Post by Mgoose on Apr 15, 2014 2:42:35 GMT -5
Windham, N.Y. – American cyclist Aaron Gwin (Specialized Racing DH) kicked off the 2014 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa this past weekend with a thrilling Men’s Downhill win. Gwin outperformed Australia’s Michael Hannah (Hutchinson UR) by a staggering two seconds and hometown hero Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate, RSA) by close to three seconds.
In the Women’s Elite Downhill, Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen Factory Team) of Great Britain claimed her first World Cup DHI victory after several previous podium finishes. USA’s Jill Kintner trailed close behind, taking third place 6 seconds after the second place finisher, Great Britain’s Rachel Atherton (GT Factory Racing).
USA rider Lucas Shaw (SRAM/TLD Racing) took the Downhill Junior men’s title.
Other Top 10 USA DHI finishes included Neko Mulally (Trek World Racing) in Men’s Elite with an eighth place finish at 4 minutes and 5 seconds.
In the Men’s Elite Cross Country, Julien Absalon (FRA, BMC MTB Racing) bested second place finisher, Manuel Fumic (GER, Cannondale Factory Racing) by thirty seconds. Maxime Marotte (FRA, BH-Suntour-KMC) rounded out the medal standings with a 1:38:59 finish.
In the Women’s Elite Cross Country, Jolanda Neff (SUI, Giant Bicycles) riding in the Elite field after dominated the Under-23 in Pietermaritzburg last year, won in spite of a crash on the second lap. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (NOR, Multivan Merida) finished second and Maja Wloszczowska (POL, Liv Pro XC) took the bronze.
In the Women’s Elite Cross Country, top American finisher, Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) posted at 1:50 time and finished just outside of the Top 20.
American audiences can look forward to their opportunity to watch the World Cup events locally when the races return to Windham, N.Y. Aug. 7 –10. Windham is the eighth stop on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup tour that also visits Cairns, Australia; Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic; Albstadt, Germany; Fort William, Great Britain; Leogang, Austria; Mont- Sainte-Anne, Canada; Méribel, France; and Hafjell, Norway. For more information on the Windham event, visit www.racewindham.com
Leaderboards (as of 14 April 2014)
Men’s Elite Cross Country
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Nino Schurter
Switzerland
2160
2 (2)
Julien Absalon
France
1490
3 (3)
Daniel McConnell
Australia
1350
Women’s Elite Cross Country
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Tanja Zakelj
Slovenia
1830
2 (2)
Eva Lechner
Italy
1799
3 (3)
Maja Wloszczowska
Poland
1751
Men’s Elite Downhill
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Gee Atherton
Great Britain
1535
2 (2)
Steve Smith
Canada
1388
3 (3)
Samuel Blenkinsop
New Zealand
1168
Women’s Elite Downhill
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Rachel Atherton
Great Britain
1855
2 (2)
Emmeline Ragot
France
1775
3 (3)
Manon Carpenter
Great Britain
1479
In the Women’s Elite Downhill, Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen Factory Team) of Great Britain claimed her first World Cup DHI victory after several previous podium finishes. USA’s Jill Kintner trailed close behind, taking third place 6 seconds after the second place finisher, Great Britain’s Rachel Atherton (GT Factory Racing).
USA rider Lucas Shaw (SRAM/TLD Racing) took the Downhill Junior men’s title.
Other Top 10 USA DHI finishes included Neko Mulally (Trek World Racing) in Men’s Elite with an eighth place finish at 4 minutes and 5 seconds.
In the Men’s Elite Cross Country, Julien Absalon (FRA, BMC MTB Racing) bested second place finisher, Manuel Fumic (GER, Cannondale Factory Racing) by thirty seconds. Maxime Marotte (FRA, BH-Suntour-KMC) rounded out the medal standings with a 1:38:59 finish.
In the Women’s Elite Cross Country, Jolanda Neff (SUI, Giant Bicycles) riding in the Elite field after dominated the Under-23 in Pietermaritzburg last year, won in spite of a crash on the second lap. Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (NOR, Multivan Merida) finished second and Maja Wloszczowska (POL, Liv Pro XC) took the bronze.
In the Women’s Elite Cross Country, top American finisher, Georgia Gould (Luna Pro Team) posted at 1:50 time and finished just outside of the Top 20.
American audiences can look forward to their opportunity to watch the World Cup events locally when the races return to Windham, N.Y. Aug. 7 –10. Windham is the eighth stop on the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup tour that also visits Cairns, Australia; Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic; Albstadt, Germany; Fort William, Great Britain; Leogang, Austria; Mont- Sainte-Anne, Canada; Méribel, France; and Hafjell, Norway. For more information on the Windham event, visit www.racewindham.com
Leaderboards (as of 14 April 2014)
Men’s Elite Cross Country
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Nino Schurter
Switzerland
2160
2 (2)
Julien Absalon
France
1490
3 (3)
Daniel McConnell
Australia
1350
Women’s Elite Cross Country
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Tanja Zakelj
Slovenia
1830
2 (2)
Eva Lechner
Italy
1799
3 (3)
Maja Wloszczowska
Poland
1751
Men’s Elite Downhill
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Gee Atherton
Great Britain
1535
2 (2)
Steve Smith
Canada
1388
3 (3)
Samuel Blenkinsop
New Zealand
1168
Women’s Elite Downhill
Rank
Name
Nation
Points
1 (1)
Rachel Atherton
Great Britain
1855
2 (2)
Emmeline Ragot
France
1775
3 (3)
Manon Carpenter
Great Britain
1479