MTB World Cup Cross Country #1, Downhill #1 & Four Cross #1 2011: Elite men downhill Results

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Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing)(Image credit: Canadian Cyclist)

The first round of the 2011 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup concluded in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on Easter Sunday with the crowd favourite downhill. While local favourite Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) was not able to repeat his victory of two seasons ago in the men's race, the thousands of fans were treated to exciting racing, with the men's title won by less than three-tenths of a second. Aaron Gwin (Trek World Racing) brought home the first US downhill World Cup victory in years. Minnaar's ride was good enough for second ahead of Gee Atherton (Commencal) in third.

In the 82-rider men's field, it was four time cross World Cup winner Jared Graves (Yeti Fox Shox), who set the first fast time of 4:17.183. Graves stayed in the hot seat through 15 riders before the New Zealand champion Cameron Cole (Lapierre International) was able to edge him out. Cole had a much shorter time in the lead, as Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate) knocked nearly two seconds off the top time only three riders later. Peat was uncharacteristically seeded low, since he has been fighting the effects of a flu which sapped his power all week.

Defending World Cup champion Gee Atherton (Commencal) could only manage a time within two seconds of Gwin, which was good enough for third, and Minnaar, with the entire crowd cheering him down the course, came oh-so-close, but was 0.241 seconds in arrears. When the fastest qualifier, Mick Hannah (Team GT) crashed hard after bolts broke in his handlebar stem, Gwin knew that he had his first World Cup victory.

"I thought that if I could just go hard at the top and the bottom I was probably fit enough to hold onto it in the middle, and it worked out," said Gwin. "I was surprised at the gap when I came down. It was a pretty loose run, but it was everything I had. It was on the edge, I hit a tree at the top, but I just tried to keep myself calm and hold it together, but there were some sketchy moments. I'm stoked, I'm just speechless."

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#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing	0:04:08.634
2	Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate	0:00:00.241
3	Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal	0:00:01.921
4	Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	0:00:04.246
5	Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	0:00:06.809
6	Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing	0:00:06.934
7	Marc Beaumont (GBr)	0:00:07.237
8	Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz	0:00:07.399
9	Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11	0:00:07.965
10	Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	0:00:08.281
11	Bryn Atkinson (Aus)	0:00:08.371
12	Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International	0:00:08.502
13	Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	0:00:08.549
14	Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	0:00:09.022
15	Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof	0:00:09.132
16	Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade	0:00:09.809
17	Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride	0:00:10.167
18	Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek	0:00:10.609
19	Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre	0:00:10.852
20	Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal	0:00:10.853
21	Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International	0:00:10.995
22	Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	0:00:11.049
23	Troy Brosnan* (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz	0:00:11.354
24	Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	0:00:11.376
25	Romain Paulhan (Fra)	0:00:11.420
26	Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Evil Racing	0:00:11.425
27	Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing	0:00:11.806
28	Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing	0:00:11.943
29	Neko Mulally* (USA) Trek World Racing	0:00:12.232
30	Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing	0:00:12.810
31	Shaun O'Connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	0:00:12.916
32	Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc/Solid/Massif Des Vosges	0:00:13.071
33	Florent Payet (Fra) SC-Intense	0:00:13.667
34	Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre	0:00:13.730
35	Bernard Kerr (GBr) Wallner Robin	0:00:14.082
36	Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W-Racing	0:00:14.096
37	Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	0:00:14.968
38	Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof	0:00:15.158
39	Mitchell Delfs (Aus)	0:00:15.377
40	Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride	0:00:15.627
41	Ben Cathro (GBr) Spagnolo Damien	0:00:15.696
42	Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	0:00:15.839
43	Richard Thomas (GBr)	0:00:15.982
44	Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team	0:00:16.017
45	Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride	0:00:16.056
46	Joshua Button (Aus) SC-Intense	0:00:16.294
47	Mitch Ropelato (USA)	0:00:16.595
48	Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing	0:00:16.903
49	Alex Bond (GBr)	0:00:17.425
50	Marcel Beer (Swi)	0:00:17.435
51	Emanuel Pombo (Por)	0:00:17.934
52	Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team	0:00:18.289
53	Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11	0:00:18.405
54	Jonty Neethling (RSA)	0:00:19.692
55	Johann Potgieter (RSA)	0:00:20.534
56	Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)	0:00:20.677
57	Curtis Keene (USA)	0:00:21.430
58	Hayden Brown (RSA)	0:00:22.359
59	Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	0:00:22.654
60	Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	0:00:22.688
61	Scott Mears (GBr)	0:00:23.147
62	Thomas Jeandin (Swi)	0:00:24.451
63	Lars Peyer (Swi) SC-Intense	0:00:24.831
64	Fraser Mcglone* (GBr)	0:00:26.043
65	Daniel Pombo (Por)	0:00:26.995
66	Kelvin Purchase (RSA)	0:00:28.688
67	Chris Hutchens (GBr)	0:00:28.900
68	Tiaan Odendaal* (RSA)	0:00:29.700
69	Fergus Lamb (GBr)	0:00:30.123
70	Francesco Petrucci (Ita)	0:00:30.558
71	Roman Roschi (Swi)	0:00:30.867
72	Oscar Harnstrom (Swe)	0:00:31.068
73	Arthur Parret* (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee	0:00:32.375
74	Jérôme Payet (Fra)	0:00:35.547
75	Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team	0:00:40.691
76	Mathias Haas (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria	0:00:45.282
77	Daniel Critchlow (GBr)	0:00:45.525
78	Travis Browning (RSA)	0:03:06.284
DNF	George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing	Row 78 - Cell 2
DNF	Michael Hannah (Aus)	Row 79 - Cell 2
DNS	Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz	Row 80 - Cell 2
DNS	Alexander Kangas (Swe)	Row 81 - Cell 2

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#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result	Header Cell - Column 3
1	Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing	218	pts
2	Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate	200	Row 1 - Cell 3
3	Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal	162	Row 2 - Cell 3
4	Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	145	Row 3 - Cell 3
5	Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	110	Row 4 - Cell 3
6	Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing	104	Row 5 - Cell 3
7	Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz	102	Row 6 - Cell 3
8	Nick Beer (Swi) SCott 11	94	Row 7 - Cell 3
9	Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre	92	Row 8 - Cell 3
10	Marc Beaumont (GBr)	90	Row 9 - Cell 3
11	Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade	90	Row 10 - Cell 3
12	Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate	86	Row 11 - Cell 3
13	Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	83	Row 12 - Cell 3
14	Bryn Atkinson (Aus)	80	Row 13 - Cell 3
15	Fabien Cousinie (Fra) Morewood Unitedride	76	Row 14 - Cell 3
16	Aurélien Giordanengo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	70	Row 15 - Cell 3
17	Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International	69	Row 16 - Cell 3
18	Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal	69	Row 17 - Cell 3
19	Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	68	Row 18 - Cell 3
20	Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof	66	Row 19 - Cell 3
21	Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek	63	Row 20 - Cell 3
22	Markus Pekoll (Aut) Ms Evil Racing	62	Row 21 - Cell 3
23	Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International	60	Row 22 - Cell 3
24	Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	59	Row 23 - Cell 3
25	Brook Macdonald (NZl) Ms Evil Racing	59	Row 24 - Cell 3
26	Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing	59	Row 25 - Cell 3
27	Troy Brosnan* (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz	58	Row 26 - Cell 3
28	Romain Paulhan (Fra)	56	Row 27 - Cell 3
29	Neko Mulally* (USA) Trek World Racing	52	Row 28 - Cell 3
30	Filip Polc (Svk) Ms Evil Racing	51	Row 29 - Cell 3
31	Shaun O'Connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	50	Row 30 - Cell 3
32	Michael Hannah (Aus)	50	Row 31 - Cell 3
33	Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc/Solid/Massif Des Vosges	49	Row 32 - Cell 3
34	Florent Payet (Fra) SC-Intense	48	Row 33 - Cell 3
35	Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre	47	Row 34 - Cell 3
36	Bernard Kerr (GBr)	46	Row 35 - Cell 3
37	Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W-Racing	45	Row 36 - Cell 3
38	Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	44	Row 37 - Cell 3
39	Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof	43	Row 38 - Cell 3
40	Mitchell Delfs (Aus) Kona	42	Row 39 - Cell 3
41	Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride	41	Row 40 - Cell 3
42	Ben Cathro (GBr)	40	Row 41 - Cell 3
43	Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	39	Row 42 - Cell 3
44	Richard Thomas (GBr)	38	Row 43 - Cell 3
45	Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team	37	Row 44 - Cell 3
46	Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride	36	Row 45 - Cell 3
47	Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team	36	Row 46 - Cell 3
48	Joshua Button (Aus) SC-Intense	35	Row 47 - Cell 3
49	Mitch Ropelato (USA)	34	Row 48 - Cell 3
50	Luke Strobel (USA) Ms Evil Racing	33	Row 49 - Cell 3
51	Alex Bond (GBr)	32	Row 50 - Cell 3
52	Marcel Beer (Swi)	31	Row 51 - Cell 3
53	Emanuel Pombo (Por)	30	Row 52 - Cell 3
54	Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team	29	Row 53 - Cell 3
55	Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) SCott 11	28	Row 54 - Cell 3
56	Jonty Neethling (RSA)	27	Row 55 - Cell 3
57	Johann Potgieter (RSA)	26	Row 56 - Cell 3
58	Thomas Braithwaite (GBr)	25	Row 57 - Cell 3
59	Curtis Keene (USA)	24	Row 58 - Cell 3
60	Hayden Brown (RSA)	23	Row 59 - Cell 3
61	Patrick Thome (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team	22	Row 60 - Cell 3
62	Scott Mears (GBr)	20	Row 61 - Cell 3
63	Thomas Jeandin (Swi)	19	Row 62 - Cell 3
64	Lars Peyer (Swi) SC-Intense	18	Row 63 - Cell 3
65	Fraser Mcglone* (GBr)	17	Row 64 - Cell 3
66	Daniel Pombo (Por)	16	Row 65 - Cell 3
67	Kelvin Purchase (RSA)	15	Row 66 - Cell 3
68	Chris Hutchens (GBr)	14	Row 67 - Cell 3
69	Tiaan Odendaal* (RSA)	13	Row 68 - Cell 3
70	Fergus Lamb (GBr)	12	Row 69 - Cell 3
71	Francesco Petrucci (Ita) Team Cingolani Trek	11	Row 70 - Cell 3
72	Roman Roschi (Swi)	10	Row 71 - Cell 3
73	Oscar Harnstrom (Swe)	9	Row 72 - Cell 3
74	Arthur Parret* (Fra) Passion Velo Thiers Stemtee	8	Row 73 - Cell 3
75	Jérôme Payet (Fra)	7	Row 74 - Cell 3
76	Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team	6	Row 75 - Cell 3
77	Mathias Haas (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria	5	Row 76 - Cell 3
78	Daniel Critchlow (GBr)	4	Row 77 - Cell 3
79	Travis Browning (RSA)	3	Row 78 - Cell 3

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Downhill team World Cup standings after one round
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result	Header Cell - Column 3
1	Santa Cruz Syndicate	84	pts
2	Trek World Racing	83	Row 1 - Cell 3
3	Team GR	65	Row 2 - Cell 3
4	Scott 11	62	Row 3 - Cell 3
5	Mondraker Factory Team	37	Row 4 - Cell 3
6	Commencal	32	Row 5 - Cell 3
7	Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz	31	Row 6 - Cell 3
8	Lapierre International	29	Row 7 - Cell 3
9	Team Maxxis-Rocky Mountain	26	Row 8 - Cell 3
10	Devinci Global Racing	26	Row 9 - Cell 3
11	Giant Factory Off-Road Team	26	Row 10 - Cell 3
12	Team Morzine-Avoriaz/Haute-Savoie	20	Row 11 - Cell 3
13	Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team	18	Row 12 - Cell 3
14	Madison Saracen	16	Row 13 - Cell 3
15	Chain Reaction Cycles/Nukeproof	16	Row 14 - Cell 3
16	Cg Racing Brigade	15	Row 15 - Cell 3
17	Morewood Unitedride	14	Row 16 - Cell 3
18	Team Cingolani Trek	13	Row 17 - Cell 3
19	Alpine Commencal Austria	12	Row 18 - Cell 3
20	Team Sunn Montgenevre	12	Row 19 - Cell 3
21	Riding Addiction Commencal	11	Row 20 - Cell 3
22	MS Evil Racing	10	Row 21 - Cell 3
23	SC-Intense	6	Row 22 - Cell 3