8 Wet & Wild Races from DH World Cup History

Sep 2, 2023 at 4:11
by Ed Spratt  
Flat pedals win medals. Gee made a last-minute decision to ride flats and won the race in borrowed shoes.

With Junior racing called off following "significant rainfall", we have rounded up some of the memorable winning runs and moments from past wet downhill World Cup races.

Danny Hart - Champery DH World Champs 2011


Martin Maes & Rachel Atherton - La Bresse DH World Cup 2018



Aaron Gwin - Mont Sainte Anne DH World Cup 2017


Reece Wilson - Les Gets DH World Cup 2021


Camille Balanche & Reece Wilson - Leogang DH World Champs 2020


Sam Hill - Champery DH World Cup 2007


Gee Atherton - Cairns DH World Cup 2014


Steve Smith - Mont Sainte Anne DH World Cup 2013


Let us know what are your favourite runs or moments from wet downhill World Cup races.

Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
2,851 articles
Must Read This Week
Greg Minnaar Off Santa Cruz & Reportedly on Norco for 2024
85689 views
Review: 2023 Transition Smuggler - The Little Ripper
59985 views
ARC8's Prototype Downhill Bike Uses a Sliding Shock Mount
43479 views
Pinkbike Poll: What's Your Ideal Two Bike Quiver?
41377 views
Review: Atherton 130.X - The Lugged Carbon Cruiser
39672 views
Check Out: Waterproof Shoes, A Clever Hip Pack, Wireless Dropper Post, & More
36614 views
Tech Briefing: November 2023
34127 views
CeramicSpeed Announces $669 OSPW X Upgrade for SRAM Transmission Derailleurs
32160 views

40 Comments
  • 45 0
 Sam Hill domination was just the greatest in the sport ! Flat pedal, huge skills insane lines he’s the goat forever
  • 1 0
 THIS
  • 44 1
 Wait, so you are telling me that one can race in the mud?
  • 20 1
 No, not anymore. Not allowed! Frown
  • 3 0
 nope too dangerous have you seen how hard and spiky mud is!!
  • 23 0
 Danny Hart's race in Champery was insane and had so many of Rob's classic lines. But Hill's race in Champery was possibly even more impressive because he had so much worse conditions than the two ahead of him on the podium. A bit like Bruni in the last race - but with a podium finish
  • 8 0
 He also crashed and still came 2nd or 3rd or something, mind blowing
  • 5 0
 @squiffybiker: As someone who walked down the 2007 Champery track, that was something else, there were few berms and mad made things, but most of it was flat turns down the super steep mountain with roots and rocks and everything, absolutely insane track. Danny Hart raced on V2 which is not only rideable, but actually enjoyable by average tech loving rider (except his famous drop, which was completely bonkers, it has also been since demolished).
  • 8 0
 @winko: Yeah man you have to watch Earthed 5 to get the full picture of it. Practice In the 'dry' everyone else is struggling to get down the thing and Sam is absolutely putting a clinic on everyone, he is a genius. I think he qualified 14 seconds faster than anyone. The way he was riding during the Sunday years is just incredible, even if you watch it today it looks fast and he's got technique that modern riders can't match, leaning the bike so far over its just insane, especially considering what tires and suspension was like back then.
  • 1 0
 Champéry is not that difficult to ride in wet conditions. The track is so steep that the water is very well drained, slippery but without mud :-)))

Since then, unfortunately, the track has been completely sanitized by banked bikepark bends, and the steepest lines rounded :-(
  • 21 0
 Rob's and Nigel's commentary on Danny's run is never gonna be matched
  • 26 0
 The video showing the commentary booth during the race is epic.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KZV7zfMGTg
  • 2 0
 @Bibico: thanks man, that's pure gold!
  • 1 0
 @Bibico: gold
  • 2 0
 @Bibico: That was the best performance in DH mountain biking, ever! And Danny was pretty good too.
  • 1 0
 there's a great parody/comedy duo on the social medias called shepmates. They did a voiceover of the danny hart run, it's wortha watch
  • 11 0
 We’re all gonna be like a bunch of old folks reliving the glory days of a sport that we all love so much unless we as fans get together and figure out how to get our sport back and get Warner back in the commentary booth.
  • 9 0
 2007 Champery vid was pure, unadulterated nostalgia.
  • 1 0
 its like a fine wine!!
  • 4 0
 Thanks for posting this and Deans video Pinkbike, you getting behind the riders on this one means a lot. Legends, all of you! You could put Ayrton Senna's Lap of the Gods at Donnington up too, seeing as the UCI like to think it's F1.
  • 6 0
 People rave about Red Bull coverage but the Freecaster.tv stuff was fantastic. Great track coverage and unconstrained RW :-)
  • 6 0
 I'm sorry did Stevie Smith's Mont Sainte Ann winning run not make the cut?
  • 13 0
 Can't believe I missed that one. I have added it to the list.
  • 2 0
 @edspratt: Legend!!!
  • 2 0
 That's a legendary run for sure, but was it really "muddy?" I actually got to see that one in person which was bananas. Partied in the parking lot the night before and lost my voice from yelling all day on race day.
  • 1 0
 @Planetx888: well got a bit of mud on the bike I would say definitely one for the history books. Whished I could have been there for it
  • 2 0
 @edspratt: Does any footage of Kovarik's 14 second win at Fort William exist? I've only ever seen about the last 20 seconds of it.
  • 2 0
 @Planetx888: It wasn't super wet but the rocks were slippery. He had a really good proper wet run that year in Norway that year, some sick drifts in the mud. Man he could ride a bike like no one else. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTMVup8RljI
  • 1 0
 I rode the Champery track in the bone dry this summer with my two sons and it’s bloody steep ! Certainly made us realise just how incredibly good Danny Harts run was on that day and obviously the commentators !
  • 4 0
 Quality post from Pinkbike. Appreciated.
  • 1 1
 I had to go to La Bresse 2018, but at the end stayed at home and watched the livestream where Martin Maes was leading the time, till the last rider (Amaury Pierron) where we literally were pushing the screen for him to make a mistake, which happened on the last section in the grass. Man what a race!
  • 1 0
 I was at the race, the conditions were hideous! Even with full waterproofs and hiking boots it was hard going, I can't imagine racing in it...
  • 3 0
 Literally the perfect article! I was just looking up some of these rainy races.
  • 2 0
 I swore I’d never get old - but Ben Reid, blenky, and Bren talking about champery - so excited for how gnarly it was - jeez it was different back in MY day
  • 3 0
 Martin Maes win was 5 years ago?! WTAF
I hate time Big Grin
  • 3 2
 Huh, did I miss something? Not seeing a single junior run in there. /S
  • 3 0
 1 BROSNAN Troy AUS19930713 AUSTRALIA 3:51.503
2 TRUMMER David AUT19940601 AUSTRIA +12.188
3 CAUVIN Guillaume FRA19940521 FRANCE +19.294
4 BUCHANAN Lewis GBR19930927 GREAT BRITAIN +20.796
5 BRUNI Loic FRA19940513 FRANCE +22.235

Junior results from 2011, Danny Harts great year. They raced teh same conditions.
  • 1 0
 Great stuff, more looking back please!
  • 1 0
 La Bourboule 1992 - for those that remember..
  • 1 0
 All 21st century!







Copyright © 2000 - 2023. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv65 0.040435
Mobile Version of Website