On top again: Rachel Atherton lands sixth World Cup series championship in La Bresse

The final round of the 2018 World Cup season delivered wild and muddy racing full of drama, just not where expected.

It World Cup’s return to the slopes of La Bresse was a historic one, though. Rachel Atherton sealed a historic sixth World Cup overall title, the most of any downhill woman.

The Men’s race was also one for the history books. Belgium’s Martin Maes (GT Factory Racing) became the first rider to win an Enduro World Series round and a World Cup downhill in the same season. Remarkably, his wins come only two weeks apart. Maes’ first big victory came at the Whistler EWS round during Crankworx. That win ended a long string of EWS second place finishes. The Belgian clearly carried confidence from that forward. He set a blazing fast run down the slick French track to land his first ever downhill World Cup win.

Valentina Höll, YT Mob’s young Junior Woman, also had a remarkable ride in La Bresse. Her winning time in the Junior Women’s race was one of only three Women, along with Rachel Atherton and Tahnée Seagrave, to break the three minute mark.

Canadians: UCI World Cup finals – La Bresse, France

Canada’s Juniors set an impressive pace early on in the day. Both Ben Wallace and Lucas Cruz finished inside the top 10. Wallace (Kovarik Racing) was the top Canadian finisher in La Bresse in 7th. Lucas Cruz (Trek BC Devo) continued his impressive debut World Cup season in 8th.

Squamish’s Miranda Miller (Specialized Gravity Racing) was next down the mountain. In her final race before she has to defend her world championship title from Cairns in 2017, Miller had a solid performance in 10th.

Mark Wallace (Canyon Factory Racing) was the first Canadian down the French track in the Elite Men’s race. While the Vancouver Island racer couldn’t match race winner Martin Maes pace, he did find time to pull a tear-off to clean his goggles – mid-air on a big step-up jump. First year Elite Finn Iles (Specialized Gravity Racing) was next down the course, and looked fast through the first two splits. Iles matched Wallace’s mid-flight cleaning tactic, but struggled in the woods that followed. Iles finished his day in 17th, Wallace 19th.

Elite Women: UCI World Cup finals – La Bresse, France

Rachel Atherton (Trek Factory Racing) arrived in La Bresse with a solid, lead in the World Cup standings. Her closest competitor, Tahnée Seagrave (FMD Racing) could still steal the title if Seagrave won and Atherton finished outside the podium.

Katy Curd set the fastest time early on, with the messy conditions resembling what the U.K. rider is used to at home. Curd’s time held until last year’s World Cup winner Myriam Nicole (Commencal Vallnord) arrived at the finish. The French rider was one of many returning from injury in la Bresse but, buoyed by a very supportive French crowd, went fastest by a full three seconds. Coming off her Canadian Open DH win at Crankworx, Tracey Hannah (Polygon UR) was next. She couldn’t match Nicole’s time, though, and slotted into second.

Atherton was next and, with the World Cup title on the line, lay down a huge run. At the bottom of the mountain the woman with the most World Cup Downhill wins in history was fastest by a massive 11 second margin. With only Seagrave left to race, Atherton had claimed her record-setting sixth World Cup overall title.

Still with a chance to add to her three World Cup wins this season, Seagrave was in touch with Atherton the whole way down the course. The young FMD rider couldn’t pull back enough time to match her rival though, and finished 0.638 seconds back. Not enough for the win, but a clear reminder that she’s still a threat for the winner-takes-all world championships coming up in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

Myriam Nicole finishes in 3rd, Tracey Hannah fourth and Katy Curd 5th.

Elite Men: UCI World Cup finals – La Bresse, France

With the UCI’s new start order rules, Martin Maes (GT Factory Racing) had his La Bresse race run before the live broadcast start. The speedy Belgian arrived at the French World Cup hot off his Enduro World Series win in Whistler, and looked fast down the slippery French track. With a blisteringly fast time at the finish, Maes settled in for a long day in the hot seat.

Remi Thirion (Commencal Vallnord) was riding at home in France and looking to perform for the French crowd. Thirion hhad qualified third at La Bresse on Saturday, and looked to be on form. Riding early in the start order, Thirion couldn’t match Maes pace, but was close behind in second.

Friday’s fastest qualifier, Trek Factory Racing’s Gee Atherton was next in the start hut. Atherton was fastest at each of the first three time checks, only falling behind near the bottom of the course. At 1.391 seconds back, Atherton slotted into second. With Thirion and Maes,  he settled in for a long wait at the finish.

The biggest names in World Cup downhill came, and went. None able to touch the times of the early top trio. Australia’s Troy Brosnan (Canyon Factory Racing) was well up on Maes time before coming to a stop atop a large rock drop near the bottom of the course. A quick caveman drop off the rock kept his run going, but was not to challenge for the win.

Brook MacDonald (MS Mondraker), the second last man to race at La Bresse, looked like he might finally unseat Maes. MacDonald led, or was close much of the course before losing time in the steep woods at the bottom. It was still good enough for third, behind Atherton and Maes.

The last rider on course would be the crowd favourite. Amoury Pierron (Commencal Vallnord) had already clinched the World Cup series title after Mont-Sainte-Anne. Racing at home, he still wanted to deliver a win for his French fans. Pierron was fastest all the way down, and still in touch after the woods that had so far won Maes the race. Just 0.300 seconds and three open grass turns separated Pierron from a fourth World Cup victory. That proved to be too much, and Pierron slid out within sight of the finish line, nearly hitting a bridge over the course for the XCO race. He recovered for 10th, but the win went to Maes.

With the victory in La Bresse, Maes claims Enduro World Series and World Cup wins within two weeks of eachother. It’s not his first World Cup result of the year, though. The Belgian finished 10th at the Fort William round back in June.