Gwin best again in World Cup downhill round

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Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) took his second consecutive UCI Downhill World Cup win of the season on Sunday in Fort William, Scotland, solidifying his lead atop the men's standings after three rounds. However, unlike last weekend at Val di Sole, Italy, his victory margin was measured in tenths of a second rather than multiple seconds.

The men struggled with the wet and slippery conditions, and also had to contend with mist on the open slopes of the upper section of the course, at times so thick that it became almost impossible to see more than 10 meters ahead. It wasn't until there were less than 30 riders remaining that the five minute barrier was broken by young British rider Greg Williamson, at 4:57.864 . Williamson held onto the lead through seven more riders before Gwin obliterated it, knocking 9.654 seconds off the leading time - a time still nearly six seconds slower than Marc Beaumont's (GT Factory) top qualifying time a day earlier in much drier conditions.

As the race counted down to the final ten riders, they began chipping away at Gwin's lead, but it wasn't enough. Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate), the winner of round one, was five seconds back after dropping his chain, a resurgent Sam Hill (Monster Energy-Specialized) at three and a half seconds, and Gee Atherton (GT Factory) a second closer. Only world champion Danny Hart (Giant) could get within a second, after leading at the first split, but he was 0.834 seconds back at the finish, giving Gwin his second consecutive victory of the season.

"I was coming down thinking it was going well, and it was a good run," said Hart. "But it's hard work, the new bottom section, when it's rain like it has. I just wish I could have gone eight-tenths faster."

"I didn't know if it would be enough," said Gwin, who had crashed in qualifying, resulting in an early start time. "That was a hard run, I didn't have much left at the bottom. It wasn't the best weekend for me, but I managed to pull it together. I can't believe it really."

Gwin now leads the World Cup standings with 650 points to Minnaar's 565, with Atherton at 495.

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