MTB World Cup Cross Country #4, Eliminator #4 & Downhill #3 - Vallnord 2013: Elite men downhill Results

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Sam Hill (Team CRC / Nukeproof) (Image credit: Chain Reaction Cycles / Fraser Britton)

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Sam Hill (Team CRC / Nukeproof) on his way to the podium in Andorra (Image credit: Chain Reaction Cycles / Fraser Britton)

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Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Men's downhill podium (L-R): Steve Smith, Gee Atherton, Rémi Thirion, Samuel Hill, Troy Brosnan (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Large crowds at the Andorra World Cup (Image credit: Eduard Aguilera)

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Remi Thiron on his way to winning his first downhill World Cup (Image credit: Eduard Aguilera)

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Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Brendan Fairclough (GBr) GSTAAD-Scott (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Faustin Figaret (Fra) Topcycle By Trek (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Richard Rude Jr (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Luke Strobel (USA) Evil Vengeance Tour (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing DH (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade in his last World Cup race (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

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Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof (Image credit: Tour of Japan)

Rémi Thirion (Commencal / Riding Addiction) won the first downhill World Cup of his career on Sunday in Vallnord, Andorra. Gee Atherton (GT Factory Racing) and Sam Hill (Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof) rounded out the top three.

Among the 80 riders to compete in the finals, there were no initial surprises. Once the favorites got their turn, Aaron Gwin (Specialized DH) set the fastest time, but he did not get to enjoy the hot seat for long.

Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing) took it over and held it until Thirion crossed the line. The eventual winner had been fifth in qualifying and bettered Smith's time in the final run by two seconds.

"Incredible. First podium for me and first win," said Thirion. "I was hoping to be in the top 10."

Atherton was among the favorites, and he had the fastest first intermediate split, but a few mistakes in the final part cost him the race, and he finished second. However, the result helped him strengthen his spot in the World Cup overall.

Hill looked at one point like he might get his first World Cup win since 2009, but he, too, lost time in the final section. Racers were clearly tired at this point.

The podium was completed by Smith, who is second in the World Cup overall standings, and Troy Brosnan.

With the World Cup completed, Vallnord, Andorra officially announced that it was putting in a bid to host the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.

Racer Cédric Gracia announced his retirement at the event.

Full Results

Elite men
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction	0:04:13.666
2	Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing	0:00:01.350
3	Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	0:00:01.756
4	Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing	0:00:02.273
5	Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH	0:00:02.476
6	Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate	0:00:02.549
7	Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	0:00:02.975
8	Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic	0:00:03.548
9	Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	0:00:03.979
10	Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH	0:00:04.376
11	Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	0:00:05.171
12	Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic	0:00:05.214
13	Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott	0:00:05.844
14	Faustin Figaret (Fra) Topcycle By Trek	0:00:06.543
15	Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing	0:00:06.836
16	Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing	0:00:07.078
17	Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	0:00:07.335
18	Francisco Pardal (Por) Evil Vengeance Tour	0:00:07.377
19	Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa)	0:00:07.526
20	Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott	0:00:07.748
21	Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Downhill Team	0:00:08.208
22	Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing	0:00:08.536
23	Lorenzo Suding (Ita) GT / 360 Degrees	0:00:08.587
24	Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory Team	0:00:09.173
25	Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour	0:00:09.364
26	Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR	0:00:09.567
27	Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson UR	0:00:10.330
28	Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	0:00:10.669
29	George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing	0:00:10.711
30	Adam Brayton (GBr)	0:00:11.597
31	Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Mondraker Team	0:00:11.822
32	Luke Strobel (USA) Evil Vengeance Tour	0:00:11.841
33	Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing	0:00:12.739
34	Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona	0:00:12.937
35	Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa)	0:00:13.174
36	Harry Heath (GBr)	0:00:13.317
37	Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing DH	0:00:13.589
38	Jack Reading (GBr)	0:00:13.616
39	Matthew Walker (NZl)	0:00:13.785
40	Florent Payet (Fra) Evil CK Racing Evian	0:00:13.956
41	Harry Molloy (GBr) Madison Saracen Downhill Team	0:00:13.969
42	Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Evil Vengeance Tour	0:00:14.517
43	Joe Connell (GBr) SC Intense	0:00:15.610
44	Robin Wallner (Swe) Team W-Racing	0:00:15.672
45	Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team	0:00:15.918
46	Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH	0:00:16.330
47	Richard° Rude Jr (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	0:00:16.396
48	Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team	0:00:16.724
49	Filip Polc (Svk) Evil Vengeance Tour	0:00:17.339
50	Remi Gauvin (Can)	0:00:17.557
51	Jack Moir (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	0:00:18.248
52	Iago Garay Tamayo (Spa)	0:00:18.882
53	Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	0:00:19.637
54	Christopher Mcglinchey (Irl)	0:00:19.988
55	Benoit Coulanges (Fra) Roc VTT Oz En Oisans	0:00:20.612
56	Mickael Pascal (Fra) Evil CK Racing Evian	0:00:21.082
57	Florian Arthus (Fra)	0:00:21.150
58	David Mcmillan (Aus)	0:00:21.205
59	Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing	0:00:21.441
60	Alexis Pujol (Fra)	0:00:21.530
61	Guy Gibbs (Nor)	0:00:21.764
62	Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	0:00:22.540
63	Terje Nylende (Nor)	0:00:23.151
64	Guillem Jorba Prats (Spa)	0:00:24.066
65	Melvin Pons (Fra) US Cagnes VTT	0:00:24.361
66	Johannes Fischbach (Ger) RRP Ghost	0:00:24.548
67	James Swinden (GBr)	0:00:26.455
68	Cédric Gracia (Fra) Cg Racing Brigade	0:00:26.762
69	Peter Williams (GBr)	0:00:28.194
70	Baptiste Pierron (Fra)	0:00:28.521
71	Carlo Caire (Ita)	0:00:30.079
72	Ludovic Oget (Fra)	0:00:33.206
73	David Trummer (Aut) RRP Ghost	0:00:40.946
74	Bryn Dickerson (NZl)	0:00:41.521
75	Romain Paulhan (Fra)	0:00:44.564
76	Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria	0:01:08.320
77	Mathew Stuttard (GBr)	0:01:10.064
78	Kyle Sangers (Can)	0:02:29.741
79	Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil CK Racing Evian	0:02:40.266
DNF	Alexander Kangas (Swe)
DNF	Cameron Cole (NZl) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team

Teams
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	GT Factory Racing	91	pts
2	Commencal / Riding Addiction	70
3	Lapierre Gravity Republic	68
4	Giant Factory Off-Road Team	60
5	Gstaad-Scott	52
6	Specialized Racing DH	49
7	Santa Cruz Syndicate	46
8	Madison Saracen Downhill Team	45
9	Devinci Global Racing	39
10	Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	35
11	MS Mondraker Team	20
12	Evil Vengeance Tour	19
13	FMD Racing / Intense Cycles	18
14	Topcycle By Trek	17
15	Trek World Racing	17
16	Team Norco International	16
17	RRP Ghost	10
18	Unior Tools Team	9
19	Hutchinson UR	9
20	GT / 360 Degrees	8
21	Pivot Factory Team	7
22	Team Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie	6
23	US Cagnes VTT	6
24	Torpado Surfing Shop	5
25	Blackthorn GT	3
26	SC Intense	1

Elite men World Cup standing
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing	680	pts
2	Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing	477
3	Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate	391
4	Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction	368
5	Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	349
6	Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic	325
7	Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH	315
8	Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic	301
9	Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR	297
10	Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing	284
11	Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH	282
12	Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	273
13	Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	219
14	Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	216
15	Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing	215
16	Lorenzo Suding (Ita) GT / 360 Degrees	200
17	Florent Payet (Fra) Evil CK Racing Evian	198
18	Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Mondraker Team	192
19	Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Evil Vengeance Tour	186
20	Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Gstaad-Scott	185
21	Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	181
22	Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Downhill Team	180
23	Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson UR	164
24	Faustin Figaret (Fra) Topcycle By Trek	162
25	Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	161
26	Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing	160
27	Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona	157
28	Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing	153
29	Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	149
30	Harry Heath (GBr)	136
31	Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	135
32	Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory Team	135
33	Francisco Pardal (Por) Evil Vengeance Tour	128
34	Bernat Guardia Pascual (Spa)	127
35	Johannes Fischbach (Ger) RRP Ghost	121
36	Patrick Thome (Fra) Gstaad-Scott	121
37	Joe Connell (GBr) SC Intense	121
38	George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing	120
39	Cameron Cole (NZl) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	119
40	Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team	112
41	Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Evil Vengeance Tour	108
42	Luke Strobel (USA) Evil Vengeance Tour	108
43	Austin Warren (USA) Pivot Factory Team	100
44	Robin Wallner (Swe) Team W-Racing	98
45	Harry Molloy (GBr) Madison Saracen Downhill Team	96
46	Edward Masters (NZl)	95
47	Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH	94
48	Richard° Rude Jr (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	92
49	Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Topcycle By Trek	87
50	Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team	77
51	Jack Moir (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	76
52	Christopher Mcglinchey (Irl)	73
53	Remi Gauvin (Can)	71
54	Nick Beer (Swi) Devinci Global Racing	70
55	Lewis Buchanan (GBr) SC Intense	69
56	Mickael Pascal (Fra) Evil CK Racing Evian	68
57	Mathew Stuttard (GBr)	66
58	Filip Polc (Svk) Evil Vengeance Tour	64
59	Matthew Walker (NZl)	63
60	Fraser Mcglone (GBr)	63
61	David Trummer (Aut) RRP Ghost	59
62	Jack Reading (GBr)	54
63	Oscar Harnstrom (Swe) GT / 360 Degrees	54
64	Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria	54
65	Adam Brayton (GBr)	51
66	Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil CK Racing Evian	51
67	Melvin Pons (Fra) US Cagnes VTT	50
68	Isak Leivsson (Nor)	48
69	Ivan Oulego Moreno (Spa)	46
70	Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction	46
71	Bryn Atkinson (Aus) Team Norco International	45
72	Terje Nylende (Nor)	45
73	Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	44
74	Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing DH	44
75	Ben Cathro (GBr)	38
76	Julien Piccolo (Fra)	37
77	Oliwer Kangas (Swe)	33
78	Zakarias Blom Johansen (Nor)	32
79	Marco Milivinti (Ita) Torpado Surfing Shop	31
80	Reece Potter (NZl)	31
81	Iago Garay Tamayo (Spa)	29
82	Cédric Gracia (Fra) Cg Racing Brigade	29
83	Alexander Kangas (Swe)	28
84	Rudy Cabirou (Fra)	28
85	Kyle Sangers (Can)	27
86	Benoit Coulanges (Fra) Roc VTT Oz En Oisans	26
87	Scott Mears (GBr)	25
88	Florian Arthus (Fra)	24
89	Lars Vatnebryn Sandviken (Nor)	23
90	David Mcmillan (Aus)	23
91	Niklas Wallner (Swe) Team W-Racing	22
92	Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction	22
93	Alexis Pujol (Fra)	21
94	Martin Knapec (Svk)	21
95	Richard Thomas (GBr)	20
96	Guy Gibbs (Nor)	20
97	Benny Strasser (Ger)	20
98	Johann Potgieter (RSA) RRP Ghost	19
99	Marcus Klausmann (Ger) Ghost Factory Racing Team	18
100	Guillem Jorba Prats (Spa)	17
101	Arthur Parret (Fra)	17
102	Matej Charvat (Cze)	16
103	Bryn Dickerson (NZl)	16
104	James Swinden (GBr)	14
105	Gareth Brewin (GBr)	14
106	Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Hutchinson UR	14
107	Kevin Aiello (USA)	13
108	Peter Williams (GBr)	12
109	Logan Binggeli (USA)	12
110	Baptiste Pierron (Fra)	11
111	Carlo Caire (Ita)	10
112	Ludovic Oget (Fra)	9
113	Rhys Atkinson (Aus)	8
114	Romain Paulhan (Fra)	6
115	Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott	6
116	Charly Di Pasquale (Fra)	4

Teams World Cup standings
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	GT Factory Racing	271	pts
2	Lapierre Gravity Republic	208
3	Santa Cruz Syndicate	160
4	Commencal / Riding Addiction	150
5	Gstaad-Scott	143
6	Specialized Racing DH	133
7	Madison Saracen Downhill Team	117
8	Giant Factory Off-Road Team	112
9	MS Mondraker Team	106
10	Devinci Global Racing	106
11	Trek World Racing	102
12	Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof	96
13	Hutchinson UR	94
14	Evil Vengeance Tour	53
15	Team Norco International	41
16	Topcycle By Trek	29
17	Blackthorn GT	29
18	FMD Racing / Intense Cycles	28
19	Pivot Factory Team	27
20	RRP Ghost	25
21	GT / 360 Degrees	25
22	Evil CK Racing Evian	23
23	Dirt Norco Race Team	20
24	Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	18
25	SC Intense	18
26	Team Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie	15
27	Torpado Surfing Shop	11
28	Kona	10
29	Unior Tools Team	9
30	Team Bulls - DH	9
31	US Cagnes VTT	8