Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Loïc Bruni scored victories in the UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Fort William. The reigning UCI Downhill World Champion continued her winning ways on the Fort William course, while Bruni finally finished top at the 10th time of asking at this iconic track. Meanwhile, Heather Wilson (Muc-Off Young Guns) gave the locals something to cheer for in the Women’s Juniors and Asa Vermette (Framework Racing) obliterated the competition despite breaking his pelvis five weeks ago.
The 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series rolled into Fort William, Scotland, for the first UCI Downhill World Cup of the season, and the fan-favourite course served up some adrenaline-fuelled action with Valentina Höll (YT Mob) and Loïc Bruni kicking off their seasons with wins.
Aaron Gwin, Downhill Ambassador of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series, said: “The first UCI Downhill World Cup in Fort William didn’t disappoint! The Men’s and Women’s Elite finals showed that this season will be one to watch, and this legendary course served up some amazing racing once again.”
HÖLL FINISHES STRONG TO TAKE HER FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON
Valentina Höll might only be 22, but the reigning UCI Downhill World Champion and last year’s UCI World Cup Downhill overall series winner has cemented herself as the favourite whenever she enters the start hut.
The Austrian has good form on Fort William’s course, having won her second consecutive rainbow jersey at the Nevis Range venue, and has looked like the woman to beat all weekend after winning Saturday’s Women’s Elite semi-final qualifiers.
Gloria Scarsi (Canyon CLLCTV Pirelli) set the early pace, putting in a consistent run from top to bottom that would see the Italian hold on to a podium spot – the third of her UCI Downhill World Cup career.
Monika Hrastnik (Dorval AM Commencal), Mille Johnset (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) and Marine Cabirou (Scott Downhill Factory) all couldn’t find an answer, and it was a blistering run from Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate) that finally knocked Scarsi out of the hot seat.
Tahnée Seagrave (Canyon CLLCTV FMD) was the closest to the German rider’s time but wasn’t able to keep her high early pace in the second half of the course – the British rider continuing her promising form in front of a loud and supportive set of fans and guaranteeing a podium spot.
And then there was Höll. The last rider on the hill, she was a second back in the second split on the mountain, but managed to pull it back in the fast, flowing bottom half of the course to win by 0.5 seconds.
Speaking after the race, Valentina Höll said: “We have a brand-new bike, brand new people on the team. It was the track where I won World Championships last year but there was no time to even rest. It’s a tough track to start the season. It wasn’t one of my best runs. I was so loose and tired at the end. I’ve never been on top at the first race so I’m really happy and I can just get better.”
Second-placed Nina Hoffman said: “I got everything right apart from one mistake but as Vali [Höll] wasn’t gaining time in this sector I thought it was tight and that she was going to get me on the Motorway. But that’s racing – at least it was tight. The competition is insane.”
Third-placed Tahnée Seagrave said: “I’m so happy. I’ve been working really hard this off-season and I’ve just been building confidence. It’s been probably four or five years since I’ve felt like I was at podium contender pace, so it’s pretty good to be up there.”
BRUNI BREAKS HIS DUCK IN FORT WILLIAM
Loïc Bruni has six UCI Downhill World Championships and three UCI World Cup overall titles to his name, but the Frenchman had never managed a win at Fort William in his nine previous races in Scotland.
‘Superbruni’ was on a different planet at the 2024 season opener though, going one second up after the first split on Dakotah Norton’s (Mondraker Factory Racing) then-race leading time before extending his advantage as he flew down the mountain.
Saturday’s fastest qualifier, Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team), came closest to knocking Bruni out of the hot seat but the Australian and 2014 Fort William UCI World Cup winner could only get within 1.8 seconds to finish in second place. Bruni’s teammate, Finn Iles (Specialized Factory Gravity), made it a successful overall weekend for Specialized Factory Gravity by taking third, while Dakotah Norton and Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) rounded out the podium in fourth and fifth respectively.
Greg Williamson (Madison Saracen Factory Team) was the highest-placed British rider in 7th, while fan favourite Reece Wilson (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) finished 16th – an impressive return after two injury-hit seasons.
Speaking after his win, Bruni said: “I’ve never been super strong here. I’ve struggled a lot in the last few years, but I knew I could do it one day or another. This weekend, I’ve been struggling a bit with the wet but today the clouds held off so there was no rain and I thought this was the opportunity. I’m feeling strong, the bike is good, everything was perfect for it.
I pushed everywhere; I wasn’t fresh at the bottom but I gave it [my] all. I’m so happy. That’s such an achievement for me and I’m over the moon.
“The mental side is the hardest because this track is so mean. It’s super rough – the bike and your body are taking big slams and I feel like everything has to click at once and it’s not always easy to do it at the right time in finals. I finally did it.”
Second-placed Troy Brosnan said: “10 years ago, I won here in 2014. Coming back from a very up-and-down season last year I wanted to go strong. Second place for me today feels like a win. I’m in a better head space and the bike is really working underneath me.
Third-placed Finn Iles said: “I wanted it a little too much at the start and I think I raced quite smart because I knew I was attacking too much and it’d probably lead to a crash so I brought it back a little bit, calmed down and rode the bottom part really fast and smooth. It’s a good marker because if I have the right mindset coming into the next race. I know I can ride faster than I did today and hopefully I can get on the top step.”
WILSON SHOWS THE FUTURE IS SCOTTISH
In the Juniors, there was something for the Scottish fans to cheer for in the Women’s Juniors final with local rider Heather Wilson (Muc-Off Young Guns) taking the win in her first-ever UCI World Cup Junior race. The 17-year-old used her experience on the Fort William course to post the only sub-five-minute run of the age group event, with Sacha Earnest (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) and Eliana Hulsebosch (Union - Forged by Steel City Media) finishing in second and third respectively more than 3.5 seconds back. The 2023 UCI World Champion Erice Van Leuven (Commencal Les Orres) was last down the hill and looked set to edge Wilson out of the hot seat until a rear flat in the final sector meant she had to settle for fifth.
Heather Wilson said: “It doesn’t feel real. I don’t feel like I’ve won. I’m so glad that it’s done, and I’ve crossed the line in one piece. I’m so happy. I have no words to describe how I feel right now. [The weather] was actually perfect because the track still had some grip – it wasn’t too slippy. Some of the corners are blown up, so I just took my time and pushed into them. You need to trust these corners and it worked out perfectly.
VERMETTE MAKES A WINNING RETURN FROM INJURY
Meanwhile in the Men’s Juniors, Asa Vermette (Framework Racing) blew away the rest of the field with a storming 4:10.55. The American broke his pelvis at the end of March but showed no signs of being held back in Scotland, laying down the fastest splits in three out of four sectors. Luke Wayman (The Gravity Cartel – Rogue Racing) did enough for second, while the local rising star and fastest qualifier Daniel Parfitt (BNC Racing) gave the Scottish fans another thing to cheer with third.
Asa Vermette said: “I pictured my run. It was exactly how I pictured it. I couldn’t have done it any better. I’m actually shaking right now. Two weeks ago I was sitting on the couch and watching as many GoPro videos as I could of the track that I was about to race. I didn’t even know if I was going to make it to this race.”
FANS TURN UP IN FORT WILLIAM
The Nevis Range course is a pilgrimage for the UK’s Downhill fans and more than 14,500 spectators, athletes, partners, volunteers, and staff attended throughout the weekend – with fans making themselves heard throughout every training, practice and finals run the whole way down the 2.8km track.
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “Scotland is made for mountain biking and has provided the perfect stage for a thrilling weekend of action as the world’s best riders competed in the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series Fort William. Congratulations to Loïc Bruni and Valentina Höll on claiming the victory.
“Events play an important role in our communities, giving us the chance to connect and enjoy memorable experiences. This weekend the atmospheric crowds at the iconic Nevis Range venue has ensured a memorable experience has been had by both fans and riders alike.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport at the Scottish Government, Fiona Hyslop said: “The Nevis Range at Fort William once again proved a fantastic venue for world-class downhill mountain biking. The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series is an important fixture in the cycling and Scottish sporting calendar and builds on the success of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. I was delighted to attend the final day of the event, to meet with organisers and witness the exhilarating conclusion of the action. I hope that the event inspires people across Scotland to start cycling or cycle more, whether for transport, exercise, sport, or pleasure.”
The fourth round of the 2024 WHOOP UCI Mountain BIke World Series takes place next weekend, May 10-12, in the Finale Outdoor Region, Italy. The first UCI Enduro World Cup and UCI E-Enduro World Cup of the year is the second of three consecutive Gravity weekends in a row, before the Endurance championships resume at the end of the month (May 24-26) in Nové Město Na Moravě, Czech Republic.
