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UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Downhill Round 3
Fort William, Scotland


Hopes of a first British winner since 2010 at the Fort William world cup downhill were ultimately crushed as America’s Aaron Gwin and Frenchwoman Emmeline Ragot tamed the Nevis Range.

British World Champion Danny Hart and Rachel Atherton both finished second on a weekend built on home-crowd expectation and the hope of a rainbow jersey on top of the podium, but the day ended with sometime exuberant fans left wounded, summarised as Marc Beaumont – last man down the hill and the only challenger left to world cup leader Gwin – was displayed as 18 seconds off the place at split one.

Upon that news many headed for the busses, already anticipating next year and what could have been, had Beaumont’s faulty rear brake been fully operational.

Twenty four hours previous Fort William held a different atmosphere as Marc Beaumont, Danny Hart and Gee Atherton qualified three Brits into the top three positions, while Rachel Atherton seemed closer than ever to taking her first ever home world cup after posting the fastest time.

These were acts of defiance against the dominance of Frenchwomen and Aaron Gwin who had seemed unstoppable and without weakness in 2012, until making multiple errors on a track he was finding it hard to adjust to.

Overnight however, there were changes. Rain transformed the track from sun baked and loose, to unpredictable but with more grip in many places. Rachel Atherton survived a crash in practice but was rattled, while Gwin was back in the zone having changed his bike setup completely and found a combination that would work.

In qualification, Rachel Atherton had passed Ragot who suffered a puncture, but one day on Ragot had set a time that withstood her country women and Tracy Moseley, with Atherton the final challenger.

Atherton’s form was great on paper, her last world cup win was seven days past but in different circumstance; Val di Sole had positive memories – that of a World Championship win in 2008 – whereas Fort William was a bogey track. And it showed.

In the following press conference Atherton joked she would save herself the long drive north next year as the result, after so many second places, was inevitable. What she said next – that the track was a huge physical test – told everyone, (including Ragot, sat to her left), that her thoughts had already turned to ways of winning in 2013.

The atmosphere in the men’s press conference was markedly different. Aside from Bryceland, who was celebratory after scoring his best result since finishing second in Mont Sainte Anne 2011, a mood united Gee Atherton, Sam Hill and Danny Hart.

It was likely also felt by Greg Minnaar – noticeable in his absence from the podium – and anyone else in the world cup ranks waiting for Gwin to give up the champagne and leaders’ garment.

On a weekend where the new dominant force in mountain biking showed weakness and fragility, he also showed resilience, not a trait many knew existed in his armoury. Hart summed it up best, when saying he did all he could, even bettering Gwin’s split on the lower, pedalling section, but to no avail.

With that admission made, Atherton and Hart could only thank the British fans who had made their annual pilgrimage and made the event, only reserving the comment that they too wished for a British winnier – any British winner – for next year. Not because it would sound arrogant, but because first they must find a way to stop Gwin winning.

Result

Men
1 GWIN Aaron USA19871224 TREK WORLD RACING 4:48.210
2 HART Danny GBR19910920 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +0.834
3 ATHERTON Gee GBR19850226 GT FACTORY RACING +2.516
4 HILL Samuel AUS19850721 MONSTER ENERGY-SPECIALIZED +3.532
5 BRYCELAND Josh GBR19900323 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +5.056
6 MINNAAR Greg RSA19811113 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +5.123
7 SMITH Joseph GBR19900704 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +6.938
8 DALE Sam GBR19900212 +7.142
9 SIMMONDS Matthew GBR19870520 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +7.382
10 COLE Cameron NZL19880203 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL +7.564
11 THIRION Rémi FRA19900423 LABYRINTH SHIMANO RACING TEAM +7.711
12 BLENKINSOP Samuel NZL19881028 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL +8.035
13 NEETHLING Andrew RSA19840805 GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM +8.127
14 STROBEL Luke USA19860624 +8.958
15 HANNAH Michael AUS19831121 HUTCHINSON UNITED RIDE +9.274
16 BRUNI Loic° FRA19940513 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL +9.615
17 WILLIAMSON Greg GBR19920608 +9.654
18 BEER Nick SUI19870917 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +11.145
19 SMITH Steve CAN19891125 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +11.185
20 ATKINSON Bryn AUS19821209 TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL +13.832
21 BRANNIGAN George NZL19920409 DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING +14.132
22 THOME Patrick FRA19911020 LAPIERRE INTERNATIONAL +14.197
23 BUCHANAN Lewis GBR19930927 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +14.864
24 DELFS Mitchell AUS19890725 KONA +14.999
25 THOMAS Richard GBR19880512 +15.129
26 POLC Filip SVK19820410 +15.280
27 REID Ben IRL19860324 DIRT NORCO RACE TEAM +15.366
28 GEORGES Pierre Charles FRA19860206 TEAM LAC BLANC / SOLID / BATIBOIS ALSACE +15.757
29 FAIRCLOUGH Brendan GBR19880110 SCOTT11 +15.992
30 FISCHBACH Johannes GER19880304 GHOST FACTORY RACING TEAM +16.157
31 KANGAS Alexander SWE19900809 +16.225
32 LEOV Justin NZL19841020 TREK WORLD RACING +16.341
33 RUDE JR Richard° USA19950101 YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM +16.574
34 PASCAL Mickael FRA19791011 CK RACING SANTACRUZ +16.753
35 McGLONE Fraser° GBR19940531 +17.238
36 ATHERTON Dan GBR19820125 GT FACTORY RACING +17.305
37 LEHIKOINEN Matti FIN19840419 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +18.138
38 FEARON Connor° AUS19940119 KONA +18.418
39 READING Jack GBR19881210 +18.790
40 GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo COL19900509 CG RACING BRIGADE +19.258
41 RIFFLE Duncan USA19861029 DIRT NORCO RACE TEAM +19.514
42 SPAGNOLO Damien FRA19850428 MS MONDRAKER TEAM +19.902
43 VINK Nico BEL19830323 ROSE VAUJANY GRAVITY MTB TEAM +20.093
44 OULEGO MORENO Ivan ESP19760604 +20.194
45 GIORDANENGO Aurélien FRA19880422 TOPCYCLE BY TREK +20.361
46 SANDVIKEN Lars Vatnebryn NOR19931022 +21.033
47 CAMELLINI Julien FRA19840107 +21.322
48 BUTTON Joshua AUS19891125 SC-INTENSE +21.821
49 BRAITHWAITE Thomas GBR19841228 +22.498
50 RUTAR Nejc SLO19890427 UNIOR TOOLS TEAM +22.642
51 JONES Ralph GBR19880304 +22.788
52 BARNES Joe GBR19880611 +22.817
53 PANDUR Ziga SLO19910117 UNIOR TOOLS TEAM +22.976
54 TETZLAFF Boris AUT19900121 ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA +22.978
55 BURTON Oliver GBR19890712 +23.316
56 SCOTT Mark GBR19930511 +25.894
57 COUSINIE Fabien FRA19860814 HUTCHINSON UNITED RIDE +25.940
58 KURTZ Cyrille FRA19860809 CK RACING SANTACRUZ +26.056
59 MEARS Scott GBR19890206 +26.641
60 HARNSTROM Oscar SWE19900420 PILA-BLACK ARROWS-MTB HERIN SCHOOL ASD +27.821
61 PAYET Florent FRA19861121 SC-INTENSE +28.339
62 PARDAL Francisco POR19910116 +28.968
63 JEANDIN Thomas SUI19890126 +30.740
64 ATWILL Phil° GBR19950111 MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM +31.026
65 WALLNER Robin SWE19880704 TEAM ARE BIKEPARK BY W-RACING +31.106
66 BEAUMONT Marc GBR19840925 GT FACTORY RACING +32.479
67 WALLNER Niklas SWE19900519 TEAM ARE BIKEPARK BY W-RACING +33.437
68 GALLEAN Mathieu FRA19890829 DAGG - RACING +37.229
69 MACDONALD Brook NZL19911125 MS MONDRAKER TEAM +39.184
70 CARBALLO GONZALEZ Edgar ESP19881222 +39.312
71 BEER Matthew CAN19860926 +41.505
72 BOND Alex GBR19890505 CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF +42.252
73 RUFFIN Gaetan FRA19910629 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +52.026
74 GUARDIA PASCUAL Bernat ESP19820930 +53.101
75 HEATH Harry GBR19910805 UNIOR TOOLS TEAM +55.882
76 GRAVES Jared AUS19821216 YETI FOX SHOX FACTORY RACE TEAM +57.744
77 PEAT Steve GBR19740617 SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE +3:19.320
CUNNINGHAM Ruaridh GBR19890215 DNF
SUDING Lorenzo ITA19860315 PILA-BLACK ARROWS-MTB HERIN SCHOOL ASD DNF
GANNICOTT George° GBR19950311 DNF
SIEBER Andreas GER19820928 DNF

Women
1 RAGOT Emmeline FRA19860527 MS MONDRAKER TEAM 5:27.089
2 ATHERTON Rachel GBR19871206 GT FACTORY RACING +1.315
3 NICOLE Myriam FRA19900208 COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION +9.416
4 PUGIN Floriane FRA19890417 SCOTT11 +11.698
5 MOSELEY Tracy GBR19790412 +14.259
6 HANNAH Tracey AUS19880613 HUTCHINSON UNITED RIDE +19.713
7 CHARRE Morgane FRA19900609 PASSION VELO.FR +22.696
8 MOLCIK Anita AUT19801112 +26.566
9 GROS Céline FRA19830128 TEAM MORZINE - AVORIAZ / HAUTE - SAVOIE +28.738
10 KINTNER Jill USA19811024 TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL +32.728
11 MILLER Miranda CAN19900302 +33.938
12 SIEGENTHALER Emilie SUI19860919 SCOTT11 +34.899
13 GRIFFITHS Fionn GBR19820827 +38.727
14 SEAGRAVE Tahnee° GBR19950615 +39.163
15 NEWMAN Sarah GBR19850121 +41.349
16 SUEMASA Mio JPN19830401 +41.921
17 STONE Jessica GBR19900914 UNIOR TOOLS TEAM +47.535
18 CERNILOGAR Zarja SLO19891218 +54.903
19 BERNHARD Petra AUT19801118 ALPINE COMMENCAL AUSTRIA +1:02.162
20 RUCKNAGEL Harriet GER19881011 +1:30.731