August 04, 2014 (Mont-Ste-Anne, Quebec) – Samuel Hill (Aus) Chain Reaction Cycles.Com / Nukeproof made a triumphant return to the victory circle this past weekend at the Mont-Ste-Anne, round #5 of the UCI DH World Cup. For the women, it was Manon Carpenter (Gbr) Madison Saracen Factory Team who was once again victorious as Canada’s Micayla Gatto (Pivot Factory DH) had a great race finishing just off the podium in sixth.
In the Junior Men’s DH race Canada’s Jack Iles (Evil Vengeance Tour) turned heads with his stellar silver medal run as Luca Shaw (USA) SRAM/TLD Racing took the win. Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing), the Canadian Chainsaw Massacre who scored a stunning MSA World Cup victory here last year in the Elite Men’s race, was unable to compete suffering an unfortunate ankle injury while training.
Junior Men
The day’s action began with Canada’s Iles racing to his first UCI World Cup DH podium in the Junior Men’s competition at fabled Mont-Ste-Anne. Iles was in the hot seat with just three riders to go and only Luca Shaw (USA) SRAM/TLD Racing could beat the rising star from Whistler, BC.
“My weekend went well. The race was good and I made a few mistakes in the upper half. I felt good on the bike all week despite changing conditions. I’m super stoked to end up second, it’s my first World Cup podium. I’m super excited to go to New York now and I’m looking forward to DH Worlds,” Iles told Pedal post-race (look for our full interview later today).
Elite Women
The women’s race was also a nailbiter as less than 0.8 seconds separated the top three finishers. The jump to fourth was a staggering 15 seconds. The racing isn’t deep in the women’s field this season, but it is certainly tight near the top.
Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic set the fastest time under 5 minutes with 4:48.056 but Rachel Atherton (Gbr) GT Factory Racing edged just ahead of her with 4:48.009. Carpenter was the final rider and claimed the win with a time of 4:47.285 for a squeaker of a finish.
Gatto was the top Canuck with a strong race just off the podium in 6th followed by Canadian National DH Champion Vaea Verbeeck in 7th and Casey Brown in 10th.
Carpenter with 1,030 points has all but locked up the series as there are only two World Cup events remaining this season. The battle behind is very close with Ragot still in second with 870 points but Atherton nipping her heels only 20 points behind with 850 points. With her great performance at MSA Gatto is now 9th overall at 385 points.
Elite Men
For Hill who won at MSA back 2010, it was trip down memory lane proving many people wrong as he showed he still has the fire and the ability to get the job done. The crews here at Mont-Ste-Anne did an amazing job preparing the track for race weekend, and every single racer had only good things to stay.
With a perfect combination of rough technical sections and high-speed grass passages, the track was taped wide from top to bottom, allowing for a variety of line choices to make it to the bottom. It provided to be one of the most exciting races seen thus far on the World Cup, with the final podiums coming down to the wire and times measured to the thousandths of a second in some cases.
Hill was ecstatic with the win. “It’s awesome to be back on top. It’s been a long few years trying to get back on that top step and take the win. I’m pumped to get it on an awesome track, and in the place where I last got a big win. It means a lot. This and Fort William have been the best tracks this year. You go to some places and they make it easier and add berms and smooth it out. Here they took berms away and put in some off camber – it’s great to see that sort of thing going on,” commented Hill.
The hot seat changed several times following Loic Bruni’s (Fra) Lapierre Gravity Republic sub 4:15 run as the fastest riders tested each others mettle. But none could match Hill’s uber fast 4:10.566.
Joining him on the podium were Josh Bryceland (Gbr) Santa Cruz Syndicate, the top qualifier and last man on the course, in second, with Danny Hart (Gbr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team taking third. The top Canadian was Mark Wallace (Devinci Global Racing) in 23rd followed by fellow Canuck Forrest Riesco in 42nd and McKay Vezina in 44th.
Troy Brosnan (Aus) Specialized Racing DH is still the overall overall men’s series leader with 799 points with Bryceland in second with 757 points. Holding down third place is Aaron Gwin (USA) Specialized Racing DH with 725 points. Smith is still the top ranked Canadian, dropping to 34th from 29th.
Meanwhile it’s uncertain how long Smith will be out for. “It could be a bad sprain, or a fracture. I’m going to go to the hospital and get more X rays when I get home. It’s the shits. I never believed in bad luck and all that stuff, but I’m starting to now,” said Smith who is hoping to make a return in time for the DH World Championships in Norway, a track only Smith has won on since it’s inception.
Full results here.