Cairns World Cup Downhill Finals Slideshow - On Borrowed Shoes

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<b>No camera trickery, no selective processing, mother nature as intended. Beam me up, Gee. #rapture</b> -Marius Maasewerd
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<b>Gee and his footwear. He managed to persuade a fan in the crowd to swap shoes just before his run. Good thing he didn't have to resort to the weird foot glove things of Rob Parkin.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Gee on a run in his casual Vans.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>That's four times now these two have doubled up.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Every time it rains and is slippery, Rachel pays homage to her local trail at home called The Crazy Wobbler. You have to have something close to home to replicate the worst of conditions.</b> -Boris Beyer
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<b>Josh Bryceland keeps nipping at that #1 spot and we keep saying it won't be long until he's finally there!</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>I told Neko yesterday that I have him down for a top five finish today after watching him ride so confidently and fast all week. The extra pressure and expectations never got to him and he delivered. Welcome to the podium, Neko. All your hard work has paid off. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Insert funny kangaroo caption here like, "Hopping for finals today."</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Manon Carpenter had a crash but still rode well enough for second place. Rachel and her are tied in points right now for the overall. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Aaron maintained his overall lead with Gee closing the gap a little with a win this round, while Greg's DSQ will most likely prove costly in the points race.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Although the rain held off, the course was still plenty wet and slippery.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>It took until finals day for me to see my first snake here in Australia. This guy got way more attention from the crowd than most of the racers themselves.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Bummer of a weekend for Greg Minnaar, who, despite a crash, pulled it back to try to salvage any important points. He was handed a DSQ for not re-entering at the same point of departure on the track, despite no real advantage gained.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Loris took the Junior leader's jersey along with his win today.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>A new face to Vital, Aiden Varley, with a great ride of 2nd place in the Juniors today despite the creepy distractions mid-race run.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Taylor Vernon was on a good run today but ended up riding off track on a simple pedal section. His oxygen-deprived brain didn't effect how #boss he was into the whoops though.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Greg Williamson of Trek World Racing has heart. Despite a wheel-bending OTB in the rocks, he pushed on as if nothing had happened, the entire way to the finish. +1 from Vital for his effort.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Unlucky finish for Sam Blenkinsop who has qualified in the top spot too many times now without taking the win. He is looking forward to the next one where the Lapierre crew are going to have something completely different. What can it be. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Loic Bruni was on a race-winning run only to go down in the same spot as Neko Mulally. I think we will see him on the top step of the podium this year yet.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Rely Morton, Course Sweep Hero!</b> -Graeme Reid
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<b>Due to an unfortunate circumstance on the track, Peaty was awarded a re-run. He certainly made the most it and brought it home to 7th place!</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>With one long, flat, featureless pedal, seeking new angles into the finish area becomes a priority. Greg grinds it home, Sven maxes and relaxes and Peaty's mechanic discusses the comradery of team mechanics to get it the legend ready for his rerun.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Two Cairns locals doing it for Australia. Tracey Hannah. </b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Emmeline Ragot didn't have the best weekend by her standards, she will be looking forward to getting back to Ft. William for the next round. 4th today.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>TIA. This is Australia, where Sam Hill is King!</b> -Boris Beyer
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<b>Again Myriam Nicole was the closest competitor to Rachel in the technical top split. She was the fastest in the section pictured.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Fans lined the entirety of the track in the one of the best crowd turn outs we've seen in a while.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Despite sacrificing the beard to get to optimum race weight, it could be speculated that Eddie Masters' beard contained Samson-esque qualities.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Oh, hai...</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>The Syndicate knows how to party and Rat's getting advice for the night out from one of the biggest partiers to grace the scene.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>This course probably has more physical pedaling than South Africa. A long, flat (and sometimes uphill) motor way sprint drained even the fittest of riders. Gee stayed strong and brought it home with a convincing win on one of the toughest World Cup races to date.</b> -Boris Beyer
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<b>Sam Dale with another great finish (8th) with a crash! Wow. The big lad has found his stride adding to the mix of an exciting season. Team manager, Will Longdon in audio.</b> -Sven Martin
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<b>Although we never got the heavy rain that could have happened, the light level still fluctuated with guys like Nick here dropping into dark, dusky woods</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Sven's assistant is coming along nicely.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>This is Australia and amongst the various things that are found in abundance, you can count on finding hardcore Sam Hill fans. A podium finish for Sam is a good result, however we all know he is on the hunt for the top step.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>A high-spirited Tracey Hannah heads up the hill armed with a high tech snack. It wasn't the day most expected for the Hannahs, with Mick off the podium and Tracey settling for 5th.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>And the award for muddiest race run goes to...</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>Neil Stewart, the recent addition to FMD Racing, made an impact on the Junior field placing 3rd.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>It was UK 1 & 2 in both the male and the female competition. If such a thing can be repeated for the home crowd in Fort William, the crowds will be rivaling the Aussies for noise.</b> -Duncan Philpott
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<b>This is the moment Blenki's run was over and the final result was set in stone for these three riders. Relief and celebration rolled into one. What a feeling.<br><br>Thanks to Sven, Duncan, Boris and Joe for an incredible week in the jungle. We'll see you at Fort William!</b> -Sven Martin
Description
Gee Atherton borrowed a spectator's shoes and won the UCI World Cup downhill in Cairns, Australia. That's just one of the incredible stories to come out of the jungle during the 2nd race of the 2014 World Cup season. Sven Martin, Duncan Philpott, Boris Beyer and Joe Bowman take you into the darkness without having to face the snakes, spiders or kangaroos head on. Simply amazing.
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