2013 Andorra World Cup Round 3
Friday, July 26, 2013 at 6:26AM "After a break of over a month, the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup presented by Shimano starts up again this weekend at Vallnord, Andorra. All three disciplines - Eliminator, Olympic Cross-country and Downhill - will be showcased, starting with the Eliminator on Thursday and finishing with the Downhill on Sunday.
The Eliminator has proven to be a great success in its first full season of competition, and Round 4 in Andorra offers a completely new style of course to the riders and spectators. After dropping into a BMX-style berm corner, riders zig zag through grass corners and over three BMX jumps before hitting singletrack. However, this singletrack has multiple lines and options, so riders will have to decide on the fly which one is the fastest. Coming out of the singletrack there is a steep climb to the final 100 metres of finishing straight.
Round 1 winners Alexandra Engen (Ghost Factory) and Daniel Federspiel (Otztal Scott) continue to lead the women's and men's rankings, but either could quickly lose that lead with one bad race. Engen leads Kathrin Stirnemann (Sabine Spitz Haibike) by 30 points, while Federspiel is 45 points ahead of Slovenian rider Miha Halzer.
The Cross-country returns to Andorra for the first time since 2008, and organizers have kept much of the original circuit intact. Probably the biggest factor will be the altitude - from a low point at 1850 metres (6000') and topping out at 2000 metres (6500'), riders will be gasping for air as they top the climbs. From the start riders begin climbing, first on an open grassy hill and then into singletrack. They then finish the climb on a gravel road before dropping into singletrack to lose all the altitude they just gained, then facing a short and very steep climb that should be decisive. From here the riders descend onto the Eliminator track to go over the BMX jumps and final singletrack section before climbing up to the finishing straight.
Tanja Zakelj (Unior Tools), with two wins in the first three rounds of the women's series, showed superb form in the first half of the season, but does she still have that form, or have her rivals caught up? Maja Wloszczowska (Giant Pro) sits 160 points back, but could start to close the gap here. Others to watch for include Round 1 winner Eva Lechner (Colnago Sudtirol) and Katerina Nash (Luna). Lechner finished second the last time Vallnord was part of the World Cup.
In the men's competition, World Champion Nino Schurter (Scott Swisspower) is coming off back-to-back wins, and holds a 120 point lead over the surprise winner of Round 1, Daniel McConnell (Trek Factory Racing). However, McConnell continues to impress in this breakthrough season for the Australian. Julien Absalon (BMC) has finished second to Schurter in the past two rounds, and recently beat his Swiss rival at the European Championships, so he could take his first win of the season at Vallnord.
The Downhill is a completely new course, and already riders are commenting on how steep and difficult it will be. It is technical, with roots, rocks and mud, all made more difficult with the very steep final third of the run, which finishes in the town of La Massana.
The Atherton duo (GT Factory) have dominated the Gravity World Cup so far this season, with Rachel Atherton winning both rounds of the women's series, and her brother Gee doing the same for the men. Rachel Atherton holds a 120 point lead over perennial rival Emmeline Ragot (Lapierre Gravity Republic), while Gee is 138 points ahead of second place Steve Smith (Devinci Global Racing). Can the Atherton's manage a three-peat, or will someone finally break their winning streak?"
Bubba Warren of the Pivot cycles Factory DH team at andorra world cup 2013, supported by x fusion shox, spank, schwalbe, squirt lube, one industries, wtb, raceface, replay xd, elate.
2013 Vallnord WC Downhill Elite Male Qualifying Results
| 1 | HILL Samuel | AUS19850721 | CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF | 4:20.660 |
| 2 | MINNAAR Greg | RSA19811113 | SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | +0.046 |
| 3 | ATHERTON Gee | GBR19850226 | GT FACTORY RACING | +1.344 |
| 4 | BRUNI Loic | FRA19940513 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +2.884 |
| 5 | THIRION Rémi | FRA19900423 | COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION | +3.098 |
| 6 | SUDING Lorenzo | ITA19860315 | GT / 360 DEGREES | +4.137 |
| 7 | BRYCELAND Josh | GBR19900323 | SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | +4.629 |
| 8 | BLENKINSOP Samuel | NZL19881028 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +5.163 |
| 9 | FAIRCLOUGH Brendan | GBR19880110 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +5.173 |
| 10 | MULALLY Neko | USA19930219 | TREK WORLD RACING | +5.629 |
| 11 | HANNAH Michael | AUS19831121 | HUTCHINSON UR | +6.403 |
| 12 | HART Danny | GBR19910920 | GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM | +6.989 |
| 13 | GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo | COL19900509 | GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM | +7.442 |
| 14 | PEAT Steve | GBR19740617 | SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | +9.099 |
| 15 | PARDAL Francisco | POR19910116 | EVIL VENGEANCE TOUR | +9.403 |
2013 Vallnord WC Downhill Elite Female Qualifying Results
| 1 | CARPENTER Manon | GBR19930311 | MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM | 5:04.467 |
| 2 | ATHERTON Rachel | GBR19871206 | GT FACTORY RACING | +3.637 |
| 3 | RAGOT Emmeline | FRA19860527 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +5.678 |
| 4 | CHARRE Morgane | FRA19900609 | MS MONDRAKER TEAM | +17.997 |
| 5 | PUGIN Floriane | FRA19890417 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +18.817 |
| 6 | SIEGENTHALER Emilie | SUI19860919 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +23.827 |
| 7 | SEAGRAVE Tahnee° | GBR19950615 | FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES | +26.254 |
| 8 | KINTNER Jill | USA19811024 | TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL | +27.383 |
| 9 | CERNILOGAR Zarja | SLO19891218 | BLACKTHORN GT | +38.321 |
| 10 | GRIFFITHS Fionn | GBR19820827 | +50.162 | |
| 11 | STONE Jessica | GBR19900914 | UNIOR TOOLS TEAM | +56.996 |
| 12 | BERNHARD Petra | AUT19801118 | RRP GHOST | +58.458 |
| 13 | PUGIN Mélanie | FRA19900503 | TEAM MORZINE-AVORIAZ/HAUTE-SAVOIE | +58.884 |
| 14 | MARCELLINI Alia | ITA19910711 | TORPADO SURFING SHOP | +59.732 |
| 15 | AGER-WICK Anita | NOR19780831 | +1:00.861 |
2013 Vallnord WC Downhill Junior Qualifying Results
| 1 | JONES Michael | GBR19950222 | FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES | 4:32.529 |
| 2 | ALGARRA NAVARRO Daniel | ESP19950314 | SPAIN | +5.785 |
| 3 | WALLACE Mark | CAN19950601 | DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING | +8.836 |
| 4 | VERGIER Loris | FRA19960507 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +9.817 |
| 5 | SHAW Luca | USA19961225 | SPECIALIZED RACING DH | +14.273 |
| 6 | NIEDERBERGER Noel | SUI19950821 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +15.667 |
| 7 | ELLISON Luke | AUS19951030 | AUSTRALIA | +16.032 |
| 8 | FAYOLLE Alexandre | FRA19950720 | FRANCE | +17.132 |
| 9 | PIERRON Amaury | FRA19960304 | FRANCE | +19.230 |
| 10 | VERNASSA Gianluca | ITA19950904 | DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING | +20.552 |
| 11 | ESTAQUE Thomas | FRA19961115 | FRANCE | +23.264 |
| 12 | MARIETTA Steve | FRA19961017 | FRANCE | +24.013 |
| 13 | HERD Sam | GBR19960118 | GREAT BRITAIN | +24.725 |
| 14 | BOUTIE Benjamin | FRA19960517 | FRANCE | +25.554 |
| 15 | JOUET PASTRE Martin | FRA19950521 | FRANCE | +25.657 |
2013 Vallnord UCI WC 3 Men's Final Results
| 1 | THIRION Rémi | FRA19900423 | COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION | 4:13.666 |
| 2 | ATHERTON Gee | GBR19850226 | GT FACTORY RACING | +1.350 |
| 3 | HILL Samuel | AUS19850721 | CHAIN REACTION CYCLES.COM / NUKEPROOF | +1.756 |
| 4 | SMITH Steve | CAN19891125 | DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING | +2.273 |
| 5 | BROSNAN Troy | AUS19930713 | SPECIALIZED RACING DH | +2.476 |
| 6 | MINNAAR Greg | RSA19811113 | SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | +2.549 |
| 7 | HART Danny | GBR19910920 | GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM | +2.975 |
| 8 | BRUNI Loic | FRA19940513 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +3.548 |
| 9 | GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo | COL19900509 | GIANT FACTORY OFF-ROAD TEAM | +3.979 |
| 10 | GWIN Aaron | USA19871224 | SPECIALIZED RACING DH | +4.376 |
| 11 | PEAT Steve | GBR19740617 | SANTA CRUZ SYNDICATE | +5.171 |
| 12 | BLENKINSOP Samuel | NZL19881028 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +5.214 |
| 13 | FAIRCLOUGH Brendan | GBR19880110 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +5.844 |
| 14 | FIGARET Faustin | FRA19931107 | TOPCYCLE BY TREK | +6.543 |
| 15 | BEAUMONT Marc | GBR19840925 | GT FACTORY RACING | +6.836 |
2013 Vallnord UCI WC 3 Women's Final Results
| 1 | ATHERTON Rachel | GBR19871206 | GT FACTORY RACING | 4:47.778 |
| 2 | CARPENTER Manon | GBR19930311 | MADISON SARACEN DOWNHILL TEAM | +1.617 |
| 3 | NICOLE Myriam | FRA19900208 | COMMENCAL / RIDING ADDICTION | +11.450 |
| 4 | RAGOT Emmeline | FRA19860527 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +12.673 |
| 5 | PUGIN Floriane | FRA19890417 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +18.052 |
| 6 | CHARRE Morgane | FRA19900609 | MS MONDRAKER TEAM | +26.262 |
| 7 | SEAGRAVE Tahnee° | GBR19950615 | FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES | +26.659 |
| 8 | KINTNER Jill | USA19811024 | TEAM NORCO INTERNATIONAL | +29.914 |
| 9 | GRIFFITHS Fionn | GBR19820827 | +43.519 | |
| 10 | SIEGENTHALER Emilie | SUI19860919 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +47.261 |
| 11 | BERNHARD Petra | AUT19801118 | RRP GHOST | +50.184 |
| 12 | STONE Jessica | GBR19900914 | UNIOR TOOLS TEAM | +53.740 |
| 13 | COLUMB Alanna | NZL19880723 | +54.811 | |
| 14 | AGER-WICK Anita | NOR19780831 | +54.970 | |
| 15 | PUGIN Mélanie | FRA19900503 | TEAM MORZINE-AVORIAZ/HAUTE-SAVOIE | +58.780 |
2013 Vallnord UCI WC 3 Junior's Final Results
| 1 | JONES Michael | GBR19950222 | FMD RACING / INTENSE CYCLES | 4:23.644 |
| 2 | VERGIER Loris | FRA19960507 | LAPIERRE GRAVITY REPUBLIC | +0.468 |
| 3 | ALGARRA NAVARRO Daniel | ESP19950314 | SPAIN | +6.122 |
| 4 | FAYOLLE Alexandre | FRA19950720 | FRANCE | +8.124 |
| 5 | SHAW Luca | USA19961225 | SPECIALIZED RACING DH | +8.354 |
| 6 | VERNASSA Gianluca | ITA19950904 | DEVINCI GLOBAL RACING | +8.461 |
| 7 | ELLISON Luke | AUS19951030 | AUSTRALIA | +9.191 |
| 8 | ZABJEK Jure | SLO19951011 | UNIOR TOOLS TEAM | +9.369 |
| 9 | LUCAS Dean | AUS19950502 | AUSTRALIA | +10.122 |
| 10 | NIEDERBERGER Noel | SUI19950821 | GSTAAD-SCOTT | +13.117 |
| 11 | JOUET PASTRE Martin | FRA19950521 | FRANCE | +14.157 |
| 12 | HERD Sam | GBR19960118 | GREAT BRITAIN | +16.191 |
| 13 | KAMMLEIN - CUTLER Raphael | NZL19950328 | NEW-ZEALAND | +17.277 |
| 14 | ESTAQUE Thomas | FRA19961115 | FRANCE | +18.305 |
| 15 | COLOMBO Francesco | ITA19951209 | TEAM AIROH AXO SANTACRUZ | +18.376 |
