A new season of World Cup Downhill mountain biking is starting…
Which means it’s time for another Claudio Caluori course preview video:
The finals for the first race of the year (Lourdes, France) run tomorrow (Sunday) on Redbull.tv:
http://www.redbull.tv/videos/event-stream-636/downhill-finals
Woot!
Aaron Gwin takes the win with an amazing run. Loic Bruni was on pace to beat Gein’s time but crashed near the end of his run.
I liked that Gwinn gave props to Loic and said everyone knew who the winner was on the day but that he’d take the win.
Josh Bryceland (aka “Ratboy”) is known for “sending it”. Year before last, he was having a great year. At the last race of the year, he was on a winning time, overcleared the last jump, and landed on the flat, breaking his ankle. Just saw this photo from this year. Made me LOL. Cheers to Ratboy and best of luck for this season’s racing!
…and Ratboy’s run at the Last race in Lourdes…
…ludicrous speed! …and this is only the sixth place run!
Props to Canadian Stevie Smith who got second to Aaron Gwin at Lourdes.
Next DH World Cup race in Cairns, Australia this weekend.
Cairns finals yesterday. Loic Bruni finally gets a win after coming close many times. Aussie Troy Brosnan second, was fastest until the sprint section. Aussie Mik Hannah third. Nice to see the Aussies do well on their own turf. Specialized teams get 1 and 2. Canadian Stevie Smith flatted unfortunately. A relatively unknown local, Josh Button, placed 5th (must know all the secret lines on the course, and the secrets to riding it fast).
Rachel Atherton continues dominance in the ladies competition. Aussie Tracey Hannah second, ex-world champ Manon Carpenter third.
Highlights here:
Next downhill event - Fort William, Scotland, June 4-5
Two things…
Bummed for Stevie 
June is a long ways away 
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Great race overall! 
Fort William DH was yesterday (Sunday). Great racing. Greg Minaar had an amazing run to get first. Some spectacular (and hard) crashes.
Claudio’s course preview here:
http://www.redbull.tv/video/AP-1N2YGTCXN2111/collection/sports:playlists::e3593ca5-bdad-4340-8cf4-36124a5cb043:web/fort-william-course-preview
Highlight reel here:
Full replay here:
http://www.redbull.tv/live/AP-1KR6H1G411W11/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup
Leogang this weekend. New Claudio course preview video following Aaron Gwin. This one’s pretty funny as they’re running the course chainless (in honor of Gwin’s chainless winning run last year), and it’s very slippery, because of rain.
