Finals Photo Epic: Andorra DH World Cup 2023
The fourth DH World Cup of the year has wrapped up in Andorra. 2023 World Champion Erice Van Leuven backed up her win at Fort William as she lit up the splits to win the fourth round of the 2023 series. The Junior Women faced a flat-out and loose course as they kicked off the Junior racing in Andorra. Current series leader Lisa Bouladou would face some tough competition from Emma Iten but it was the newly crowned World Champ Erive Van Leuven who blew apart the field. Only Valentina Roa Sanchez could come within 13 seconds of the top time as she ended her run 5.3 seconds off the pace.
Ryan Pinkerton finally secured his first World Cup win as he kept it all together to come out on top. The speeds were high and the times kept dropping as the Junior Men put on a wild spectacle as the Andorran course produced some of the best racing this year. The French racers looked dominant with Hugo Marini blowing apart the top times before Nathan Pontvianne would best this again by over two seconds. The French would be stopped as Christian Hauser went into the lead by just 0.3 seconds before Ryan Pinkerton dominated to win by over a second.
Nina Hoffmann was dominant in Andorra as she battled the steep and loose course to take her first win in 2023. The winning streak of Vali Höll has ended as Nina Hoffmann took a 2.8-second win against the 2023 World Champ. Vali Höll missed out on another win this year as she was the only rider in the top five that did not improve upon their qualifying run. Tahnee Seagrave continued to show she is back on form as she flew into third place.
Thibaut Daprela took the win after an electrifying run. As heavy rain began to fall for the top ten racers Thibaut Daprela took the win in Andorra besting Greg Minnaar by 0.121 seconds. Finn Iles wraps up the top three racers, 2.316 back. Loic Bruni deserves plenty of praise as he had the tough job of being last down after the heavy rain and still managed a great finish in 22nd.
The pits are now quickly packing up as the series heads to France next weekend.
Erica Van Leuven did the business here in Vallnord to christen her rainbow stripes.
Erice Van Leuven crosses the line on her way to the win here in Vallnord, Andorra.
Erice Van Leuven takes yet another World Cup win. What a talent.
Van Leuven, Roa Sanchez and Bouladou reign supreme.
Ryan Pinkerton's final run before World Cup glory.
Ryan Pinkerton enjoying the vast Andorran view headed towards the top step of the Junior Podium.
Pinkerton with a hell of a run taking his first win.
Pinkerton finally gets the 'W'.
Pinkerton, Hauser and Pontvianne clean up in junior mens.
First light over the horizon.
Sunrise over the Pyrenees.
Thibaut Daprela warms up before the sunrise and the day's chaos.
Real early morning start in the Norco pits.
Loris Vergier doing his best to warm up around 7 am this morning.
Another day is dawning and somehow the elite racers of the world are ready to drop.
The beginning of a fantastic day for Luke Meier-Smith. 8th place on his comeback from injury.
Finn Iles morning style for miles.
Flat as you like in the morning light.
Veronika Widmann in the early morning light.
All the light, all the steeze.
It was hard to fathom the weather that was about to roll in at first light.
A brilliant run by the King of Crankworx later in the day put him in 14th.
An early morning chair lift ride for Dakotah Norton.
Morning yoga with Gracey Hemstreet.
Vali Hoell riding the chair up with her rainbow bike.
O'Callaghan kicking off his top 10 day.
Matteo Iniquez testing out the wind conditions.
Then the weather front began to roll in.
Dakotah prepares for the dismal forecast during the long wait for the lift to restart.
Andi Kolb has had a great season so far.
Vali Holl waits patiently for an update with the racing on hold.
Finn Iles was in a tight race with fellow Canadian, Jackson Goldstone, for the overall. Today's result will flip that on its head.
It would be a big day for Minnaar after a shaky start to his season.
Gear check with Mark Wallace.
Lozza with eyes on the ridgelines.
Greg Minnaar and Kevin Joly wonder what the day's weather will actually bring.
Amen.
Kolb waiting it out and hoping he can score some more points on the day in the chase for the overall.
Tahnee Seagrave chipping away up the results sheet as she continues her journey back from injury. A super strong third place today.
Mille Johnset would just miss out on the podium in 6th.
9th place for Phoebe Gale.
Marine Cabirou kept it tidy enough for fourth today.
The new Euro Champ, Eleonora Farina, stormed back onto the podium this afternoon.
Louise Ferguson with a great ride into 7th.
Mille Johnset frustrated with what could have been.
Marine Cabirou heading towards a podium finish.
Hoffmann off the final jump with green on the board.
Vali Holl was flying around the track all week long but came up just short for the win today.
What a run from Nina Hoffmann.
What a strong ride from Nina Hoffmann to take the win. Minimal mistakes and clean lines were certainly the key today.
Vali Holl congratulates Nina Hoffmann who got the better of her today.
Nina topping out the stoke levels.
Your Women's Elite podium - Nina Hoffmann, Vali Holl, Tahnee Seagrave, Marine Cabirou, and Eleonora Farina
The afterparty already under way.
A very well deserved third place today for Tahnee Seagrave as she begins to come back into form.
Smiles for days on her third World Cup win.
Clawing at the top ten, Mark Wallace had a good enough run to place well into the top 15.
Frenchman, Antoine Vidal, finally with a podium ride here in Vallnord.
After some terrible luck earlier in the season, Greg Minnaar is back on the box and in second place at that.
Daprela about to make the Commencal after party that bit wilder tonight.
Daprela over the last jump and into the finish bowl with green splits.
Finn Iles matched his number plate and took third but that also meant taking the overall points lead, too.
Kolb's crash on a simple open section signalled the beginning of the end for competitive conditions as the rain really stepped up a few notches.
Bar hump glory the consolation prize for Kolb.
Not the day that Jordan WIlliams would want but still lots of fight left in the young gun for the remainder of the season.
Jackson Goldstone debriefs his race run at the finish line.
Ethan Craik with a best ever result, only just missing out on a spot on the podium.
Vergier, never not hauling.
No cigar today in the rough conditions for second place qulaifier, Vergier.
Second from last man down Loris Vergier was another that was unlucky with the heavy rain that came in.
Last man on the mountain, Bruni, somehow making good time despite it all.
What a win for Daprela and what a venue to do it.
Defeat for the top qualifier and the man who took World Champs here back in 2015.
An understandably disappointed Bruni at the finish. He would arguably be in the worst of the weather conditions from his run.
Bruni despair versus the media frenzy.
Thibaut Daprela takes his second elite World Cup win.
The elite men's downhill podium with Thibaut Daprela, Greg Minnaar, Finn Iles, Antoine Vidal and Bernard Kerr.
Daprela thoroughly back in the champagne after a couple of seasons away.
The Goat is back in the mix... just one more time.
Daprela was ready for anything today and that's what carried him forward to the top.
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weird looking Pirelli tire on the back of Vergier's bike. Lol.