QUALIFYING CHAOS: Andorra World Cup Downhill Slideshow

View as: Slideshow | One Page
original slideshow photo 1374895063
<b>Sam Hill is back. Foot-out-flat-out-1st-place. TM Nigel Page in audio.</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374889617
<b>Manon Carpenter has taken a page from Rachel's book, using strength to muscle through sections. Three seconds quicker than Rachel today for 1st place. The confidence is all hers to soak up for race day.</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374889237
<b>Greg Minnaar styling it up in a section where most are catching pedals and ratcheting cranks. He creates speed in places no one else can.</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374890060
<b>Gee Atherton in his qualifier taking the wide option on this right hander. Greg rode the same line but most of the rest cut inside earlier. Sometimes the easiest way through is the play.</b> -Sven Martin
Video is processing. Try again soon.
<b>Let 'er rip!</b> -Joe Bowman
original slideshow photo 1374890219
<b>Loic Bruni hoping for a happy ending come Sunday after his crash to 4th place qualifier. The kid is bound to rub out a win soon!</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374894559
<b>Loic Bruni, fastest crasher of the day. Those that witnessed the crash reckon he'd have taken the top spot in qualifying if he hadn't 180'd out of a tight, slow corner.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374889538
<b>Remi Thiron has been looking set for a podium for some time now. Let's hope he can keep on the gas for Sunday. Data acquisition paying off with a 5th today.</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374889786
<b>Lorenzo Suding is a wild man. He gripped it through a few big saves in his run but was unfazed. Legendary run for 6th today. </b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374895102
<b>With a crash for Gwin in qualifying, we're yet to get a feel for his true speed on the course. He's not shown the same consistency of previous years but certainly looks up to speed in sections.</b> -Duncan Philpott
Video is processing. Try again soon.
<b>Blenki brings the pain.</b> -Joe Bowman
original slideshow photo 1374895805
<b>Blenkinsop clipped back in for morning practice after the huge bomb holes started bouncing his feet off the pedals. 8th place.</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374894052
<b>Brendan Fairlcough, today's fastest rider with a puncture in 9th. His TM, Claudio Caluori in audio.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374895333
<b>Anything to keep your thighs from exploding half way down the track, right?</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374895352
<b>Neko Mulally has been knocking on the door of the Top 10 for a while and it was finally answered. 10th spot today and fastest American by a long shot.</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374889541
<b>Marcelo Gutierrez is like a freight train. The only way he can slow down is if he derails.</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374895583
<b>The last time the World Cup came to Andorra, Steve Peat won. 14th today and no signs of slowing down.</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374889390
<b>Mark Wallace qualified 3rd today in the Junior class. He hung on through this corner using a ballsier turning technique than most.</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374889584
<b>Alexander Kangas of Sweden exits the steep woods near the finish line qualifying for the final. 67th is nothing to scoff at with the level of competition today.</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374894472
<b>There are parts of the track where you really have to thread the Needles through some narrow gaps.</b> -Duncan Philpott
Video is processing. Try again soon.
<b>Steeper and wilder than it looks!</b> -Joe Bowman
original slideshow photo 1374894255
<b>Sam Dale had a bit of a 'mare today in qualifying. A very minor crash led to the timing and TV cables getting caught up in his drivetrain, losing him plenty of time. A shame as he was hauling as he passed, gaining time on the rider ahead.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374894900
<b>If you've made it down the steep, long, techincal track into the finish arena you're greeted by one of the gnarliest corners on the whole track. Boggy, slick and full of roots this caught a lot of people out, but James Swinden held on.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374894839
<b>What does it look like when you qualify for the first time at a World Cup? James Swinden just found out.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374894182
<b>Once again Antonio Ferreiro showed just how rad he is on a bike and makes the slideshow. Pipped by teammate Francisco Pardal coming 23rd and 15th respectively the Spaniards are charging.</b> -Duncan Philpott
Video is processing. Try again soon.
<b>Your top finishers through the last gnarly, rooty, slick steep section.</b> -Joe Bowman
original slideshow photo 1374889475
<b>Pompon rules! This is from her Facebook page about qualifying, "Fucking puncture, tried to carry on, that was good fun til I almost died in a tree...Sick track tho!"</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374894267
<b>Mike Jones has been on the UK radar for a few years now and with a 2nd in Fort William, he's making an impact in the Junior class at the World Cups. 1st today in seeding by a very solid 6-seconds.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374889751
<b>Cedric Gracia is looking bulletproof here in Andorra, but still likes to freak us all out with a close calls on the qualifying list. 76th and in the show at home!</b> -Sven Martin
original slideshow photo 1374894871
<b>3rd in seeding for Emmeline Ragot. She's demonstrated before that she can win on steep technical tracks with Champery springing to mind. Just under 6-seconds back on Manon though means Saturday practice is going to have to be spent wisely.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374894442
<b>Luke Ellison, Aussie Junior with style! Reminiscant of a young Troy Brosnan, taking it to 7th place.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374895017
<b>Perkin in a P. Gary Perkin is on site working on a behind the scenes video for South Africa.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374895662
<b>We just can't get enough of the style of these Evil boys. 15th for Francisco Pardal today.</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374894529
<b>It's great to see some of Steve Peat's SPS riders making it onto the World Cup stage. The team mechanic is out here too, giving the bikes his own personal touch.</b> -Duncan Philpott
original slideshow photo 1374895937
<b>Loic Bruni, one turn before his crash as aggressive as can be and one to watch on Sunday.</b> -Lee Trumpore
original slideshow photo 1374894565
<b>Burning the midnight oil at 2am. These guys are the reason the World Cup looks so good! You should have seen their setup when we Skyped earlier. It was like a media chicken coop. Sven, Joe, Duncan and 50% Parkins sweating in a tiny little loft space jamming up the internet. Truly all-time. THANKS GUYS...YOU BRING THE STOKE! -gordo</b> photo by Duncan Philpott
Sam Hill and Manon Carpenter take down the Athertons in qualifying at Andorra down the steep, rowdiest track of the season. The brand new course seemed to diversify the results with some zealous talent chomping at the bit for strong finishes. Enjoy the action and MAKE YOUR VITAL OTB PREDICTION so you can win a RockShox Vivid R2C. Sven, Duncan, Joe and Lee, you guys are truly all-time awesome!
7 comments

View replies to: QUALIFYING CHAOS: Andorra World Cup Downhill Slideshow

c50 fb picture 100000917936244
Tomasz
11 years ago
last slide - thanks guys for all yours hard work! appreciate that we can in some way feel WC atmosphere! cheerss
2
avatar.png?VersionId=TkOXSLqxgAC412Y 1F6UyzOaMSkN
Al
11 years ago
Stupid f%kin caption about derailing trains and Spaniards!! Is that meant to be funny???? Pardal e Portuguese! Caralho!!
1
1
c50 johan 1385064431
iceman2058
11 years ago
Don't be paranoid. Where did you read "Spaniard"? The freight train caption is on Marcelo Gutierrez's slide, and he is from Colombia.
1