With winning times just outside 2 minutes there was no room for error or complacency at this weekend’s Tissot World Cup round on the slopes of Grouse Mountain, Vancouver.
After Steve Peat crashed out in Practice it was left to GT team mate Fabien Bariel to take victory by the narrowest margins. Chris Kovarik (Intense) had already set the fastest time in the Dual qualifiers, but then crashed in one of the heats and finished fourth. He recovered his speed in time to take second in the DH but at only 0.01″ adrift he must be cursing. Still he now overtakes Vouillioz (who could only manage 5th) to place 2nd in the overall rankings, behind Bariel. Highest placed male DH Brit was Kovarik’s team mate Nigel Page in 25th with Rob Warner and Rob Jarman finishing in 32nd and 33rd respectively.
Kona rider Tracy Moseley upheld national pride with a superb 3rd place in the DH, her highest World Cup placing. Two steps up on the podium Anne Caroline Chausson just shaded Missy Giove for the DH victory.
Meanwhile back at the Dual, Eric Carter and an ecstatic Leigh Donovan won out, while Will Longden had a storming ride to finish 7th ahead of Nigel Page in 13th.
We’ll get you the XC results as soon as UCI confirmation comes through, but meanwhile here’s the weekend’s race diary from Russ Carty, team manager of Team Kona / Ford Focus.
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