Hill wins downhill

Sam Hill (Specialized/Monster Energy) finally broke the string of bad luck which produced one of the longest winless streaks of his career, when he took the sixth round of the World Cup on Saturday in Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec, Canada. Hill's win propelled him into the overall World Cup series lead, ahead of Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate).

The first fast run of the afternoon was produced by Marcel Beer at 4:59.94. Beer held the Hot Seat for 17 racers, with Cameron Cole (Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles) the next to spend an extended time on top. Pierre Charles Georges (Solid Aclass) finally bumped him, but the final 20 riders saw frequent changes and, with ten riders to go, the leader was Aaron Gwin (Yeti/Fox), who defended his US National Championship title just last weekend.

Many were hoping to see a good run from World Cup leader Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) who started in 21st place due to a flat tire during qualifying yesterday. Unfortunately Minnaar had a crash, which cost him time. He could only manage a 22nd place finish. "I washed out my front wheel in some mud under the lift and down I went. I got up pretty quickly, but my glove was half off so I had to freewheel while I took it off. [It was] definitely not a good weekend."

Fabien Barel (Subaru) came close to Gwin, leaving the American to anxiously wait for the final four riders. Samuel Blenkinsop (Yeti/Fox) had a slow run (16th place) and quickly left the finish area, visibly unhappy. World champion Gee Atherton (Animal Commencal) came close. That left only Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate), a perennial favourite here, and Hill to come down.

To thunderous applause, Peat didn't disappoint, with a time of 4:41.48 to Gwin's 4:42.91. He took the Hot Seat, but didn't really settle in. All eyes were glued to the big screen TV and the scoreboard, which was showing the splits on the course. Hill was the fastest through every split, showing incredible control skills through the rock gardens. To huge applause he finished in 4:38.44, 3.04 seconds better than Peat.

Hill was pleased with his win, the first of the season for him after an uncharacteristically long drought. "This is one of the most high speed, and the longest courses, on the World Cup circuit. It was a lot slicker this morning. It dried out a lot. I was conservative in the first few corners just to check it out. It was good so I went hard from there."

Peat had another stellar day with his second place, which marked an unprecedented 50th World Cup podium appearance for the British star. He also holds the record for the most World Cup career wins. "I think this course suits me. You've got to be an all-arounder to do well here. I've got another podium which I'm pleased about."

Gwin hung on to third for his first World Cup podium appearance. On the podium, the other racers did their best to drown him in champagne. "It was pretty crazy watching Gee and those guys come through. I'm happy. It's about time!"

With his win, Hill moves from third to first in the World Cup Points race with 1,039, a mere four points in front of Peat. Minnaar drops from first to third. Canada's Steve Smith (Evil Bikes) retains his ninth place standing as the top North American, after finishing seventh at Mont Sainte Anne.

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy0:04:38.44
2Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:03.04
3Aaron Gwin (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team0:00:04.47
4Gee Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal0:00:05.07
5Fabien Barel (Fra) Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team0:00:06.19
6Chris Kovarik (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:07.09
7Steve Smith (Can) MS Evil Racing0:00:07.95
8Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz0:00:08.14
9Michael Hannah (Aus) GT Bicycles0:00:09.14
10Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:09.29
11Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 110:00:10.10
12Andrew Neethling (RSA) Trek World Racing0:00:10.66
13Mickael Pascal (Fra) MSC Bikes0:00:11.05
14Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kenda Morewood0:00:11.10
15Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Bicycles0:00:11.97
16Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team0:00:12.95
17Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Solid Aclass Factory Team0:00:13.25
18Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:13.87
19Ben Cathro (GBr)0:00:14.17
20Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 110:00:14.41
21Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:15.22
22Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:16.14
23Luke Strobel (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles0:00:16.40
24Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team0:00:16.56
25Cameron Cole (NZl) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles0:00:17.13
26Duncan Riffle (USA) Duncan Riffle Racing0:00:17.16
27Ben Reid (Irl) Just Reid Race Team0:00:17.47
28Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa) Massi0:00:17.94
29Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing0:00:18.01
30Joseph Smith (GBr) Kona0:00:18.09
31Nico Vink (Bel)0:00:18.17
32Dan Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal0:00:18.29
33Joshua Button (Aus)0:00:18.98
34Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) MS Evil Racing0:00:19.18
35Dan Stanbridge (GBr)0:00:19.60
36David Vazquez Lopez (Spa) Lapierre Powered By Saab Salomon0:00:20.46
37Danny Hart* (GBr) Lapierre Powered By Saab Salomon0:00:20.74
38Pasqual Canals Flix (Spa) XMS-Devinci World Cup Team0:00:20.84
39Marcel Beer (Swi)0:00:21.50
40Jared Rando (Aus) Giant Mountain Bike Team0:00:21.64
41Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:21.74
42Lorenzo Suding (Ita)0:00:21.75
43Joris Bigoni (Fra)0:00:22.56
44Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa)0:00:22.81
45Antoine Badouard (Fra)0:00:23.09
46Nathan Rankin (NZl)0:00:23.39
47Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)0:00:23.51
48Wyn Masters (NZl)0:00:23.60
49Will Rischbieth (Aus)0:00:23.61
50Harry Heath* (GBr)0:00:23.65
51Bernard ° Kerr (GBr)0:00:24.43
52Herman Olund (Swe)0:00:24.90
53Markus Pekoll (Aut)0:00:25.65
54Harry Molloy* (GBr)0:00:25.79
55Kyle Strait (USA)0:00:26.00
56David Eme (Fra)0:00:26.04
57Maxime Remy (Fra)0:00:26.16
58Rémi Thirion (Fra)0:00:26.30
59Patrick Thome* (Fra)0:00:26.98
60Bradley Benedict (USA)0:00:27.04
61Curtis Keene (USA)0:00:27.37
62Jurgen Beneke (Ger)0:00:27.51
63Aari Barrett* (NZl)0:00:27.53
64Cyrille Kurtz (Fra)0:00:28.61
65Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa)0:00:28.83
66Dean Tennant (Can)0:00:29.07
67George Brannigan* (NZl)0:00:29.29
68Esteban Deronzier (Fra)0:00:29.30
69Marco Bugnone (Ita)0:00:29.37
70Boris Tetzlaff (Aut)0:00:30.66
71Gerard Wolfe (Irl)0:00:31.35
72Rémy Charrier (Fra)0:00:32.13
73Fabien Cousinie (Fra)0:00:32.24
74Kyle Marshall* (Can)0:00:32.36
75Shaun Palmer (USA)0:00:32.89
76Bryn Atkinson (Aus)0:00:33.83
77Shaun O'connor* (Aus)0:00:38.35
78Thibaut Ruffin (Fra)0:00:53.82
79Jared Graves (Aus)0:03:06.57
DNFSimon Garstin (Can)Row 79 - Cell 2
DNFJohn Swanguen (USA)Row 80 - Cell 2
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Team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Trek World Racing72pts
2Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team69Row 1 - Cell 3
3Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz63Row 2 - Cell 3
4Santa Cruz Syndicate57Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles54Row 4 - Cell 3
6Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense54Row 5 - Cell 3
7Scott 1154Row 6 - Cell 3
8GT Bicycles38Row 7 - Cell 3
9Suspension Center35Row 8 - Cell 3
10Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team35Row 9 - Cell 3
11Animal Commencal30Row 10 - Cell 3
12Morzine-Avoriaz 7430Row 11 - Cell 3
13Iron Horse-Kenda-Playbiker28Row 12 - Cell 3
14MS Evil Racing26Row 13 - Cell 3
15Norco World Team21Row 14 - Cell 3
16MSC Bikes18Row 15 - Cell 3
17Kenda Morewood17Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ancillotti Doganaccia Racing Team17Row 17 - Cell 3
19Team Sunn15Row 18 - Cell 3
20Solid Aclass Factory Team14Row 19 - Cell 3
212Stagefactory13Row 20 - Cell 3
22Duncan Riffle Racing5Row 21 - Cell 3
23Just Reid Race Team4Row 22 - Cell 3
24Massi3Row 23 - Cell 3
25Kona1Row 24 - Cell 3
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World cup standings after six rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz1039pts
2Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate1035Row 1 - Cell 3
3Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate973Row 2 - Cell 3
4Gee Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal931Row 3 - Cell 3
5Michael Hannah (Aus) GT Bicycles821Row 4 - Cell 3
6Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing646Row 5 - Cell 3
7Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz584Row 6 - Cell 3
8Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team566Row 7 - Cell 3
9Steve Smith (Can) MS Evil Racing515Row 8 - Cell 3
10Aaron Gwin (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team505Row 9 - Cell 3
11Andrew Neethling (RSA) Trek World Racing472Row 10 - Cell 3
12Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11458Row 11 - Cell 3
13Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate439Row 12 - Cell 3
14Fabien Barel (Fra) Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team410Row 13 - Cell 3
15Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Bicycles395Row 14 - Cell 3
16Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa) Massi382Row 15 - Cell 3
17Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) MS Evil Racing373Row 16 - Cell 3
18Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kenda Morewood365Row 17 - Cell 3
19Duncan Riffle (USA) Duncan Riffle Racing363Row 18 - Cell 3
20David Vazquez Lopez (Spa) Lapierre Powered By Saab Salomon360Row 19 - Cell 3
21Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing349Row 20 - Cell 3
22Mickael Pascal (Fra) MSC Bikes348Row 21 - Cell 3
23Chris Kovarik (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense326Row 22 - Cell 3
24Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11322Row 23 - Cell 3
25Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra)312Row 24 - Cell 3
26Dan Stanbridge (GBr)288Row 25 - Cell 3
27Luke Strobel (USA) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles278Row 26 - Cell 3
28Robin Wallner (Swe)276Row 27 - Cell 3
29Danny Hart° (GBr) Lapierre Powered By Saab Salomon274Row 28 - Cell 3
30Cameron Cole (NZl) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles255Row 29 - Cell 3
31Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team253Row 30 - Cell 3
32Joris Bigoni (Fra)243Row 31 - Cell 3
33Joseph Smith (GBr) Kona239Row 32 - Cell 3
34Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)237Row 33 - Cell 3
35Rémi Thirion (Fra) Team Sunn236Row 34 - Cell 3
36Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa) Massi219Row 35 - Cell 3
37Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Solid Aclass Factory Team219Row 36 - Cell 3
38Lorenzo Suding (Ita) Dytech DH215Row 37 - Cell 3
39Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense212Row 38 - Cell 3
40Joshua Button (Aus)211Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jared Rando (Aus) Giant Mountain Bike Team202Row 40 - Cell 3
42Ben Reid (Irl) Just Reid Race Team197Row 41 - Cell 3
43Dan Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal183Row 42 - Cell 3
44Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team181Row 43 - Cell 3
45Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Kenda Morewood180Row 44 - Cell 3
46Nathan Rankin (NZl) Iron Horse-Kenda-Playbiker176Row 45 - Cell 3
47Julien Camellini (Fra) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense171Row 46 - Cell 3
48Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense166Row 47 - Cell 3
49Kyle Strait (USA) Specialized Team America164Row 48 - Cell 3
50Thibaut Ruffin (Fra)156Row 49 - Cell 3
51Sam Dale (GBr)149Row 50 - Cell 3
52Markus Pekoll (Aut) Solid Aclass Factory Team148Row 51 - Cell 3
53Pasqual Canals Flix (Spa) XMS-Devinci World Cup Team144Row 52 - Cell 3
54Nathan Rennie (Aus) Kenda Morewood143Row 53 - Cell 3
55Will Rischbieth (Aus)141Row 54 - Cell 3
56Bryn Atkinson (Aus)137Row 55 - Cell 3
57Antoine Badouard (Fra)137Row 56 - Cell 3
58Ben Cathro (GBr)134Row 57 - Cell 3
59Aari Barrett° (NZl) Scott 11134Row 58 - Cell 3
60Cody Warren (USA) Specialized Team America131Row 59 - Cell 3
61Rhys Willemse° (Aus)127Row 60 - Cell 3
62Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) XMS-Devinci World Cup Team125Row 61 - Cell 3
63Bernard Kerr° (GBr)124Row 62 - Cell 3
64Benny Strasser (Ger)115Row 63 - Cell 3
65Nico Vink (Bel)114Row 64 - Cell 3
66Joe Barnes (GBr)112Row 65 - Cell 3
67Tom Deacon (GBr) 2Stagefactory110Row 66 - Cell 3
68Wyn Masters (NZl) Ancillotti Doganaccia Racing Team107Row 67 - Cell 3
69Cesar Rojo (Spa)105Row 68 - Cell 3
70Herman Olund (Swe)104Row 69 - Cell 3
71Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team99Row 70 - Cell 3
72Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Team Sunn98Row 71 - Cell 3
73Harry Heath° (GBr)98Row 72 - Cell 3
74Bradley Benedict (USA) Duncan Riffle Racing91Row 73 - Cell 3
75Brook Macdonald° (NZl) Ancillotti Doganaccia Racing Team90Row 74 - Cell 3
76Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Solid Aclass Factory Team90Row 75 - Cell 3
77Maxime Remy (Fra) Suspension Center89Row 76 - Cell 3
78Matthew Scoles (NZl)81Row 77 - Cell 3
79Marcel Beer (Swi)79Row 78 - Cell 3
80Dominik Gspan (Swi)72Row 79 - Cell 3
81Romain Paulhan (Fra)67Row 80 - Cell 3
82Florent Payet (Fra) Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team66Row 81 - Cell 3
83Marco Milivinti (Ita) Dytech DH65Row 82 - Cell 3
84Cédric Gracia (Fra)62Row 83 - Cell 3
85Adam Vagner (Cze)61Row 84 - Cell 3
86Vlastimil Hyncica (Cze)57Row 85 - Cell 3
87Nicolas Ortiz (Fra)57Row 86 - Cell 3
88Ryan Condrashoff (USA) X-Fusion-Intense54Row 87 - Cell 3
89Neil Donoghue (GBr)52Row 88 - Cell 3
90Jonty Neethling (RSA)51Row 89 - Cell 3
91Esteban Deronzier (Fra) Morzine-Avoriaz 7451Row 90 - Cell 3
92Toni Berg (Fin)50Row 91 - Cell 3
93Kieran Bennett (NZl) X-Fusion-Intense48Row 92 - Cell 3
94Rémy Charrier (Fra) Team Sunn45Row 93 - Cell 3
95Curtis Keene (USA)43Row 94 - Cell 3
96Georg Sieder (Aut) Solid Aclass Factory Team40Row 95 - Cell 3
97Johann Potgieter (RSA)38Row 96 - Cell 3
98David Eme (Fra)38Row 97 - Cell 3
99Marco Bugnone (Ita) Argentina Bike Gravity Team38Row 98 - Cell 3
100Adam Brayton (GBr) Just Reid Race Team38Row 99 - Cell 3
101Matej Charvat (Cze)36Row 100 - Cell 3
102Dennis Dertell (Swe)33Row 101 - Cell 3
103Mathieu Troquier (Fra) Solid Aclass Factory Team31Row 102 - Cell 3
104Carlo Gambirasio (Ita) Surfing Shop31Row 103 - Cell 3
105Rowan Sorrell (GBr)28Row 104 - Cell 3
106Harry Molloy° (GBr)27Row 105 - Cell 3
107Arnau Sugranes Mateu (Spa)27Row 106 - Cell 3
108Claudio Cozzi (Ita) Dytech DH25Row 107 - Cell 3
109Emanuel Pombo (Por)24Row 108 - Cell 3
110Kevin Aiello° (USA) GT Bicycles24Row 109 - Cell 3
111Mathieu Gallean (Fra) Team Sunn23Row 110 - Cell 3
112Shaun O'connor° (Aus) Iron Horse-Kenda-Playbiker23Row 111 - Cell 3
113Patrick Thome° (Fra) Team Sport Bike22Row 112 - Cell 3
114Maximilian Bender (Ger)21Row 113 - Cell 3
115Robert Smith (GBr)21Row 114 - Cell 3
116Jurgen Beneke (Ger)19Row 115 - Cell 3
117Scott Laughland (Irl)19Row 116 - Cell 3
118Scott Mears (GBr)19Row 117 - Cell 3
119Arran Gannicott° (GBr)19Row 118 - Cell 3
120Martin Mikulenka (Cze)18Row 119 - Cell 3
121Ralph Jones (GBr)18Row 120 - Cell 3
122Dean Tennant (Can)15Row 121 - Cell 3
123Pierre Van Der Merwe° (RSA)15Row 122 - Cell 3
124George Brannigan° (NZl)14Row 123 - Cell 3
125Roman Roschi (Swi)14Row 124 - Cell 3
126Timothy Bentley° (RSA)14Row 125 - Cell 3
127Daniel Wolfe (Irl)13Row 126 - Cell 3
128Kim Petersson° (Swe)13Row 127 - Cell 3
129Iago Garay Tamayo° (Spa)12Row 128 - Cell 3
130Louis-Bresler Knipe (RSA)12Row 129 - Cell 3
131Laurie Dinham° (Aus) Suspension Center11Row 130 - Cell 3
132Jorge Aguin Castro (Spa)11Row 131 - Cell 3
133Elias Somvi (Ita)11Row 132 - Cell 3
134Gerard Wolfe (Irl)10Row 133 - Cell 3
135Gary Barnard (RSA)10Row 134 - Cell 3
136Markus Olkkonen (Fin)10Row 135 - Cell 3
137Andréa Gamenara° (Ita) Argentina Bike Gravity Team10Row 136 - Cell 3
138Mario Sieder (Aut) Solid Aclass Factory Team9Row 137 - Cell 3
139Darryn Stow (RSA)9Row 138 - Cell 3
140Nejc Rutar (Slo) MBK Orbea8Row 139 - Cell 3
141Hayden Brown (RSA)8Row 140 - Cell 3
142Espen Johnsen (Nor)7Row 141 - Cell 3
143Kyle Marshall° (Can)7Row 142 - Cell 3
144James Hughes (GBr)7Row 143 - Cell 3
145Rick Balbierer (Ger)6Row 144 - Cell 3
146Shaun Palmer (USA)6Row 145 - Cell 3
147Emyr Davies (GBr)5Row 146 - Cell 3
148Martin Frei (Swi)4Row 147 - Cell 3
149Simon Dinkelman° (RSA)4Row 148 - Cell 3
150Daniel Critchlow (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense3Row 149 - Cell 3
151Ziga Pandur° (Slo)1Row 150 - Cell 3
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Team World Cup standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Santa Cruz Syndicate424pts
2Trek World Racing414Row 1 - Cell 3
3Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain Bicycles301Row 2 - Cell 3
4Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team289Row 3 - Cell 3
5Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz289Row 4 - Cell 3
6Scott 11270Row 5 - Cell 3
7GT Bicycles241Row 6 - Cell 3
8Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense220Row 7 - Cell 3
9MS Evil Racing215Row 8 - Cell 3
10Suspension Center203Row 9 - Cell 3
11Animal Commencal188Row 10 - Cell 3
12Iron Horse-Kenda-Playbiker180Row 11 - Cell 3
13Morzine-Avoriaz 74148Row 12 - Cell 3
14Norco World Team139Row 13 - Cell 3
15Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team118Row 14 - Cell 3
16Massi86Row 15 - Cell 3
17Kenda Morewood82Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ancillotti Doganaccia Racing Team78Row 17 - Cell 3
192Stagefactory77Row 18 - Cell 3
20Lapierre Powered By Saab Salomon62Row 19 - Cell 3
21MSC Bikes61Row 20 - Cell 3
22Team Vario Racing56Row 21 - Cell 3
23Duncan Riffle Racing41Row 22 - Cell 3
24Team Sunn37Row 23 - Cell 3
25Specialized Team America34Row 24 - Cell 3
26Solid Aclass Factory Team25Row 25 - Cell 3
27Dytech DH12Row 26 - Cell 3
28Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team9Row 27 - Cell 3
29XMS-Devinci World Cup Team6Row 28 - Cell 3
30Just Reid Race Team4Row 29 - Cell 3
31Kona3Row 30 - Cell 3

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