Finally Troy Brosnan returns to victory! Nice return also for Pierron in the top positions after the serious injury. Too bad for Loris Revelli: he closes in the rear after a crash.
The first double stage of the 2021 season of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup offered many surprises and the welcome return of the public to the competition fields. Leogang hosted the first round dedicated to Downhill and third at the Olympic Cross Country. The replay of all the races is available on Red Bull TV with commentary by Marco Aurelio Fontana, Torquato “Toto” Testa and Giulia De Maio.
Let's start with the exciting DH races. On the path that made her known to the world a year ago, Camille Balanche proved that she deserves the rainbow jersey she has on her shoulders. The Swiss jumped and passed the wooded section brilliantly, setting a time that none of the other girls in the race could improve, not even home idol Vali Höll, who after being the best in qualifying, in her first race since elite slipped at the last corner, finishing second and infuriated by the near victory. Third step of the podium for Monika Hrastnik, preceding Marine Cabirou, Tahnée Seagrave and the best of the Italians, Eleonora Farina, sixth. In the top ten (9a) also closes the other blue in the race, Veronika Widmann, slowed down by a crash.
The protagonist of the Austrian weekend was Mr Consistent Troy Brosnan, finally returning to victory in the World Cup after Vallnord 2017 and the countless subsequent podiums. The Australian won qualifying with a time nearly seven seconds lower than runner-up Danny Hart. In the spectacular final run he got behind the young Thibaut Daprela, just over 2 tenths ahead of his compatriot and teammate Amaury Pierron, who returned at full speed after the injury that kept him away from the racing fields in 2020. “Our” Loris Revelli unfortunately crashed, losing several positions and finishing only 54th. As if that weren't enough, the medical examinations he underwent yesterday showed for him the rupture of the scaphoid, which will force him to a stop period.
Men's Leogang downhill result
1. Troy Brosnan AUS 3: 26.019
2. Thibaut Dapréla FRA +1.235
3. Amaury Pierron FRA +1.478
4. Reece Wilson GBR +1.898
5. Benoit Coulanges FRA +2.234
UCI MTB World Cup men's DH standings
1. Troy Brosnan AUS 250 points
2. Thibaut Dapréla FRA 190
3. Amaury Pierron FRA 140
4. Reece Wilson GBR 137
5. Danny Hart GBR 135
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