Britain’s Steve Peat added the 2004 European Championships to his roster of race wins at the weekend, scoring the fastest time on a densely-wooded course in Walbrzych, Poland. His confidence was running high after recording the fastest qualifying run, although with the finals not starting until 5pm there was the possibility of fading light hampering the late starters. Clearly it wasn’t much of a hinderance, although it may have helped second-placed Fabien Barel – he hit a tree in qualifying, came in 25th and therefore had a fairly early start. He was still seven seconds down on Peat, though. France’s Julien Cammellini was third, and a great ride put Marc Beaumont into fourth – 0.05 seconds faster and he’d have taken the bronze.

Earlier in the day Tracy Moseley had got herself on to the women’s podium despite riding out of the start hut and straight into a tree on her final run. Her time was still good enough for the bronze, 1.5 seconds behind Marielle Saner. Anne-Caroline Chausson was the somewhat inevitable winner, ten seconds clear of Saner.

DH Elite Men

1. PEAT Steve 02:36.22
2. BAREL Fabien 02:43.26
3. CAMELLINI Julien 02:43.71
4. BEAUMONT Marc 02:43.76
5. AUTALE Sebastien 02:44.30

DH Elite Women

1. CHAUSSON Anne-Caroline 02:56.59
2. SANER Marielle 03:07.00
3. MOSELEY Tracy 03:08.50
4. GROS Celine 03:14.16
5. BERNHARD Petra 03:14.98