the year
  • 26 7
 I have to vote for Aaron Gwin, for the simple fact is that I see him on my local trails weekly and he is a great guy! It's kind of cool seeing him attack the local trails. He makes it look so easy!!
  • 79 18
 No wonder trump got elected if that's the way you vote...
  • 16 4
 @mollow: Trump doesn't even have a shred of dignity. This weekend he's off to the lands holy to the followers of the 3 Abrahamic religions to see if they are interested in a golf course development project. He will attack a well done steak with ketchup. He doesn't even use catsup.
  • 2 2
 @mollow: LOL
  • 11 19
flag Ragsdog1 (May 20, 2017 at 0:00) (Below Threshold)
 @endlessblockades: trump is a joke why he was got elected the us is a joke.
  • 7 2
 @endlessblockades: well done steak (should be shot), with Ketchup (shoot him now please). This is unreal, sod any policies, anyone who eats well done steak that's not pregnant you shouldn't trust. The ketchup thing? Way over the line...
  • 4 2
 @cunning-linguist: Well done steak WITH ketchup? I hate him even more now.
  • 8 12
flag darthchuck (May 20, 2017 at 2:31) (Below Threshold)
 @Ragsdog1: is wales even a country?
  • 20 7
 @darthchuck: It's a better country than america, i don't think they have a school shooting problem which is a bonus.
  • 5 9
flag chyu (May 20, 2017 at 3:09) (Below Threshold)
 Americans, please have some responsibility for once.
  • 20 20
 @chyu:
Which Americans are you speaking to?
Responsibility? I'm married, father of two, self employed, pay my taxes, pay for health insurance, get out of bed in the morning, don't look to others for things I don't have or can't afford. Don't really give a shit what others do as long as it's not in my back yard. It's nice to have a president who actually cares about the people who work in this country, instead of catering to the slackers and takers.
  • 2 2
 @darthchuck:
  • 6 3
 @kubaner: i seriously liked your response

a good way to end stereotyping
  • 23 0
 @kubaner: I'm sure the billionaire trust fund leader really cares for the little guy.
  • 9 9
 @Ragsdog1: the other choice was a withered old, witch-like global crime boss, that's how. Americans want a patriot in charge of our country and Trump is the closest choice we had
  • 12 3
 @leftCoastBurn: I love it when american patriots get in bed with Russia
  • 2 12
flag leftCoastBurn (May 20, 2017 at 7:22) (Below Threshold)
 @jaha222: wow you actually believe that propaganda? Look into the Clinton dealings with Russia and communist china
  • 4 7
 @jaha222: most Americans are all for not have WW3 with Russia. What ever happened to the leftists wanting global peace?
  • 12 3
 @leftCoastBurn: What happened to not sharing other countries secrets with Russians. I'm sure the many leaks about Trumps party's links to Russia and Trump telling the FBI to stop investigating means that there's nothing going on.
  • 11 1
 @cunning-linguist: you're a cunning linguist? Well I'm a master debator
  • 12 2
 @leftCoastBurn: I found it so funny the way he fired the head of the FBI for investigating him. That's a f*cked up democracy if I ever saw one
  • 8 1
 @piersgritten: Seems like a good start to a long, successful dictatorship to me.
  • 4 3
 @jaha222: it won't last, someone WILL shoot him at some stage. To be fair, if I lived there I'd likely have voted trump too, the choice on offer was relatively lame! It's like trying to pick a shit up at the clean end, there would be no decent outcome!!!!!!
  • 3 1
 @jaha222: "it will be the best democracy by a factor of 5. It's gonna be great, it's gonna be absolutely brilliant"
  • 7 5
 @mollow: Good job Mollow. Way to turn this thread into a Political rant! Stay in your lane Mape!
  • 2 5
 @jaha222: thank god for 16 y/os, where would we be without your deep well of experience and wisdom?
  • 4 0
 @darthchuck: Wow, you really are just as salty a snowflake as i predicted.
  • 3 3
 @darthchuck: to be fair, I'd imagine the intellect of the average 16 year old British rider would far surpass the predominant voting public in the southern US states...
  • 5 2
 @cunning-linguist: To be fair, i'm not a dumb kid, and evidently a lot of the US aren't all that smart, specifically the ones not believing in climate change or the ones who still want to see confederate statues in their towns, also a lo of trump voters.
  • 6 1
 @cunning-linguist: I am 16 and currently agreeing with you. However I don't think many of the voting public in Britain are all that intelligent after what happened with brexit. Complete shambles
  • 4 0
 @piersgritten: True, a lot of that was due to lies and the older generation though, throw in a bit of racism and its an easy 52%.
  • 2 0
 @Ragsdog1: You had one job ffs. Do you want to try and use your words again mate? Wink
  • 19 2
 Ah poor Fayole not even a mention for the lad
  • 14 1
 Minnaar's raw skill, massive strength and now 29er wheels makes him a lock for the championship. And I'm ok with that.
  • 12 1
 Hey PB - SIEGENTHALER finished top 5 last year in standing. How about you add her back to your "poll"?
  • 4 4
 Because Rachel.
  • 3 3
 The poll was who will win, not who will come in 5th! Just by adding her to the list wont mean she will get any votes!
  • 1 0
 @Three6ty: It's still insulting that she didn't even make the so-called "poll". Pinkbike is getting as sexist as Drunkcyclist. Seriously PB, one women's t-shirt at Sea Otter! Such continuing disappointment.
  • 1 0
 @CactusLover: PB is sexist because they didn't include a certain female racer on a poll about female racers? Gotcha. That makes complete sense.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: Read my words. It's still insulting that she didn't even make the so-called "poll". I'd like to know why? Homegirl finished 5th overall last year. She finished 10th at Lourdes. She is a better mountain biker than you. And yes it is sexist to ignore and not include someone who is a 100% qualified to be in the poll and is not based on their sex or looks. Pinkbike's female athlete coverage/knowledge sucks.
  • 1 0
 @CactusLover: Its called an oversight. I've seen it happen plenty of times because guess what? Its a mtbing website. Stop with the fake feminist anger over something pointless.I know more than a few female riders who are creating positive change within the sport and they don't care about stupid things like a rider being left off a poll on PB.

Go ride your f#cking bike and put your energy towards something constructive.
  • 1 0
 @scott-townes: I too wondered why Siegenthaler wasn't on the list. ....simply an oversight vs something more sinister? probably, I don't really doubt that. But if this was about any top-of-the-field Man...it's a simple "oops, fixed" and he's added. Fact.
  • 9 2
 Well the Womens is Rachel but I hope someone shows up an starts to challenge her so it makes it a little more entertaining. The men it could be anyone at this point. It would be cool if Loic won but my money is on Hart or Gwin
  • 8 2
 I think Tahnee Seagrave will put the most pressure on Rachel. She even admitted it herself that the pressure is high and Tahnee is nipping at her heels.
  • 16 2
 @Rdot84: That's called good sportsmanship, nothing more.
  • 12 0
 @nvranka: I don't know how they got so many names on that list. Are they making them up?
  • 2 0
 @jaame: hahah true
  • 2 0
 @Rdot84: supported I think Tahnee Seagrave is finally gathering her biking skills together this year!! Smile and I think Manon Carpenter is definitely gathering things together too!!! Like really!!!!!
  • 3 0
 @nvranka: Good sportsmanship. Sure. But also a truthful statement. Tahnee has been the only one to beat Rachel recently in Qualies and isnt far off the pace come race day. No disrespect to Rachel or her skills but when you are at the top people are gunning for your position. That's a lot of mental pressure for any athlete. It will only take the slightest mistake and Tahnee could take a win. Just you wait. Her time will come.
  • 12 1
 Minnaar!
  • 5 1
 Damn Straight!
  • 7 2
 My heart says Bruni, but my head says Gwin or Hart. Bruni rides too close to the edge to sustain it for a full season , tho I hope I'm wrong. Danny winning would be great too. So many in the mix for each race win this season, it's going to be exciting no matter what.
  • 12 4
 Alexandre Fayolle deserves a spot more than Brayton, in my opinion.
  • 5 2
 Brayton was my favorite rider last year! Until I learned that he actually enjoys crossfit more than riding...
  • 1 0
 You are probably right but I love braytons style and what he stands for. He chose hope over other teams offering much more money. Who doesn't love clicky hubs and shiny cnc'd aluminium
  • 1 0
 @mollow: that's it get him off the list
  • 1 0
 You must be French Canadian. :-) @trek81615
  • 7 0
 As much as I want to vote Gwin, Hart looks to be on fire. As much as I want to vote Hanna, Atherton is on fire.
  • 9 1
 I hope Neko Mullaly gives it some beer chuggin braapness!
  • 6 0
 I would like to see Troy on top of the podium this year. Good mate, smooth rider.
  • 5 0
 Connor, just because of the current point advantage. If he can be consistent (even though he said that wasn't his goal) he'll be on/near the top for sure.
  • 2 0
 He's in with a bloody good chance, now Gee's broken
  • 1 0
 @nojzilla: did gee take a spill at bds???
  • 1 0
 @fussylou: otb I read,
  • 2 0
 @nojzilla: dislocated hip! I think he may be out for a while
  • 10 4
 why even have a poll for the women?
  • 20 4
 Because this is seagrave's year
  • 1 0
 eq
  • 1 0
 @Wouldhaveletmego: once she gets over her fear of losing she's going to be unbeatable. Pretty f*ckin stylish in the air too
  • 5 0
 I was the other sik mik voter ! Lol
  • 3 0
 Gwin will be on a MISSION for the rest of the season, I'm calling first at every round since his dsq Same for Rachel barring any bad luck then, Tanhee
  • 8 4
 Surely Jack Moir should be on the men's list!
  • 5 3
 Why?
  • 7 0
 @onemanarmy: because he is now the Australian national champion and won the crankworx dh?
  • 4 0
 Rachel Atherton? never heard of her...
  • 15 0
 claudio stop creating new account.
  • 3 0
 Too bad Gee ended up in hospital, I'm sure he was more than ready to take the first place in WC. Get better Gee!
  • 2 0
 Voted GM.. just cuz I hate change and new stuff and I've supported him since I was 13.. ya know.
  • 2 0
 As much as I want Aaron Gwin to to win I'm not sure considering his luck recently- just flat tires and shit weather rip
  • 2 0
 It's definitely going to be tough (not impossible) for Gwin, seeing how he tends to come out of the gates for the season in a high position. The one thing that might save him is that most of the other top contenders had an off result as well.
  • 3 0
 To finish first, first you have to finish;
  • 1 0
 That's deep, bro!
  • 1 0
 @mentalhead: I do deep every now and then lol, good for my soul; (I hope);
  • 2 1
 Anybody in the top 7, minus Fearon, can win the overall. Ultimately, I'd say Danny Hart. So much momentum going right now.. I hope Gwin wins the world champs thought.
  • 2 2
 Not sure we will see a clean end this year, geopolitics and the financial bubble this fall, call me crazy now, but I am on the record.
  • 22 0
 Just cancelled my Financial Times subscription, and will just follow ur Pinkbike comments going forward.
  • 2 0
 @MTB-Colada: duly diligent indeed
  • 1 1
 @Bomadics don't forget Aliens.
  • 1 0
 @MTB-Colada: good to have you on board, take a seat in the back and hang on for the ride!
  • 1 0
 @Boardlife69: which ones?
  • 2 0
 No love for Mark Wallace?
  • 1 0
 Dear Alix Jaquemart No one cares if you legally change your name. Love Juan Jackedupname
  • 2 0
 I voted with the flock... Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  • 1 0
 Bruni, gwin, vergier, hart, brosnan, minnaar, fearon, shaw, wallace, brayton
  • 5 3
 drinkwater
  • 2 0
 Plent of water was used to make my beer. But thanks anyway.
  • 3 1
 Shaw
  • 1 0
 It's not over till it's over!!
  • 2 1
 DONT CARE AS WILL LIKELY BE RIDING 29ER BIKE
  • 2 0
 We know it won't be Gee
  • 1 0
 No love for Troy ??
  • 1 0
 Neko Mullaly
  • 4 5
 I voted Trump...
  • 3 0
 Well hope you see error of your ways?
  • 8 1
 There is absolutely no way Trump is going to win the overall, just look at the polls
  • 2 2
 @darthchuck: Can he even ride a bike,
far less run a country?
  • 1 1
 @aljoburr: he rides all the best tracks, everybody knows it
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