UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup round 5
Location: Windham, USA
Event: 1 July 2012
Great Britain’s Rachel Atherton won the elite women’s downhill contest in Windham, USA, her third UCI Downhill Mountian Bike World Cup victory of the season.
The searing temperatures which had greeted riders in Saturday’s cross-country rounds continued into Sunday. Atherton, who rides for GT Factory Racing, qualified fastest on Friday and barring a brief run off the course, negotiated the route without a fall, 0.262 ahead of Tracey Hannah.
Speaking to www.cyclingnews.com, Atherton said: "When I crossed the line I didn't even think that I'd be disqualified.
“I celebrated and then they said we're not sure if the commissaire is OK. So we waited and waited. Everyone kept saying 'Yah you have the win'. It kind of puts a dampener on things, but at the end of the day the commissaires was ok with it.
“I lost all my time, I was two seconds up at the split and I lost all that time, so it's the commissaire's decision. It has been an amazing season so far. The girls are getting so fast. Emmeline is on fire and she pushes me on. I have to step my game up every race. It is exciting to have everyone going so fast."
In the elite men’s contest, world champion Danny Hart’s effort of 2:29.499 was enough for fourth but it was Gee Atherton who was the highest placed Great Britain rider, a time of 2:28.127 placing him in third. Aaron Gwin of the USA finished on top in 2:26.416, the win confirming him as the overall World Cup winner.
Results
Elite women
1. Rachel Atherton (GBr) Gt Factory Racing 0:02:52.062
2. Tracey Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson United Ride 0:02:52.324
3. Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Ms Mondraker Team 0:02:52.369
Elite men
1 Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing 0:02:26.416
2 Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing 0:02:27.374
3 Gee Atherton (GBr) Gt Factory Racing 0:02:28.127
4 Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team 0:02:29.499
World cup individual standings after five rounds - Elite women
1 Rachel Atherton (GBr) 950 pts
2 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) 920
3 Myriam Nicole (Fra) 751
4 Tracey Hannah (Aus) 732
5 Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) 580
6 Jill Kintner (USA) 363
7 Anita Molcik (Aut) 350
8 Floriane Pugin (Fra) 335
9 Morgane Charre (Fra) 326
10 Petra Bernhard (Aut) 308
11 Manon Carpenter (GBr) 295
World cup individual standings after five rounds - Elite men
1 Aaron Gwin (USA) 1150 pts
2 Greg Minnaar (RSA) 855
3 Gee Atherton (GBr) 796
4 Danny Hart (GBr) 650
5 Steve Smith (Can) 610
6 Samuel Hill (Aus) 573
7 Michael Hannah (Aus) 451
8 Josh Bryceland (GBr) 409
9 Andrew Neethling (RSA) 405
10 Marc Beaumont (GBr) 398
