Gee Atherton claims downhill World Cup in Cairns
Bryceland and Mulally on the podium
British brother and sister combination of Gee and Rachel Atherton dominated the Australian leg of the UCI World Cup Series, claiming downhill victories at the Smithfield Regional Park in Cairns on Saturday.
The win was the fourth time that reigning world champion Rachel and elder brother Gee (both GT Factory Racing) have reached the top step of the podium at the same World Cup event.
After a wet qualifying session held on Friday, roots and rocks began to protrude from the peanut butter like course, undoing many top players including reigning world champion Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate).
However the ever flawless Atherton siblings soared through their final run, with Gee stopping the clock in four minutes flat, four seconds ahead of Great Britain's Josh Bryceland (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and close to seven seconds in front of America's Neko Mulally (Trek World Racing).
"It's been a tough weekend with really testing conditions. Yesterday's qualifier was quite a big learning round for me, I was surprised how hard it was when I got here," said Gee of his sixth place in qualifying.
"It was absolutely nuts in that rock garden, I knew the crowd were going to be loud, and it was a real struggle to concentrate but it definitely pushed me on, I was pretty amped when I got to the finish."
World Cup series leader Aaron Gwin (Specialized Racing DH) finished fourth while Australia's Sam Hill (Chain Reaction Cycles.com) ignited the crowd by taking the hot seat before being usurped by Bryceland.
Gwin remains in the UCI World Cup series lead (415 points), ahead of Gee Atherton (305 points) and Samuel Blenkinsop (Lapierre Gravity Republic / 262).
Full Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Gee Atherton (GBr) Gt Factory Racing | 0:04:00.700 |
2 | Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:04.229 |
3 | Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing | 0:00:06.930 |
4 | Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing Dh | 0:00:07.093 |
5 | Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 0:00:07.182 |
6 | Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 0:00:08.576 |
7 | Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:10.073 |
8 | Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 0:00:10.284 |
9 | Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing Dh | 0:00:10.535 |
10 | Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:10.925 |
11 | Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 0:00:11.787 |
12 | Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Rrp Ghost | 0:00:12.238 |
13 | Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 0:00:12.348 |
14 | Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson Ur | 0:00:12.558 |
15 | Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Mondraker Team | 0:00:13.329 |
16 | Marc Beaumont (GBr) Gt Factory Racing | 0:00:13.340 |
17 | Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 0:00:13.954 |
18 | Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott | 0:00:14.130 |
19 | Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 0:00:15.019 |
20 | Lorenzo Suding (Ita) | 0:00:15.187 |
21 | Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:15.593 |
22 | Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 0:00:15.729 |
23 | Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott | 0:00:17.347 |
24 | Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing | 0:00:17.771 |
25 | Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory Dh Team | 0:00:18.398 |
26 | Edward Masters (NZl) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 0:00:19.033 |
27 | Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing | 0:00:19.294 |
28 | Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 0:00:21.310 |
29 | Graeme Mudd (Aus) | 0:00:21.591 |
30 | Michael Jones (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 0:00:21.671 |
31 | Chris Kovarik (Aus) | 0:00:21.772 |
32 | Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Ms Mondraker Team | 0:00:24.309 |
33 | Isak Leivsson (Nor) | 0:00:24.486 |
34 | Reece Potter (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 0:00:25.420 |
35 | Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - Dh | 0:00:26.993 |
36 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott | 0:00:27.348 |
37 | Forrest Riesco (Can) | 0:00:27.595 |
38 | Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team | 0:00:27.762 |
39 | Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour | 0:00:27.865 |
40 | Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing Dh | 0:00:27.979 |
41 | Lindsay Klein (Aus) | 0:00:29.148 |
42 | Rupert Chapman (NZl) | 0:00:29.298 |
43 | Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 0:00:29.754 |
44 | George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing | 0:00:30.122 |
45 | Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson Ur | 0:00:30.166 |
46 | Fraser Mcglone (GBr) Perth City Cycles | 0:00:30.225 |
47 | Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal | 0:00:31.317 |
48 | Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:31.976 |
49 | Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 0:00:35.901 |
50 | Benny Strasser (Ger) | 0:00:36.497 |
51 | Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing | 0:00:36.603 |
52 | David Mcmillan (Aus) | 0:00:36.726 |
53 | Ben Power (Aus) | 0:00:38.268 |
54 | Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team | 0:00:40.460 |
55 | Quentin Chanudet (Fra) | 0:00:42.077 |
56 | Tom Matthews (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 0:00:42.364 |
57 | Dominik Gspan (Swi) | 0:00:43.557 |
58 | Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 0:00:45.585 |
59 | Louis Hamilton (NZl) | 0:00:46.005 |
60 | Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 0:00:47.089 |
61 | Harry Molloy (GBr) Rrp Ghost | 0:00:51.911 |
62 | Felix Heine (Ger) | 0:00:54.448 |
63 | Junya Nagata (Jpn) | 0:00:57.290 |
64 | Lachlan Blair (GBr) | 0:00:57.565 |
65 | Brendan Moon (Aus) | 0:00:57.805 |
66 | Hajime Imoto (Jpn) | 0:00:58.609 |
67 | Luke Ball (GBr) | 0:01:01.057 |
68 | Thomas Crimmins (Aus) | 0:01:02.712 |
69 | Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing | 0:01:06.131 |
70 | Yuki Kushima (Jpn) | 0:01:06.872 |
71 | Jono Jones (GBr) | 0:01:06.958 |
72 | Bryn Atkinson (Aus) | 0:01:16.005 |
73 | Jesse Beare (Aus) | 0:01:19.212 |
74 | Peter Knott (Aus) | 0:01:42.658 |
75 | Joshua Button (Aus) | 0:01:53.478 |
76 | Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 0:05:34.319 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | Header Cell - Column 3 |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH | 415 | pts |
2 | Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing | 305 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 262 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing | 261 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 249 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 231 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR | 227 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH | 224 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 212 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 206 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 200 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 163 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 159 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 154 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Mondraker Team | 145 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing | 141 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 127 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing | 126 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 124 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott | 117 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Lorenzo Suding (Ita) | 116 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team | 115 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott | 114 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 107 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Ms Mondraker Team | 107 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 105 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 101 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing | 100 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson UR | 99 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 98 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Isak Leivsson (Nor) | 98 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing | 96 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 95 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team | 93 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott | 93 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 89 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory DH Team | 85 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Rrp Ghost | 84 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Edward Masters (NZl) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 80 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour | 79 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH | 77 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
42 | Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal | 77 | Row 41 - Cell 3 |
43 | Aurã©Lien Giordanengo (Fra) Hutchinson UR | 71 | Row 42 - Cell 3 |
44 | Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing | 70 | Row 43 - Cell 3 |
45 | Bryn Atkinson (Aus) | 67 | Row 44 - Cell 3 |
46 | Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 66 | Row 45 - Cell 3 |
47 | Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing | 62 | Row 46 - Cell 3 |
48 | Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 59 | Row 47 - Cell 3 |
49 | Graeme Mudd (Aus) | 52 | Row 48 - Cell 3 |
50 | Michael Jones (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 51 | Row 49 - Cell 3 |
51 | Chris Kovarik (Aus) | 50 | Row 50 - Cell 3 |
52 | Reece Potter (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 47 | Row 51 - Cell 3 |
53 | Harry Heath (GBr) Orange Dirt World Team, O'neal | 47 | Row 52 - Cell 3 |
54 | Tomas Slavik (Cze) | 45 | Row 53 - Cell 3 |
55 | Forrest Riesco (Can) | 44 | Row 54 - Cell 3 |
56 | Jack Reading (GBr) Sc Intense | 41 | Row 55 - Cell 3 |
57 | Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing DH | 41 | Row 56 - Cell 3 |
58 | Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory DH Team | 40 | Row 57 - Cell 3 |
59 | Lindsay Klein (Aus) | 40 | Row 58 - Cell 3 |
60 | Adam Brayton (GBr) | 39 | Row 59 - Cell 3 |
61 | Rupert Chapman (NZl) | 39 | Row 60 - Cell 3 |
62 | Fraser Mcglone (GBr) Perth City Cycles | 35 | Row 61 - Cell 3 |
63 | Timothy Bentley (RSA) | 33 | Row 62 - Cell 3 |
64 | Benny Strasser (Ger) | 31 | Row 63 - Cell 3 |
65 | David Mcmillan (Aus) | 29 | Row 64 - Cell 3 |
66 | Stefan Garlicki (RSA) | 28 | Row 65 - Cell 3 |
67 | Ben Power (Aus) | 28 | Row 66 - Cell 3 |
68 | Francisco Pardal (Por) | 27 | Row 67 - Cell 3 |
69 | Tiaan Odendaal (RSA) | 26 | Row 68 - Cell 3 |
70 | Quentin Chanudet (Fra) | 26 | Row 69 - Cell 3 |
71 | Joseph Connell (GBr) Sc Intense | 25 | Row 70 - Cell 3 |
72 | Tom Matthews (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 25 | Row 71 - Cell 3 |
73 | Samuel Bull (RSA) | 24 | Row 72 - Cell 3 |
74 | Dominik Gspan (Swi) | 24 | Row 73 - Cell 3 |
75 | Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Hutchinson UR | 23 | Row 74 - Cell 3 |
76 | Harry Molloy (GBr) Rrp Ghost | 23 | Row 75 - Cell 3 |
77 | Jasper Jauch (Ger) | 22 | Row 76 - Cell 3 |
78 | Louis Hamilton (NZl) | 22 | Row 77 - Cell 3 |
79 | Matej Charvat (Cze) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 21 | Row 78 - Cell 3 |
80 | Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 21 | Row 79 - Cell 3 |
81 | Jono Jones (GBr) | 21 | Row 80 - Cell 3 |
82 | Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) | 20 | Row 81 - Cell 3 |
83 | Mario Josã© Jarrin Molina (Ecu) | 19 | Row 82 - Cell 3 |
84 | Felix Heine (Ger) | 19 | Row 83 - Cell 3 |
85 | Alexandre Fayolle (Fra) | 18 | Row 84 - Cell 3 |
86 | Junya Nagata (Jpn) | 18 | Row 85 - Cell 3 |
87 | Jonty Neethling (RSA) | 17 | Row 86 - Cell 3 |
88 | Lachlan Blair (GBr) | 17 | Row 87 - Cell 3 |
89 | Brent Smith (Aus) | 16 | Row 88 - Cell 3 |
90 | Brendan Moon (Aus) | 16 | Row 89 - Cell 3 |
91 | Zakarias Blom Johansen (Nor) | 15 | Row 90 - Cell 3 |
92 | Hajime Imoto (Jpn) | 15 | Row 91 - Cell 3 |
93 | Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 14 | Row 92 - Cell 3 |
94 | Luke Ball (GBr) | 14 | Row 93 - Cell 3 |
95 | Chris Barlin (Aus) Green To Gold Race Development | 13 | Row 94 - Cell 3 |
96 | Thomas Crimmins (Aus) | 13 | Row 95 - Cell 3 |
97 | Mathew Stuttard (GBr) | 12 | Row 96 - Cell 3 |
98 | Yuki Kushima (Jpn) | 11 | Row 97 - Cell 3 |
99 | Josh Lowe (GBr) | 10 | Row 98 - Cell 3 |
100 | Francesco Colombo (Ita) Gravitalia Squadra Corse | 9 | Row 99 - Cell 3 |
101 | Jesse Beare (Aus) | 8 | Row 100 - Cell 3 |
102 | Alasdair Fey (RSA) | 8 | Row 101 - Cell 3 |
103 | Peter Knott (Aus) | 7 | Row 102 - Cell 3 |
104 | Kazuki Shimizu (Jpn) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 7 | Row 103 - Cell 3 |
105 | Joshua Button (Aus) | 6 | Row 104 - Cell 3 |
106 | Travis Browning (RSA) | 6 | Row 105 - Cell 3 |
107 | Peter Williams (GBr) | 5 | Row 106 - Cell 3 |
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