Mark Wallace second in downhill mountain bike World Cup opener
Finnley Iles wins junior men's race; Miranda Miller eighth in elite women's
Canadian downhiller Mark Wallace opened the 2017 World Cup season with second place at the race in Lourdes, France, on Sunday. Riding for the newly established Canyon team, Wallace and other early runners in the men’s race were handed an advantage as rain and wind moved in partway through the race, slowing the usual cadre of top racers.
The race was won by Frenchman Alexandre Fayolle of the Polygon UR squad. Fayolle put in a fast pace, finishing just back of the top qualifying time laid down yesterday, riding fast and loose on the technical Lourdes course. It is the first time since 1998 that a French rider has won a French round of the downhill mountain bike World Cup.
“I just can’t believe it. It’s amazing,” said the ecstatic Fayolle at the finish. “I have dreamed of this since the very beginning, and now it’s happened… I want to share this with my family, my team, every french [fan].”
Wallace was precise in his run, and finished 3.326 seconds back from Fayolle, and had to wait patiently to see as the remaining riders worked their way down the course.
Marcelo Gutierrez of Colombia finished third, just over 0.1 seconds back of Wallace.
Gee Atherton was the best placed of the fast finishers, wrapping up his race in 10th spot, a positive start to the season when compared with his rivals.
Greg Minnaar, who finished the 2016 season ranked fourth overall, ended up a very unusual 59th position, and commented on how the rain and wind changed the course for the top riders.
“That was the sketchiest run I’ve ever had,” said Minnaar. “With all this rain, it’s like glass up there.”
The women’s race took place earlier in the day, in dry conditions. Despite the pressure of a perfect season in 2016, Rachel Atherton comfortably won the day, fastest through every split on the course.
Tracey Hannah followed up in second place, 2.6 seconds back, riding for the Polygon UR team. Tahnee Seagrave rounded out the podium in third after losing time to Hannah in the final section of the course.
Canadian Miranda Miller improved on her eighth place in qualifying, finishing sixth riding in her first event with Specialized Gravity.
In the men’s Junior race, Finnley Iles of Canada won racing for Specialized Gravity. Finishing in 2:56.935, Iles’s time was good enough to rank in the top five in the elite men’s race.
The downhill World Cup continues June 3-4 in Fort William, Scotland.
