UCI Mountain Bike World Cup - Daprela and Seagrave claim downhill wins in Les Gets 04.07.2021: - Seagrave and Daprela secure dramatic DH victories at Les Gets - Brit returns to form and rising French star secures first Elite win.

- Seagrave and Daprela secure dramatic DH victories at Les Gets

   
- Brit returns to form and rising French star secures first Elite win.

 
Britain’s Tahnée Seagrave and Frenchman Thibaut Daprela secured impressive victories as the 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup downhill season arrived in Les Gets, France. Here is all you need to know:



- After glorious sunshine on Friday, the clouds rolled in on Saturday morning as riders faced a brand new track with multiple lines. Littered with roots, peppered with jumps and physically demanding, there was plenty of action as fans returned to a World Cup event for the first time since 2019.


- In the elite women’s race, Mille Johnset lay down an early marker on a greasy track. Her time was quickly overhauled when Seagrave, who was carrying a neck injury and had struggled in qualifying, put together an exceptionally smooth run.


- Reigning world champion Camille Balanche was the first to challenge Seagrave but a big mistake at the top of her run and a superhuman save halfway down meant she failed to threaten the leader.


- Valentina Höll looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable as she crashed at the final corner, while French rider Myriam Nicole produced an impressive recovery to give herself a chance of victory. However, she finished 0.252 seconds shy of her first World Cup win on home soil.


- Following the race, a tearful Seagrave said: “It was a clean run, but I don’t feel like I have the fitness at the moment so I was so, so surprised. But I guess on a track like this, in conditions like that, it paid to be clean and smooth and safe.”


- The rain kept coming and the elite men had to deal with a track that was unrelenting in its unpredictability.


- Max Hartenstern took full advantage of the early favourable conditions, laying down a time that looked more and more impressive as the weather and track began to deteriorate.


- Following a serious crash last week when he bit through most of his tongue, France’s Daprela had been on a liquid diet for much of the week and his participation in the race hung in the balance.


- However, showing plenty of grit, determination and no small amount of skill, the two-time Junior World Champion took the lead with a sensational run.


- Even the clean run of Finn Iles, the experience of Greg Minaar, the superb straight lines of Brook MacDonald and the style of Benoît Coulanges couldn’t get close to Daprela’s time.


- Reigning World Champion Reece Wilson looked like he might tame the track with the wildest of runs before a huge crash sent him into the crowd and out of the running,


- As the pre-race favourites struggled, it became clear that no-one would beat Daprela’s time. The Frenchman ultimately winning his first Elite race ahead of Hartenstern who hung on for second and became the first German man to make a DH World Cup podium since 1999.


- Daprela, 20, said: “It's amazing. Last week I crashed really hard and this week I win. Only yesterday I almost couldn't ride, but today I just sent it!”




Men's Les Gets downhill result

1. Thibaut Daprela FRA 3:33.424
2. Max Hartenstern GER +2.416
3. Baptiste Pierron FRA +2.520
4. Connor Fearon AUS +2.590
5. Mark Wallace CAN +2.781

UCI MTB World Cup men's DH standings

1. Thibaut Dapréla FRA 390 points
2. Troy Brosnan AUS 270
3. Baptiste Pierron FRA 193
4. Max Hartenstern GER 190
5. Greg Minnaar RSA 180


Women's Les Gets downhill result

1. Tahnée Seagrave GBR 4:10.566
2. Myriam Nicole FRA +0.252
3. Camille Balanche SUI +4.914
4. Mille Johnset NOR +5.536



UCI MTB World Cup women's DH standings

1. Camille Balanche SUI 390 points
2. Tahnée Seagrave GBR 336
3. Valentina Höll AUT 330
4. Myriam Nicole FRA 320
5. Monika Hrastnik SLO 282
 


Red Bull - also photos