Brannigan breaks through in World Cup finale

George Branningan (Devinci) on his way to a breakthrough performance in Hafjell, Norway

George Branningan (Devinci) on his way to a breakthrough performance in Hafjell, Norway (Image credit: Sven Martin)

Twenty-year-old New Zealand rider George Brannigan produced a breakthrough performance to finish as the runner-up in the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup finale in Norway on Saturday. Brannigan was just 0.4 seconds behind his DeVinci Global teammate Steve Smith as the pair dominated the final downhill World Cup of the season at the alpine venue of Hafjell.