Atherton victorious on home soil

Gee Atherton (Commencal) took a very popular win in the second round of men's UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup at Fort William, Scotland.

"It's a dream come true," said Atherton. "This is the most excited I've ever been about winning a race. I owe to the crowd, I could hear them as I came out of the woods at the bottom, and it pushed me harder."

Fort William is one of the favourite tracks for the riders, requiring both technical skills and endurance for runs that are over four and a half for the top men. It also boasts some of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the series, with thousands lining the course. This year, the fast upper section was made more technical, and uncharacteristically dry conditions made for a loose, dusty track that had more than a few riders washing out.

The men's race saw a steady chipping away of the top time, as riders approached Greg Minnaar's top qualifying time of 4:39 minutes. Antoine Badouard was the first to go below 4:50, and held the hot seat for a lengthy period before Thibaut Ruffin (Commencal Superriders) lopped off three seconds. The times continued to go down bit by bit, with former junior World Champion Danny Hart (Giant Factory) taking it down to 4:42.77 . Australian Shaun O'Connor (Kenda Playerbike) knocked another 1.23 seconds off, but Minnaar's qualifying time was still holding up.

Canada's Steve Smith (Evil Bikes), had a strong start, but washed out in one of the corners at the top of the course, taking him out of contention. Sam Hill (Monster Energy-Mad Catz-Specialized), normally one of Minnaar's greatest rivals, crashed hard in training two days prior to the race and after an early morning run to test his shoulder decided not to start.

"It was a pretty big crash," Hill admitted. "I'm pretty bummed out not to be racing, but I can't hold onto the bars properly, so I would just crash again. I think there's a little shoulder separation, so I'm scheduled to see a specialist during the week."

Mick Hannah (GT Bicycles) was the first to finally surpass Minnaar's qualifying time, and did so by two seconds, with 12 riders remaining. Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate), the clear crowd favourite, was well off the pace, but is still favouring his back after a serious crash in Lisbon a month ago. Hannah's very fast time stood up until it was the turn of Gee Atherton, the 2008 World Champion.

Atherton was looking to finally score the first World Cup win on home soil by his racing family, and he did so decisively, beating Hannah by over two seconds. American Aaron Gwin (Yeti Fox Shox) and Cameron Cole (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) both came close to Atherton, with Cole less than half a second back, but it was the two-time defending track champion Minnaar who looked to have the best chance.

Minnaar came through the second split four-tenths of a second down, and lost the same amount again in the final pedal into the finish for third place behind Cole, to give Atherton his first World Cup win on British soil.

Minnaar continues to lead the men's series by 15 points over Atherton, with Cole a distant third at 282 points.

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal0:04:35.7
2Cameron Cole (NZl) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain0:00:00.5
3Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:01.2
4Aaron Gwin (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team0:00:02.0
5Michael Hannah (Aus) GT Bicycles0:00:02.1
6Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International0:00:02.1
7Julien Camellini (Fra) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:05.2
8Shaun O'connor (Aus) Kenda-Playbiker0:00:05.8
9Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 110:00:06.3
10Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:06.4
11Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Bicycles0:00:06.5
12Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Team0:00:07.1
13Joseph Smith (GBr) Kona0:00:07.2
14Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing0:00:07.4
15Andrew Neethling (RSA) Trek World Racing0:00:07.5
16Bryn Atkinson (Aus)0:00:07.8
17Nico Vink (Bel)0:00:08.4
18Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:08.6
19Ben Cathro (GBr)0:00:09.1
20Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:09.4
21Joris Bigoni (Fra)0:00:09.5
22Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz0:00:10.0
23Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 110:00:10.1
24Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal Superiders0:00:10.5
25Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing0:00:10.6
26Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate0:00:10.6
27Sam Dale (GBr)0:00:11.1
28Fergus Lamb (GBr)0:00:11.2
29Florent Payet (Fra) Blackmountain Morewood United0:00:11.3
30Romain Paulhan (Fra)0:00:11.5
31Mitchell Delfs (Aus)0:00:11.9
32Joshua Button (Aus) Kona0:00:12.3
33Pasqual Canals Flix (Spa) XMS Racing Squad0:00:12.4
34Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Sunn Montgenevre0:00:12.4
35Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team0:00:12.6
36Kyle Strait (USA)0:00:12.7
37Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:12.8
38Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing0:00:13.0
39Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team0:00:13.3
40Wyn Masters (NZl) Kenda-Playbiker0:00:13.4
41Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team0:00:13.5
42Antoine Badouard (Fra)0:00:13.5
43Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Team0:00:13.7
44Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)0:00:14.3
45Adam Brayton (GBr)0:00:14.5
46Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) XMS Racing Squad0:00:15.5
47Cédric Gracia (Fra)0:00:16.1
48Robert Smith (GBr)0:00:16.5
49Joe Barnes (GBr)0:00:16.7
50Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col)0:00:17.1
51Matej Charvat (Cze) K.T.R. Racing Team0:00:17.2
52Nathan Rankin (NZl) Kenda-Playbiker0:00:17.2
53Chris Hutchens (GBr)0:00:17.3
54Alexander Kangas (Swe)0:00:17.5
55Emanuel Pombo (Por)0:00:17.7
56Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team0:00:18.0
57Troy Brosnan (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz0:00:18.1
58Rémi Thirion (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre0:00:18.5
59Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Blackmountain Morewood United0:00:18.6
60Dennis Dertell (Swe)0:00:18.7
61Harry Heath (GBr)0:00:19.8
62George Brannigan (NZl) Ancillotti Doganaccia Racing Team0:00:20.0
63Ralph Jones (GBr)0:00:20.3
64Aari Barrett (NZl) Scott 110:00:20.5
65Curtis Keene (USA)0:00:20.6
66Benny Strasser (Ger)0:00:22.3
67Scott Laughland (Irl)0:00:23.3
68Harry Molloy (GBr)0:00:24.0
69Chris Kovarik (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense0:00:32.7
70Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa) Massi Team0:00:34.5
71Sam Flockhart (GBr) Lapierre International0:00:34.9
72Steve Smith (Can) MS Evil Racing0:00:36.3
73Lewis Buchanan (GBr) MS Evil Racing0:00:36.8
74Richard Thomas (GBr)0:00:41.1
75Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani - Protone0:00:42.1
76Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing0:01:31.9
77Mark Scott (GBr)0:02:20.3
78Markus Pekoll (Aut) Solid Aclass Factory Team0:02:29.1
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Teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense80pts
2Commencal75Row 1 - Cell 3
3Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain75Row 2 - Cell 3
4Trek World Racing63Row 3 - Cell 3
5Scott 1162Row 4 - Cell 3
6Santa Cruz Syndicate50Row 5 - Cell 3
7Gt Bicycles48Row 6 - Cell 3
8Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team30Row 7 - Cell 3
9Suspension Center28Row 8 - Cell 3
10Commencal Superiders28Row 9 - Cell 3
11Lapierre International26Row 10 - Cell 3
12Kenda-Playbiker23Row 11 - Cell 3
13Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie22Row 12 - Cell 3
14Giant Factory Team19Row 13 - Cell 3
15Rc Alpine Commencal Austria19Row 14 - Cell 3
16Kona18Row 15 - Cell 3
17Dr-Gravity Union15Row 16 - Cell 3
18Team Sunn Montgenevre14Row 17 - Cell 3
19Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz9Row 18 - Cell 3
20Ms Evil Racing6Row 19 - Cell 3
21Blackmountain Morewood United2Row 20 - Cell 3
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World Cup standings - individual
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate420pts
2Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal405Row 1 - Cell 3
3Cameron Cole (NZl) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain282Row 2 - Cell 3
4Aaron Gwin (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team240Row 3 - Cell 3
5Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz239Row 4 - Cell 3
6Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International219Row 5 - Cell 3
7Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11199Row 6 - Cell 3
8Michael Hannah (Aus) GT Bicycles173Row 7 - Cell 3
9Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing171Row 8 - Cell 3
10Julien Camellini (Fra) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense163Row 9 - Cell 3
11Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz160Row 10 - Cell 3
12Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense160Row 11 - Cell 3
13Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Bicycles155Row 12 - Cell 3
14Joseph Smith (GBr) Kona153Row 13 - Cell 3
15Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11149Row 14 - Cell 3
16Bryn Atkinson (Aus)143Row 15 - Cell 3
17Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate138Row 16 - Cell 3
18Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Team137Row 17 - Cell 3
19Steve Smith (Can) MS Evil Racing136Row 18 - Cell 3
20Ben Cathro (GBr)133Row 19 - Cell 3
21Andrew Neethling (RSA) Trek World Racing132Row 20 - Cell 3
22Shaun O'connor (Aus) Kenda-Playbiker130Row 21 - Cell 3
23Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team128Row 22 - Cell 3
24Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense128Row 23 - Cell 3
25Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate127Row 24 - Cell 3
26Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing122Row 25 - Cell 3
27Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team118Row 26 - Cell 3
28Mitchell Delfs (Aus)116Row 27 - Cell 3
29Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal Superiders111Row 28 - Cell 3
30Florent Payet (Fra) Blackmountain Morewood United109Row 29 - Cell 3
31Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Sunn Montgenevre103Row 30 - Cell 3
32Nico Vink (Bel)102Row 31 - Cell 3
33Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team100Row 32 - Cell 3
34Joshua Button (Aus) Kona96Row 33 - Cell 3
35Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense84Row 34 - Cell 3
36Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) XMS Racing Squad84Row 35 - Cell 3
37Romain Paulhan (Fra)80Row 36 - Cell 3
38Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing79Row 37 - Cell 3
39Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa) Massi Team77Row 38 - Cell 3
40Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)76Row 39 - Cell 3
41Emanuel Pombo (Por)72Row 40 - Cell 3
42Matej Charvat (Cze) K.T.R. Racing Team70Row 41 - Cell 3
43Wyn Masters (NZl) Kenda-Playbiker68Row 42 - Cell 3
44Joris Bigoni (Fra)66Row 43 - Cell 3
45Sam Dale (GBr)60Row 44 - Cell 3
46Harry Molloy (GBr)57Row 45 - Cell 3
47Troy Brosnan (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz57Row 46 - Cell 3
48Kyle Strait (USA)56Row 47 - Cell 3
49Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Team56Row 48 - Cell 3
50Joe Barnes (GBr)54Row 49 - Cell 3
51Fergus Lamb (GBr)53Row 50 - Cell 3
52Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani - Protone51Row 51 - Cell 3
53Mickael Pascal (Fra)50Row 52 - Cell 3
54Pasqual Canals Flix (Spa) XMS Racing Squad48Row 53 - Cell 3
55Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing48Row 54 - Cell 3
56Adam Vagner (Cze)42Row 55 - Cell 3
57Marco Milivinti (Ita) Team Cingolani - Protone41Row 56 - Cell 3
58Benny Strasser (Ger)40Row 57 - Cell 3
59Curtis Keene (USA)40Row 58 - Cell 3
60Antoine Badouard (Fra)39Row 59 - Cell 3
61Rémi Thirion (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre39Row 60 - Cell 3
62Chris Kovarik (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense38Row 61 - Cell 3
63Adam Brayton (GBr)36Row 62 - Cell 3
64Emyr Davies (GBr)35Row 63 - Cell 3
65Cédric Gracia (Fra)34Row 64 - Cell 3
66Robert Smith (GBr)33Row 65 - Cell 3
67George Brannigan (NZl) Ancillotti Doganaccia Racing Team33Row 66 - Cell 3
68Lars Peyer (Swi) Suspension Center32Row 67 - Cell 3
69Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team32Row 68 - Cell 3
70Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col)31Row 69 - Cell 3
71Scott Mears (GBr)31Row 70 - Cell 3
72Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Solid Aclass Factory Team30Row 71 - Cell 3
73Nathan Rankin (NZl) Kenda-Playbiker29Row 72 - Cell 3
74Chris Hutchens (GBr)28Row 73 - Cell 3
75Bernard Kerr (GBr) Norco World Team28Row 74 - Cell 3
76Alexander Kangas (Swe)27Row 75 - Cell 3
77Olivier Nicole (Fra)26Row 76 - Cell 3
78Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Blackmountain Morewood United22Row 77 - Cell 3
79Jack Reading (GBr)21Row 78 - Cell 3
80Dennis Dertell (Swe)21Row 79 - Cell 3
81Nejc Rutar (Slo) MBK Orbea20Row 80 - Cell 3
82Harry Heath (GBr)20Row 81 - Cell 3
83Markus Pekoll (Aut) Solid Aclass Factory Team20Row 82 - Cell 3
84Oliver Burton (GBr)19Row 83 - Cell 3
85Ralph Jones (GBr)18Row 84 - Cell 3
86Aari Barrett (NZl) Scott 1117Row 85 - Cell 3
87Ludovic May (Swi)15Row 86 - Cell 3
88Scott Laughland (Irl)14Row 87 - Cell 3
89Marco Bugnone (Ita) Argentina Bike Gravity Team13Row 88 - Cell 3
90Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Ghost A.T.G. Pro Team12Row 89 - Cell 3
91Richard Thomas (GBr)12Row 90 - Cell 3
92Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa) Massi Team11Row 91 - Cell 3
93Sam Flockhart (GBr) Lapierre International10Row 92 - Cell 3
94Jan Javornik (Svk)9Row 93 - Cell 3
95Florian Arthus (Fra)8Row 94 - Cell 3
96Lewis Buchanan (GBr) MS Evil Racing8Row 95 - Cell 3
97Mark Scott (GBr)7Row 96 - Cell 3
98Kim Petersson (Swe)4Row 97 - Cell 3
99Maxime Remy (Fra) Suspension Center2Row 98 - Cell 3
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World Cup standings - teams
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Scott 11150pts
2Commencal150Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense144Row 2 - Cell 3
4Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain132Row 3 - Cell 3
5Trek World Racing108Row 4 - Cell 3
6Santa Cruz Syndicate105Row 5 - Cell 3
7Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz69Row 6 - Cell 3
8Commencal Superiders62Row 7 - Cell 3
9Gt Bicycles61Row 8 - Cell 3
10Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team54Row 9 - Cell 3
11Suspension Center49Row 10 - Cell 3
12Rc Alpine Commencal Austria47Row 11 - Cell 3
13Lapierre International45Row 12 - Cell 3
14Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie42Row 13 - Cell 3
15Ms Evil Racing41Row 14 - Cell 3
16Kona41Row 15 - Cell 3
17Giant Factory Team30Row 16 - Cell 3
18Dr-Gravity Union28Row 17 - Cell 3
19Kenda-Playbiker23Row 18 - Cell 3
20Mondraker Factory Team22Row 19 - Cell 3
21Team Sunn Montgenevre20Row 20 - Cell 3
22Norco World Team19Row 21 - Cell 3
23Blackmountain Morewood United9Row 22 - Cell 3
24Massi Team8Row 23 - Cell 3
25Dirt Norco Race Team5Row 24 - Cell 3

 

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