Results: Lourdes DH World Cup Test Event

Apr 24, 2023 at 2:57
by Ed Spratt  
The results are in from the definitely not a race at the World Cup test event in Lourdes. While riders may not have been hitting full speed as we still have over a month until the first round we did see Gracey Hemstreet and Thibaut Daprela take the fastest times of the day. It's interesting to see Jackson Goldstone sitting in 2nd in the Elite Men's not a race, but Junior racer Hugo Marini actually set the second fastest time of the day, 1.457 seconds back. Check out the full results below.


Elite Women

1st. Gracey Hemstreet: 3:57.546
2nd. Nina Hoffmann: 4:00.722
3rd. Izabela Yankova: 4:20.054
4th. Phoebe Gale: 6:30.305

Elite Men

1st. Thibaut Daprela: 3:03.324
2nd. Jackson Goldstone: 3:05.038
3rd. Loic Bruni: 3:05.148
4th. Amaury Pierron: 3:06.534
5th. Laurie Greenland: 3:07.839


Junior Men

1st. Hugo Marini: 3:04.781
2nd. Dom Platt: 3:09.038
3rd. Rudi Eichhorn: 3:14.913
4th. Bodhi Kuhn: 3:20.358
5th. Vincent Jouvenal: 6:39.948



Full Results

Elite Women

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Elite Men

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Junior Men

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99 Comments
  • 180 2
 Just in case anyone didn't see it, look at Jordan Williams' split times.
  • 7 0
 o_O! crikey.
  • 12 0
 And Hugo Marini! Seemed a tough year for him last year, but was killing it in France in 21. Expecting a breakout year for him this year.
  • 2 0
 What a boy
  • 19 3
 Jordan gets so slept on on social media. I am keen to see what he can do this year!
  • 6 0
 @Jblack89: www.pinkbike.com/news/getting-to-know-commencal-muc-offs-new-junior-talent-hugo-marini.html Wink
  • 21 1
 @pastaman23: Is anybody sleeping on him? He and Goldstone were both putting up top 5 times in the seniors in a few of the WC's last year on days where the weather/course were basically identical for jr and sr races. I don't think even Sam Hill, Troy, or Loic were putting up those kind of results as a junior.

Williams seems quicker than a greased pig at an Alabama hog wrestlemania. I don't think anybody is sleeping on him in the slightest, I think you're just thinking that because its exceptionally uncommon for a junior that fast to come up through the ranks and normally they get a ton of attention for it when it happens, and in this situation there wasn't just one junior doing that but two, and so they're sharing that spotlight.
  • 1 12
flag mtbflow24 (Apr 24, 2023 at 5:32) (Below Threshold)
 um just wondering whats cool about them!??
  • 17 0
 Jordan and Jackson are gonna cause some fuss in elites this year, that's for sure, both kids are unreal.
  • 3 0
 he managed to nail down the perfect time to honor the recent holiday a few days ago.
  • 7 0
 @William42: all three of those guys pre-date the junior category at World Cups, they were all racing Elite from the get go. Loic got his first elite podium in 2012 in his second year on the circuit, so arguably on the same level or even slightly ahead of these young guns.
  • 4 1
 @farkinoath: uhhhhhhh didn't Brosnan win the jr world cup championships twice?
  • 3 0
 @owl-X: junior World Championships, not world cup. He has also only ever raced Elite at World Cup level as he pre-dates the Junior category.
  • 2 0
 @farkinoath: ah, i see.

what's the argument here though? that people are surprised that these super fast kids become super fast young adults?

mega fast
  • 1 0
 @owl-X: whether or not they are 'ahead' of previous generation riders at this stage of their careers. There have always been extremely fast young riders but up until a few years ago if you were fast enough you started off in Elite regardless of your age. Sam and Loic both started out racing Elite and scored their first Elite podium in their second season so not 'fastest recorded time of the day' but still incredible achievements for what would today be second year juniors.
  • 4 4
 @farkinoath: Jordan and Jackson have already put down times that would have won elite. Yeah conditions n shit but the times are like 5 seconds up on the elite times.
  • 1 0
 Where are people watching this? Have to have a GCN+ account?
  • 1 0
 whats so good about the split times
  • 1 2
 @mtbflow24: he was on pace for 2nd place until the last split
  • 1 0
 @srambamthankyoumaam: this was just a jam in the woods
  • 3 0
 @Lanob: he was in 1st by 2 seconds at the 3rd split
  • 1 0
 @Lanob: Oh ok! thanks mate.
Just getting in to this racing busyness
  • 1 0
 @Jblack89: Marini first junior season was a real surprise: He had incredible results the years before on national races, pretty much like Bruni Vergier and Daprela (comes from the same club as them)
  • 1 0
 @Jblack89: fastest first split too and second and final times weren't far from thibauts
  • 1 0
 www.instagram.com/reel/CrZFPCXNR0X/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y

Here you go!
  • 37 5
 Jordan Williams and Goldstone will both win a WC race this year. Both of them are clearly so comfortable at race pace. No excuses and just flat out all the time. Love it!
  • 7 0
 I'm pretty sure also ! But I'm also always thinking of the likes of Bruni, Iles,... who kind of struggled during the first years elite (mainly due to pressure/switch to elite I think, they were already incredibly talented on a bike). But from what we've seen so far from Goldstone & Williams, they seem pretty unfazed haha
  • 11 0
 Easier said than done. But can't wait to see it!
  • 6 1
 @Aksel31: If you compare times from Juniors who were fast and are now very fast, to these guys. These guys are all over them, the sports about to go full Ricky Carmichael Vs James Stewart.
  • 6 1
 I've lost count how often that's been said about new up and coming riders and all of them without exception ended up struggling to even be competitive in their first year in elite, no matter how fast they were in juniors. But we'll see.
  • 2 1
 Gonna be a tough decision for my fantasy team......
  • 3 1
 @Muscovir: Yeah but in comparison, no one else has been this fast. Those guys have been good but still a couple seconds behind elite times. These guys are blowing elite times away. I compared the numbers at the end of last year and these Jordans times when he was on it are on average 5+ seconds faster than what Finn and Daprela were doing, using the fastest Elite time as a bench mark. Given that Daprela won a world cup in his first year. It seems extremely likely that these two are going to win one each.
  • 3 0
 @bikes-arent-real: I can't say for Finn, but Daprela really struggled to get up to pace last year, he even admitted it (still quite unreal to imagine he is "off pace" considering the results he got).
But I get your point ! They really seem in a league of their own, though the only judge will be the race track on d-day ! Can't wait to witness that !
  • 1 0
 @Aksel31: I guess we will see how they deal with it mentally. And if it is just that they are up to speed earlier in life and going to hit the pace the top guys are at now and then plateau. Or if they are going to progress past that speed and blow our minds. I just hope we get to watch it on a decent live stream.
  • 30 1
 Like to see all the YOBs in the 90s and 00s with one in 1981 . Minnaar what a legend.
  • 26 1
 And Jackson had his appendix out a few weeks ago...
  • 61 0
 Those guys really desperate to gain those last few grams !! *Sigh*
  • 6 0
 @Aksel31: Talk about budget cuts. It was probably the cheapest way to loose a few grams. lol
  • 18 0
 Good to see The Goat getting 10th. Pretty good considering his neck injury and thumb surgery. He’d only been on the DH rig 6 times before this weekend
  • 13 0
 Good to See Thibault back on it again!
  • 10 1
 WAS NOT A RACE...Everybody thinking season will look like new juniors beating all the elite...like every year
  • 2 0
 Not at race in what way?
  • 10 1
 When this is the first WC-type action until mid June, it's a god damned race. Thanks to the UCI, about the same number of people will see it as a WC anyway...
  • 1 3
 Uh, except that if you even put 5 intermediate or advanced non-pro riders on DH bikes all of whom love to race and drop them at the top of the track, even with a test event, those people are gonna race...and that's what happened. What would be the point otherwise and what incentive would even exist for Hugo or Jackson going this fast? Sure - not a formal race, but - still racing. Doesn't have to count for people to want it. But lets assume you're correct: zero riders wanted to go fast and get their fastest times. Yep - that doens't compute all, otherwise why bother?
  • 8 0
 That time in juniors is wild
  • 5 0
 Yes, Marini was fastest overall at the first splits.
  • 4 4
 @FuzzyL: Only at the first split. By the second split, Jordan Williams up, and by the 3rd split he was 2s faster than him.

Which in my mind, actually only makes things crazier given that its Williams first year in elites.

Wonder if we're coming up on a point where the fastest riders are all in the 17-20 range due to peak physical fitness and past that you're a washed up hasbeen. Juniors seem insanely fast this year everywhere, out here stateside Gwin just lost a DH SE race to a young junior as well.
  • 3 2
 @William42: I think the juniors are just learning a lot faster. What it used to take five years of elite to learn they are doing it by the time they promote from juniors: technique, racecraft, fitness, focus... both in men and women.

I believe this is due to them applying the same profesional approach that Gwyn brought to the sport back when he started but on another level, they are starting earlier very focused on the racing and giving it all for it even more than the previous generation did. So what we are going to see is these two generations battling it all. Interesting times!
  • 3 0
 @FuzzyL: probly different track conditions haha
  • 2 1
 @William42: 27 is (was?) the age that was considered peak athleticism for most males by many for a long time.
Experience, body fills out, etc...
But yeah, the youngins making me feel older by the week.
  • 2 0
 @yinyang: I think it really depends on the sport in question
  • 7 0
 Nina second despite doing some gardening during the race. Impressive!
  • 8 2
 what is happening to pinkbike fantasy 2023????
  • 11 1
 It’s a fantasy
  • 12 2
 My theory is that ESO Discovery is blocking PB from putting together any fantasy, and PB is towing the company line and not outing them for being turds, as PB is in the pocket of big corporate mtb

/Tinfoilhat
  • 8 1
 @skimtb1: Common mistake. It's toeing the line. As in, stepping right on it but not crossing over.
  • 2 3
 @skimtb1: 100% have been thinking it's a licensing issue with ESO after several, vague, "we have work to do..." statements. Come on guys -- get it together. Everyone wants Fantasy to continue for World Cups.
  • 4 0
 Seen on Jordan’s instagram he got a 2:58 in timed training. We’re in for some exciting racing over the next few years
  • 8 7
 Waiting on the analysis why Hugo's time actually wasn't the fastest and why Goldstones time had to be a fluke. Every 2022 race result came w/ explanations of why Jackson or Jordan didn't actually have the fastest time tho they often did, regardless of conditions. Hopefully Jackson's six second wasting of everyone at Hardline ended the speculation on how juniors can be so fast... Asa Vermette just nuked Gwin, Shaw & others at Rock Creek / Downhill Southeast... not a fluke.
  • 11 0
 The explanation is simple. The reason they didn’t have the fastest time is because they didn’t actually enter the event and put down a race run. They might have got a faster time earlier that morning but that’s irrelevant. It’s a whole different kettle of fish racing at the highest level at a packed venue competing against the worlds best with sponsors that expect results. Just let the juniors be juniors by letting them enjoy learning how to race without piling the pressure on them, just look what you did to Finn Isles and many other junior world champions over the decades.
  • 3 12
flag Mtn-Goat-13 (Apr 24, 2023 at 10:13) (Below Threshold)
 @thenotoriousmic: Must still be snowing heavily where you are because the snowflakes are dumping... but also, nice explaining away of why they actually weren't the fastest. Slick move.

No clue what you're talking about - the JR's did put down some of the fastest times, Hugo particularly this "test event". Whatever pressure they have is what they put on themselves since they are - let us remind you - racing. That's: racing. Its about pressure & being fast. Again: racing = pressure, and tons & tons & tons of it. Its literally built it. Anyone can ride as fast as they want or not - and they do, or don't.

Of course racing is different live - that's: racing. And yet all throughout 2022 J & J continued to have the fastest or top 5 & 10 results all weekend long but my point was that literaly everyone on every podcast & article from PB to Vital (to the comments) found some way to explain that away. Poof - not the fastest because of ABC, XYZ...

So sorry about "what I did" to Finn and other JR world champs ...maybe you can explain what I did to Finn exactly since I & 10's of 1000's of fans have never met him. But I'll assume you mean race fans & the media putting pressure on them. Even then - still no clue what you're taking about. Anyone that wants to race is literally signing up for PRESSURE - because that is bedrock of racing - so if they can't stand pressure & racing then they shouldn't be racing, period. If you show up to the Olympics & start crying because the world is watching then you're in the wrong sport...no one needs to apologize whatsoever for expecting anything...its in fact what we all exactly came to the race to race or watch is expecting.
  • 2 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: Finn Isles has been very open about the pressure he felt after being the junior everyone expected to dominate. You should listen to some of the podcasts he’s been on or read some of his interviews. It’s the only point I can address the rest of the paragraph is just utter waffle.
  • 1 5
flag Mtn-Goat-13 (Apr 24, 2023 at 13:15) (Below Threshold)
 @thenotoriousmic: Everyone is not me - but again, if you're racing, you should expect pressure and sure - no one is out to get Finn (and I never was and I never expected shit - I don't expect anything of anyone except to race and the fastest person wins). It's pretty simple. If Finn thought it would be otherwise, that's on him. I don't expect Jackson, Jordan, or any rising Jr's to win - but they can expect there's gonna be pressure now and in the actual season....that's just built in.

My entire point was this: in 2022, there was an explanation for why J & J didn't really have the fastest track times of the entire race weekend, there was always some reason why they had "different conditions" and that was primary point - and that these rising Jr's are perhaps even faster than Jr's 5-6 yrs ago. I could give a shit who wins - I just like watch racing and there' could't be any less pressure than that.
  • 5 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: You’re showing a total lack of understanding of what he takes to be a successful World Cup racer, your response are only doing more to highlight that. The fast junior races technically are very bit as good as the top elites but the majority of downhill racing is mental and experience and that’s why they have their own category where they can get that experience and learn the methodology of racing. The times they post is irrelevant it’s a different race all together and track conditions do matter getting a fresh track is a massive advantage. Any track looks a lot different after how ever many riders have been down it.
  • 3 0
 @Mtn-Goat-13: You’re showing a total lack of understanding of what he takes to be a successful World Cup racer, your response are only doing more to highlight that. The fast junior races technically are very bit as good as the top elites but the majority of downhill racing is mental and experience and that’s why they have their own category where they can get that experience and learn the methodology of racing. The times they post is irrelevant it’s a different race all together and track conditions do matter getting a fresh track is a massive advantage. Any track looks a lot different after how ever many riders have been down it.
  • 3 2
 @thenotoriousmic: I think we're misunderstanding each other (and limited by text) - I've been riding for 33 years so yep, I get it. I'm not on this level or ever will be, do realize that track conditions change over the course of practice / qualie's / finals (and now semi's) for days on endand that these guys face immense pressure: all part of the deal. I also realize fully this wasn't a formal race w/ all those pressures - more making fun of the whole "well there's a reason the kid didn't have the fastest time" thing - that's it. This doesn't have to be a massive Hawkin's V. Clergy debate - just ideas and that's my idea and I'm sticking w/ with it. You have your notion, I"ve got mine.
  • 3 0
 Anyone know where the first timed run results (where Jordan did a 2:58!) can be found? Thanks
  • 1 0
 On his Insta Stories he has two screenshots, and probably on the UCI site... !?
  • 1 0
 Found them:

prod.chronorace.be/angular/results.html#/uci/event/20230422_dh/DHI/CG1?ll=168234130281
  • 1 0
 prod.chronorace.be/angular/results.html#/uci/event/20230422_dh/DHI/CG1/dh/2/res
  • 6 0
 And now, naturally:

www.rootsandrain.com/event11749/2023-apr-23-uci-eso-discovery-dh-test-event-lourdes/results
  • 5 1
 Good to see Marine back in the womens fieldSmile
  • 4 1
 Am I the only one disappointed Sam Hill and Richie Rudy were not here to see how they compare to the current top DH riders?
  • 2 1
 I know it's just a test event, but I can't help remember Jackson Goldstone saying "back to ground 0 on training" 2 weeks ago.
  • 4 1
 Goldstone missing a body part and still delivered the goods. Sheesh.
  • 1 0
 Sorry what now?
  • 1 0
 @William42: Jackson ruptured his appendix a couple weeks ago
  • 3 1
 i still don't even know what this was. terrible marketing. seriously, what was this?
  • 3 1
 youtu.be/Qczs22_MuM4
  • 6 1
 Would've been cool to "test" the live coverage.
  • 1 0
 @pisgahgnar: Yes, my thoughts exactly. Instead we got some youtube by GMBN/Full Attack and some POV's. At least we saw the funny track markings and funny foam statuettes... They promised some big improvements in coverage with more cameras and angles with drone footage. You'd think they'd want to test that.
  • 1 0
 @headshot: seriously. And they could still do it as a test event. Slow down the pace, bigger gaps and not all the coverage but at least give the commentators, camera, and production crew a chance to see how things work along with eliciting feedback from viewers.
  • 2 0
 That recap was good...but, Donohue will NOT be part of the broadcast though eh? He is good.
  • 2 0
 those pads are mind-boggling.
  • 2 3
 Interested in the lack of outrage over the competitive advantage these riders will have gained compared to folks being absolutely apoplectic over what happened last month on the enduro side.
  • 2 0
 So the test event didn't have the absurd Semi Final? Huh.
  • 2 0
 Loic’s take on the weekend youtu.be/jw6Xktr_nRs
  • 2 2
 Congrats Daprela on being the first series leader! Been a long time coming.
  • 1 1
 Ahh man i didnt even realise this happened!!!!
where can i watch the replay?
do we have dh fantasy on here???
  • 1 0
 Was this broadcast? would have loved to watch
  • 1 0
 That beats any timed training hands down! Any replay from awards ceremony?
  • 1 0
 If it was a test event, why the heck they did a podium???
  • 3 4
 Jordan Williams Quali time (2.5Cool wasn't beaten... he is definitely aiming for a great 2023 season
  • 3 5
 Gracey Hemstreet? Why is this the first I’m seeing of her? Admittedly the field wasn’t as stacked as the men’s, but still
  • 10 1
 it is her first year as an elite, but she ripped as a junior and got a lot of coverage, not sure where you've been!
  • 7 1
 Yeah she came out of nowhere.......
www.pinkbike.com/news/2022-pinkbike-awards-breakout-rider-of-the-year-winner.html
  • 1 1
 @powderhoundbrr: oh, right
  • 1 0
 The kids are alright
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