Intro Text
Is it qualifying or is it seeding? Does everyone race or do riders go home? The 2019 World Championships Downhill qualifying day had riders confused about the format and on edge with conditions. Rain came out, the course stayed brutal, wheels exploded and ultimately, an unlucky select few will miss out on race day. Sven, Boris and Dan tell the tale.
SEE QUALIFYING RESULTS AND FINALS START LISTS
Yep, that sums up the Friday in MSA. @maddogboris
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What a run from Danny who left his mark in the qualifying result sheet. 3.5 seconds up from second place. Rad. -Dan Hearn
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Number 1. Let's see what Danny Hart can deliver in finals. -Dan Hearn
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Danny Hart earning every piece of that 3.4-second margin. @maddogboris
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Laurie Greenland DNF. He's protected for the race and we will see him on Sunday. As you can tell from the trackside interview, however, no one was really certain about the rules of qualifying. @maddogboris
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Laurie may be light, but he can smash things hard. More broken wheels and flat tires than ever before this year here. -Sven Martin
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Myriam Nicole making easy work of the slippery ruts and rocks up top of the grass section this morning. First race back and top qualifer by 2 seconds. -Sven Martin
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As promised folks, evidence of #eyebrowgate2019 going down yesterday. As noted by many in the comments of Vital RAW, you can hardly even tell. Can we get a bet going if Brendog wins Rampage? -Dan Hearn
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A slight misjudgement caused Greg to go outside the tape briefly. Luckily he is protected for finals so will take his place as usual. -Dan Hearn
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Minnaar checking where the tape is so he doesn't run out of it come Sunday. Even though he was disqualified for leaving the track, as a protected rider, he will race for gold. -Sven Martin
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Loris Vergier never showboats for the camera. But he does have one of the most effective scrubs and natural styles on a bike. -Sven Martin
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Second spot in qualifying at World Champs would give anyone something to smile about. -Dan Hearn
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Tracey Hannah, two seconds off Myriam Nicole today. Not too many people are concerned with the times or results today with two more days and a drying track expected. -Sven Martin
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Brook doing everything he can do to stay on the ground, but his speed is just too much. -Sven Martin
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I could watch a race were Brook has 20 race runs, and they show each one live from top to bottom. @maddogboris
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Lucas Cruz with the second fastest time on home soil. @maddogboris
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The legacy of Steve Smith. There are many Canadian Juniors on their way to the top with Seth Sherlock in audio. @maddogboris
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Mud or fear? -Sven Martin
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Loic in the top four with two days to go, positioned perfectly for the three-peat. -Sven Martin
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Loic Bruni, happy that his mechanic Jack finally arrived. Sorting out some fork issues, they're good to go for race day. @maddogboris
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Vali Höll just about to drop into the mist. @maddogboris
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Antoine Vidal with a great time. First in Junior today but eighth overall. He was also eight overall in the EWS last weekend at Northstar. #diversifyyourbonds -Sven Martin
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Antoine Vidal #thankfulemoji. @maddogboris
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Aaron Gwin hasn't been at a race for over half the season but looked strong today in qualies. 37th isn't where he wants to be, and we can be sure he'll use the last day of practice tomorrow wisely to eek out as much time as possible from body, bike and track. -Dan Hearn
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BoXXer World Champs is a tradition each year. Skilled mechanics, a rebuild challenge and chanting, beer-fueled fans. -Sven Martin
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Back to back BoXXer World Champs wins for Loic from Vallnord Commencal. If you want a quick service, look him up. -Sven Martin
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Veronika Widmann leaving the iconic start hut of Mt St Anne. -Sven Martin
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3rd place for Anna Newkirk, around 1.5 seconds back from Mille Johnset. -Dan Hearn
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4th place for Swiss star, Emilie Siegenthaler. -Dan Hearn
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Troy Brosnan had a pretty gnarly crash in training, but thankfully he's ok and his spirits are up. There may be a significant percentage of Vital staffers claiming Troy as the gold medal winner on Sunday, but we'll not mention it here to keep the pressure off. @maddogboris
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Thibaut Daprela with the fastest first split by two seconds. Don't be fooled by his fifth place run today. -Sven Martin
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Dante Silva came swinging into 4th spot in junior men with one of the coolest names in the pits. -Dan Hearn
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5th place for Amaury Pierron. It's guts or glory in finals and with a chunk of time to make up on Danny Hart everyone will be pushing as hard as they can. -Dan Hearn
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Amaury Pierron with a couple more days to get up to speed. Today was more of a timed training for him he said. -Sven Martin
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Amaury Pierron matched his race result from 2018 with a 4th place qualifier. -Dan Hearn
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Marine Cabirou fast and loose as always! 3rd for her just 3 seconds back and a serious threat for gold. @maddogboris
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Sisters back in the game. Supportive in each other's recovery and both on track to be nearly 100% ready for race day. -Sven Martin
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Cool to see Tahnee Seagrave back in action, pushing hard on the track. @maddogboris
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Myriam Nicole is back with a score to settle after narrowly missing out on a Worlds win in Cairns 2 years ago. -Dan Hearn
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Hugo Langevin straight from the job site into the top ten for this speedy MSA local. -Sven Martin
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Martin Maes sliding into the top 25. Every extra day he has on his DH bike will make him more of a threat to the top spots. -Sven Martin
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Finn Iles kept it easy with the 13th fastest time. Pretty sure we can expect big things from the Canadian on Sunday! If anyone is can hang it out, it's Finn. @maddogboris
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Blenki probably pedaling inside the gondola. #ETForever. -Sven Martin
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Mikkel of Mayhem Media is back. Who will be the fastest speed dealer? My money is on Brook in this section. -Sven Martin
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Anna Newkirk up top fo the course this morning, pre-hopping off the deck. -Sven Martin
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British junior Jamie Edmondson getting all patriotic between the red blue and white tape. -Dan Hearn
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Milton McConville dropping the newish huck in the middle woods. -Sven Martin
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Wyn showing how the unsanatised rocky shark-fin should be done. -Dan Hearn
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Bas De Beever raced last week and took Masters gold. He has raced many a World Cup here in the past and it's good to seem hanging around to watch the racing. -Sven Martin
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The Denim Destroyer eats rocks for breakfast. Who needs groomed, hard-packed dirt and grass? Not Johannes. -Sven Martin
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Elliot Jamieson in third for Juniors. The times are quite spread out but should tighten up come race day. -Sven Martin
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Kate Weatherly sets up for the shark fin drop in the woods. -Sven Martin
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Pompon has had a dream return so far with today's result showing she has the speed to fight for gold on Sunday. -Sven Martin
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Mille Johnset in second ahead of Anna, who she has been battling with for most of the season. -Sven Martin
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Thomas Estaque, resplendent in yesterday's pure whites before the rain and mud of today. -Sven Martin
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When you can't decide if you want to bar drag or footplant the rock drop. Bernard Kerr. And when you can't get a Bernard audio clip, you get a story from Eddie about his wrist surgery. #teamwork -Sven Martin
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Neko Mulally in 12th! Regardless of the racing the result this weekend, we all win because Neko is raffling off his Intense M29 for Can'd Aid and that means more kids riding in the future! @maddogboris
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Charlie Harrison with a solid 8th place. @maddogboris
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So offensive how smooth and welcoming the start ramp is compared to the next five minutes a racer will experience. Marine Cabirou drops in. -Dan Hearn
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Kiwi Matt Walker with the most steeze on the rock drop. @maddogboris
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Mariana Salazar early morning pan. @maddogboris
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Reece Wilson with a Top 10. Confident and ready as ever. -Sven Martin
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It's seriously a pleasure to watch Vali Höll ride downhill. @maddogboris
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There is always a first time...Sebastian didn't have a rain jacket or umbrella. Thankfully the film in his camera stayed dry. @maddogboris
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Danny Hart was better prepared for his second training run than Sebastian "no rain jacket" Schieck. @maddogboris
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FML @maddogboris
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The heavy rain brought back memories of training day here last year when the day was cut short because of the storm. -Dan Hearn
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Loic engaging the SRS. -Sven Martin
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The course sweeper trying to help the boys ride the gnarly obstacles on the course. @maddogboris
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Kye A'Hern went down in his run and still ended up in the Top 10. @maddogboris
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Martin Maes lost in the canadian jungle? @maddogboris
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Yeah Myriam Nicole! @maddogboris
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GT Team Manager, Mark Maurissen, knows how to enjoy the bike wash. @maddogboris
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The bike wash definitely got abused a bit more than usual today! -Dan Hearn
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MSA Woods in B/W @maddogboris
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Mille into the abyss. @maddogboris
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Mazie Hayden...not the best day on the mountain. @maddogboris
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Black and White for the Kiwi! @maddogboris
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George Brannigan trying an impossible save and somehow crashing back onto the course from outside. -Dan Hearn
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Melanie Chappaz took 6th today, her best ever qualifying result. -Dan Hearn
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Jack Moir turning down in training, but he turned it up in qualifying to place 7th. -Dan Hearn
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Therapy. -Dan Hearn
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It seems the rain has passed and that race day will be dry. We can only hope. -Dan Hearn
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