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Saturday
Jun082013

2013 UCI World Cup Round 1 Fort William

The 2013 UCI World Cup series kicks off in old Fort William. Many of its past winners are on the start list. Minnaar, Gwin, Peat, Hill, Atherton and Gracia have all done it here with Minnaar having the bulk of the victories he has won here 4 times in 10 years! Its anyones call but Gwin and Minnaar are the favorites for sure.

"The Downhill is a full-on, flat-out, no-compromise charge down the face of Aonach Mor, the 9th highest mountain in the UK. Riders need physical strength, quick reflexes, superb bike control and an unerring eye for the right line as they speed down the 2.8km long course. And a lot of bottle!

The permanent Nevis Range Downhill track has received some radical upgrades over the past three years, adding new features and making it one of the toughest most demanding courses on the circuit. For 2013 there are some, new higher speed lines being developed just after the wall ride.

Starting beside the top station of the gondola the course descends 555m. Most of the course is visible from the gondola (the mountain cableway used for skiing in the winter, which provides access for riders with bikes and spectators), giving great views of riders as they charge down below you.

The fast top section of the course is framed by stunning views of Ben Nevis, the sea lochs of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil, and the islands of the Inner Hebrides. Rock gardens, rock slabs, big jumps and technical natural sections will provide plenty of challenges all the way to the magnificent finish section and the incredible noise of the best spectators in the world."

Evil | The Entrance of Vengeance from Token Creative on Vimeo.

Junior Men's Qualifying Results

1 VERNON Taylor° GBR19960912 GT FACTORY RACING 4:54.689
2 NIEDERBERGER Noel° SUI19950821 GSTAAD-SCOTT +2.427
3 VERGIER Loris° FRA19960507 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +3.291
4 JONES Michael° GBR19950222 FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES +4.603
5 LUCAS Dean° AUS19950502 AUSTRALIA +6.677
6 SHAW Luca° USA19961225 SPECIALIZED RACING DH +8.041
7 WALLACE Mark° CAN19950601 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +9.603
8 KNOTT Peter° AUS19950616 AUSTRALIA +10.044
9 BLAIR Lachlan° GBR19951013 GREAT BRITAIN +11.702
10 VERNASSA Gianluca° ITA19950904 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +13.100
11 COLOMBO Francesco° ITA19951209 TEAM AIROH AXO SANTACRUZ +14.963
12 VARLEY Aiden° AUS19960816 AUSTRALIA +15.999
13 CRIMMINS Thomas° AUS19950624 AUSTRALIA +16.690
14 McCORMACK Stephen° IRL19951028 IRELAND +18.917
15 PIERRON Amaury° FRA19960304 FRANCE +19.182

Women's Qualifying Results

1 ATHERTON Rachel GBR19871206 GT FACTORY RACING 5:13.738
2 RAGOT Emmeline FRA19860527 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +6.129
3 CARPENTER Manon GBR19930311 MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM +9.436
4 PUGIN Floriane FRA19890417 GSTAAD-SCOTT +13.920
5 CHARRE Morgane FRA19900609 MS MONDRAKER TEAM +17.062
6 KINTNER Jill USA19811024 TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL +17.845
7 NICOLE Myriam FRA19900208 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +18.145
8 HANNAH Tracey AUS19880613 HUTCHINSON UR +21.375
9 SEAGRAVE Tahnee° GBR19950615 FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES +30.891
10 GATTO Micayla CAN19880821
+30.978
11 GRIFFITHS Fionn GBR19820827
+33.249
12 SUEMASA Mio JPN19830401
+34.637
13 CERNILOGAR Zarja SLO19891218 BLACKTHORN GT +36.493
14 AGER-WICK Anita NOR19780831
+37.515
15 BROWN Casey CAN19901027 DIRT NORCO RACE TEAM +38.393

 

 

Men's Qualifying Results

1 HART Danny GBR19910920 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM 4:41.094
2 ATHERTON Gee GBR19850226 GT FACTORY RACING +0.176
3 BLENKINSOP Samuel NZL19881028 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +1.181
4 HANNAH Michael AUS19831121 HUTCHINSON UR +3.817
5 SMITH Steve CAN19891125 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +4.099
6 MACDONALD Brook NZL19911125 TREK WORLD RACING +4.312
7 BRUNI Loic FRA19940513 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +5.414
8 HILL Samuel AUS19850721 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +6.541
9 SMITH Joseph GBR19900704 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +7.579
10 NEETHLING Andrew RSA19840805 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +7.631
11 HEATH Harry GBR19910805
+7.960
12 MINNAAR Greg RSA19811113 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +8.218
13 BROSNAN Troy AUS19930713 SPECIALIZED RACING DH +8.422
14 GWIN Aaron USA19871224 SPECIALIZED RACING DH +8.838
15 DALE Sam GBR19900212 MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM +9.723
16 COLE Cameron NZL19880203 YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM +9.803
17 GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo COL19900509 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +9.977
18 DELFS Mitchell AUS19890725 EVIL VENGEANCE TOUR +10.253
19 BUCHANAN Lewis GBR19930927 SC INTENSE +10.405
20 MULALLY Neko USA19930219 TREK WORLD RACING +10.881
21 PEAT Steve GBR19740617 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +11.715
22 FAIRCLOUGH Brendan GBR19880110 GSTAAD-SCOTT +11.800
23 SIMMONDS Matthew GBR19870520 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +11.813
24 FERREIRO PAJUELO Antonio ESP19900103 EVIL VENGEANCE TOUR +12.014
25 CATHRO Ben GBR19880420
+12.276
26 WILLIAMSON Greg GBR19920608 TREK WORLD RACING +12.299
27 BRANNIGAN George NZL19920409 TREK WORLD RACING +12.356
28 THIRION Rémi FRA19900423 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +12.717
29 WALLNER Robin SWE19880704 TEAM W-RACING +12.803
30 GIORDANENGO Aurélien FRA19880422 TOPCYCLE BY TREK +12.816
31 FEARON Connor AUS19940119 KONA +13.028
32 STROBEL Luke USA19860624 EVIL VENGEANCE TOUR +13.687
33 REID Ben IRL19860324 DIRT NORCO RACE TEAM +13.776
34 SUDING Lorenzo ITA19860315 GT / 360 DEGREES +13.857
35 FISCHBACH Johannes GER19880304 RRP GHOST +14.200
36 THOME Patrick FRA19911020 GSTAAD-SCOTT +14.208
37 FIGARET Faustin FRA19931107 TOPCYCLE BY TREK +14.483
38 CAUVIN Guillaume FRA19940521 HUTCHINSON UR +14.492
39 MEARS Scott GBR19890206
+14.694
40 ATKINSON Bryn AUS19821209 TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL +14.843
41 BEAUMONT Marc GBR19840925 GT FACTORY RACING +15.227
42 McGLINCHEY Christopher IRL19940331
+15.386
43 di PASQUALE Charly FRA19900704
+15.648
44 RUDE JR Richard° USA19950101 YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM +15.955
45 GRAVES Jared AUS19821216 YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM +15.974
46 POTTER Reece NZL19940107
+16.345
47 RUFFIN Thibaut FRA19841030 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +16.424
48 BINGGELI Logan USA19890827
+16.430
49 BEER Matthew CAN19860926
+16.461
50 McGLONE Fraser GBR19940531
+16.938

Junior Men's Final Results

1 NIEDERBERGER Noel SUI19950821 GSTAAD-SCOTT 4:49.931
2 JONES Michael GBR19950222 FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES +3.464
3 LUCAS Dean AUS19950502 AUSTRALIA +3.659
4 VERGIER Loris FRA19960507 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +4.055
5 ATWILL Phil GBR19950111 MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM +4.952
6 WALLACE Mark CAN19950601 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +5.835
7 SHAW Luca USA19961225 SPECIALIZED RACING DH +6.659
8 GRAHAM Innes GBR19960703 MS MONDRAKER TEAM +7.161
9 GULLAND Morgan GBR19950624 GREAT BRITAIN - B +9.091
10 VERNASSA Gianluca ITA19950904 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +9.453
11 CORNFORTH Cameron IRL19950409 IRELAND +13.123
12 KNOTT Peter AUS19950616 AUSTRALIA +13.183
13 VARLEY Aiden AUS19960816 AUSTRALIA +14.718
14 McCORMACK Stephen IRL19951028 IRELAND +15.616
15 COLOMBO Francesco ITA19951209 TEAM AIROH AXO SANTACRUZ +15.703

Women's Final Results

1 ATHERTON Rachel GBR19871206 GT FACTORY RACING 5:08.846
2 CARPENTER Manon GBR19930311 MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM +10.139
3 RAGOT Emmeline FRA19860527 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +11.373
4 NICOLE Myriam FRA19900208 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +15.450
5 CHARRE Morgane FRA19900609 MS MONDRAKER TEAM +16.646
6 PUGIN Floriane FRA19890417 GSTAAD-SCOTT +18.148
7 SIEGENTHALER Emilie SUI19860919 GSTAAD-SCOTT +20.384
8 KINTNER Jill USA19811024 TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL +21.154
9 HANNAH Tracey AUS19880613 HUTCHINSON UR +23.413
10 CERNILOGAR Zarja SLO19891218 BLACKTHORN GT +26.497
11 SEAGRAVE Tahnee° GBR19950615 FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES +29.412
12 GATTO Micayla CAN19880821
+36.309
13 SUEMASA Mio JPN19830401
+37.803
14 VERBEECK Vaea CAN19901125
+41.174
15 GRIFFITHS Fionn GBR19820827
+43.915

 

Men's Final Results

1 ATHERTON Gee GBR19850226 GT FACTORY RACING 4:36.712
2 MACDONALD Brook NZL19911125 TREK WORLD RACING +1.142
3 SMITH Steve CAN19891125 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +1.361
4 BLENKINSOP Samuel NZL19881028 LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC +1.489
5 HANNAH Michael AUS19831121 HUTCHINSON UR +1.968
6 HILL Samuel AUS19850721 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +2.131
7 HART Danny GBR19910920 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +2.644
8 MINNAAR Greg RSA19811113 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +4.065
9 BRYCELAND Josh GBR19900323 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +4.084
10 WILLIAMSON Greg GBR19920608 TREK WORLD RACING +5.416
11 BEAUMONT Marc GBR19840925 GT FACTORY RACING +6.555
12 BROSNAN Troy AUS19930713 SPECIALIZED RACING DH +6.603
13 SMITH Joseph GBR19900704 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +8.112
14 PEKOLL Markus AUT19871013 MS MONDRAKER TEAM +8.298
15 NEETHLING Andrew RSA19840805 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +8.356
16 COLE Cameron NZL19880203 YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM +8.380
17 THIRION Rémi FRA19900423 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +8.628
18 DALE Sam GBR19900212 MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM +8.658
19 DELFS Mitchell AUS19890725 EVIL VENGEANCE TOUR +8.758
20 GWIN Aaron USA19871224 SPECIALIZED RACING DH +8.901

 

Round one of the Downhill series at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano became a family affair, with the brother and sister team of Gee and Rachel Atherton (GT Factory Racing) crushing the competition in the elite men's and women's races at Fort William, Scotland, on Sunday.

British riders have always upped their game at what is, essentially, their home course, and this year was no different. Fort William is considered one of the gravity centers of the sport, and boasts some of the biggest and most enthusiastic crowds of the year. At nearly five minutes long, the track is also one of the hardest, requiring technical skills for the rocky upper section, and power and fitness for the bottom half.

Rachel Atherton qualified first among the women, over six seconds in front of Emmeline Ragot (Lapierre Gravity Republic), but the defending overall World Cup champion has been burned before in Scotland, finishing second the last three years. Fort William was the only major downhill result missing from her resumé.

Emilie Siegenthaler (Gstaad-Scott) set the first sub-5:30 time, which held until Nicole Myriam (Commencal/Riding Addiction) went below 5:25. Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen) then took the leading time below 5:20, but Ragot and Atherton were still to ride. Ragot couldn't manage to overtake Carpenter, so it was down to Atherton, and the British champion did not falter, finishing over ten seconds ahead of her compatriot.

"Winning is just ridiculously hard here," Atherton commented. "I have qualified first a few years here. You can't let your guard down. It is such a wild track and that run was just so messy all the way down, I was just thinking I'm throwing it away, the other girls are going to be smoother. I couldn't believe it when I crossed the line and finally heard the crowd cheering, instead of groaning like normal. I can't believe it."

Atherton leads the overall standings with 250 points, followed by Carpenter at 190 and Ragot at 180.

Unlike the women, the men's race did not have a single clear favourite. Danny Hart (Giant Factory), the 2011 world champion, qualified first, but less than two-tenths of a second ahead of Gee Atherton.

The leading time crept down slowly, with Austin Warren (Pivot Factory Team) the first to go under 4:50. Local Scottish rider Greg Williamson (Trek World Racing) was the next to spend any length of time in the Hot Seat, but the fastest riders were just starting to come down.

Sam Hill (ChainReactionCycles.com/Nukeproof), who won the world title in Fort William in 2007, broke the 4:40 mark, but that would not prove to be enough to make the podium. Only two riders later Brook MacDonald (Trek World Racing) took the lead, with five riders remaining, setting the stage for some of the closest times ever seen. The next three riders all came within nine-tenths of a second of MacDonald, but none could surpass the New Zealand rider.

Then it was the turn of Atherton, the 2010 winner at Fort William. The British champion was running the rock sections at the top noticeably faster than any other rider and, although he lost a few tenths of a second in the lower half, he still crossed the line 1.142 seconds faster than MacDonald to take the lead. Hart covered the top sections of the course almost as quickly as Atherton before fading in the pedaling section to finish seventh.

"I can't begin to describe it," said Atherton. "It is a pretty emotional feeling. It has been a while since I won here, and my sister won on the same day. It doesn't get better than this. I was scared, but it was a smooth run. This is the first run on a new bike but it went smooth. I couldn't have asked for a better run really. I am stoked to start the World Cup series like this. Bring it on, I say.”

Atherton leads the World Cup with 240 points, followed by MacDonald with 180 and Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing) with 162.

In the new Junior mens’s World Cup category, Noel Niederberger (Gstaad-Scott) was the top finisher, followed by Michael Jones (FMD/Intense Cycles) and Lucas Dean (Australian National).

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