- published: 24 Jun 2011
- views: 50579
26:01
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Leogang 4X/ DHI - Round 5
Aaron Gwin
(USA) just crossed the finish line after he had secured the last starting
pos...
published: 24 Jun 2011
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Leogang 4X/ DHI - Round 5
Aaron Gwin
(USA) just crossed the finish line after he had secured the last starting
position with the best time in the qualifying and now the winners of the men's
and women's DH race at the UCI World Cup stop in Leogang are set. None of the
men was able to get close to Gwin's time (USA/3:44.181) and Floriane Pugin
(FRA/4:29.427) finished with a comfortable lead ahead of her competitors.
Cheered on by the spectators that had flocked to Saalfelden Leogang despite the
changing weather, the athletes showed an absolutely spectacular race. About
13.000 mountain bike fans had come to Leogang on this long World Cup Weekend to
attend this international biking highlight. _
The DH course in Leogang is famous for its technical sections that demand a
great deal of concentration and skill of the riders. Especially the last
passage with its roots made slippery from the rain posed quite a challenge for
the riders. The track that measures 2.600 meters and stretches over 830
altitude meters, was a lot faster than last year, even though the mud did its
part to slow the riders down.
The Sunday afternoon was rung in by the ladies' DH finals. Even though the race
itself took place in dry weather, the course was soft from the rain that had
come down in buckets and especially the root section posed quite a challenge
for many of the ladies, as well as the following men's race. Floriane Pugin
(FRA) delivered a truly impressive run and overtook with her time of 4:29.427
the two British ladies Rachel Atherton (2. Platz/4:32.010) and Tracey Moseley
(3. Platz/4:32.119). She won her first World Cup stop with a large margin of
over two seconds. The race remained exciting until the very end since the
ladies kept switching position on the hot seat. Particularly the last three
starters each took the coveted seat and had to turn it over again after the
next run. The winner of the last World Cup stop in Ft. William, Tracy Moseley,
surely wasn't happy to hand over the hot seat to Rachel Atherton, who then had
to vacate the first for the last starter. Austrian World Cup hope Petra
Bernhard came in on sixth place and climbed up to number nine in the overall
ranking.
- published: 24 Jun 2011
- views: 50579
26:01
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Novo Mesto - XCO
The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano returned to the Czech Republic for th...
published: 19 Aug 2011
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Novo Mesto - XCO
The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano returned to the Czech Republic for the first time in 14 years with round six in Nove Mesto na Morave for cross-country experts. In front of a home crowd of nearly 20,000 fans, Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) won his fourth World Cup victory of the season, and wrapped up the overall title with one race remaining. Catharine Pendrel (Luna) took her second win of the season in the women's race, closing the gap to World Cup leader Julie Bresset (BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry) to 140 points.
The technical course clearly suited some riders more than others, as a number of top contenders finished well back. Bresset got off to her usual fast start, with Pendrel chasing alone, followed by Eva Lechner (Colnago Farbe Sudtirol). For the first couple of laps the status did not change, but then Bresset started to lose ground as she crashed multiple times, and Pendrel passed and dropped the French rider on the third lap.
"It was a very difficult, technical course, and I had much problems," admitted Bresset. "I crashed three times and then Catharine passed me and I could not stay with her, she was too strong."
Pendrel took a 32 second lead by the halfway point in the race, and extended it to nearly a minute by the finish. Behind the two leaders, Kalentieva had caught Lechner on the second lap after a slow start, and so did the new European champion, Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa (Multivan Merida), as the Italian barely manage to fend off British champion Annie Last for the fifth and final podium spot.
"It was a hard race," commented Pendrel, "and I had more than my share of mistakes out there. At the beginning Julie got a very strong start, and I made some mistakes. But I could see her in front of me, and I think maybe she went out a little too hard at the start. This is a great course, and I'm really happy to win here, and still keep the fight going for the [World Cup] title."
The Under-23 race saw an upset, with series leader Pauline Ferrand-Prevot (Lapierre) having her consecutive winning streak halted at four, as she could only manage third place today. After taking an early lead, the French rider was caught and dropped on the second lap by Ukrainian champion Yana Belomoyna (Infotre-Bi & Esse-Lee Cougan), and then on the fifth lap by Barbara Benko (Focus-MIG). However, she still holds a commanding 75 point lead in the standings.
World Cup leader Jaroslav Kulhavy had stated before the sixth round that he considered winning this event more important than a victory at the world championships. He did not disappoint his fans, with a dominant performance that also locked up the World Cup title. Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) secured second in the overall standings with his second place in Nove Mesto, while Julien Absalon (Orbea) took third.
Kulhavy took no chances, attacking on the start loop and opening a gap on Nino Schurter by the start of the first lap, and then extending it steadily through the rest of the seven laps. Schurter, fighting an infection and having just finished a training camp at altitude, dropped back after he realized he could not match Kulhavy's pace. Absalon, another favourite, had a slow start to the race.
"I wanted to get away early," explained Kulhavy, "so that I could avoid any traffic and ride at my own pace. It was almost a perfect race for me, with only some little mistakes. It was incredible."
While Schurter and Absalon were fading, world champion Jose Hermida (Multivan Merida) took up the chase. However, he was eventually picked up and dropped by Schurter and Absalon as they recovered and began moving back through the chasers.
Kulhavy rolled into the finishing stadium to the roar of over 5000 people in the stands, and lifted his bike over his head to stride across the finish line, with a wide grin cracking his normally serious demeanor. Behind, Schurter had finally managed to drop Absalon in the last kilometres to claim second by nine seconds over Absalon. Hermida hung on for fourth, and a last lap surge by Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Wild Wolf-Trek) gave the Spaniard the final podium spot.
- published: 19 Aug 2011
- views: 57628
26:04
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Mont-Sainte-Anne - XCO
The fourth round of the cross-country competition in UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented...
published: 02 Aug 2011
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Mont-Sainte-Anne - XCO
The fourth round of the cross-country competition in UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano took place in the legendary Canadian venue of Mont-Sainte-Anne and, once again, produced some fierce battles.
One day after Canada Day celebrations, Catharine Pendrel (Luna) gave Canadian cycling fans another reason to celebrate with her victory at the only Canadian stop of the World Cup. Series leader Julie Bresset (BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry) finished third behind Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon), after crashing while at the front of the race with Pendrel.
After her crash, Bresset was slow to get going again, and Kalentieva was able to bridge up to her on the fourth lap. The Russian then dropped the World Cup leader to move into second, and Bresset briefly lost control of third to Katerina Nash (Luna) when she had to stop into the pit for a rear wheel change. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) was also close to catching her. However, Bresset was able to reel in Nash on the final half lap to hold onto to third, with Nash taking fourth and Premont fifth.
Elite Women: Bresset holds on to series lead
Pendrel remains in second in the overall standings after four rounds, 140 points behind Bresset. Premont jumped from ninth to third in the standings, at 480 points, tied on points with Lene Byberg (Specialized).
"This was one of my main goals for the season," explained Pendrel. "I had a poor start, but was able to make my way up to the leaders on the first lap. Julie [Bresset] and I got a gap on the others, and then when she crashed, I had a clear lead to the finish. Mont-Sainte-Anne is one of the hardest races in the series, so to win here is very special."
Elite Men: Kulhavy dominates
The men's cross-country race was dominated by Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized), who rode away from the rest of the field to win by nearly two minutes. In the absence of World Cup leader Julien Absalon (Orbea), Kulhavy easily resumed the lead in the standings.
While Kulhavy rode away from the rest of the field on the first lap, behind him it was carnage on the infamous 'Beatrice' rock garden descent. Almost every rider in the top-20 crashed at least once, many suffering mechanical problems, or cuts and bruises as they went tumbling down the rocks.
Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) took control of second place immediately, with four riders fighting for the remaining podium spots - World Champion Jose Hermida (Multivan-Merida), Mathias Flückiger (Trek World Racing), Florian Vogel (Scott-Swisspower) and Burry Stander
(Specialized). The four rode consistently together until Stander crashed heavily on Beatrice on lap three, and dropped off the back of the chase group to limp home in sixth.
Hermida, who won the world title here last year, was conserving energy, and attacked very hard with a lap and a half to go, moving into third for the final lap, and almost catching Schurter in second at the line. Flückiger and Vogel rounded out the top-five.
"I knew that it would be better to be front," explained Kulhavy, "so that I could avoid the traffic that would be a problem at the Beatrice. So I went hard on the first climb to get in front, and then I could go my own pace. This is a very hard course, but I like it, and I knew that I could take back the [World Cup] lead here."
Kulhavy now leads the men's standings with 860 points, followed by Schurter at 670 and Absalon falls to third with 650 points.
Under-23: Victories for Prevot and Kerschbaumer
Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Lapierre International) won the Women's Under-23 race, riding away from the field on the first lap, and catching half of the Elite field which had started two minutes ahead of her. She took over the World Cup lead with her win.
Gerhard Kerschbaumer (TX Active Bianchi) won the Men's Under-23 race establishing a gap on Fabien Canal (GT Skoda Chamonix) on the third lap. He moves into first place in the World Cup standings.
- published: 02 Aug 2011
- views: 46661
26:01
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Val di Sole - XCO
The final round of the UCI World Cup presented by Shimano concluded in Val di Sole, site o...
published: 06 Sep 2011
26min Highlight Show @ UCI MTB WORLD CUP 2011 - Val di Sole - XCO
The final round of the UCI World Cup presented by Shimano concluded in Val di Sole, site of the 2008 world championships. In the cross-country final, Catharine Pendrel (Luna) took her third World Cup victory of the season at the World Cup Final in Val di Sole, Italy, but it wasn't enough to beat Julie Bresset (BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry) for the overall title, trailing by a mere 40 points in the final standings. Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized) is proving to be unbeatable, as he took his fifth win in seven races at the Elite Men's World Cup final. Kulhavy fended off a strong challenge by the Swiss duo of Nino Schurter and Florian Vogel (both Scott-Swisspower) to outsprint Schurter for the win.
Pendrel came into the final race 140 points behind Bresset, and decided to attack from the start. "I figured I had nothing to lose, so I just went hard for the whole race," she explained.
By the start of the second lap it was just Pendrel and Bresset, and the Canadian dropped her French rival on the steep climbs. Bresset was struggling with the heat and the climbs, and first Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjaa Multivan Merida) bridged up and dropped her, and then world champion Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polkowice) did the same, joining Dahle Flesjaa.
Wloszczowska, dropped Dahle Flesjaa in the final half lap, and took second place, establishing herself as a strong contender to retain her rainbow jersey, while Dahle Flesjaa, taking her second World Cup podium in two weeks with third has also moved into the ranks of possible champions.
Bresset saw her lead in the standings drop from 190 points to 40 after two consecutive victories by Pendrel, but it was enough for the young French rider to take her first World Cup title in the Elite ranks. Irina Kalentieva (Topeak Ergon) finished third, just 20 points ahead of Marie-Helene Premont (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain), with Eva Lechner (Colnago Farbe Sudtirol) rounding out the podium.
In the Under 23 World Cup, Yana Belomoyna (Infotre-Bi & Esse - LeeCougan) took her second consecutive win, with World Cup leader Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Lapierre) finishing second to win the overall title.
In previous World Cup races this year Kulhavy had attacked early, riding away from the rest of the field. This time, he allowed Schurter and Vogel to set the pace over the six laps, content to follow them up the steep climbs, but never looking to be in difficulty.
The trio dropped Julien Absalon (Orbea) by the second lap, and the Frenchman chased in vain all race, eventually finishing fourth. Behind Absalon, a chase group formed, but this group steadily lost ground, and started shedding riders as the race wore on, with Lukas Flückiger (Trek World Racing) eventually dropping the remaining members to take the fifth and final podium spot.
In the front trio, Vogel was finally dropped on the fifth lap, leaving Schurter to try and ditch Kulhavy, without success. Kulhavy attacked in the final kilometre and easily outsprinted Schurter, popping a wheely as he crossed the line.
"He was playing with us," commented Schurter, a little bitterly. "I tried to attack, but he just sat on, and I could not drop him. I will have to think about what I can do in the next two weeks, to be able to beat him at the Worlds, but it will be hard."
"I am very happy to have won the World Cup," said Kulhavy, "but I am surprised that I was able to ride so well on a course with so much climbing. This has been a perfect season for me."
Kulhavy finishes the series with five firsts, one second and a third, for a total of 1610 points. Schurter is a distant second, with 1270 and Absalon holds onto third with 960 points. Hermida took four with 813 points, just squeaking ahead of Maxime Marotte (BH-Suntour-Peisey Vallandry) at 810.
World Cup leader Gerhard Kerschbaumer (TX Active Bianchi) easily took his fifth victory of the World Cup series. Kerschbaumer had already won the overall title coming into the race, but was clearly anxious to win in front of his home fans. Marek Konwa (Milka Trek) took second and Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Focus MIG) third. Fabian Canal (GT Skoda Chamonix) took second in the overall standings, followed by Konwa.
- published: 06 Sep 2011
- views: 28383
63:13
Mens Madison final - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Mens Madison final - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Gold France, Silver Spain, Bronz...
published: 24 Feb 2013
Mens Madison final - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Mens Madison final - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Gold France, Silver Spain, Bronze Germany
Track cycling dates back to at least 1870 and, with the exception of 1912, has played a part in every Olympics in the modern era. Track Cycling events can be roughly split into 2 disciplines -- Sprinting and Endurance
Sprint Events:
Individual Sprint
This is a very tactical event in which riders try to outmanoeuvre their opponents. Sometimes riders will come to a standstill in an effort to make their opponent take the lead, which is the least advantageous position before the final sprint to the finish line.
Team Sprint
This spectacular form of racing sees two teams start off on opposite sides of the track. It is raced by teams of three riders over three laps for Elite Men and two riders over two laps for Elite Women. Each rider leads for a lap before dropping back.
Kilometre / 500m Time Trial
This is an individual time trial from a standing start. Elite Men race over 1km and Elite Women over 500 m. The competitor with the fastest time is the winner.
Keirin
Keirin racing originated in Japan. Contested over 2 km, the field of three to seven riders follows a pacing motorbike at an increasing speed, all the while jostling for position. When the motorbike pulls off the track with two and a half laps to go, the battle begins to win the sprint to the finish.
Endurance Events:
Individual Pursuit
Two riders start on opposite sides of the track and compete over 4 km for Elite Men and 3 km for Elite Women. The winner is the rider who manages to catch his/her opponent or who records the fastest time.
Team Pursuit
Two teams of 4 riders (3 riders for women) start on opposite sides of the track and compete over 4 km (3 km for women). The winning team is the one that manages to catch its opponents or that records the fastest time.
Points Race
This superbly tactical discipline is contested over a long distance, usually 40 km for men and 25 km for women in major events. The final result is determined according to points gained during sprints (one every 10 laps on a 250 m track) and when a rider manages to lap the rest of the field.
Madison
Up to 18 teams of two riders take part in this relay race contested by means of intermediary sprints. While one team member races, the other slows down to take a rest. When he rejoins the race, his teammate throws him into the action with a hand sling. The classification is established according to the distance covered and the points won in the sprints (every 20 laps). The Madison is held over distances of 25-50 km for Elite Men depending on the competition.
Scratch Race
This is a race for up to 24 individual riders over 15 km for men and 10 km for women. The first across the finish line is the winner.
Omnium
The omnium is made up of 6 events and is disputed over 2 consecutive days. The final classification is established by adding up the finishing places in each event. The winner is the rider who has the lowest total. At the 2012 London Olympics, the omnium comprised a Flying lap, a Points race, an Individual pursuit, a Scratch Race, a Kilometre / 500m time trial and an Elimination Race.
For more information and news on cycling, visit http://www.uci.ch or follow us on Twitter @uci_cycling. For more cycling videos and to watch live events our YouTube Channel can be found at http://youtube.com/ucichannel
- published: 24 Feb 2013
- views: 8512
25:37
Men's Scratch Race - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Men's Scratch Race - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Track cycling dates back to at le...
published: 21 Feb 2013
Men's Scratch Race - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Men's Scratch Race - 2013 UCI World Track Championships
Track cycling dates back to at least 1870 and, with the exception of 1912, has played a part in every Olympics in the modern era. Track Cycling events can be roughly split into 2 disciplines -- Sprinting and Endurance
Sprint Events:
Individual Sprint
This is a very tactical event in which riders try to outmanoeuvre their opponents. Sometimes riders will come to a standstill in an effort to make their opponent take the lead, which is the least advantageous position before the final sprint to the finish line.
Team Sprint
This spectacular form of racing sees two teams start off on opposite sides of the track. It is raced by teams of three riders over three laps for Elite Men and two riders over two laps for Elite Women. Each rider leads for a lap before dropping back.
Kilometre / 500m Time Trial
This is an individual time trial from a standing start. Elite Men race over 1km and Elite Women over 500 m. The competitor with the fastest time is the winner.
Keirin
Keirin racing originated in Japan. Contested over 2 km, the field of three to seven riders follows a pacing motorbike at an increasing speed, all the while jostling for position. When the motorbike pulls off the track with two and a half laps to go, the battle begins to win the sprint to the finish.
Endurance Events:
Individual Pursuit
Two riders start on opposite sides of the track and compete over 4 km for Elite Men and 3 km for Elite Women. The winner is the rider who manages to catch his/her opponent or who records the fastest time.
Team Pursuit
Two teams of 4 riders (3 riders for women) start on opposite sides of the track and compete over 4 km (3 km for women). The winning team is the one that manages to catch its opponents or that records the fastest time.
Points Race
This superbly tactical discipline is contested over a long distance, usually 40 km for men and 25 km for women in major events. The final result is determined according to points gained during sprints (one every 10 laps on a 250 m track) and when a rider manages to lap the rest of the field.
Madison
Up to 18 teams of two riders take part in this relay race contested by means of intermediary sprints. While one team member races, the other slows down to take a rest. When he rejoins the race, his teammate throws him into the action with a hand sling. The classification is established according to the distance covered and the points won in the sprints (every 20 laps). The Madison is held over distances of 25-50 km for Elite Men depending on the competition.
Scratch Race
This is a race for up to 24 individual riders over 15 km for men and 10 km for women. The first across the finish line is the winner.
Omnium
The omnium is made up of 6 events and is disputed over 2 consecutive days. The final classification is established by adding up the finishing places in each event. The winner is the rider who has the lowest total. At the 2012 London Olympics, the omnium comprised a Flying lap, a Points race, an Individual pursuit, a Scratch Race, a Kilometre / 500m time trial and an Elimination Race.
For more information and news on cycling, visit http://www.uci.ch or follow us on Twitter @uci_cycling. For more cycling videos and to watch live events our YouTube Channel can be found at http://youtube.com/ucichannel
- published: 21 Feb 2013
- views: 18261
132:56
UCI MTB XCO WORLD CUP - ELITE MEN - SAALFELDEN LEOGANG, AUSTRIA - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Saalfelden Leogang, Austria - 08.09.2012
For cycling ...
published: 02 Nov 2012
UCI MTB XCO WORLD CUP - ELITE MEN - SAALFELDEN LEOGANG, AUSTRIA - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Saalfelden Leogang, Austria - 08.09.2012
For cycling videos, go to: http://www.cyclingtorrents.nl
For full results, go to: http://www.saalfeldenleogang2012.at/en/news/results-cross-country-men-elite/
- published: 02 Nov 2012
- views: 14252
113:01
Cyclo-Cross World Championships Elite Men's Race - WHOLE RACE RE-RUN
This is the Elite Men's Race from the 2013 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships from Louisv...
published: 02 Feb 2013
Cyclo-Cross World Championships Elite Men's Race - WHOLE RACE RE-RUN
This is the Elite Men's Race from the 2013 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships from Louisville, Kentucky.
The origins of cyclo-cross are a matter of much debate. One theory we like is that in the early 1900s, French cyclists would race each other from one town to the next by whichever route they thought would be the fastest. They would cut through fields and forests, carry their bike over fences and generally take any shortcut they could in order to make it to the finish first!
Today, Cyclo-cross is raced on a circuit of between 2.5km and 3.5km. The terrain is varied and may include clearings, roads, country lanes, sands and forest paths. Riders are required to complete several laps of the circuit over a period of no more than one hour. Sometimes they have to carry their bikes in order to negotiate steep paths, muddy tracks and artificial obstacles. Technical back-up is permitted.
This spectacular discipline is an unbeatable school of cycling in that it requires incredible technical skill, impressive physical fitness and plenty of courage.
For more information and news on professional cycling, visit http://www.uci.ch or follow us on Twitter @uci_cycling. For more cycling videos and to watch live events our YouTube Channel can be found at http://youtube.com/ucichannel
- published: 02 Feb 2013
- views: 105875
109:37
UCI MTB XCO WORLD CUP - ELITE MEN - HOUFFALIZE, BELGIUM - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Houffalize, Belgium - 15.04.2012
For cycling videos, ...
published: 11 Dec 2012
UCI MTB XCO WORLD CUP - ELITE MEN - HOUFFALIZE, BELGIUM - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Houffalize, Belgium - 15.04.2012
For cycling videos, go to: http://www.cyclingtorrents.nl
For full results, go to: http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-world-cup-xco-2-xce-1-2012/elite-men-cross-country/results
- published: 11 Dec 2012
- views: 7810
7:51
Downhill Highlights@UCI MTB World Cup Windham
The Windham stop of the 2012 RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano c...
published: 03 Jul 2012
Downhill Highlights@UCI MTB World Cup Windham
The Windham stop of the 2012 RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano concluded with wins in the downhill by the most dominant riders of the year. Rachel Atherton (GT Factory) took her third win of the series to move into the overall women's lead, while Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) won his fourth World Cup, to extend his lead in the men's standings.
The hot, dry conditions that had turned the track into a dusty, loose and fast run, persisted for the final day of competition. The short, sub-2:30 run meant that there was no margin for error, and a few riders either flatted or crashed out of contention as they pushed the limits.
Third ranked Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Riding Addiction) started uncharacteristically early after crashing in qualifying, and set the first sub-three minute time for the women. It would stand up until the final five women, when it was beaten by four riders. Tracey Hannah (Hutchinson United Ride) rode third from last, and took over the Hot Seat, but World Cup leader Emmeline Ragot (MS Mondraker) was right behind her, and looked to be on a good run, over three seconds ahead by the second split time. Unfortunately for Ragot, she was hit by a crosswind on the final jump, crashing within sight of the finish line, pushing her down to third. Atherton was fastest at both splits, but then almost crashed herself after a jump due to the wind, fishtailing off the course before recovering to still win.
"When I crossed the line I didn't even think that I'd be disqualified," explained Atherton. "I celebrated and then they said we're not sure if the commissaire is ok. So we waited and waited. Everyone kept saying 'Yah you have the win'. It kind of puts a dampener on things, but at the end of the day the commissaire was ok with it. I lost all my time, I was 2 seconds up at the split and I lost all that time, so it's the commissaire's decision It has been an amazing season so far. The girls are getting so fast. Emmeline is on fire and she pushes me on. I have to step my game up every race. It is exciting to have everyone going so fast."
Atherton takes over the World Cup lead after five rounds with 950 points, 30 points in front of Ragot. Nicole continues to hold third with 751 points, followed by Hannah at 732.
Elite Men: Gwin wins on home soil
Almost every one of the thousands of fans on the hill were rooting for Aaron Gwin to repeat as the men's winner in front of his family and friends, on home soil. World Champion Danny Hart (Giant Factory) set the first sub-2:30 time, which would hold up for fourth, but three of the top-10 riders would better it. Gee Atherton (GT Factory), riding ninth from last, knocked over a second off, and then the last two on the course both lowered it again. Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing), chasing his first World Cup victory, was eight-tenths of a second faster than Atherton, but Gwin was even faster, finishing nearly a second ahead. Gwin now has won four of five rounds this year, and an incredible nine of 12 in the past two seasons.
"This was tight, real tight," commented Gwin. "This track is one of those tracks. All week you just knew you were going to have to be perfect on all your runs to make it happen. Any mistake was going to really cost you. The run was going awesome and then I ran over some poles just before the split. I just barely kept it in line. I thought for a second I was going down. I had to bunny hop over it. Then down near the bottom my chain came off, but luckily it went back on. I am so stoked. Man, this is as good as it gets for me. I've got my family and friends, and all these people here. It makes it so fun."
Gwin now holds a 295 point lead over Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) with two rounds remaining, making it almost impossible for him to be beaten in his quest for a second World Cup title. Gee Atherton remains in third, 354 points in arrears.
- published: 03 Jul 2012
- views: 27609
122:02
UCI MTB XCO WORLD CUP - ELITE WOMEN - SAALFELDEN LEOGANG, AUSTRIA - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Women - Saalfelden Leogang, Austria - 08.09.2012
For cyclin...
published: 02 Nov 2012
UCI MTB XCO WORLD CUP - ELITE WOMEN - SAALFELDEN LEOGANG, AUSTRIA - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Women - Saalfelden Leogang, Austria - 08.09.2012
For cycling videos, go to: http://www.cyclingtorrents.nl
For full results, go to: http://www.saalfeldenleogang2012.at/en/news/results-cross-country-women-elite/
- published: 02 Nov 2012
- views: 5010
3:16
2012 UCI DH World Cup Finals - Hafjell
The 2012 Downhill MTB World Cup season wrapped up this weekend in Hafjell, Norway and Mons...
published: 20 Sep 2012
2012 UCI DH World Cup Finals - Hafjell
The 2012 Downhill MTB World Cup season wrapped up this weekend in Hafjell, Norway and Monster Energy Specialized's Sam Hill (AUS) raced to 7th place under blue skies, on a track that had him smiling all week. Visit www.i-am-specialized.com for more.
- published: 20 Sep 2012
- views: 40776
7:45
Downhill highlights @UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2012
The Gravity series for the RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano ret...
published: 04 Jun 2012
Downhill highlights @UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2012
The Gravity series for the RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano returned on Sunday with round two in Val di Sole, Italy, and both the men's and women's competitions saw dominating performances by the winners. Rachel Atherton (GT Factory) beat the rest of the women's field by nearly five seconds, while 2011 World Cup Champion Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) was almost eight seconds ahead of his nearest competitor in the men's race.
Val di Sole is known for its highly technical, rough and dusty track, and this year was no different, with new sections of the course buried under soft, loamy dirt that was nearly 30 centimeters deep in places.
Sabrina Jonnier (Labyrinth Shimano) was the first woman to spend an extended time in the Hot Seat, but she was then bumped out of contention by a pair of Austrian riders - Anita Molcik (Four Elements) and Petra Bernhard (Alpine Commencal Austria) - before a trio of French riders took the top spot in quick succession, with Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Riding Addiction) the first to break the four minute barrier.
However, Nicole's reign at the top was brief, with Atherton the next rider on course. Atherton, the World Champion here in Val di Sole in 2008, and coming back from a shoulder injury that derailed most of last season and saw her missed the opening round this year, was noticeably faster than any other woman, finishing 4.485 seconds ahead of Nicole. The only rider remaining was the world champion, Emmeline Ragot (MS Mondraker), who had qualified first, but she was no match for Atherton, finishing over eight seconds back in third.
"I still can't quite believe it," commented Atherton. "The track here is so insane, it's so long and physical and wild. I knew that if I was going to win it I had to put everything on the line. I had a pretty good run and nearly crashed a few times, but you've just got to risk it, and I wanted to win."
Ragot takes the World Cup lead, since Atherton did not compete in the first round, with 370 points, followed by round one winner Tracey Hannah (Hutchinson United Ride) at 322, Nicole at 261 points and Atherton with 240.
The men's race saw Gwin throw down a tremendous challenge to the rest of the field by finishing over seven seconds ahead of second place Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate). Minnaar, the winner of round one and World Cup leader, had beaten Gwin just a week earlier at a warm up event in Austria, but this was clearly a different Gwin.
Times were dropping steadily through the 82 rider strong field until Junior-aged Loic Bruni (Lapierre International) threw down the first sub-3:25 time with 30 riders to go. Bruni held the lead for ten riders before Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing) took half a second off, and Smith lasted for 13 riders until Sam Blenkinsop (Lapierre International) bumped him out by a second. The lead continued to drop by fractions of a second until Minnaar, the second fastest qualifier, held the Hot Seat.
However, despite going nearly six seconds faster than he had in qualifying, Minnaar was still almost two seconds slower than Gwin's qualifying time and, barring a crash, Gwin was the odds-on favorite as he began his run. The American champion did not disappoint; fastest at both intermediate splits by huge margins, he knocked more than six seconds off his qualifying time to win by 7.85 seconds, a staggering margin when Minnaar had beaten him by a mere 6.32 tenths of a second in the first round. Gee Atherton (GT Factory) finished third, followed by team mate Marc Beaumont, with Cameron Cole (Lapierre International) in fifth.
"Ive been looking for a run like that for some time now," said Gwin. "I couldn't be happier. I was pretty sure my quali time would hold, and even though the course here is super rough and dusty, I managed an almost clean run. Greg rode amazingly well on this track and is going to be tough competition for the remainder of the season."
Gwin and Minnaar are tied at 450 points in the World Cup standings, each with a win and a second, however, Gwin takes over the Series' lead by virtue of the more recent victory. Atherton is third with 315 points, followed by Beaumont at 228 and Smith with 215.
- published: 04 Jun 2012
- views: 36825
Youtube results:
7:14
Downhill highlights Val d'Isere@UCI MTB World Cup 2012
Round six of the Downhill at the Rockyroads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shima...
published: 31 Jul 2012
Downhill highlights Val d'Isere@UCI MTB World Cup 2012
Round six of the Downhill at the Rockyroads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano in Val d'Isere, France, turned out to be a much more difficult course than anyone anticipated, with many top riders crashing and performing below expectations. Rachel Atherton (GT Factory) took her fourth win of the season to extend her lead in the women's standings, while Brook MacDonald (MS Mondraker) took his first ever World Cup win in the men's race. Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing), despite finishing fifth, locked up the men's overall title with one round remaining.
The rocky, open, alpine run was very different from most that the racers face on the World Cup circuit, and more than a few riders crashed in both training and qualifying.
In the women's race, Petra Bernhard (Alpine Commencal Austria) was the first to record a sub-2:50 run, but Myriam Nicole (Commencal / Riding Addiction) immediately took nearly seven seconds off the leading time, good enough to eventually finish fourth. Floriane Pugin (Scott 11) then knocked a further second off, but the final two riders were in a class of their own.
World champion Emmeline Ragot (MS Mondraker) was 1.6 seconds faster than Pugin, but Atherton, the fastest qualifier, once again showed that her return this season, after struggling with injury, is complete - finishing a second and a half ahead of Ragot and recording the only sub-2:40 time of the day.
"I am so happy," stated Atherton. "I think this is the most nervous I have been all year. This track is very, very difficult. One day it's dry and then it's really, really wet, so tire and suspension changes are so important, and you don't know how it's gonna be on your race run. Everyone was just playing it like a guessing game.
"I almost crashed today [in training]; I landed on my seat. My stomach was hurting really bad, but I thought, this is like Fort William: I need to just switch off and then switch back on for the race. I have learned that from racing and crashing."
Atherton now holds an 80 point lead over Ragot, with Nicole a distant third at 892 points.
The men's competition for the last two seasons has been completely dominated by World Cup leader Aaron Gwin and his usual rival, Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate). Between the two of them, they have won every single World Cup in last season and this, until Val d'Isere. Every rider struggled on the fast, rough and rocky terrain, which was completely unforgiving of mistakes. Gwin crashed in qualifying, injuring his hand and finishing well back.
In the Final, Thibaut Ruffin (Commencal / Riding Addiction) set the early best time, which stood for 16 riders until Matt Simmonds (Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof) bumped him by an infinitesimal six-thousandths of a second. Simmonds in turn was displaced by Andrew Neethling (Giant Factory), who barely finished before Mick Hannah (Hutchinson United Ride) took the lead. Gwin took the lead next by half a second, but Minnaar surpassed his rival by that same amount. Gee Atherton (GT Factory) then recorded the first sub-2:20 time, but it wasn't quite enough, as MacDonald knocked a final half second off the lead to record his first victory.
"I can't even explain how I feel," exclaimed MacDonald. "I had a solid run, no mistakes , it was one of those runs I was just pumped for. I am over the moon about this one. My early season has been a big struggle. I was at a point where I was hating riding. So I changed a few things on my bike, and it has all paid off."
"This track was hard. With the altitude, and being only two and a half minutes, you are just pushing the whole way. If you make a mistake you lose time and you can't really lose time on this kind of track. I put together a good run and I'm happy."
Despite having his consecutive World Cup win streak stopped at four, Gwin wasn't too upset. "I have no excuses, I had a pretty good run. For how I felt I am happy. To win the overall again, it is so amazing, especially after this weekend. I came in feeling good, and kinda had a bonehead moment in Qualifying. Hurt myself a little bit. It [his hand] was better than I thought it was going to be in the Finals; it didn't hurt too bad. I just got a little tired at the bottom. So I had to back it down at the bottom to make sure I stayed on and I kinda backed it down too much, but it worked out. Everyone loses some and wins some. I have lost many more in my career. I am just stoked to be up here."
Gwin now has 1260 points with one race remaining, an insurmountable 260 point lead over Minnaar. The fight for second overall is far from over, with Atherton only 19 points out of second.
- published: 31 Jul 2012
- views: 13171
8:21
2012 UCI Mountain bike World Cup XCO - Houffalize
Once again, Houffalize proved that it is one of the classics of mountain biking, with exce...
published: 17 Apr 2012
2012 UCI Mountain bike World Cup XCO - Houffalize
Once again, Houffalize proved that it is one of the classics of mountain biking, with exceptional racing at the second round of the RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano. In front of a huge crowd of enthusiastic spectators, World Champion Catharine Pendrel (Luna) and Julien Absalon (Orbea) won decisive victories.
Pendrel, who was third on the opening round of the World Cup last month in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, took the lead from defending UCI World Cup champion Julie Bresset (BH SR Suntour Peisey Vallandry) in the third lap of the five lap race with an attack on one of the climbs. She steadily increased her lead through the remainder of the race to finish with a time of one hour, 31 minutes and 15 seconds, 48 seconds ahead of Bresset. Maja Wloszczowska (CCC Polkowice), the winner of the first round of the 2012 series, was third at one minute and 24 seconds.
Pendrel and Wloszczowska are tied at 410 points each, however, Pendrel takes the lead in the World Cup by virtue of the more recent victory. Bresset moves into third, just ahead of Emily Batty (Subaru-Trek), second in the opening round.
"I just felt awesome today," stated Pendrel. "It was a good course, I really liked it. It felt a lot like my trails at home, and definitely had steep climbs. There was one section that I knew Julie [Bresset] was really strong on, so my focus of the race was riding that section as smooth as I can, and then just go as hard as I could on the climbs."
Third victory for Absalon in Houffalize
In the men's six lap race, Julien Absalon took his third Houffalize title, finishing with a time of one hour, 34 minutes and 42 seconds. Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower), the winner of the first round, was second at 38 seconds, with Marco Fontana (Cannondale Factory) third, one minute and three seconds in arrears. Absalon and Schurter broke away from the rest of the field by the second lap, and then Absalon dropped his Swiss rival in the final lap to solo in for the win.
"I was feeling good, but I was thinking "Okay, I need to attack Nino before the last lap, because I know he is always strong on the last lap". I knew there was no chance to win after that, because I knew he is faster than me on the last downhill. So my tactic was to attack before the downhill, so I attacked on the fifth lap.
"Houffalize in incredible, all the spectators, lots of fans from France and Belgium behind me, so maybe that is why I push like this. I am really happy because it is always special to win in Houffalize."
Schurter continues to lead the RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano, with 450 points, followed by Absalon at 400 points. Burry Stander (Specialized) sits in third place with 350 points.
- published: 17 Apr 2012
- views: 24188
112:10
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Nove Mesto, Czech Republic - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Nove Mesto, Czech Republic - 13.05.2012
For cycling v...
published: 11 Dec 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Nove Mesto, Czech Republic - 2012
UCI MTB XCO World Cup - Elite Men - Nove Mesto, Czech Republic - 13.05.2012
For cycling videos, go to: http://www.cyclingtorrents.nl
For full results, go to: http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-world-cup-xco-3-xce-2-2012/elite-men-cross-country/results
- published: 11 Dec 2012
- views: 4036
6:54
XCO Windham@2012 UCI MTB World Cup
Round six of the cross-country series for the RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup prese...
published: 03 Jul 2012
XCO Windham@2012 UCI MTB World Cup
Round six of the cross-country series for the RockyRoads UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano saw some of the closest and most exciting racing of the year. Catharine Pendrel led a 1-2-3 finish for the Luna team in the women's race, wrapping up the World Cup title in the process. On the men's side, a combination of heat and technical problems decimated the field, with Burry Stander (Specialized) the last man standing to take only the second World Cup win of his career.
Extreme heat, plus a dry and dusty course with lots of climbing, made for hard conditions. Riders had to drink constantly, and avoid going out too hard, too early if they didn't want to 'blow up'.
Georgia Gould (Luna), came close to taking the first World Cup of her career a week earlier in Mont-Ste-Anne, but faded in the last lap. This time, on home soil, she was inspired, riding away from early leader Marie-Helene Premont of Canada to carve out a 50 second lead with a lap to go. Chasing were her two team mates - Pendrel and Katerina Nash - who had dropped Premont.
Cresting the final climb, Gould looked to have the win, but then suffered a pinch flat in a a rocky section. She quickly used an inflation cartridge, but the tire went flat again almost within sight of the finish, and she started to run. Pendrel and Nash weere surprised to come upon their team mate, with less than 100 metres to go, sweeping around her and sprinting to the line, with Pendrel getting the victory. Gould hung on for third.
"I was really sad (about catching Gould in final metres)," commented Pendrel. "I did not want it to come down to that. Georgia rode so well, she was obviously riding the best both up and down today. She deserved the win. I looked back and thought maybe Katerina is not going to sprint, but Katerina was going to sprint, so I gotta go for it. It was not the situation I wanted; yes, I wanted Luna 1-2-3 , but I wanted the best legs to win on the day and that was Georgia."
Pendrel's third win of the season, gives her an insurmountable lead in te sandings, with one race remaining, in Val d'Isere, France at the end of July.
The men's race saw a small group of favourites take the lead in the early laps, including Stander, Manuel Fumic (Cannondale Factory), Jaroslav Kulhavy (Specialized), Florian Vogel (Scott - Swisspower), Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (Wildwolf - Trek Pro Racing), Rudi Van Houts (Multivan Merida), José Hermida (Multivan Merida), Fabian Giger (Rabobank Giant), Marco Aurelio Fontana (Cannondale Factory).
Gradually, riders fell off the pace, either through mechanical problems (Fumic and Hermida), or because they were unable to handle the heat. Eventually, it was down to Stander, Mantecon and Fontana, and then Stander upped the pace with a lap and a half to go, steadily increasing his lead on Mantecon, with Fontana holding onto third. The three finished in this order, with Stander taking his first World Cup win since 2009.
"I have always done well on this course and always been in the lead group," explained Stander, "but then had problems at the end. This is a course where it is easy to crash, because it's very high speed. Easy to push too hard and get a flat tire. Today I just decided to ride my own speed and not worry about anyone else, just ride controlled. I made sure at the top of the climb I went into the singletrack first and I could control the speed on the way down, not taking any chances. Then, yah, toward the end I knew with the endurance coming into play and the heat it would be good for me."
The absent World Cup leader Nino Schurter (Scott-Swisspower) retained his lead in the standings, by a slim 12 points over Stander, with world champion Jaroslav Kulhavy a distant third.
- published: 03 Jul 2012
- views: 20063
