Gwin back on top with downhill win at Pietermaritzburg World Cup

Former downhill World Cup Aaron Gwin got his 2014 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season underway in perfect fashion when he claimed a thrilling victory in the elite men's downhill final of the Pietermaritzburg leg at Cascades MTB Park on Saturday.

Last down the hill after winning the qualifying round on Friday, the Specialized Racing DH star charged to the top of the leaderboard early on in his run and never looked back as he surged ahead of title hopeful Mick Hannah (Hutchinson UR) and hometown hero Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate).

"I'm just happy, really stoked. It is definitely a team win!" said Gwin."The race was great this year! The track was good, the fans - as always - down here are great! I love racing here!

"We felt good all weekend. From the first practice run I was happy, I like the changes they made to the course and the bike was working, I was working, everything felt good. I knew from the first day that I had a win in me if I could put down my best run but that is a lot easier said than done. Qualifying went well and we just tried to keep the ball rolling.

"I am happy for Mick (Hannah), happy for Troy (Brosnan) and it was an amazing ride for Greg (Minnaar) to get back after his knee and still get on the podium," he said.

Hannah, having suffered a mechanical in qualifying and so started some way down the list in the finals, demolished the previous best time of the day set by South Africa's Andrew Neethling's (Giant Factory Off-road Team) by more than eight seconds to power into the hot seat.

With just Minnaar, Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Gwin left to start their runs, Hannah's nerves were clear for all to see as he looked to go one better than the result he achieved at the same course at the 2013 Worlds.

A charging Minnaar however appeared to have the better of his Australian rival in the first two sectors. A slow final sector by the defending world champ and a top section mishap by Bryceland saw Hannah maintain his position he'd already for for a remarkable 18 riders.

That was until Gwin decided to get in on the act though as the American hero strung together the perfect final run to become the only person to break the four minute mark and, in the process, edge Hannah and Minnaar into second and third respectively.

Minnaar, having won both the 2012 World Cup and 2013 world champs in his own back yard, put in a dream performance given he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the final leg of the 2013 World Cup in Austria late last year and was satisfied with the outcome.

"I was really nervous up top, I wasn't super comfortable riding all the technical stuff. I haven't had a lot of time on my bike since my surgery so I just tried to suss things out beforehand and then just relax as much as I could before my run," said Minnaar.

"I had a really good run up top and I survived but, given the condition I'm in and a lack of time on the bike, I'm still really happy with my third place!

"The top section hadn't blown up that much but I just couldn't get that stretch right all week. It was really tricky, the rocks are placed really awkwardly and we were hitting our back wheel a lot so I was just super nervous and had a bit of a lack of confidence. I hit it really well in my final though so I was stoked!

"I really had a good final run and I lay it all out on the track. I'm just really thankful for all the people coming out and supporting me again, it's incredible to see all the support," he added.

Lapierre Gravity Republic's charging young star Loic Bruni crossed the line in fourth with and Gwin's Specialized Racing DH's team mate Troy Brosnan fifth with the likes of Gee Atherton, Nick Beer and Josh Bryceland all suffering mishaps or crashes which hampered their performances.

With his win, Gwin became the first World Cup series leader of 2014, resuming where he left off back in 2012.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH0:03:59.300
2Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR0:00:02.037
3Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:02.824
4Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic0:00:02.893
5Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH0:00:03.331
6Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic0:00:04.043
7Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team0:00:06.003
8Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing0:00:06.361
9Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof0:00:06.851
10Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing0:00:06.899
11Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:06.964
12Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:00:07.867
13Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team0:00:09.133
14Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Mondraker Team0:00:09.460
15Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Hutchinson UR0:00:09.848
16Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:09.924
17Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:10.896
18Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson UR0:00:11.021
19Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing0:00:11.296
20Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:00:11.563
21Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team0:00:11.827
22George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:11.925
23Bryn Atkinson (Aus)0:00:12.080
23Damien Spagnolo (Fra) MS Mondraker TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team0:00:12.314
26Lorenzo Suding (Ita)0:00:12.537
27Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott0:00:12.667
28Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:13.090
29Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing0:00:13.143
30Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team0:00:13.632
31Isak Leivsson (Nor)0:00:13.653
32Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing0:00:13.673
33Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott0:00:13.984
34Harry Heath (GBr) Orange Dirt World Team, O'neal0:00:14.450
35Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:14.531
36Tomas Slavik (Cze)0:00:15.384
37Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott0:00:15.422
38Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal0:00:15.571
39Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour0:00:15.586
40Jack Reading (GBr) SC Intense0:00:15.722
41Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory DH Team0:00:15.872
42Adam Brayton (GBr)0:00:16.024
43Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:16.434
44Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour0:00:16.619
45Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:00:16.860
46Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team0:00:16.891
47Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team0:00:17.033
48Timothy Bentley (RSA)0:00:17.048
49Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing0:00:17.085
50Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH0:00:17.243
51Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof0:00:17.490
52Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory DH Team0:00:19.337
53Stefan Garlicki (RSA)0:00:19.943
54Francisco Pardal (Por)0:00:20.216
55Tiaan Odendaal (RSA)0:00:20.893
56Joseph Connell (GBr) SC Intense0:00:21.080
57Samuel Bull (RSA)0:00:21.981
58Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Hutchinson UR0:00:22.715
59Jasper Jauch (Ger)0:00:23.089
60Matej Charvat (Cze) Banshee Bikes Factory Team0:00:23.169
61Charly Di Pasquale (Fra)0:00:24.646
62Mario José Jarrin Molina (Ecu)0:00:25.089
63Alexandre Fayolle (Fra)0:00:25.249
64Jonty Neethling (RSA)0:00:25.480
65Brent Smith (Aus)0:00:26.785
66Zakarias Blom Johansen (Nor)0:00:26.802
67Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:00:30.084
68Chris Barlin (Aus) Green To Gold Race Development0:00:32.136
69Mathew Stuttard (GBr)0:00:32.174
70Jono Jones (GBr)0:00:32.706
71Josh Lowe (GBr)0:00:32.801
72Francesco Colombo (Ita) Gravitalia Squadra Corse0:00:32.985
73Alasdair Fey (RSA)0:00:33.802
74Kazuki Shimizu (Jpn) Madison Saracen Factory Team0:00:34.373
75Travis Browning (RSA)0:00:35.772
76Peter Williams (GBr)0:01:00.511
77Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Rrp Ghost0:01:16.797
78Harry Molloy (GBr) Rrp Ghost0:02:11.779
DNFCyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil Vengeance TourRow 78 - Cell 2
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Madison Saracen Factory Team82pts
2Lapierre Gravity Republic78Row 1 - Cell 3
3Hutchinson UR71Row 2 - Cell 3
4Specialized Racing DH68Row 3 - Cell 3
5GT Factory Racing68Row 4 - Cell 3
6Commencal / Riding Addiction56Row 5 - Cell 3
7Santa Cruz Syndicate47Row 6 - Cell 3
8Giant Factory Off-Road Team37Row 7 - Cell 3
9Trek World Racing32Row 8 - Cell 3
10Ms Mondraker Team25Row 9 - Cell 3
11Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof22Row 10 - Cell 3
12Fmd Racing18Row 11 - Cell 3
13Gstaad-Scott18Row 12 - Cell 3
14Evil Vengeance Tour16Row 13 - Cell 3
15Unior Tools Team11Row 14 - Cell 3
16Green To Gold Race Development10Row 15 - Cell 3
17Pivot Factory DH Team9Row 16 - Cell 3
18Kona Factory Team6Row 17 - Cell 3
19Devinci Global Racing2Row 18 - Cell 3
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Elite men World Cup standings after round 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH250pts
2Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate170Row 1 - Cell 3
3Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR160Row 2 - Cell 3
4Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic150Row 3 - Cell 3
5Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH130Row 4 - Cell 3
6Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic117Row 5 - Cell 3
7Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team105Row 6 - Cell 3
8Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing103Row 7 - Cell 3
9Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof96Row 8 - Cell 3
10Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing85Row 9 - Cell 3
11Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction82Row 10 - Cell 3
12Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team82Row 11 - Cell 3
13Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team79Row 12 - Cell 3
14Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Mondraker Team79Row 13 - Cell 3
15Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate78Row 14 - Cell 3
16Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate73Row 15 - Cell 3
17Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Hutchinson UR71Row 16 - Cell 3
18Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing69Row 17 - Cell 3
19Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing69Row 18 - Cell 3
20Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team64Row 19 - Cell 3
21Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson UR63Row 20 - Cell 3
22Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction61Row 21 - Cell 3
23Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team60Row 22 - Cell 3
24George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing59Row 23 - Cell 3
25Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team59Row 24 - Cell 3
26Bryn Atkinson (Aus)58Row 25 - Cell 3
27Damien Spagnolo (Fra) MS Mondraker Team58Row 26 - Cell 3
28Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team56Row 27 - Cell 3
29Lorenzo Suding (Ita)55Row 28 - Cell 3
30Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott54Row 29 - Cell 3
31Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team51Row 30 - Cell 3
32Isak Leivsson (Nor)50Row 31 - Cell 3
33Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing49Row 32 - Cell 3
34Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott48Row 33 - Cell 3
35Harry Heath (GBr) Orange Dirt World Team, O'neal47Row 34 - Cell 3
36Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing46Row 35 - Cell 3
37Tomas Slavik (Cze)45Row 36 - Cell 3
38Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott44Row 37 - Cell 3
39Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal43Row 38 - Cell 3
40Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour42Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jack Reading (GBr) SC Intense41Row 40 - Cell 3
42Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory DH Team40Row 41 - Cell 3
43Adam Brayton (GBr)39Row 42 - Cell 3
44Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour37Row 43 - Cell 3
45Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction36Row 44 - Cell 3
46Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team35Row 45 - Cell 3
47Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team34Row 46 - Cell 3
48Timothy Bentley (RSA)33Row 47 - Cell 3
49Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing32Row 48 - Cell 3
50Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH31Row 49 - Cell 3
51Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof30Row 50 - Cell 3
52Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory DH Team29Row 51 - Cell 3
53Stefan Garlicki (RSA)28Row 52 - Cell 3
54Francisco Pardal (Por)27Row 53 - Cell 3
55Tiaan Odendaal (RSA)26Row 54 - Cell 3
56Joseph Connell (GBr) SC Intense25Row 55 - Cell 3
57Samuel Bull (RSA)24Row 56 - Cell 3
58Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Hutchinson UR23Row 57 - Cell 3
59Jasper Jauch (Ger)22Row 58 - Cell 3
60Matej Charvat (Cze) Banshee Bikes Factory Team21Row 59 - Cell 3
61Charly Di Pasquale (Fra)20Row 60 - Cell 3
62Mario José Jarrin Molina (Ecu)19Row 61 - Cell 3
63Alexandre Fayolle (Fra)18Row 62 - Cell 3
64Jonty Neethling (RSA)17Row 63 - Cell 3
65Brent Smith (Aus)16Row 64 - Cell 3
66Zakarias Blom Johansen (Nor)15Row 65 - Cell 3
67Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Rrp Ghost15Row 66 - Cell 3
68Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction14Row 67 - Cell 3
69Chris Barlin (Aus) Green To Gold Race Development13Row 68 - Cell 3
70Mathew Stuttard (GBr)12Row 69 - Cell 3
71Jono Jones (GBr)11Row 70 - Cell 3
72Josh Lowe (GBr)10Row 71 - Cell 3
73Francesco Colombo (Ita) Gravitalia Squadra Corse9Row 72 - Cell 3
74Alasdair Fey (RSA)8Row 73 - Cell 3
75Kazuki Shimizu (Jpn) Madison Saracen Factory Team7Row 74 - Cell 3
76Travis Browning (RSA)6Row 75 - Cell 3
77Peter Williams (GBr)5Row 76 - Cell 3
78Harry Molloy (GBr) Rrp Ghost3Row 77 - Cell 3
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Team World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Madison Saracen Factory Team82pts
2Lapierre Gravity Republic78Row 1 - Cell 3
3Hutchinson UR71Row 2 - Cell 3
4Specialized Racing DH68Row 3 - Cell 3
5GT Factory Racing68Row 4 - Cell 3
6Commencal / Riding Addiction56Row 5 - Cell 3
7Santa Cruz Syndicate47Row 6 - Cell 3
8Giant Factory Off-Road Team37Row 7 - Cell 3
9Trek World Racing32Row 8 - Cell 3
10Ms Mondraker Team25Row 9 - Cell 3
11Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof22Row 10 - Cell 3
12Fmd Racing18Row 11 - Cell 3
13Gstaad-Scott18Row 12 - Cell 3
14Evil Vengeance Tour16Row 13 - Cell 3
15Unior Tools Team11Row 14 - Cell 3
16Green To Gold Race Development10Row 15 - Cell 3
17Pivot Factory DH Team9Row 16 - Cell 3
18Kona Factory Team6Row 17 - Cell 3
19Devinci Global Racing2Row 18 - Cell 3

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