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Report: UCI Mountain Bike World Cup DH & 4X Round 2

Forst William, Scotland 3-5 June 2011
Words: Luke Webber | Photography: Charles Robertson

One decade, nine World Cups, one World Championships and six award-winning editions on, Fort William continues to hold an iconic place in global mountain biking.

DOWNHILL

Greg Minnaar returned to his position as king of the Fort in its tenth year, in the process becoming the most successful rider ever at the venue.

Riding in to the World Cup lead, Minnaar beat round one winner and favourite Aaron Gwin, 2010 winner and World Cup Champion Gee Atherton and surprise package Danny Hart to return to the top of the game.

Almost all afternoon Brook MacDonald sat in the hotseat, before Minnaar delivered a trademark run to take the lead.

But with big names still to run, many believed a race winner would come from another corner. Danny Hart was first to take on the challenge and somehow survived an out of control run; wildly drifting, taking a buckeroo ride and even careering off track at one stage - but still leading Minnaar at the second split.

Hart couldn't match Minnaar's superior pedalling in the lower section though and would finish second, 1.299 down.

Atherton was next, but had reported problems in the final section of the track, dropping three seconds on Minnaar, while Gwin was a huge five seconds up at split two, only to lose eight seconds on the bottom section and take fifth on the podium.

Women:
World Champion and World Cup leader Tracy Moseley took her fifth victory at Fort William in ten years of racing, starting Sunday's downhill perfectly for home fans.

After qualifying second, Moseley descended Aonach Mor and destroyed the previous fastest time of Floriane Pugin by 7.5 seconds, getting a spot in the hot seat with just Rachel Atherton to ride.

Atherton's 2011 return to the World Cup looked to be going perfectly; first in qualification and first by a second at the first split. But Moseley had levelled by split two and as Atherton pedalled to the finish she only lost time on the World Champion who raced both the Cape Epic and the XC World Cup in preparation for the 2011 season.

Moseley took her first win in Fort William since 2008 by 1.721 seconds, Atherton second and Pugin third.

Selected Results

Women

1 MOSELEY Tracy GBR19790412 TREK WORLD RACING 5:21.898
2 ATHERTON Rachel GBR19871206 COMMENCAL +01.721
3 PUGIN Floriane FRA19890417 SCOTT 11 +07.530
4 NICOLE Myriam FRA19900208 RIDING ADDICTION COMMENCAL +08.251
5 JONNIER Sabrina FRA19810819 TEAM MAXXIS - ROCKY MOUNTAIN +10.072
6 KINTNER Jill USA19811024 +15.010
7 RAGOT Emmeline FRA19860527 TEAM GR +16.698
8 CARPENTER Manon ° GBR19930311 MADISON SARACEN +18.989
9 GRIFFITHS Fionn GBR19820827 TEAM GR +21.690
10 SIEGENTHALER Emilie SUI19860919 SCOTT 11 +22.282
other GB
19 HORRIDGE Emily GBR19800602 +45.668

Men

1 MINNAAR Greg RSA19811113 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE 4:43.854
2 HART Danny GBR19910920 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +01.299
3 MACDONALD Brook NZL19911125 MS EVIL RACING +01.934
4 ATHERTON Gee GBR19850226 COMMENCAL +03.004
5 GWIN Aaron USA19871224 TREK WORLD RACING +03.193
6 COLE Cameron NZL19880203 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL +03.748
7 BLENKINSOP Samuel NZL19881028 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL +04.269
8 LEOV Justin NZL19841020 TREK WORLD RACING +04.331
9 HILL Samuel AUS19850721 MONSTER ENERGY / SPECIALIZED / MAD CATZ +04.579
10 SMITH Steve CAN19891125 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +05.823
other GB
11 PEAT Steve GBR19740617 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +06.481
12 BEAUMONT Marc GBR19840925 +06.866
14 BRYCELAND Josh GBR19900323 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +07.606
17 CUNNINGHAM Ruaridh GBR19890215 TEAM MAXXIS - ROCKY MOUNTAIN +08.050
19 CATHRO Ben GBR19880420 +09.219

Full Results (UCI website)

FOURCROSS

Full Replay | Resuls (UCI Website)

In a display of racing fitting for the tenth year celebrations at Fort William, the slopes of Aonach Mor, under a stampede of fans, witnessed an all time classic fourcross race, in which favourites were unseated and winners crowned.

On a revised track, a new start straight and rock slab section led to plentiful overtaking opportunities - not least in both finals.

Anneke Beerten strolled through the open door left by Joey Gough, who led the final on home ground, only to make a mistake for which there would be no recourse.

For veteran Beerten it would be a first ever win in nine years of racing at Fort William, and would conclude her career at the venue as she completes her move from gravity to cross country racing at the end of the season.

In the men's race favourite and winner at Fort William for the last three years, Jared Graves, threw away his chance for a clean sweep. Seemingly in control of proceedings, Graves rode each time from lane three, but was uncharacteristically gated in the semi final.

While in second and on to qualify, Graves ran wide in turn two and was passed into fourth position, leaving Thomas Slavik and Roger Rinderknecht to qualify for the final. 

In the second semi-final, Michael Mechura crashed out on turn three, leaving Michal Prokop and Joost Wichman with a free ride into the final - that was, until Prokop drifted the final turn and slid through Wichman.

As bikes flew into spectators, Wichman was the fastest to recover, running to for the line behind David Graf.

The final lineup consisted of Wichman, Graf, Slavik and Rinderknecht - Wichman getting the gate and looking in control of racing. But a hooked tyre on the rock slab fired the Dutchman over the bars, his bike crossing the course and striking out teammate Slavik who briefly inherited the lead.

Rindeknecht went on to take the front spot with more than a little luck, following a chaotic and memorable evening of fourcross at Fort William.