Minnaar triumphs in Fort William

While Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) took the win in round two for the downhill World Cup in Fort William, Scotland, it was the young riders who finished second and third - Danny Hart (Giant) and Brook MacDonald (MS Evil Racing) - who were the real story of the day, signalling the arrival of the next generation of downhillers. Minnaar's win, coupled with round one winner Aaron Gwin's (Trek World Racing) fifth place, put the South African into the leader's jersey for the overall standings.

American Mitch Ropelato, another under 21-year-old, was the first leader to go under five minutes, but he was quickly supplanted by Australian Mitchell Delfs (Kona), who was in turn replaced in the lead by another Australian, Mick Hannah, who took the leading time down to 4:53.433 .

Hannah held onto the lead for a long time before a third Aussie, Josh Button (SC-Intense) just barely edged him. However, the faster riders were just starting to come down the track, and Fabien Pedemanaud (Scott 11) took the leading time down to 4:52.5 shortly afterward.

This set the stage for MacDonald's incredible ride. Starting 48th (out of 81), MacDonald absolutely nailed the pedalling bottom half of the course, to finish a staggering 5.643 seconds ahead of Pedemanaud. The young New Zealand rider, who won't turn 20 until November, was the junior World Champion in 2009, but this ride put him in a whole new league.

As rider after rider came down, none could surpass his time, with another young Kiwi - Cameron Cole (Lapierre) - slotting into second, but still 1.8 seconds back. Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate), world champion Sam Hill (Monster Energy/Specialized/Mad Catz), Fabien Barel (Mondraker) who DNF'd, and Canada's Steve Smith (Devinci) all came close but none came close enough.

It wasn't until Minnaar, a two-time winner at Fort William, and fourth from last to start, came down that MacDonald was finally dislodged from the lead. The South African, a prodigy himself when he won his world title in 2003, was eighth fastest at the top split, and continued to improve as the course went on, to knock nearly two seconds off of MacDonald's incredible run. Hart, starting just after Minnaar and only a month older than MacDonald, pushed the Kiwi down to third by 0.65 seconds. The final two starters - Gee Atherton (Commencal) and World Cup leader Gwin - slotted in to fourth and fifth respectively after their runs.

"It was tough today," said Minnaar. "I was really nervous, I didn't think I had it today. Yesterday's qualifying, I was behind, and I wasn't sure I could find the time. [Brook] MacDonald had a great ride, but I'm stoked to be on top ... it's just an awesome day. I'm just speechless."

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:04:43.854
2Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:01.299
3Brook Macdonald (NZl) Ms Evil Racing0:00:01.934
4Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal0:00:03.004
5Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing0:00:03.193
6Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International0:00:03.748
7Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International0:00:04.269
8Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:04.331
9Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz0:00:04.579
10Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing0:00:05.823
11Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:06.481
12Marc Beaumont (GBr)0:00:06.866
13Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof0:00:07.246
14Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:07.606
15Luke Strobel (USA) Ms Evil Racing0:00:07.694
16Florent Payet (Fra) Sc - Intense0:00:07.953
17Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain0:00:08.050
18Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 110:00:08.646
19Ben Cathro (GBr)0:00:09.219
20Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek0:00:09.343
21Joshua Button (Aus) Sc - Intense0:00:09.499
22Michael Hannah (Aus)0:00:09.579
23Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team0:00:09.865
24Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:10.212
25Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride0:00:10.364
26Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa)0:00:10.462
27Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof0:00:10.646
28Cédric Gracia (Fra) Cg Racing Brigade0:00:10.760
29Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride0:00:11.066
30Troy Brosnan (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz0:00:11.151
31Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Cg Racing Brigade0:00:11.245
32Shaun O'Connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team0:00:12.066
33Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kona0:00:12.080
34Filip Polc (Svk) Ms Evil Racing0:00:12.933
35Nico Vink (Bel) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges0:00:12.985
36Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W - Racing0:00:13.149
37Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges0:00:13.435
38Mark Scott (GBr)0:00:13.804
39Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal0:00:13.866
40Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)0:00:13.984
41Greg Williamson (GBr)0:00:14.493
42Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team0:00:14.626
43Romain Paulhan (Fra)0:00:14.861
44Harry Heath (GBr) Unior Tools Team0:00:14.940
45Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team0:00:15.096
46Will Rischbieth (Aus)0:00:15.329
47Mitch Ropelato (USA)0:00:15.416
48Adam Brayton (GBr)0:00:15.419
49Jack Reading (GBr)0:00:15.643
50Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team0:00:16.144
51Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Evil Racing0:00:16.260
52Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof0:00:16.731
53Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria0:00:16.843
54Wyn Masters (NZl) Ms Evil Racing0:00:17.638
55Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride0:00:17.792
56Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa)0:00:17.852
57Fergus Lamb (GBr)0:00:17.919
58Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team0:00:18.246
59Scott Mears (GBr)0:00:18.427
60Lewis Buchanan (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof0:00:18.440
61Lorenzo Suding (Ita)0:00:19.458
62Richard Thomas (GBr)0:00:20.522
63Curtis Keene (USA)0:00:20.575
64Emanuel Pombo (Por)0:00:22.309
65Alexander Kangas (Swe)0:00:22.418
66Florian Arthus (Fra)0:00:22.735
67Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team0:00:23.882
68Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre0:00:24.523
69Dan Atherton (GBr) Commencal0:00:25.018
70Seanan O'Riordan (Irl)0:00:25.369
71Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing0:00:27.485
72Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa)0:00:33.290
73Christopher Mcglinchey (Irl)0:00:35.491
74Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre International0:00:42.017
75Joris Bigoni (Fra)0:00:47.924
76Mathieu Gallean (Fra) Ryde - Racing0:04:53.950
77Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre0:05:45.571
78George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing0:16:04.336
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Trek World Racing91pts
2Santa Cruz Syndicate77Row 1 - Cell 3
3Commencal65Row 2 - Cell 3
4Scott 1155Row 3 - Cell 3
5Lapierre International50Row 4 - Cell 3
6MS Evil Racing48Row 5 - Cell 3
7Giant Factory Off-Road Team42Row 6 - Cell 3
8Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain36Row 7 - Cell 3
9Team GR32Row 8 - Cell 3
10Riding Addiction Commencal26Row 9 - Cell 3
11SC - Intense25Row 10 - Cell 3
12Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz23Row 11 - Cell 3
13Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof22Row 12 - Cell 3
14Devinci Global Racing21Row 13 - Cell 3
15Madison Saracen16Row 14 - Cell 3
16Team Cingolani Trek11Row 15 - Cell 3
17Alpine Commencal Austria9Row 16 - Cell 3
18Mondraker Factory Team8Row 17 - Cell 3
19Morewood Unitedride8Row 18 - Cell 3
20Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee6Row 19 - Cell 3
21CK Racing Santacruz3Row 20 - Cell 3
22CG Racing Brigade3Row 21 - Cell 3
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World cup standings after two rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate425pts
2Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing378Row 1 - Cell 3
3Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal327Row 2 - Cell 3
4Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team249Row 3 - Cell 3
5Brook Macdonald (NZl) Ms Evil Racing199Row 4 - Cell 3
6Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing197Row 5 - Cell 3
7Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz195Row 6 - Cell 3
8Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate190Row 7 - Cell 3
9Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International172Row 8 - Cell 3
10Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing164Row 9 - Cell 3
11Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International164Row 10 - Cell 3
12Marc Beaumont (GBr)159Row 11 - Cell 3
13Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team156Row 12 - Cell 3
14Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate153Row 13 - Cell 3
15Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof148Row 14 - Cell 3
16Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team147Row 15 - Cell 3
17Cédric Gracia (Fra) Cg Racing Brigade143Row 16 - Cell 3
18Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek129Row 17 - Cell 3
19Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride128Row 18 - Cell 3
20Troy Brosnan (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz126Row 19 - Cell 3
21Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain124Row 20 - Cell 3
22Florent Payet (Fra) Sc - Intense119Row 21 - Cell 3
23Luke Strobel (USA) Ms Evil Racing114Row 22 - Cell 3
24Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal111Row 23 - Cell 3
25Michael Hannah (Aus)109Row 24 - Cell 3
26Ben Cathro (GBr)102Row 25 - Cell 3
27Shaun O'connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team99Row 26 - Cell 3
28Filip Polc (Svk) Ms Evil Racing98Row 27 - Cell 3
29Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W - Racing98Row 28 - Cell 3
30Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team97Row 29 - Cell 3
31Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride97Row 30 - Cell 3
32Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof97Row 31 - Cell 3
33Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre96Row 32 - Cell 3
34Joshua Button (Aus) Sc - Intense95Row 33 - Cell 3
35Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 1194Row 34 - Cell 3
36Romain Paulhan (Fra)94Row 35 - Cell 3
37Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges93Row 36 - Cell 3
38Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Evil Racing92Row 37 - Cell 3
39Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 1191Row 38 - Cell 3
40Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kona90Row 39 - Cell 3
41Bryn Atkinson (Aus)80Row 40 - Cell 3
42Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team70Row 41 - Cell 3
43Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team68Row 42 - Cell 3
44Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team68Row 43 - Cell 3
45Mitch Ropelato (USA)68Row 44 - Cell 3
46Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)66Row 45 - Cell 3
47Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing62Row 46 - Cell 3
48Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride62Row 47 - Cell 3
49Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre60Row 48 - Cell 3
50Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Cg Racing Brigade59Row 49 - Cell 3
51Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team58Row 50 - Cell 3
52Richard Thomas (GBr)57Row 51 - Cell 3
53Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa)55Row 52 - Cell 3
54Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team52Row 53 - Cell 3
55Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team48Row 54 - Cell 3
56Emanuel Pombo (Por)47Row 55 - Cell 3
57Nico Vink (Bel) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges46Row 56 - Cell 3
58Bernard Kerr (GBr)46Row 57 - Cell 3
59Mark Scott (GBr)43Row 58 - Cell 3
60Scott Mears (GBr)42Row 59 - Cell 3
61Curtis Keene (USA)42Row 60 - Cell 3
62Greg Williamson (GBr)40Row 61 - Cell 3
63Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team39Row 62 - Cell 3
64Harry Heath (GBr) Unior Tools Team37Row 63 - Cell 3
65Fergus Lamb (GBr)36Row 64 - Cell 3
66Will Rischbieth (Aus)35Row 65 - Cell 3
67Adam Brayton (GBr)33Row 66 - Cell 3
68Jack Reading (GBr)32Row 67 - Cell 3
69Alex Bond (GBr)32Row 68 - Cell 3
70Marcel Beer (Swi)31Row 69 - Cell 3
71Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof29Row 70 - Cell 3
72Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria28Row 71 - Cell 3
73Wyn Masters (NZl) Ms Evil Racing27Row 72 - Cell 3
74Jonty Neethling (RSA)27Row 73 - Cell 3
75Johann Potgieter (RSA)26Row 74 - Cell 3
76Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa)25Row 75 - Cell 3
77Hayden Brown (RSA)23Row 76 - Cell 3
78Lewis Buchanan (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof21Row 77 - Cell 3
79Lorenzo Suding (Ita)20Row 78 - Cell 3
80Thomas Jeandin (Swi)19Row 79 - Cell 3
81Lars Peyer (Swi) Sc - Intense18Row 80 - Cell 3
82Fraser Mcglone (GBr)17Row 81 - Cell 3
83Alexander Kangas (Swe)16Row 82 - Cell 3
84Daniel Pombo (Por)16Row 83 - Cell 3
85Florian Arthus (Fra)15Row 84 - Cell 3
86Kelvin Purchase (RSA)15Row 85 - Cell 3
87Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team14Row 86 - Cell 3
88Chris Hutchens (GBr)14Row 87 - Cell 3
89Tiaan Odendaal (RSA)13Row 88 - Cell 3
90Dan Atherton (GBr) Commencal12Row 89 - Cell 3
91Seanan O'riordan (Irl)11Row 90 - Cell 3
92Francesco Danilo Petrucci (Ita) Team Cingolani Trek11Row 91 - Cell 3
93Roman Roschi (Swi)10Row 92 - Cell 3
94Oscar Harnstrom (Swe)9Row 93 - Cell 3
95Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa)9Row 94 - Cell 3
96Arthur Parret (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee8Row 95 - Cell 3
97Christopher Mcglinchey (Irl)8Row 96 - Cell 3
98Jérôme Payet (Fra)7Row 97 - Cell 3
99Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre International7Row 98 - Cell 3
100Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team6Row 99 - Cell 3
101Joris Bigoni (Fra)6Row 100 - Cell 3
102Mathias Haas (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria5Row 101 - Cell 3
103Mathieu Gallean (Fra) Ryde - Racing5Row 102 - Cell 3
104Daniel Critchlow (GBr)4Row 103 - Cell 3
105Travis Browning (RSA)3Row 104 - Cell 3
106George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing3Row 105 - Cell 3

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