With a slightly muddy course from previous days rain, conditions at Mt St Anne were always going to favour Steve Peat.

Cedric Gracia qualified fastest on the technical 3.1 km course, but Peat posted a time 9 seconds faster than his own seeding run to take the victory by nearly 4 seconds. A thumb injury kept series leader Chris Kovarik down in 9th place but still at the top of the overall rankings, while Nico Vouilloz is still recovering from surgery on his little finger.

In the Women’s DH, Anne Caroline Chausson pulled out her usual dominating ride, beating third placed Tracey Moseley by over ten seconds, with fellow Brit Ffion Griffiths in fourth.

Chausson also won the 4-Cross event ahead of Katrina Miller, while Eric Carter found his old form to holeshot Brian Lopes into the critical first corner in the men’s final.

Mont Saint Anne also hosted the 3rd round of the XC World Cup, with the previously damp course turning dry and dusty in the scorching race day weather. Combined with a demanding technical course that caused numerous mechanicals and punctures the race was as much about survival as speed. In the men’s event it was Belgian hardman Filip Meirhage who held the pace as the lead group around him faded and flatted, leaving him over 2 minutes ahead of Christophe Dupouey.

In the Women’s race Annabella Stropparo managed to land her first victory after years of trying, holding her nerve in the final lap despite massive excitement and the predatory presence of Barbara Blatter in second. Alison Dunlap placed third to claim the overall jersey lead ahead of Caroline Alexander who retired after the first lap.
Full results (some time soon) at UCI.ch with race reports at Velonews.com.