Intro Text
Savor the emotion, drama and incredible photography from the 2018 Mountain Bike World Champs Downhill race in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Sven Martin, Boris Beyer and Dan Hearn take you trackside and make you feel like you're there. What an incredible season it has been!
You can view the slideshow as normal with audio attached to respective photos or you can play all of the audio interviews from our podcast channel with this player below.
The World Champion is decided by one short run, but the days of practice beforehand are where the differences are made. -Dan Hearn
5
0
Loic dropping into a capacity crowd of up to 60, 000 over the course of the weekend. -Sven Martin
10
8
That Moment. Loic crossing the finish line with a green light. 4 riders later he became World Champ for the third time. Well done, Lolo! @maddogboris
10
8
Crossing the line in first was all he needed to do. A few more riders on the hill and his time held up. Vive le France!!! -Sven Martin
10
8
The highs and lows of racing tears for both with polar opposite results. -Sven Martin
10
8
Just "AWWWW" @maddogboris
10
8
Congratulations Loic! World Champs stripes for another year! Jack Racing in audio. -Dan Hearn
5
0
The sweetest champagne of the year. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Yes Loic! -Sven Martin
10
8
Luckily the podium is not a catwalk. Post-champagne blowouts. -Sven Martin
10
8
Cheers to Downhill and Enduro! @maddogboris
10
8
Teamwork makes the dream work. Jack and Laurent are more than just a mechanic and manager to Loic. -Sven Martin<br />
5
0
Rachel Atherton. Pretty much nothing else left to say! Going out with a bang! Ten-second margin proving that when she wants it bad enough, she is unbeatable even in a season of tight, close racing. -Sven Martin
5
0
All eyes on Rachel as she builds her lead to a crazy 9.983 seconds. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Rachel Atherton breaks the beam to take her 5th Elite World Championships title. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Three and a bit minutes of racing absolutely flat-out takes it toll. Leaving nothing on the line is the name of the game. Gee Atherton in audio. -Dan Hearn
5
0
Yes Rachel! Her run is one for the history. 9.983 seconds ahead of Tahnee Seagrave. In the men's Elite Race that's the time between first and 40th position. @maddogboris
10
8
Let the off-season begin, party time! -Sven Martin
10
8
Rachel nearing G.O.A.T status. It would be interesting times if Rachel and Anne-Caroline were racing in the same era. Rachel has more World Cup titles than ACC but Anne has a much thicker stack of rainbow jerseys. -Sven Martin
10
8
It's always a bonus to double up in a season. Vali and Rachel were the only ones to do so this year taking the World Cup overall and Champs. -Sven Martin
10
8
When it's 7:30am on Saturday and you've no pressure to deliver a slideshow, why not kill an hour shooting sun flare pans while dancing to strange Swiss music? -Dan Hearn
10
8
Early morning training steeze by your 2018 Junior World Champion. @maddogboris
10
8
A solitary warm up for Kade Edwards who delivered a huge 4.4-second margin on 2nd place. Last race as a junior, first win. World Champ. Not bad. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Kade Edwards. His first win of the year. Actually his first big win in Juniors in the very last and most important race of the year. Rainbow stripes are forever. -Sven Martin
10
8
KADEKADEKADE! You f$§%"%§&§ LEGEND @maddogboris
10
8
Who is more stoked? Kade for the win, or Elliot Jamieson who just realised he is getting a pedal the moment Thibaut crashed. -Sven Martin
5
0
Kade Edwards, quite the catch and quite a character. Ready for a laid back, chilled off-season of backflip-barspin-flip-whip combos. Or nerfing cuttie ruts. -Sven Martin
10
8
Kade Edwards and the kids, in your face and and on your phone. -Sven Martin
10
8
Even with a perfect season and on your way to your world champs run...you still put your bike on the gondola by yourself. @maddogboris
10
8
Every rider spends the moments before their race run in different ways. Vali Höll had the pressure of a perfect World Cup season on her shoulders, but managed the day like a true champion. -Dan Hearn
10
8
It's easy to forget how early the juniors have to race. The sun was spilling over the mountains and the rock garden still in shadow. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Race run for Vali Höll, dropping in just as the sun cleared the trees. A truly perfect season for the young star in the making. -Sven Martin
10
8
The moment Vali Höll becomes your 2018 Junior Women World Champion! After Nino Schurter and Rachel Atherton last year, Vali finished her first-ever World Cup season with winning every race and qualifier. We can't wait to for next year! @maddogboris
10
8
World Champs horns by Vali Höll @maddogboris
5
0
The 2018 Junior Women World Champs podium. The future of women's racing is shining bright. Matt Gallean in audio. @maddogboris
5
0
Elmar Keineke has been in the background supporting and enabling the careers of many big stars over the last twenty years. Right now he is both a fan and supporter of Vali. -Sven Martin
5
0
Fun Fact: I nearly forgot to edit Martin Maes' race run photo because I thought this was the Colombian national jersey. Kind of crazy but no too crazy to see him winning the silver medal. @maddogboris
5
0
Tahnee getting loose, finding the limits of the course but not willing to risk it all for gold this weekend she said. -Sven Martin
10
8
There was no chugging of champagne on the womens podium this race like the rest of the year but that doesn't meant it wasn't finished backstage. -Sven Martin
5
0
Anna Newkirk, #USDH schralper, bringing home the silver and a future for women's downhill racing in the USA. @maddogboris
10
8
Danny Hart during training just before the big day. Relaxed. -Sven Martin
5
0
Pompon was stoked to be here after her bad luck this year with injury, but was a little disappointed to be 10 seconds back from Rachel. -Sven Martin
5
0
Canadian Junior, Elliot Jamieson, has raced more XC and enduro than downhill this year, but proved he has some serious DH bike skills too by taking bronze. Another case of enduro shredders on the hunt in DH, too. -Dan Hearn
5
0
Mille Johnset completing her first World Cup / World Champs season. Good to see her finishing it with a bronze medal! @maddogboris
5
0
Loris with a sneaky sideline off the big Red Bull drop, just 0.4 seconds off the podium! -Sven Martin
5
0
Gwin very close to the win with a costly mistake. Gwin was angry at himself for throwing the win away but still gracious enough to spend some time with the fans who were literally clawing the number off his back. -Sven Martin
5
0
You are still a number one bro! We are pretty sure it won't take many years to see Amaury winning the rainbow jersey. @maddogboris
5
0
Big disappointment for Brook Macdonald after qualifying fastest then crashing in his race run. Always a crowd favorite and always will be. -Dan Hearn
5
0
A disappointing mechanical cost Greg Minnaar time in his race run, but he still finished 2.6 seconds off the win. What could have been... -Dan Hearn
5
0
Laurie has his priorities right - family chills before partying. -Dan Hearn
10
0
Matt Walker (the young one) was stoked about his 10th place and is going confident in the off-season! Remember, it's his first season in Elite. @maddogboris
5
0
Lars Sternberg a a long-time DH racing superfan, taking time out from Transition HQ to support their number one team and rider. -Sven Martin
10
8
14th at World Champs, Finn Iles has had a killer opening season as an Elite. -Dan Hearn
5
0
Caption contest? @maddogboris
10
8
Solid 12th place for Ed Masters! Fastest Kiwi at the 2018 world champs. @maddogboris
5
0
Dean Lucas only 3.4 seconds from the win. The racing was incredibly tight this World Champs with so many guys that could have won. -Sven Martin
5
0
If you see Nico Vouilloz next to a World Cup track...It's pretty interesting to talk to him. Luckily he's always keen for a chat and some worlds predictions. @maddogboris
5
0
Not even the steep Swiss slopes deterred the fans. Thousands lining the whole course, top to bottom. Thanks Lenzerheide, you really put on a great show. -Sven Martin
10
8
Industry Worlds dual slalom - AKA Pivot e-bike Worlds - went off in the pits. -Dan Hearn
5
8
Some squids work harder, others work smarter. Keith (Phunkt) Valentine with the remote set-up in the VIP bar while sipping some 18-year-old single-malt scotch. The booze is as old as Kade Edwards. -Sven Martin
10
8
Jack Moir clearly not in a race run, if it were he'd be in the pink gloves. -Sven Martin
10
8
Off season! Time to get legless. -Sven Martin
10
8
We missed a post from Saturday, so here is cracker from Alex Marin too good not to share here. -Sven Martin
10
8
Another downhill race season in the books. Some refreshment was definitely needed after finals! Thanks Canyon Factory Racing @maddogboris
10
8
Some early race run creativity. It's cool to see so many new riders from so many different countries at worlds. @maddogboris
10
8
What you pointing at Bru? @maddogboris
10
8
Amaury Pierron couldn't have asked for a better World Cup season but we guess it's a bit different for his World Champs run. @maddogboris
10
8
Phil Atwil on his way to 17th position in front of thousands of fans. @maddogboris
10
8
Kye on the fly to the silver medal. @maddogboris
10
8
Such a high-speed course takes it toll on bodies and parts. Luckily one of those two are replaceable. -Dan Hearn
10
8
After an astonishing crowd yesterday for XC, it was awesome to see so many downhill fans come out for finals. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Danny Hart has a history on both this track and World Champs. 3rd place today by just 0.3 seconds. One of the closest races for a long time. Just imagine what tiny mistake or improvement could make up that margin. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Just 1.3 seconds off Bruni put Aaron Gwin back to 5th place. A few small mistakes on track potentially cost him the title. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Disappointment for Cecile Ravanel who had high hopes for finals. -Dan Hearn
10
8
0.7 seconds off 2nd place for Myriam Nicole but a Bronze medal isn't a bad way to end a season that has had its ups and downs. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Over half way up the course and a massive crowd had already gathered for training. Oh, and Amaury Pierron is there somewhere too. -Dan Hearn
10
8
15th place for Connor Fearon. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Kye A'Hern crushing the rock garden in his race run. -Dan Hearn
10
8
This is the Lenzerheide warm-up zone. You may have seen it more crowded before but the early morning sun drew a lot of riders outside. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Kye A'Hern was more nervous than usual before his race run - the lure of the elusive World Champs gold medal puts extra pressure on athletes. -Dan Hearn
10
8
The focus at World Champs may not always be on the Juniors but they still need focus to race in the same environment as elites. Anna Newkirk prepares for her race run eventually earning silver. -Dan Hearn
10
8
Intro Graphic
More features:
PLACEHOLDER for related Slideshows view
Description
Thank you Sven, Boris and Dan for your incredible work this entire season!
View replies to: RACE DAY - 2018 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DOWNHILL
Comments