Windham 2016 World Cup DH Results Inside
If you missed the replay catch it here.
This was the tale of two living legends, Aaron Gwin and Rachel Atherton. On the shortest, roughest course of the season, they found time where no one else could. Atherton crossed the line a massive nine seconds up on nearest rival Manon Carpenter in the women’s race, with Gwin putting three and a half seconds into the most successful World Cup rider of all time, Greg Minnaar, in the men’s.
Aaron Gwin cheered on by a home crowd© Bartek Woliński
This may also have been the race that witnessed the emergence of a legend to be, in the form of French youngster Loris Vergier. The former Junior World Cup and World Champion put in the run of his life to claim the hot seat early on. From there he sat and watched all but the fastest two riders on the planet try and fail to beat his time, finishing third to claim the first podium of his career.
Loris Vergier spent most the race in the hot seat© Bartek Woliński
Connor Fearon and Danny Hart both looked blisteringly quick but were still unable to get near Vergier, whose first two sections began to look unattainable.
Stevie Smith was among the first to go through split one within a second of Vergier’s time, eventually crossing the line just 0.2 seconds down on the Frenchman to complete a solid run after a torrid time with injuries.
Stevie Smith’s bike eats some Windham dust© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
Another rider not long back from injury, Josh Bryceland, also put down a strong run, providing a lesson in how to ride moguls in the process.
Loïc Bruni, the fastest rider of the year not to win a World Cup, had a stormer on the first section of track but yet again fate dealt a cruel hand and the French flyer punctured towards the bottom of the track. His time will come.
With Greg Minnaar in the hot seat and Gwin, his main rival for the World Cup overall, the last man to come down the mountain, the scene was set for an American dream finale.
Windham UCI DH World Cup men’s final results
Aaron Gwin took the win in Windham© Bartek Woliński
Women’s Race
After taking the World Cup overall yesterday with her qualifying points, Rachel Atherton, in theory, could have relaxed for this race. But as soon as she shot out of the start gate the question wasn’t if she’d win the race, but by what margin would she take the lead.
Manon Carpenter finished in second place © Bartek Woliński
Fellow Brit Manon Carpenter was in the hot seat at the time after holding off challenges from Tahnee Seagrave and a dust covered Myriam Nicole. Carpenter, the current World Champion, was in a comfortable top spot, with a three second lead. With the absence of top female racer Emmeline Ragot, who broke her ankle and elbow in Mont-Sainte-Anne, the pressure at the top end of the field was reduced.
However, nobody expected Atherton to be able to make up so much time on the short, loose and intense track. As she crossed the line with over a nine second lead, it looked like she didn’t expect it either.
Junior Results
Two impressive margins of victory – and Rachel’s was crazy.
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