Gwin gives USA first downhill win in years
Minnaar races to second at home ahead of Atherton
The first round of the 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup concluded in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on Easter Sunday with the crowd favourite downhill. While local favourite Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was not able to repeat his victory of two seasons ago in the men's race, the thousands of fans were treated to exciting racing, with the men's title won by less than three-tenths of a second. Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) brought home the first US downhill World Cup victory in years. Minnaar's ride was good enough for second ahead of Gee Atherton (Commencal) in third.
In the 82-rider men's field, it was four time cross World Cup winner Jared Graves (Yeti Fox Shox), who set the first fast time of 4:17.183. Graves stayed in the hot seat through 15 riders before the New Zealand champion Cameron Cole (Lapierre International) was able to edge him out. Cole had a much shorter time in the lead, as Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate) knocked nearly two seconds off the top time only three riders later. Peat was uncharacteristically seeded low, since he has been fighting the effects of a flu which sapped his power all week.
Peat withstood the challenges of a number of top names, as the start list counted down: Sam Blenkinsop (Lapierre International), Marc Beaumont (Team GT), Justin Leov (Trek World Racing), Steve Smith (Devinci), Andrew Neethling (Giant) and world champion Sam Hill (Monster Energy/Specialized/Mad Catz).
Peat's time in the hot seat lasted until American Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) knocked a staggering seven seconds off the best time.
Defending World Cup champion Gee Atherton (Commencal) could only manage a time within two seconds of Gwin, which was good enough for third, and Minnaar, with the entire crowd cheering him down the course, came oh-so-close, but was 0.241 seconds in arrears. When the fastest qualifier, Mick Hannah (Team GT) crashed hard after bolts broke in his handlebar stem, Gwin knew that he had his first World Cup victory.
With his win, Gwin became the first American man to win a World Cup since 1999 (Shaun Palmer was the last at Big Bear). Gwin revealed that he has been training with the legendary John Tomac, and it appears to have paid off.
"Honestly, coming into this weekend, I didn't think I could do it," said Gwin. "The track was just clicking, and I felt really good all weekend, and it just came down to the pedalling."
"I thought that if I could just go hard at the top and the bottom I was probably fit enough to hold onto it in the middle, and it worked out," said Gwin. "I was surprised at the gap when I came down. It was a pretty loose run, but it was everything I had. It was on the edge, I hit a tree at the top, but I just tried to keep myself calm and hold it together, but there were some sketchy moments. I'm stoked, I'm just speechless."
Fabian Barel (Mondraker Factory Team) earned the fourth podium spot ahead of Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate) in fifth.
Junior downhill world champion Troy Brosnan (Monster Energy/Specialized/Mad Catz) of Australia won the junior men's race. He clocked the 23rd fastest time among the elites.
Full Results (* indicates junior riders)
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing | 0:04:08.634 |
2 | Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:00.241 |
3 | Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal | 0:00:01.921 |
4 | Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 0:00:04.246 |
5 | Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:06.809 |
6 | Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing | 0:00:06.934 |
7 | Marc Beaumont (GBr) | 0:00:07.237 |
8 | Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 0:00:07.399 |
9 | Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11 | 0:00:07.965 |
10 | Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:08.281 |
11 | Bryn Atkinson (Aus) | 0:00:08.371 |
12 | Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International | 0:00:08.502 |
13 | Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 0:00:08.549 |
14 | Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:09.022 |
15 | Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof | 0:00:09.132 |
16 | Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade | 0:00:09.809 |
17 | Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 0:00:10.167 |
18 | Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek | 0:00:10.609 |
19 | Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 0:00:10.852 |
20 | Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal | 0:00:10.853 |
21 | Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International | 0:00:10.995 |
22 | Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:11.049 |
23 | Troy Brosnan* (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 0:00:11.354 |
24 | Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 0:00:11.376 |
25 | Romain Paulhan (Fra) | 0:00:11.420 |
26 | Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:11.425 |
27 | Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:11.806 |
28 | Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing | 0:00:11.943 |
29 | Neko Mulally* (USA) Trek World Racing | 0:00:12.232 |
30 | Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:12.810 |
31 | Shaun O'Connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 0:00:12.916 |
32 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc/Solid/Massif Des Vosges | 0:00:13.071 |
33 | Florent Payet (Fra) SC-Intense | 0:00:13.667 |
34 | Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 0:00:13.730 |
35 | Bernard Kerr (GBr) Wallner Robin | 0:00:14.082 |
36 | Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W-Racing | 0:00:14.096 |
37 | Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | 0:00:14.968 |
38 | Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof | 0:00:15.158 |
39 | Mitchell Delfs (Aus) | 0:00:15.377 |
40 | Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 0:00:15.627 |
41 | Ben Cathro (GBr) Spagnolo Damien | 0:00:15.696 |
42 | Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 0:00:15.839 |
43 | Richard Thomas (GBr) | 0:00:15.982 |
44 | Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 0:00:16.017 |
45 | Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride | 0:00:16.056 |
46 | Joshua Button (Aus) SC-Intense | 0:00:16.294 |
47 | Mitch Ropelato (USA) | 0:00:16.595 |
48 | Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:16.903 |
49 | Alex Bond (GBr) | 0:00:17.425 |
50 | Marcel Beer (Swi) | 0:00:17.435 |
51 | Emanuel Pombo (Por) | 0:00:17.934 |
52 | Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team | 0:00:18.289 |
53 | Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11 | 0:00:18.405 |
54 | Jonty Neethling (RSA) | 0:00:19.692 |
55 | Johann Potgieter (RSA) | 0:00:20.534 |
56 | Thomas Braithwaite (GBr) | 0:00:20.677 |
57 | Curtis Keene (USA) | 0:00:21.430 |
58 | Hayden Brown (RSA) | 0:00:22.359 |
59 | Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 0:00:22.654 |
60 | Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:22.688 |
61 | Scott Mears (GBr) | 0:00:23.147 |
62 | Thomas Jeandin (Swi) | 0:00:24.451 |
63 | Lars Peyer (Swi) SC-Intense | 0:00:24.831 |
64 | Fraser Mcglone* (GBr) | 0:00:26.043 |
65 | Daniel Pombo (Por) | 0:00:26.995 |
66 | Kelvin Purchase (RSA) | 0:00:28.688 |
67 | Chris Hutchens (GBr) | 0:00:28.900 |
68 | Tiaan Odendaal* (RSA) | 0:00:29.700 |
69 | Fergus Lamb (GBr) | 0:00:30.123 |
70 | Francesco Petrucci (Ita) | 0:00:30.558 |
71 | Roman Roschi (Swi) | 0:00:30.867 |
72 | Oscar Harnstrom (Swe) | 0:00:31.068 |
73 | Arthur Parret* (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee | 0:00:32.375 |
74 | Jérôme Payet (Fra) | 0:00:35.547 |
75 | Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 0:00:40.691 |
76 | Mathias Haas (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria | 0:00:45.282 |
77 | Daniel Critchlow (GBr) | 0:00:45.525 |
78 | Travis Browning (RSA) | 0:03:06.284 |
DNF | George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing | |
DNF | Michael Hannah (Aus) | |
DNS | Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | |
DNS | Alexander Kangas (Swe) |
World Cup standings
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing | 218 | pts |
2 | Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 200 | |
3 | Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal | 162 | |
4 | Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 145 | |
5 | Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 110 | |
6 | Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing | 104 | |
7 | Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 102 | |
8 | Nick Beer (Swi) SCott 11 | 94 | |
9 | Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 92 | |
10 | Marc Beaumont (GBr) | 90 | |
11 | Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade | 90 | |
12 | Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 86 | |
13 | Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 83 | |
14 | Bryn Atkinson (Aus) | 80 | |
15 | Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 76 | |
16 | Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 70 | |
17 | Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International | 69 | |
18 | Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal | 69 | |
19 | Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 68 | |
20 | Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof | 66 | |
21 | Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek | 63 | |
22 | Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Evil Racing | 62 | |
23 | Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International | 60 | |
24 | Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 59 | |
25 | Brook Macdonald (NZl) Ms Evil Racing | 59 | |
26 | Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing | 59 | |
27 | Troy Brosnan* (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 58 | |
28 | Romain Paulhan (Fra) | 56 | |
29 | Neko Mulally* (USA) Trek World Racing | 52 | |
30 | Filip Polc (Svk) Ms Evil Racing | 51 | |
31 | Shaun O'Connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 50 | |
32 | Michael Hannah (Aus) | 50 | |
33 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc/Solid/Massif Des Vosges | 49 | |
34 | Florent Payet (Fra) SC-Intense | 48 | |
35 | Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 47 | |
36 | Bernard Kerr (GBr) | 46 | |
37 | Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W-Racing | 45 | |
38 | Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | 44 | |
39 | Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof | 43 | |
40 | Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kona | 42 | |
41 | Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 41 | |
42 | Ben Cathro (GBr) | 40 | |
43 | Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 39 | |
44 | Richard Thomas (GBr) | 38 | |
45 | Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 37 | |
46 | Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride | 36 | |
47 | Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 36 | |
48 | Joshua Button (Aus) SC-Intense | 35 | |
49 | Mitch Ropelato (USA) | 34 | |
50 | Luke Strobel (USA) Ms Evil Racing | 33 | |
51 | Alex Bond (GBr) | 32 | |
52 | Marcel Beer (Swi) | 31 | |
53 | Emanuel Pombo (Por) | 30 | |
54 | Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team | 29 | |
55 | Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) SCott 11 | 28 | |
56 | Jonty Neethling (RSA) | 27 | |
57 | Johann Potgieter (RSA) | 26 | |
58 | Thomas Braithwaite (GBr) | 25 | |
59 | Curtis Keene (USA) | 24 | |
60 | Hayden Brown (RSA) | 23 | |
61 | Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 22 | |
62 | Scott Mears (GBr) | 20 | |
63 | Thomas Jeandin (Swi) | 19 | |
64 | Lars Peyer (Swi) SC-Intense | 18 | |
65 | Fraser Mcglone* (GBr) | 17 | |
66 | Daniel Pombo (Por) | 16 | |
67 | Kelvin Purchase (RSA) | 15 | |
68 | Chris Hutchens (GBr) | 14 | |
69 | Tiaan Odendaal* (RSA) | 13 | |
70 | Fergus Lamb (GBr) | 12 | |
71 | Francesco Petrucci (Ita) Team Cingolani Trek | 11 | |
72 | Roman Roschi (Swi) | 10 | |
73 | Oscar Harnstrom (Swe) | 9 | |
74 | Arthur Parret* (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee | 8 | |
75 | Jérôme Payet (Fra) | 7 | |
76 | Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 6 | |
77 | Mathias Haas (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria | 5 | |
78 | Daniel Critchlow (GBr) | 4 | |
79 | Travis Browning (RSA) | 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Santa Cruz Syndicate | 84 | pts |
2 | Trek World Racing | 83 | |
3 | Team GR | 65 | |
4 | Scott 11 | 62 | |
5 | Mondraker Factory Team | 37 | |
6 | Commencal | 32 | |
7 | Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 31 | |
8 | Lapierre International | 29 | |
9 | Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain | 26 | |
10 | Devinci Global Racing | 26 | |
11 | Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 26 | |
12 | Team Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie | 20 | |
13 | Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 18 | |
14 | Madison Saracen | 16 | |
15 | Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof | 16 | |
16 | Cg Racing Brigade | 15 | |
17 | Morewood Unitedride | 14 | |
18 | Team Cingolani Trek | 13 | |
19 | Alpine Commencal Austria | 12 | |
20 | Team Sunn Montgenevre | 12 | |
21 | Riding Addiction Commencal | 11 | |
22 | MS Evil Racing | 10 | |
23 | SC-Intense | 6 |
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