No rest for the wicked in Portugal as the day after race one, riders are straight back into qualifying for the final World Cup of the year.
There’s no weather games to play this weekend as the sun continues to shine in Portugal as riders turn the wick for the final round of the 2020 UCI Downhill World Cup.
With no points for qualifying and 250 points on offer for finals, this was just an opportunity to lay down a heater on a clear track in race conditions. Plus bragging rights.
Photo by Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool.
Junior Women
Despite putting nine seconds into her closest rival, Leona Pierrini, there’s no points on offer for Junior Women in qualifying, so Lauryne Chappaz has it all to do tomorrow. Whatever happens, with only 60 points on offer for the win, nobody is going to take the overall off Pierrini this time around.
That said, Chappaz has made the final rounds her own with some dominant riding.
Junior Men
After failing to get the ball rolling yesterday, Oisin O’Callaghan is back in the mix but again has to settle for second behind flying Portuguese National Champ, Goncalo Bandeira. Like with the Junior Women though, there’s no points on offer.
If the Irish World Champion can win tomorrow, then he’s got it in the bag. If he loses out to Ethan Craik, and has to settle for second, then the GT Factory Racing rider will take the title by a single point.
Elite Women
Tahnee Seagrave turned it on as Myriam Nicole,
the current series leader had to settle for seventh today. A crash on the new track pulled the rug from under her run, but she’s all good for tomorrow. She has a points buffer on Marine Cabirou, but anyone in the top four can still win if things go awry.
Elite Men
Loic Bruni would see off a flying Greg Minnaar by just half a second, with the GOAT taking the fastest Split 3 time off the Frenchman. These two are currently tied on points at 427, with Minnaar’s win putting him in third overall.
Anyone in the top six can take the overall spot tomorrow if things start going pear-shaped, and there’s only fourteen points separating Matt Walker and Loris Vergier. Will we be looking at a repeat of 2019, where other riders dictate the final result?
Thibaut Daprela will have to have an absolute stinker tomorrow to not have a dream first Elite year.
