Dylan Maples (Pivot Factory Racing) and Marine Cabirou (Canyon DH Racing) mastered slippery terrain to win the qualifying session and will start last for tomorrow’s UCI Downhill World Cup finals, as the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series descended into Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland.
The wet course at the Epic Bike Park resulted in a number of top names failing to qualify, including the previous round’s Men’s Elite winner Luca Shaw (Canyon DH Racing). The Austrian venue is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and the conditions provided downhill riders with a qualification session which will last long in the memory.
Considered a classic course for the discipline the steep slopes usually encourage fast speeds in the top section before descending down into the tight and technical trees, where line choice is key to coming out on top. The 2.6-kilometres long ‘Speedster’ trail contains 468 metres of descent. However, wet and slippery conditions throughout the course meant that bike handling and line choice was key to qualifying success.
American rider Dylan Maples is bidding to improve on his fourth position from Val di Sole – Trentino (Italy) last year and topped the Men’s Elite first qualifying standings by over a second with 3:21.2. However, it was Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) who posted the quickest time of the day, holding his nerve in the second qualifying session to stop the clock in 3:17.7
Meanwhile, Marine Cabirou will bid for her 10th UCI Downhill World Cup victory in tomorrow’s finals after enjoying the difficult conditions and finishing nine tenths quicker than Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing/TRP) in the first qualifying session.
The Junior categories also provided drama as Jonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) and Lina Frener (Norco X Adidas Race Division) went quickest.
MAPLES THRIVES IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS AS RIVALS FAULTER
Testing conditions greeted the Men’s Elite riders for the first qualifying session with low visibility out of the starting hut before taking on a wet and muddy course.
Dylan Maples built speed throughout his run and conquered the technical section to set the quickest time in the first qualifying session.
Ethan Craik (SCOTT Downhill Factory) is another rider looking for his first Men’s Elite World Cup win. The Briton showed his fearless descending ability to set the quickest times in each sector, only to lose 1.6 seconds in the final run to the line - finishing second in Q1. Meanwhile, Henri Kiefer (Canyon DH Racing) completed a surprise top three as the German rider was rewarded for his consistent run with a third-place finish, just 3.5 seconds behind.
Austrian competitor Andreas Kolb (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was the fastest of the pre-race favourites in fourth and he will be looking for a home victory in the Saturday finals.
Amongst the other riders who comfortably went through Q1 were Jordan Williams (Specialized Gravity), Benoît Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory), Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/TRP), Troy Brosnan (Canyon DH Racing) and Loris Vergier (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction).
Defending overall champion Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate) failed to record a qualifying time in the previous round at Loudenvielle-Peyragudes. The Canadian struggled to find speed in the difficult conditions and squeezed through in Q1 after finishing over six seconds behind the leader in 18th.
After missing out in Q1, Canadian rider Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity) put a flawless Q2 run together under pressure and posted the fastest time of 3:17.7.
Ryan Pinkerton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) progressed second in Q2 ahead of the COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction trio of Max Alran, Till Alran and Amaury Pierron. Despite clocking the fastest speed on the top section mistakes resulted in Luca Shaw finishing 18th and missing out on tomorrow’s finals.
CABIROU SHOWS COMPOSURE TO TOP WOMEN ELITE QUALIFYING STANDINGS
Marine Cabirou showed all her experience, as the nine-time UCI Downhill World Cup winner held everything together during a commanding qualifying performance. The 29-year-old overcame the slippery conditions and will look to repeat her success from Mont-Sainte-Anne last year in tomorrow’s finals.
The earlier fog lifted on the top section for the Women’s Elite’s first qualification, but the lower technical slopes remained wet and challenging. Cabirou was an early starter and her time of 4:00.5 which was left unbeaten for all the finishers to come.
Anna Newkirk (Frameworks Racing/TRP) carried her speed through the technical sections and gained in momentum to place second just nine tenths of a second behind.
After dominating the opening two UCI Downhill World Cup rounds Valentina Höll (Commencal Schwalbe by Les Orres) is looking for a home victory this weekend. The reigning UCI World Champion was in contention with the leading times throughout her run to finish comfortably in third just two seconds back.
Myriam Nicole (COMMENCAL/MUC-OFF by Riding Addiction) and Harriet Harnden (AON Racing) were amongst those who also booked their finals spot through Q1. However, Phoebe Gale (Orbea FMD Racing), Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Gracey Hemstreet (Norco X adidas Race Division) all had difficulties in their runs, resulting in a Q2 ride.
The returning Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea FMD Racing) and Sacha Earnest (Trek -Unbroken DH) also had trouble in the conditions and failed to finish their Q1 runs.
Hemstreet responded from her Q1 disappointment and mastered the tough conditions to post the best time in Q2 of 4:05.17.
Jenna Hastings (Pivot Factory Racing) was less than two seconds behind in runner-up and Seagrave placed third, while Hoffmann also booked her finals spot. However, the course conditions continued to cause problems with Gale and Earnest failing to progress.
FRENER AND WILLIAMSON TOP JUNIOR STANDINGS
Lina Frener (Norco X Adidas Race Division) continued her pursuit of a first Women’s Junior UCI Downhill World Cup by qualifying quickest on the tough ‘Speedster’ trail. The Austrian rider held her composure to post a time of 4:04.2 and will start last in her category in search of a maiden win in front of her home supporters tomorrow.
Opening round winner Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon DH Racing) will be in contention again after leading qualification at the third sector split. However, mistakes further down the course cost the American and she settled for fifth in qualification.
Rosa Marie Jensen (Specialized Gravity) finished second in qualification six seconds behind Frener and overall leader Rosa Zierl (Cube Factory Racing) was third.
Meanwhile, Jonty Williamson (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) was superior again in the Men’s Junior category as the overall leader led at every sector to set an unassailable time of 3:29.1. Behind, German youngster Lois Eller led the battle behind losing just two seconds to the fastest time. He will be hoping to repeat his form in tomorrow’s finals and clinch a first UCI Downhill World Cup podium of his career.
The podium battle is set to be a close one as third placed Noé Forlin was just two hundredths of a second ahead of British rider Felix Griffiths.
The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues at Saalfelden Leogang – Salzburgerland on Saturday with the UCI Downhill World Cup finals. The UCI Enduro World Cup and UCI Cross-Country Olympic World Cup follow on Sunday.
