With a consistent run Gee Atherton takes 3rd step on the podium.
Damien Spagnolo had an amazing run going, beating Aaron Gwin´s time by more than a second at the first split. He probably could have won this race but unfortunately got taken out by a flat tyre.
Aaron Gwin did it again. But despite his domination, don´t think he is just easily throwing out one winning run after the other. Like everybody else he is on the edge and almost binned it today in Peaty´s plunge.
Steve Smith was charging all week and got close to knocking Aaron Gwin from the top of the podium.
The final jump was huge and hard to clear for the women. Tracey Hannah also came up short and snapped her saddle off during the impact coming but still getting 2nd.
It was a crazy women´s final. After Ragot´s crash, Rachel Atherton was ahead by almost five seconds when she came up short on the hip and went off the course, crossing the finish line just 0.2 seconds in front of Tracy Hannah and with the win.
On the short flat out Winhdam track the times where extremely close. In between Danny Hart in 4th and Greg Minnaar and Andrew Neethling sharing ninth with excactly the same time there was less than a second. And in between 10th and 20th just another 1.5 seconds.
Loic Bruni's first ever World Cup podium, 5th today. So, after Troy Brosnan another strong Junior rider is making his way into the top World Cup ranks.
This is how Aaron Gwin´s back wheel looked after his race run. To take the fast and direct line in the rock garden you had to sacrifice your wheel, but also trying not to flat at the same time. A couple of other riders went through one wheel each practice run to pull off that line.
After a mechanical in Mont Sainte Anne, Emmeline Ragot had yet another hard final to deal with. She came up short on the last huge double and went down hard within five metres of the finish line, losing valuable seconds but finishing still in 3rd.
The US crowd went nuts after Aaron Gwin had crossed the line and took home victory for the stars and stripes today..."U-S-A"
Gutted for Spagnolo. He was flying.
Unbelievable shot of Gwin’s wheel. How did that hold together to the bottom? Felt sorry for Ragot and Brook and Marc, and how do they just get up and carry on apparently unscathed? When I crash its a different story…
I really hope Spagnolo has some more luck in the coming races! He is awesome to watch for sure.
And that Gwinside me, wowzers in my trousers.
Gotta wonder if Gwin was running carbon rims what that wheel would look like… Better or worse?
@HBB. From what the Syndicate pits were saying @ MSA, their rims were lasting much longer than the alloy ones. I would suppose it boils down to what kind of force/stress is being applied.
Awesome to see Bruni get on the podium…and also to pay tribute to CG w/the mustache. Props!