Ragot takes first World Cup win

The race for the World Cup title in the women's Downhill got a little tighter on Saturday, at round four in Champéry, Switzerland. World champion Emmeline Ragot (Suspension Center) took the first World Cup victory of her career and jumped into third in the women's overall standings behind leader Sabrina Jonnier (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain).

The rain, which had turned the steep 1,500 metre course into a slippery mud slide during qualifying, finally backed off for race day, but the damage had been done and, in some ways, the drying conditions made things worse. As the thick mud began to dry, it clung to bikes and turned to the consistency of peanut butter, doubling the weight of bikes and slowing forward momentum to a crawl. For the lighter, less powerful women, it was the worst, with riders literally coming to a halt in some corners as they pushed on the ground with their feet to keep moving.

Floriane Pugin (Scott 11) set the first fast, sub-6 minute time. Canada's Claire Buchar (Chain Reaction/Intense) also went under six minutes, but was more than 16 seconds behind Pugin. The young French rider stayed in the hot seat until the final three riders came down, with Ragot racing third from last and knocking over eleven and a half seconds off the top time. Jonnier was next, and moved into second, still nearly five seconds behind Ragot, and the fastest qualifier, Myriam Nicole (Commencal Superiders) slotted into third.

"I was a real balance not to fall, [because] the mud was very sticky," said Ragot. "I kept saying 'go slow, go slow, go slow' ... but not too slow or you will fall over! The end [of the course] it was terrible... I had a rock caught between my frame and my tire. It made a terrible noise. But now I feel good. I have been waiting for a win."

Jonnier now has 850 points to Pugin's 645, with Ragot up to 615 points.

Full results

World Cup Standings after four rounds