Hannah wins her first race back on the downhill World Cup circuit

Australian champion Tracey Hannah (Hutchinson United Ride) marked her return to international downhill competition with a win in the opening round of the UCI Montain Bike World Cup on Sunday in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Heavy rain on the previous evening had led to concerns that the track would become muddy and treacherous, but the morning sun quickly started to dry things up, and many riders said that the rain actually made the track better than ever by race time.

The women's field lost two top contenders even before racing started, with Floriane Pugin (Scott 11) crashing the day before and injuring her shoulder, and Sabrina Jonnier (Labyrinth Shimano) crashing on racing day morning and suffering a leg injury.

However, there was never any doubt who the fastest rider was; Hannah qualified first by an impressive three and a half second margin, and took the win by nearly a second over the 2011 junior World Cup champion, Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen).

World champion Emmeline Ragot (MS Mondraker) was a distant third, nearly three seconds in arrears, while former four cross world champion Jill Kintner (Team Norco) took fourth, for her first ever downhill podium appearance.

Hannah, who has been away from the World Cup circuit for four years and is a former junior World Champion, said, "It has always been my intention to come back, it just took a few years. This was more of a test race for me, to see where I was, and I didn't know what to expect. I'm in pain, but it is good pain. I am so exhausted. I'm happy, and extremely satisfied. I just can't believe it, it is so amazing."

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