What. A. Race. The 2017 UCI Downhill Worlds Championships in Cairns will go down as a classic.
Wow, what an incredible race to see out the 2017 Downhill season here in Cairns, Australia. Lee Miller was on hand to wade through the jungle to capture the action Down Under.
Maya Atkinson makes her way out of the start gate for is likely her first of many World Championships.
The rains that have plagued this course in previous years showed no sign of spoiling the Australian party here this week, instead it was a Frenchman and Canadian that turned up and crushed the hopes of the thousands of spectators that lined the Smithfield mountain bike track.
Kaos Seagrave navigates his Transition through the loose dust on his way to an impressive 5th place.
Just as they did the last time World Champs came down under, the French showed their mountain biking prowess and got off to an early start with Melanie Chappaz taking the Junior women’s title.
Henry Kerr showing just how deep and loose things got on the top switchbacks. The fourth Junior Brit in the top ten today with a solid 9th place.
Team GB struck back in the men’s field and showed that there’s no rest up in the production line of talent that our small nation somehow produces, with Matt Walker and Joe Breedon taking First and Second respectively. In total team GB had no less than 4 juniors in the top ten, an incredible result.
Joe Breedon with an incredible 2nd place in the tough jungle conditions.
With Rachel Atherton ruled out with a broken collarbone it seemed like a three way showdown between Tahnee Seagrave, Miriam Nicole and Tracey Hannah would be on the cards for the gold medal. Canadian Miranda Miller didn’t read the script though and surprised everyone by taking the win.
All eyes were on Canadian Finn Iles as he looked to pick up back to back Junior World titles, it wasn’t to be his day though as he could only manage 10th place.Confusion of sorts after the race as a puzzled Miriam Nicole was left scratching her head at being 47 seconds back despite a clean run, however the timing error was quickly rectified and Pom Pom was moved up into second bumping Tracey down into third despite a crash.
Matt Walker, Junior Men’s World Champion!
In the Elite men’s field a strong Aussie team was perhaps fronted by Cairns local Sik Mick Hannah who looked to be on the form of his life all week. It wasn’t to be though for Mick with Frenchman Loic Bruni leaving him devastated with another second place while Loic celebrated his second World Championships win.
LOOK AT THE TIME!! Walkers time would have been good enough for 26th in the Elite men’s field today. We’ve got a feeling it won’t be the last time we see him wearing the rainbow stripes.
Aaron Gwin rounded out the podium in third despite admittedly having a bad run and forgetting to disable his rear shock lock out after the whoops section.
Tahnee Seagrave kicking up all sorts of roost in practice, the corners just got deeper and deeper as the week went on.
It was a tough day at the office all round with many riders showing visible tangles with the dust on their National jerseys and the hidden dust covered rocks claiming more than a few inner tubes, including Greg Minnaar for the second race in a row.
Local girl Tracey Hannah somehow still managed a bronze medal today even with an awkward crash leaving her tangled in the jungle vines midway down the track. All hopes now rested on big brother Mick’s shoulders to bring home the gold.
Miriam Nicole keeps it low over the fast whoop section on her way to a Silver medal.
Tahnee Seagrave was 5 seconds faster than anyone else after the first split but a mistake in the woods towards the bottom would leave her down in 11th place. It’s been a spectacular year for her and no doubt she will be even stronger next season.
A surprise result of sorts with Miranda Miller claiming her first Female World Title by less than 1/10th of a second. Huge congratulations to her and the Canadian National Team.
First man down the mountain in the men’s elite ranks, none other than Sam Hill aboard his enduro bike. A long afternoon in the hot seat awaited the 3 time World Champion and current EWS series leader who would eventually finish in 6th place.
Bernard Kerr taking the tight inside line over the rock slab into the rock garden. A tough track to return to racing on after missing most of the season through injury.
Jack Reading was a late call up to replace the injured Phil Atwill and certainly rose to the occasion aboard his pimped out Nicolai bike.
Former Team Wideopenmag rider Charlie Hatton finishing an impressive first year in Elites with a 27th place at World Champs!
Wild man Amaury Pierron lights up the dust here in Cairns. Another Frenchman who keeps getting better and better with every race, 9th today for him.
A bad week for the Brits at Trek Factory Racing with Rachel breaking her collarbone in timed training and Kade Edwards getting knocked unconscious leaving him unfit to race. Fortunately Gee managed to keep focused and get down safely inside the top 20 with an 18th place today.
Despite a nasty looking crash in the rock garden in the last practice, Ireland’s one and only downhill entry Jacob Dickson still managed a respectable 42nd place.
Another former Team Wipeopenmag rider Laurie Greenland was pushing hard all week, even managing a nasty crash on the bottom flat section in practice. Unfortunately he couldn’t repeat his wild run of 12 months ago and came home in 21st position.
Greg Williamson rails one of many loose switchbacks at the top of the course on his way to 14th place.
Aussie National Champion Jack Moir has been quietly doing his thing all week with the attention on his fellow countrymen and just missed out on the podium with 4th place.
Adam Brayton keeping the crowds happy along the jump section, Gas to flat would take 13th and the highest place amongst team GB’s elite men.
Aaron Gwin tries to shake his World Champs demons through the rock garden, a third today is unbelievably his best ever result at worlds. Surely it’s only a matter of time before we see him take a win.
There’s no man that wanted this more today than Mick Hannah, he grew up in these parts and competed in his first ever race on this hill. Mick put down a time that looked unbeatable but with the worlds best still to come it was a nerve-wracking wait in the hot seat.
Danny Hart on the pedals down the last straight trying to make it a hat trick of rainbow jerseys, unfortunately it wasn’t to be his week and he will no doubt be disappointed with 16th place.
Loic Bruni tucks his was out of the last big corner at the last split before hitting the pedals on the way to the line….in first place!
Last man down the hill Troy Brosnan sprints to the line with Bruni unable to watch. It wasn’t enough from the Aussie and the Frenchman took his second World Title and second win of this track after his World Cup win here last season.
Brosnan high fives the Aussie crowd who have been immense all weekend.
A devastated Mick Hannah gets a hug from his family after yet another second place at World Championships.
Loic Brunis winning Specialized Demo. Not a bad day for team Specialized with both of their elite riders taking the win.
Gold for Miranda Miller, Silver for Myriam Nicole and Bronze for Tracey Hannah.
Gold for Bruni, Silver for Sik Mick and Bronze for Gwin.
