Practice Photo Report: Mont-Sainte-Anne DH World Cup 2018
As the Quebecois sky flickered alongside the continuous crackle and booming of thunder there was a strong sense of déjà vu out on the hill today in Mont-Sainte-Anne. Last season the rains took longer to show up, appearing just in time for the top 20 to drop and of course ready for Aaron Gwin to go into beast mode and jet ski his way to victory. At least riders had some inspiration this afternoon as heavy fog quickly turned into the far more aggressive atmospherics of a practice session that will now enter the hall of fame for most horrendous weather alongside other greats like Fort William in 2015.
Unrelenting lightning and torrential rain shut the lift down just as the first batch of group A riders had reached the top. A short respite was followed by apocalyptic rain and while most teams managed one or two tentative laps, the organisers pulled the plug at around 2:30pm and abandoned the practice session, taking all marshals off the mountain. With the conditions eventually calming, timed training was announced with a later start than usual and riders were forced to reapply their soaking gear and get back out there to turn up the heat ahead of qualies tomorrow. Only Tahnee Seagrave and Rachel Atherton turned up from the women's field for the TT session, but neither set anywhere near a race time, while in the men's category Danny Hart landed the first punch of the weekend with a 4:38 in the swamp conditions, just ahead of Bruni and MacDonald.
MSA weather can be topsy-turvy at best, the most we can hope for is a fair fight as Rachel Atherton attempts to stave off Tahnee Seagrave and Amaury Pierron does his best to run away with the series before heading back to the home soil of La Bresse in two weeks time.
Canada is really all pick-up trucks and Devincis just as you'd expect...
The fog lingered in the middle of the track all morning until the first of two thunderstorms rolled in and added a twist to proceedings.
A roll-off kind of day... Hopefully, that should be the last we see of them for the weekend.
It was nothing short of unbelievably wet today.
Jamie Tilbury tinkering with Tracey's Polygon war horse after first laps.
Amaury Pierron has the chance to wrap the season with one round left to spare... he just needs to beat Loris Vergier and the season is his.
Riders and mechanics had to get creative in order to fight the mud. However, after all that rain, I'm not sure anything would be that effective for long.
Wallace's custom 'Mark the Shark' graphics by his mechanic adorning his new neon ride.
The Canadian Champ, Vaea Verbeeck, getting a shock tune-up from Jordi Cotes.
Monika Hrastnik cranking out the start hut.
Marcello Gutierrez hops from one section of waterlogged trail to the next.
The latest entrant to the World Cup winners circle... Can Vergier make it two in a row and keep Pierron at bay?
Jack Moir finally back in the mix and loving it.
Thirion in the middle of an all-French fun train down through the MSA swamps.
Watch your step, it's mighty damp out.
Rudi Cabirou, finally back in action after a long recovery from his early-season injury.
Adam Brayton speeding down across the classic MSA medley of slabs and roots.
Rachel Atherton getting a once-over before heading back into the mist.
Atherton with the telemetry set-up for the clues she needs to hang on to the 1 plate.
Matt Walker, apprehensive at the thought of getting his fresh union jack sleeve wet and muddy.
Mark Wallace, Kye A'Hern, and Magnus Manson heading up for another try at the rutted course.
Luca Shaw stayed quiet in the TT... qualies are more his domain of course.
Forrest Riesco in tight on this difficult course.
Tracey Hannah didn't appear in the afternoon's timed training session, perhaps not seeing the need to ride in what looked to be unrepresentative conditions for what we'll race on.
There weren't enough tear-offs in the world to help with the vision today.
Blenki's signature gloveless style seems to be weatherproof.
Saturday's showdown is creeping up quick!
The IFR crew had one hell of a time here last season after Lucas took second and Moir showed what could be done in the rain.
Laurie Greenland will be looking to drop his number board even lower this weekend.
Henry Fitzgerald shaking the bugs out.
It's not only bikes that need attention, but bodies too. Finn Iles gets prepped for what turned out to be an arduous day in Mont-Sainte-Anne.
Kaos Seagrave serving up pancakes this morning.
It absolutely poured all afternoon.
The media struggle against the moisture.
A dense fog hung around, keeping visibility super low until all hell broke loose for A practice.
Kaos and Jake enjoying their stay at the water park.
Standing water on the straight would have made visibility near impossible, fortunately for the riders, the session was cancelled when the second wave of lightning hit.
Wyn Masters enjoying his summer holidays in Quebec.
MacDonald heads out to take 3rd in timed training after the storm shut down the fun.
In a difficult day to read, it was Danny Hart that looked the most comfortable on a treacherous track.
A few riders have really been able to show their potential this year. One of them being young Frenchman Thomas Estaque who always looks flamboyant on the bike.
With the lifts restarting, riders reluctantly got their mud-soaked jerseys back on for timed training.
Danny Hart going for a tear-off on the first of the wildly fast straights.
Benoit Coulanges pulling up in the slick roots.
It didn't take long for the track to resemble a river in places.
By the time the storm had passed, massive puddles had formed all over the track. Troy Brosnan quickly set to work clearing them out.
Super Bruni, ready to get stuck into the super swamp-like conditions.
Bruni is brewing for a big result, he placed well in timed training, half a second back from Hart.
The treacherous journey to the bottom of the hill with only a small ration of lembas bread.
Luca Shaw putting his trust in his tires on the off camber rock. Will this finally be his weekend?
The Atherton siblings putting their feet up, waiting for the track to reopen.
Brook MacDonald will be hungry for another podium after getting a taste again last time out in Andorra.
Greg Minnaar returns to WC racing, although is still showing the signs from that crash in Fort William.
Somehow right back up to speed, the GOAT hit sixth in timed training.
No.1 plates look good dirty.
Smashing down the MSA cascades. The lengthy track should suit Marcelo Gutierrez's physical strength.
Myriam Nicole peering through the clouds, back on two wheels.
Tahnée Seagrave is hot on the heels of Rachel Atherton for the overall and will want to seize the momentum going into the final round.
Amaury Pierron, already hunting the seconds to shut the season down ahead of time.
The bike wash was overworked and overbooked all day.
B to the dawg pondering one of the wettest days on the hill at the World Cup this season.
These might be dry by La Bresse.
Oh, Canada...
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Didn't some MX company come up with biodegradable tear off made from potato starch or some thing ?
I simply just don't use the things, they are really annoying when you get water between the layers and you end up biffing the whole lot anyway.
pretty neat stuff!
The TV crews pick up also. Y wouldn't believe how much TV cable and how many power boxes are on the sides of the course for this race and removed right after. If you get lost on course at MSA, just follow the four to eight black tv cables they place two feet to the left of the course for the week.
Hope that makes you fee better about MSA at least.
I would probably like it.
Nice LOTR reference, almost missed that