June 11, 2019 (Leogang, Austria) – Team Canada’s Patrick Laffey continued to impress with a 5th place in the Junior Men’s final at round #3 of the 2019 UCI MTB Downhill World Cup in Leogang, Austria. Tracey Hannah (Aus) Polygon UR earned her first win this season to take the Elite Women’s series lead while Loic Bruni (Fra) Specialized Gravity topped the Elite Men’s field.
Traditionally a “bike park” style track, the organizers here in Leogang rebuilt numerous parts of the track this year, adding quite a few natural, raw dirt sections that would keep riders honest and help to slow down what was becoming a frighteningly fast freeway of a race course.
With racing going down under blue skies and blazing sunshine, it was quite the change from the monsoon like conditions of last weekend in Scotland. Between new raw sections of track, the bike park jumps and gravel pathways remained, testing not only physical and technical strength, but riders ability to max out their heart rate and get on the pedals for sustained amounts of time.
Lucas Cruz (SRAM TLD Racing) was 8th but It wasn’t such a fantastic day for a few other Canadian juniors on the Leogang track as Seth Sherlock went down hard in qualifications and wouldn’t make the cut after a fantastic performance last weekend in Scotland.
Junior woman, Bailey Goldstone, from BC, made her World Cup debut placing 7th in the seeding round but crashed on the last drop during her final race run and was airlifted to hospital and kept overnight for observation but is doing well.
Canada’s Mark Wallace (Canyon Factory) was knocking on the door of another top-10 ending up in 11th place as Bruni took home the win with Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate returning to top form with a second-place finish and Troy Brosnan (Aus) Canyon Factory Downhill Team third.
Finn Iles (Can) Specialized Gravity finished 34th Kirk McDowall (Can) Unior/Devinci Factory was 37th and Magnus Manson (Can) Canyon Factory was 60th.
Brosnan was thrilled with his result and to leave Austria with the coveted #1 plate after earning enough points to stay out in front in a very tight points race. “ It’s amazing. I knew i had a really good shot at the win and did everything I could. I was right there. As much as I’m not getting wins, I’m being consistent and I’m happy with that. Now I’ve got two weeks at home and I’m just going to chill and really recover and get some training in and come back to Andorra and Les Gets and smash it. Honestly with how I’m feeling, and how the bike is running and the two tracks coming up, I’m ready to start winning. “
Hannah took home the win after a battle all weekend with Rachel Atherton (Gbr) Atherton Bikes who crashed in the finals and was out of contention opening the door for Nina Hoffmann (Ger) in second and Kathe Weatherley (Nzl) Insync in third, the first trans-gender athlete to land on a DH World Cup podium.
Everyone packs up there bags and heads home now for a few weeks off before heading to Andorra in 3 weeks time for what usually becomes one of the most exciting races of the year. in an already fiercely fought season.
