April 25/14 3:06 am - World Cup Cairns: DH Qualifying results
Posted by Editoress on 04/25/14
New Zealand's Samuel Blenkinsop (Lapierre Gravity Republic) and reigning world champion Rachel Atherton (GBR / GT Factory Racing) mastered the muddy Smithfield track to post the fastest times in downhill qualifying on a wild day at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Cairns. Casey Brown (Bergamont Hayes) was the top Canadian qualifier, in sixth place.
Following two days of solid rain in the region, the downhill track at the Smithfield Regional Park tested the world's best, with a mixture of mud, sludge, rain and roots, creating some of the most challenging conditions ever seen at a World Cup.
Thousands of mountain biking fans braved the rain and mud to show their support of the event, cheering on Cairns natives Mick and Tracey Hannah (Hutchinson UR) who progressed through to Saturday's finals. Mick finished 34th after suffering an early crash, while Tracey finished seventh.
Blenkinsop covered the 1.9 kilometre course in a time of four minutes 22.233 seconds, a mere 0.7 seconds in front of round one winner Aaron Gwin (Specialized Racing DH). Reigning world champion Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was a further 2.178 seconds back. Canada had two riders in the men's field, with Forrest Riesco qualifying 46th. Matt Hardwick finished 90th and did not qualify for Saturday's final.
"It kind of suits me these conditions," said Blenkinsop, the reigning Oceania champion. "My qualifying was pretty good, I am surprised that I am in the lead at the moment but we will see how that holds up."
"I just tried to ride smooth and consistent and not slide out anywhere. I knew that the bottom section would make up the time so I'm happy. Tomorrow will be the battle," he added.
Atherton showed her class to finish a whopping 18 seconds ahead of compatriot Manon Carpenter (Madison Saracen Factory Team), with a time of five minutes 20.568 seconds, and she was a further 21.581 seconds in front of France's Emmeline Ragot (Lapierre Gravity Republic). In addition to Brown's sixth place result, Canadian champion Micayla Gatto (Pivot Factory DH) was tenth, and Claire Buchar (Kovarik Racing) 11th.
"[That was the] hardest thing ever, hands down. I could have got down there better on my running shoes," said Atherton of the thick and sticky mud which lines the course.
"The crowd was amazing, I was all ready to give up, like 'guys this is too slow', and they were like, 'c'mon you're faster, you're going faster'. They really helped me and pushed me on. I just can't believe how hard that was."
In Junior men's qualifying, Loris Vergier (FRA / Lapierre Gravity Republic) qualified fastest with a time of 4 mins 33.924secs, nine seconds ahead of USA's Luca Shaw (4:43.248 / SRAM/TLD RACING). Taylor Vernon (GBR / GT Factory Racing) rounded out the podium, 12 seconds off the pace (4:46.240)
Report by Cycling Australia (modified)
Results from DH qualifying in Cairns Australia
| Junior Men | Time | Gap |
| 1 Loris Vergier (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 4:33.924 | 0.0 0 Q |
| 2 Luca Shaw (USA) SRAM/TLD Racing | 4:43.248 | 9.324 Q |
| 3 Taylor Vernon (GBr) GT Factory Racing | 4:46.240 | 12.316 Q |
| 4 Connor Hamilton (NZl) New Zealand | 5:05.033 | 31.109 Q |
| 5 Aiden Varley (Aus) Australia | 5:05.620 | 31.696 Q |
| 6 Jackson Davis (Aus) Australia | 5:06.154 | 32.230 Q |
| 7 Max Warshawsky (Aus) Australia | 5:08.117 | 34.193 Q |
| 8 Andrew Dorrit (GBr) MS Mondraker Team | 5:10.088 | 36.164 Q |
| 9 Laurie Greenland (GBr) Trek World Racing | 5:11.572 | 37.648 Q |
| 10 Neil Stewart (GBr) FMD Racing | 5:11.675 | 37.751 Q |
| 11 Connor Sandri (NZl) New Zealand | 5:15.951 | 42.027 Q |
| 12 Ben Hill (Aus) Australia | 5:16.379 | 42.455 Q |
| 13 Cody Love (Aus) Australia - B | 5:20.105 | 46.181 Q |
| 14 Keegan Wright (NZl) New Zealand | 5:28.939 | 55.015 Q |
| 15 Joel Willis (Aus) Australia - B | 5:37.933 | 1:04.009 Q |
| 16 Sam Herd (GBr) Perth City Cycles | 5:38.400 | 1:04.476 Q |
| 17 Alec Reid (Aus) Australia - B | 5:49.640 | 1:15.716 Q |
| 18 Matt Taylor (Aus) Australia - B | 5:50.591 | 1:16.667 Q |
| 19 Bradley Swinbank (GBr) Steve Peat Syndicate | 5:51.125 | 1:17.201 Q |
| 20 Dan Booker (Aus) Australia - B | 6:02.245 | 1:28.321 Q |
| 21 Matt Lawton (NZl) New Zealand | 6:28.991 | 1:55.067 Q |
| 22 Matthew McCorkell (Aus) Australia | 7:29.880 | 2:55.956 Q |
| 23 Joshua Mccombie (NZl) New Zealand | 8:37.635 | 4:03.711 Q |
| 24 Benjamin Dengate (Aus) Australia | 8:55.935 | 4:22.011 Q |
| DNF Francisco Matias (Chi) Chile | ||
| DNS Frazer Mccubbing (GBr) Steve Peat Syndicate | ||
| DNS Matthew Branney (USA) United States of America | ||
| DNS Dru Berryman (Aus) Australia - B | ||
| Women | Time | Gap |
| 1 Rachel Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing | 5:20.568 | 0.00 Q |
| 2 Manon Carpenter (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 5:39.370 | 18.802 Q |
| 3 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 5:42.149 | 21.581 Q |
| 4 Morgane Charre (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 5:43.371 | 22.803 Q |
| 5 Myriam Nicole (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 5:45.840 | 25.272 Q |
| 6 Casey Brown (Can) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 5:51.261 | 30.693 Q |
| 7 Tracey Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson Ur | 5:55.858 | 35.290 Q |
| 8 Jill Kintner (USA) Team Norco International | 6:19.557 | 58.989 Q |
| 9 Emilie Siegenthaler (Sui) GSTAAD-Scott | 6:20.198 | 59.630 Q |
| 10 Micayla Gatto (Can) Pivot Factory DH Team | 6:29.764 | 1:09.196 Q |
| 11 Claire Buchar (Can) Kovarik Racing | 6:30.252 | 1:09.684 Q |
| 12 Sarah Atkin (NZl) | 6:37.706 | 1:17.138 Q |
| 13 Harriet Latchem (GBr) | 7:06.864 | 1:46.296 Q |
| 14 Veronique Sandler (NZl) | 7:10.112 | 1:49.544 Q |
| 15 Danielle Beecroft (Aus) Green Tto Gold Race Development | 7:31.105 | 2:10.537 Q |
| 16 Gabriela Williams (Cze) | 7:34.647 | 2:14.079 Q |
| 17 Michelle Crisp (Aus) | 7:41.310 | 2:20.742 Q |
| 18 Shelly Flood (Aus) | 8:04.158 | 2:43.590 Q |
| 19 Sarah Booth (Aus) | 8:20.470 | 2:59.902 Q |
| 20 Ellie Wale (Aus) * | 9:13.073 | 3:52.505 Q |
| 21 Kellie Weinert (Aus) | 9:17.190 | 3:56.622 |
| 22 Jaclyn Paaso (USA) | 9:22.375 | 4:01.807 |
| 23 Tahnee Seagrave (GBr) FMD Racing | 9:36.777 | 4:16.209 Q |
| 24 Tegan Molloy (Aus) * | 10:27.946 | 5:07.378 Q |
| 25 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) | 11:39.523 | 6:18.955 Q |
| DNF Riyanti Firiyanti (Ina) | ||
| DNS Victoria Armstrong (Aus) | ||
| Elite Men | ||
| 1 Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 4:22.233 | 0.00 Q |
| 2 Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH | 4:22.961 | 0.728 Q |
| 3 Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 4:24.411 | 2.178 Q |
| 4 Edward Masters (NZl) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 4:28.267 | 6.034 Q |
| 5 Sam Dale (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 4:29.307 | 7.074 Q |
| 6 Gee Atherton (GBr) GT Factory Racing | 4:30.699 | 8.466 Q |
| 7 Neko Mulally (USA) Trek World Racing | 4:31.268 | 9.035 Q |
| 8 Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic | 4:31.451 | 9.218 Q |
| 9 Connor Fearon (Aus) Kona Factory Team | 4:31.818 | 9.585 Q |
| 10 Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 4:32.539 | 10.306 Q |
| 11 Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing Dh | 4:33.241 | 11.008 Q |
| 12 Cameron Cole (NZl) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 4:34.696 | 12.463 Q |
| 13 Brendan Fairclough (GBr) GSTAAD-Scott | 4:34.856 | 12.623 Q |
| 14 Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 4:35.676 | 13.443 Q |
| 15 Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 4:36.800 | 14.567 Q |
| 16 Greg Williamson (GBr) Trek World Racing | 4:37.062 | 14.829 Q |
| 17 Matthew Walker (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 4:37.473 | 15.240 Q |
| 18 Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Factory Racing | 4:37.747 | 15.514 Q |
| 19 Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Unior Tools Team | 4:38.727 | 16.494 Q |
| 20 Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 4:38.730 | 16.497 Q |
| 21 Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 4:38.777 | 16.544 Q |
| 22 Wyn Masters (NZl) Team Bulls - DH | 4:39.103 | 16.870 Q |
| 23 Jack Moir (Aus) Bergamont Hayes World Team | 4:40.866 | 18.633 Q |
| 24 Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate | 4:42.005 | 19.772 Q |
| 25 Rémi Thirion (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 4:42.780 | 20.547 Q |
| 26 Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) Giant Factory Off-Road Team | 4:43.876 | 21.643 Q |
| 27 Reece Potter (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 4:44.300 | 22.067 Q |
| 28 Brook Macdonald (NZl) Trek World Racing | 4:45.061 | 22.828 Q |
| 29 Johannes Fischbach (Ger) RRP Ghost | 4:45.467 | 23.234 Q |
| 30 Harry Molloy (GBr) RRP Ghost | 4:46.300 | 24.067 Q |
| 31 Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott | 4:46.627 | 24.394 Q |
| 32 Guillaume Cauvin (Fra) Hutchinson Ur | 4:47.025 | 24.792 Q |
| 33 Patrick Thome (Fra) GSTAAD-Scott | 4:47.157 | 24.924 Q |
| 34 Michael Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson Ur | 4:47.417 | 25.184 Q |
| 35 Lorenzo Suding (Ita) | 4:47.506 | 25.273 Q |
| 36 George Brannigan (NZl) Trek World Racing | 4:50.335 | 28.102 Q |
| 37 Chris Kovarik (Aus) Kovarik Racing | 4:50.398 | 28.165 Q |
| 38 Rupert Chapman (NZl) | 4:51.005 | 28.772 Q |
| 39 Tom Matthews (NZl) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 4:52.006 | 29.773 Q |
| 40 Adam Brayton (GBr) | 4:52.032 | 29.799 Q |
| 41 Eliot Jackson (USA) Pivot Factory Dh Team | 4:52.811 | 30.578 Q |
| 42 Florent Payet (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 4:54.090 | 31.857 Q |
| 43 Michael Jones (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 4:54.844 | 32.611 Q |
| 44 Thomas Crimmins (Aus) | 4:54.867 | 32.634 Q |
| 45 Ziga Pandur (Slo) Unior Tools Team | 4:54.980 | 32.747 Q |
| 46 Forrest Riesco (Can) | 4:55.059 | 32.826 Q |
| 47 Jono Jones (GBr) | 4:55.395 | 33.162 Q |
| 48 Dominik Gspan (Sui) | 4:55.530 | 33.297 Q |
| 49 Faustin Figaret (Fra) Commencal | 4:58.635 | 36.402 Q |
| 50 Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof | 4:59.252 | 37.019 Q |
| 51 Fraser Mcglone (GBr) Perth City Cycles | 4:59.577 | 37.344 Q |
| 52 Damien Spagnolo (Fra) MS Mondraker Team | 5:01.282 | 39.049 Q |
| 53 Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Mondraker Team | 5:01.429 | 39.196 Q |
| 54 Nick Beer (Sui) Devinci Global Racing | 5:01.786 | 39.553 Q |
| 55 Peter Knott (Aus) | 5:01.980 | 39.747 Q |
| 56 Isak Leivsson (Nor) | 5:02.180 | 39.947 Q |
| 57 Mitch Ropelato (USA) Specialized Racing Dh | 5:02.209 | 39.976 Q |
| 58 Sean Mccarroll (Aus) Banshee Bikes Factory Team | 5:02.507 | 40.274 Q |
| 59 Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Evil Vengeance Tour | 5:02.903 | 40.670 Q |
| 60 Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 5:03.083 | 40.850 Q |
| 61 Lachlan Blair (GBr) | 5:03.664 | 41.431 Q |
| 62 Lindsay Klein (Aus) | 5:03.691 | 41.458 Q |
| 63 Benny Strasser (Ger) | 5:05.289 | 43.056 Q |
| 64 Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Esp) Evil Vengeance Tour | 5:06.191 | 43.958 Q |
| 65 Ben Power (Aus) | 5:06.732 | 44.499 Q |
| 66 Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Hutchinson Ur | 5:07.634 | 45.401 Q |
| 67 Quentin Chanudet (Fra) | 5:08.010 | 45.777 Q |
| 68 Bryn Atkinson (Aus) Team Norco International | 5:09.852 | 47.619 Q |
| 69 Felix Heine (Ger) | 5:10.481 | 48.248 Q |
| 70 Jesse Beare (Aus) | 5:15.175 | 52.942 Q |
| 71 Joshua Button (Aus) | 5:15.222 | 52.989 Q |
| 72 Graeme Mudd (Aus) | 5:17.165 | 54.932 Q |
| 73 Junya Nagata (Jpn) | 5:17.751 | 55.518 Q |
| 74 David Mcmillan (Aus) | 5:22.329 | 1:00.096 Q |
| 75 Dean Lucas (Aus) Devinci Global Racing | 5:26.513 | 1:04.280 Q |
| 76 Brendan Moon (Aus) | 5:29.580 | 1:07.347 Q |
| 77 Louis Hamilton (NZl) | 5:29.661 | 1:07.428 Q |
| 78 Yuki Kushima (Jpn) | 5:29.906 | 1:07.673 Q |
| 79 Luke Ball (GBr) | 5:30.634 | 1:08.401 Q |
| 80 Hajime Imoto (Jpn) | 5:30.711 | 1:08.478 |
| 81 Will Rischbieth (Aus) | 5:32.390 | 1:10.157 |
| 82 Daisuke Kurosawa (Jpn) | 5:36.007 | 1:13.774 |
| 83 Naoki Idegawa (Jpn) | 5:38.644 | 1:16.411 |
| 84 Kazuki Shimizu (Jpn) Madison Saracen Factory Team | 5:41.740 | 1:19.507 |
| 85 Kammlein-Cutler (NZl) | 5:43.693 | 1:21.460 |
| 86 Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Commencal / Riding Addiction | 5:48.194 | 1:25.961 |
| 87 Chris Barlin (Aus) Green To Gold Race Development | 5:50.513 | 1:28.280 |
| 88 Berend Boer (Aus) | 5:52.064 | 1:29.831 |
| 89 Todd Madsen (Aus) | 6:12.211 | 1:49.978 |
| 90 Matt Hardwick (Can) | 6:13.145 | 1:50.912 |
| 91 Lawrence Cawte (NZl) | 6:25.032 | 2:02.799 |
| 92 Brent Smith (Aus) | 6:31.066 | 2:08.833 |
| 93 Reon Boe (NZl) | ||
| DNF Bernard Kerr (GBr) Pivot Factory Dh Team | ||
| DNS Noel Niederberger (Sui) GSTAAD-Scott | ||
| DNF Popo Ariyo Sejati (Ina) | ||
| DNF Mat Prior (NZl) | ||
| DNF Rhys Atkinson (Aus) |
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