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Gee Atherton claims downhill World Cup in Cairns

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Bryceland and Mulally on the podium

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Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing celebrates his win

Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing celebrates his win (Image credit: Marius Maasewerd)
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RMen podium: Aaron Gwin, Josh Bryceland, Gee Aterton, Neko Mulally, Sam Hill

RMen podium: Aaron Gwin, Josh Bryceland, Gee Aterton, Neko Mulally, Sam Hill (Image credit: Marius Maasewerd)
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World Cup leader Aaron Gwin

World Cup leader Aaron Gwin (Image credit: Marius Maasewerd)
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Gee Atherton out on the course

Gee Atherton out on the course (Image credit: Tim Bardsley-Smith)
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Gee Atherton celebrates the win

Gee Atherton celebrates the win (Image credit: Tim Bardsley-Smith)
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Gee Atherton, top step of the podium

Gee Atherton, top step of the podium (Image credit: Tim Bardsley-Smith)

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) TeamResult
1Gee Atherton (GBr) Gt Factory Racing0:04:00.700
2Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:04.229
3Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing0:00:06.930
4Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing Dh0:00:07.093
5Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof0:00:07.182
6Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic0:00:08.576
7Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:10.073
8Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team0:00:10.284
9Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing Dh0:00:10.535
10Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:10.925
11Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team0:00:11.787
12Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Rrp Ghost0:00:12.238
13Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof0:00:12.348
14Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson Ur0:00:12.558
15Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Mondraker Team0:00:13.329
16Marc Beaumont (GBr) Gt Factory Racing0:00:13.340
17Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic0:00:13.954
18Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott0:00:14.130
19Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team0:00:15.019
20Lorenzo Suding (Ita)0:00:15.187
21Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:15.593
22Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team0:00:15.729
23Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott0:00:17.347
24Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing0:00:17.771
25Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory Dh Team0:00:18.398
26Edward Masters (NZl) Bergamont Hayes World Team0:00:19.033
27Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:19.294
28Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour0:00:21.310
29Graeme Mudd (Aus)0:00:21.591
30Michael Jones (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof0:00:21.671
31Chris Kovarik (Aus)0:00:21.772
32Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Ms Mondraker Team0:00:24.309
33Isak Leivsson (Nor)0:00:24.486
34Reece Potter (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team0:00:25.420
35Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - Dh0:00:26.993
36Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott0:00:27.348
37Forrest Riesco (Can)0:00:27.595
38Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team0:00:27.762
39Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour0:00:27.865
40Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing Dh0:00:27.979
41Lindsay Klein (Aus)0:00:29.148
42Rupert Chapman (NZl)0:00:29.298
43Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team0:00:29.754
44George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:30.122
45Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson Ur0:00:30.166
46Fraser Mcglone (GBr) Perth City Cycles0:00:30.225
47Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal0:00:31.317
48Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team0:00:31.976
49Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:00:35.901
50Benny Strasser (Ger)0:00:36.497
51Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing0:00:36.603
52David Mcmillan (Aus)0:00:36.726
53Ben Power (Aus)0:00:38.268
54Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team0:00:40.460
55Quentin Chanudet (Fra)0:00:42.077
56Tom Matthews (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team0:00:42.364
57Dominik Gspan (Swi)0:00:43.557
58Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:00:45.585
59Louis Hamilton (NZl)0:00:46.005
60Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour0:00:47.089
61Harry Molloy (GBr) Rrp Ghost0:00:51.911
62Felix Heine (Ger)0:00:54.448
63Junya Nagata (Jpn)0:00:57.290
64Lachlan Blair (GBr)0:00:57.565
65Brendan Moon (Aus)0:00:57.805
66Hajime Imoto (Jpn)0:00:58.609
67Luke Ball (GBr)0:01:01.057
68Thomas Crimmins (Aus)0:01:02.712
69Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing0:01:06.131
70Yuki Kushima (Jpn)0:01:06.872
71Jono Jones (GBr)0:01:06.958
72Bryn Atkinson (Aus)0:01:16.005
73Jesse Beare (Aus)0:01:19.212
74Peter Knott (Aus)0:01:42.658
75Joshua Button (Aus)0:01:53.478
76Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction0:05:34.319

Elite men downhill World Cup standings after two rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH415pts
2Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing305
3Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic262
4Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing261
5Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate249
6Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic231
7Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR227
8Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH224
9Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team212
10Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof206
11Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate200
12Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate163
13Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team159
14Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team154
15Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Mondraker Team145
16Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing141
17Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction127
18Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing126
19Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team124
20Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott117
21Lorenzo Suding (Ita)116
22Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team115
23Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott114
24Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team107
25Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Ms Mondraker Team107
26Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team105
27Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team101
28Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing100
29Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson UR99
30Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof98
31Isak Leivsson (Nor)98
32George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing96
33Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour95
34Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team93
35Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott93
36Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team89
37Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory DH Team85
38Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Rrp Ghost84
39Edward Masters (NZl) Bergamont Hayes World Team80
40Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour79
41Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH77
42Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal77
43Aurã©Lien Giordanengo (Fra) Hutchinson UR71
44Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing70
45Bryn Atkinson (Aus)67
46Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction66
47Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing62
48Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction59
49Graeme Mudd (Aus)52
50Michael Jones (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof51
51Chris Kovarik (Aus)50
52Reece Potter (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team47
53Harry Heath (GBr) Orange Dirt World Team, O'neal47
54Tomas Slavik (Cze)45
55Forrest Riesco (Can)44
56Jack Reading (GBr) Sc Intense41
57Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing DH41
58Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory DH Team40
59Lindsay Klein (Aus)40
60Adam Brayton (GBr)39
61Rupert Chapman (NZl)39
62Fraser Mcglone (GBr) Perth City Cycles35
63Timothy Bentley (RSA)33
64Benny Strasser (Ger)31
65David Mcmillan (Aus)29
66Stefan Garlicki (RSA)28
67Ben Power (Aus)28
68Francisco Pardal (Por)27
69Tiaan Odendaal (RSA)26
70Quentin Chanudet (Fra)26
71Joseph Connell (GBr) Sc Intense25
72Tom Matthews (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team25
73Samuel Bull (RSA)24
74Dominik Gspan (Swi)24
75Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Hutchinson UR23
76Harry Molloy (GBr) Rrp Ghost23
77Jasper Jauch (Ger)22
78Louis Hamilton (NZl)22
79Matej Charvat (Cze) Banshee Bikes Factory Team21
80Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour21
81Jono Jones (GBr)21
82Charly Di Pasquale (Fra)20
83Mario Josã© Jarrin Molina (Ecu)19
84Felix Heine (Ger)19
85Alexandre Fayolle (Fra)18
86Junya Nagata (Jpn)18
87Jonty Neethling (RSA)17
88Lachlan Blair (GBr)17
89Brent Smith (Aus)16
90Brendan Moon (Aus)16
91Zakarias Blom Johansen (Nor)15
92Hajime Imoto (Jpn)15
93Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction14
94Luke Ball (GBr)14
95Chris Barlin (Aus) Green To Gold Race Development13
96Thomas Crimmins (Aus)13
97Mathew Stuttard (GBr)12
98Yuki Kushima (Jpn)11
99Josh Lowe (GBr)10
100Francesco Colombo (Ita) Gravitalia Squadra Corse9
101Jesse Beare (Aus)8
102Alasdair Fey (RSA)8
103Peter Knott (Aus)7
104Kazuki Shimizu (Jpn) Madison Saracen Factory Team7
105Joshua Button (Aus)6
106Travis Browning (RSA)6
107Peter Williams (GBr)5

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