August 22, 2014 (Meribel, France) – The final round of the UCI MTB World Cup is underway in Meribel, France with the DH qualifications on an incredibly steep track in the French Alps. British riders topped the elite women’s and men’s qualifications, led by Rachel Atherton (Gbr) GT Factory Racing and Matthew Simmonds (Gbr) Madison Saracen Factory Team, respectively. Local boy Loris Vergier (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic was the fastest in the junior men’s qualis.

Casey Brown (Can) Bergamont Hayes World Team was the best-ranked Canadian, qualifying seventh in the women’s field, followed by Vaea Verbeeck (Can) in 12th. Micayla Gatto (Can) Pivot Factory DH Team did not start.

Kyle Sangers (Can) Canada qualified 50th in the elite men’s qualifications, followed by Canuck Mark Wallace (Can) Devinci Global Racing 64th. Seven Canadian men made it through to Saturday’s finals.

In the junior men’s runs, Canadian Jack Iles (Can) Evil Vengeance Tour qualified ninth.

Results

Junior Men
1. Loris Vergier (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic 3:28.620 Q
2. Laurie Greenland (Gbr) TREK World Racing 4.142
3. Taylor Vernon (Gbr) GT Factory Racing 4.532 Q
4. Thomas Estaque (Fra) Lac Blanc/Scott 6.002 Q
5. Ferran Jorba Prats (Esp) Spain 7.466 Q

9. Jack Iles (Can) Evil Vengeance Tour 9.550 Q

Full results here.

Elite Women
1. Rachel Atherton (Gbr) GT Factory Racing 3:52.116 Q
2. Manon Carpenter (Gbr) Madison Saracen Factory Team 0.662 Q
3. Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic 3.313 Q
4. Tracey Hannah (Aus) Hutchinson UR 4.343 Q
5. Tahnee Seagrave (Gbr) FMD Racing 12.318 Q

7. Casey Brown (Can) Bergamont Hayes World Team 22.885 Q
12. Vaea Verbeeck (Can) 20.108 Q
DNS Micayla Gatto (Can) Pivot Factory DH Team

Full results here.

Elite Men
1. Matthew Simmonds (Gbr) Madison Saracen Factory Team 3:21.837 Q
2. Josh Bryceland (Gbr) Santa Cruz Syndicate 0.821 Q
3. Loic Bruni (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic 1.117 Q
4. Francisco Pardal (Por) Portugal 2.079 Q
5. Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.com/Nukeproof 2.095 Q

50. Kyle Sangers (Can) Canada 12.328 Q
64. Mark Wallace (Can) Devinci Global Racing 13.84 Q
85. Matthew Beer (Can) Canada 16.617 Q
86. Forrest Riesco (Can) 16.818 Q
110. Remi Gauvin (Can) 21.555 Q
119. Mckay Vezina (Can) 23.380 Q
129. Samuel Thibault (Can) 26.275 Q

Full results here.