Gwin continues domination in Italy
Hart, Atherton podium as Gwin seals World Cup win
The 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup concluded on Sunday in Val di Sole, Italy, with the crowd favourite downhill. Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) took a record fifth victory in a single season in the men's race, having already locked up the title in the previous round.
Patrick Thome (Mondraker) set the first fast time, 20 riders in, at 3:26.797 . The time was steadily chipped away over the next 30 riders until Remi Thirion (Labyrinth Shimano) had it down to 3:22.017 with 30 riders remaining. South African champion Andrew Neethling (Giant), four riders later took the leading time below 3:20 for the first time, but the times were still well off Gwin's 3:13 qualifier.
Five riders later, Neethling's countryman Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) cut another two and a half seconds, which remained the leading time until Cameron Cole (Lapierre), 11th from the end, knocked off eight-tenths of a second.
Cole remained in the lead as the top-10 counted down, but Gee Atherton (Commencal), the world champion on this course in 2008, came in two seconds faster, with three riders remaining. Junior World Cup leader Troy Brosnan (Monster Energy/Specialized/Mad Catz) slotted in just behind Atherton, before Danny Hart (Giant) finished three seconds ahead to take the lead, the first to go faster than Gwin's qualifying time.
Steve Smith (Devinci) was supposed to race next, as the second fastest qualifier, but he had crashed in training earlier in the day, injuring his ankle and knee and had to watch from the sidelines. It was up to Gwin and, as he has shown all season, he is in a class of his own this year. Fastest through both splits, Gwin came in 1.232 seconds up on Hart to confirm that he is the number one downhiller in the world.
"I am just really happy," said Gwin. "It was an important race for me. I struggled here last year with a crash and felt good this week, but it was rough, it was definitely a challenge. I don't know, the top part went pretty good, I felt like I was on a good run. So I just tried to be smooth at the bottom. I went a bit slower than I would have liked to at the bottom. I am just so happy. I want to thank all the fans and sponsors and everybody. It has been an awesome year. Could not have done it without you all."
Gwin finished the season with 1558 points, five wins, a third and a fourth. Minnaar, with two wins this season, hung on for second with 1093 points, ahead of Atherton at 1009. Danny Hart jumped over Steve Smith to take fourth, while Smith hung onto the final podium spot.
Full results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing | 0:03:10.400 |
2 | Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:01.232 |
3 | Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal | 0:00:04.114 |
4 | Troy Brosnan° (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 0:00:05.417 |
5 | Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International | 0:00:06.173 |
6 | Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:06.973 |
7 | Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:08.037 |
8 | Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 0:00:09.396 |
9 | Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 0:00:09.407 |
10 | Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek | 0:00:09.595 |
11 | Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:10.314 |
12 | Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing | 0:00:10.762 |
13 | Marc Beaumont (GBr) | 0:00:11.518 |
14 | Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 0:00:11.661 |
15 | Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa) | 0:00:12.038 |
16 | Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 0:00:12.152 |
17 | Loic Bruni° (Fra) Lapierre International | 0:00:12.781 |
18 | Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 0:00:13.261 |
19 | Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:13.512 |
20 | Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 0:00:14.502 |
21 | Mitch Ropelato (USA) | 0:00:15.839 |
22 | Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 0:00:15.893 |
23 | Rhys Willemse (Aus) | 0:00:15.945 |
24 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges | 0:00:15.994 |
25 | Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International | 0:00:16.384 |
26 | Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 0:00:16.441 |
27 | Connor Fearon° (Aus) Kona | 0:00:16.901 |
28 | Eliot Jackson (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 0:00:17.380 |
29 | Adam Brayton (GBr) | 0:00:17.400 |
30 | Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 0:00:17.489 |
31 | Will Rischbieth (Aus) | 0:00:17.779 |
32 | Matej Charvat (Cze) | 0:00:18.057 |
33 | Joshua Button (Aus) SC - Intense | 0:00:18.307 |
34 | Greg Williamson (GBr) | 0:00:18.785 |
35 | Bernard Kerr (GBr) | 0:00:18.840 |
36 | Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 0:00:18.914 |
37 | Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W - Racing | 0:00:19.181 |
38 | Fergus Lamb (GBr) | 0:00:19.612 |
39 | Jack Reading (GBr) | 0:00:19.790 |
40 | Shaun O'connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 0:00:20.015 |
41 | Geoffrey Cholley (Fra) | 0:00:20.027 |
42 | Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Evil Racing | 0:00:20.079 |
43 | Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain | 0:00:20.199 |
44 | Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa) | 0:00:20.507 |
45 | Nejc Rutar (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 0:00:20.515 |
46 | Florent Payet (Fra) SC - Intense | 0:00:20.629 |
47 | Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 0:00:21.356 |
48 | Michael Hannah (Aus) | 0:00:21.488 |
49 | Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 0:00:21.724 |
50 | Reuben Olorenshaw° (NZl) | 0:00:22.179 |
51 | Ludovic Oget° (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 0:00:22.242 |
52 | Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11 | 0:00:22.530 |
53 | Benny Strasser (Ger) | 0:00:23.045 |
54 | Matthew Beer (Can) | 0:00:23.164 |
55 | Alexis Pujol (Fra) | 0:00:24.684 |
56 | Neko Mulally° (USA) Trek World Racing | 0:00:25.284 |
57 | Arthur Racaud (Fra) US Cagnes VTT | 0:00:25.735 |
58 | Dennis Dertell (Swe) | 0:00:25.958 |
59 | Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) CG Racing Brigade | 0:00:26.315 |
60 | Marco Milivinti (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop | 0:00:27.814 |
61 | Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team | 0:00:28.548 |
62 | Oliver Burton (GBr) | 0:00:28.798 |
63 | Marcel Beer (Swi) | 0:00:30.242 |
64 | David Trummer° (Aut) | 0:00:30.450 |
65 | Arthur Parret° (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee | 0:00:31.445 |
66 | Terje Nylende (Nor) | 0:00:35.598 |
67 | Oscar Harnstrom (Swe) | 0:00:37.998 |
68 | Martin Knapec° (Svk) | 0:00:38.163 |
69 | Harry Heath (GBr) Unior Tools Team | 0:00:38.466 |
70 | Emyr Davies (GBr) | 0:00:38.802 |
71 | Ludovic May (Swi) | 0:00:43.007 |
72 | Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal | 0:00:53.083 |
73 | Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kona | 0:01:04.433 |
74 | Joe Connell° (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 0:01:27.710 |
75 | Harry Molloy (GBr) Madison Saracen | 0:01:38.795 |
76 | Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11 | 0:01:48.204 |
DNS | Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing | |
DNS | Lewis Buchanan° (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | |
DNS | George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Trek World Racing | 81 | pts |
2 | Commencal | 62 | |
3 | Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 57 | |
4 | Scott 11 | 55 | |
5 | Lapierre International | 48 | |
6 | Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 47 | |
7 | Santa Cruz Syndicate | 46 | |
8 | Riding Addiction Commencal | 40 | |
9 | MS Evil Racing | 36 | |
10 | Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 31 | |
11 | Team GR | 29 | |
12 | Team Cingolani Trek | 21 | |
13 | Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain | 18 | |
14 | Mondraker Factory Team | 18 | |
15 | Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 17 | |
16 | Madison Saracen | 16 | |
17 | Alpine Commencal Austria | 14 | |
18 | Double Dragon El Gallo | 12 | |
19 | Morewood Unitedride | 11 | |
20 | Team Morzine - Avoriaz / Haute - Savoie | 7 | |
21 | Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges | 7 | |
22 | Torpado Surfing Shop | 5 | |
23 | Kona | 4 | |
24 | Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 3 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing | 1558 | pts |
2 | Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 1093 | |
3 | Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal | 1009 | |
4 | Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 879 | |
5 | Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing | 772 | |
6 | Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing | 742 | |
7 | Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International | 676 | |
8 | Troy Brosnan° (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 625 | |
9 | Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing | 621 | |
10 | Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 616 | |
11 | Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 582 | |
12 | Marc Beaumont (GBr) | 560 | |
13 | Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International | 534 | |
14 | Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 526 | |
15 | Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 471 | |
16 | Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek | 432 | |
17 | Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 422 | |
18 | Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing | 413 | |
19 | Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 397 | |
20 | Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 395 | |
21 | Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade | 366 | |
22 | Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Evil Racing | 366 | |
23 | Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges | 361 | |
24 | Michael Hannah (Aus) | 337 | |
25 | Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain | 336 | |
26 | Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 326 | |
27 | Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 315 | |
28 | Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 307 | |
29 | Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz | 303 | |
30 | Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 299 | |
31 | Florent Payet (Fra) SC - Intense | 298 | |
32 | Loic Bruni° (Fra) Lapierre International | 297 | |
33 | Neko Mulally° (USA) Trek World Racing | 280 | |
34 | Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing | 275 | |
35 | Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11 | 268 | |
36 | Joshua Button (Aus) SC - Intense | 267 | |
37 | Ben Cathro (GBr) | 264 | |
38 | Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 262 | |
39 | Shaun O'connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 261 | |
40 | Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W - Racing | 257 | |
41 | Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team | 256 | |
42 | Harry Heath (GBr) Unior Tools Team | 235 | |
43 | Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 233 | |
44 | Lewis Buchanan° (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof | 231 | |
45 | Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 228 | |
46 | Romain Paulhan (Fra) | 226 | |
47 | Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) CG Racing Brigade | 226 | |
48 | Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11 | 225 | |
49 | Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride | 222 | |
50 | Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa) | 218 | |
51 | Mitch Ropelato (USA) | 213 | |
52 | Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 201 | |
53 | Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kona | 200 | |
54 | Adam Brayton (GBr) | 189 | |
55 | Nico Vink (Bel) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vosges | 181 | |
56 | Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal | 177 | |
57 | Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team | 171 | |
58 | Greg Williamson (GBr) | 163 | |
59 | Fergus Lamb (GBr) | 158 | |
60 | Bernard Kerr (GBr) | 148 | |
61 | Matej Charvat (Cze) | 146 | |
62 | George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing | 141 | |
63 | Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team | 139 | |
64 | Mark Scott° (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain | 139 | |
65 | Alex Bond (GBr) | 138 | |
66 | Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria | 126 | |
67 | Lorenzo Suding (Ita) | 120 | |
68 | Jack Reading (GBr) | 120 | |
69 | Dan Atherton (GBr) Commencal | 120 | |
70 | Connor Fearon° (Aus) Kona | 111 | |
71 | Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride | 109 | |
72 | Eliot Jackson (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 108 | |
73 | Thomas Braithwaite (GBr) | 104 | |
74 | Nejc Rutar (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 100 | |
75 | Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa) | 99 | |
76 | Oscar Harnstrom (Swe) | 97 | |
77 | Will Rischbieth (Aus) | 85 | |
78 | Bryn Atkinson (Aus) | 80 | |
79 | Kyle Sangers° (Can) | 80 | |
80 | Benny Strasser (Ger) | 80 | |
81 | Curtis Keene (USA) | 80 | |
82 | Emanuel Pombo (Por) | 72 | |
83 | Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team | 70 | |
84 | Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team | 68 | |
85 | Dean Tennant (Can) | 68 | |
86 | Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) | 67 | |
87 | Scott Mears (GBr) | 64 | |
88 | Marco Milivinti (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop | 61 | |
89 | Rhys Willemse (Aus) | 58 | |
90 | Austin Warren° (USA) | 58 | |
91 | Richard Thomas (GBr) | 57 | |
92 | Johann Potgieter (RSA) | 53 | |
93 | Joris Bigoni (Fra) | 50 | |
94 | Ralph Jones (GBr) | 49 | |
95 | Marcel Beer (Swi) | 49 | |
96 | Florian Arthus (Fra) | 48 | |
97 | Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 47 | |
98 | Wyn Masters (NZl) MS Evil Racing | 47 | |
99 | Oliver Burton (GBr) | 47 | |
100 | Harry Molloy (GBr) Madison Saracen | 41 | |
101 | Geoffrey Cholley (Fra) | 40 | |
102 | Lars Peyer (Swi) SC - Intense | 40 | |
103 | Ludovic Oget° (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team | 38 | |
104 | Thomas Jeandin (Swi) | 36 | |
105 | Joe Barnes (GBr) | 34 | |
106 | Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal | 34 | |
107 | Reuben Olorenshaw° (NZl) | 31 | |
108 | Cody Warren (USA) | 29 | |
109 | Chris Del Bosco (Can) | 29 | |
110 | Gavin Vaughan (USA) | 27 | |
111 | Matthew Beer (Can) | 27 | |
112 | Jonty Neethling (RSA) | 27 | |
113 | Alexis Pujol (Fra) | 26 | |
114 | Alexander Kangas (Swe) | 26 | |
115 | Yann Gauvin (Can) | 25 | |
116 | Felix Beckeman (Swe) | 25 | |
117 | Dominik Gspan (Swi) | 25 | |
118 | Arthur Racaud (Fra) US Cagnes VTT | 24 | |
119 | Arthur Parret° (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee | 24 | |
120 | Gareth Brewin (GBr) | 23 | |
121 | Dennis Dertell (Swe) | 23 | |
122 | Hayden Brown (RSA) | 23 | |
123 | Simon Cardon (Fra) XCYTT Racing | 22 | |
124 | Remi Gauvin (Can) | 22 | |
125 | Robert Smith (GBr) | 18 | |
126 | David Trummer° (Aut) | 17 | |
127 | Fraser Mcglone° (GBr) | 17 | |
128 | Rudy Cabirou° (Fra) | 17 | |
129 | Daniel Pombo (Por) | 16 | |
130 | Hans Lambert (Can) | 15 | |
131 | Terje Nylende (Nor) | 15 | |
132 | Kelvin Purchase (RSA) | 15 | |
133 | Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 14 | |
134 | Chris Hutchens (GBr) | 14 | |
135 | Isak Leivsson° (Nor) | 14 | |
136 | Martin Knapec° (Svk) | 13 | |
137 | Tiaan Odendaal° (RSA) | 13 | |
138 | Matt Zdriluk (Can) | 12 | |
139 | Emyr Davies (GBr) | 11 | |
140 | Jasper Jauch (Ger) | 11 | |
141 | Seanan O'riordan (Irl) | 11 | |
142 | Francesco Danilo Petrucci (Ita) Team Cingolani Trek | 11 | |
143 | Hajime Imoto (Jpn) | 11 | |
144 | Ludovic May (Swi) | 10 | |
145 | Peter Williams (GBr) | 10 | |
146 | Roman Roschi (Swi) | 10 | |
147 | Logan Binggeli (USA) | 10 | |
148 | Yuki Kushima° (Jpn) | 8 | |
149 | Christopher Mcglinchey° (Irl) | 8 | |
150 | Joe Connell° (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre | 7 | |
151 | Romain Contreres° (Fra) US Cagnes VTT | 7 | |
152 | Jérôme Payet (Fra) | 7 | |
153 | Rob Fraser (Can) | 6 | |
154 | Daniel Sims (NZl) | 6 | |
155 | Mathias Haas (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria | 5 | |
156 | Mathieu Gallean (Fra) Ryde - Racing | 5 | |
157 | Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) CK Racing Santacruz | 4 | |
158 | Daniel Critchlow (GBr) | 4 | |
159 | Adam Vagner (Cze) | 3 | |
160 | Benjamin Staehle° (Fra) | 3 | |
161 | Niklas Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W - Racing | 3 | |
162 | Travis Browning (RSA) | 3 | |
163 | Claudio Cozzi (Ita) | 1 |
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