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IXS European Downhill Cup - 2
Verbier, Switzerland, May 30-31, 2009
Results 2008 Results
American Riffle blazes to first
Pugin wins women's race
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After having qualified as third fastest, America's Duncan Riffle (DRR/Giantnerd) won the iXS European Downhill Cup's first race of the season in Verbier, clearly beating the times of New Zealand's Matthew Scoles (Bike NZ), Ireland's Ben Reid (Just Reid Race Team) and the surprisingly fast German Benny Strasser (Toxoholic/iXS) under completely different conditions than in the seeding run. In the women's race, France's Floriane Pugin (Ironhorse) posted the fastest time, edging out Swiss national champion Emilie Siegenthaler (Scott 11) and Ecuador's Diana Marggraff (Zenith).
For the athletes, it was a tricky weekend. On Friday, the first practice session took place under a clear sky and on a dry track. But on Saturday, the weather changed completely. Strong rain made the course's super steep, World Cup-like final part even more challenging. For Sunday's finals, the sun was shining again. But the course had been shaped by the practice runs of more than 300 participants, so plenty of holes and brakebumps had formed, and roots were sticking out everywhere.
Nevertheless the results in the elite cateogry finals were a lot like the ones in the seeding run - with only mechanicals mixing things up significantly.
"Both the choice of tires and the suspension set-up were not easy given the changing conditions," said men's winner Riffle, who added that he did not take big risks during his run.
Despite three mistakes on his way down, Strasser surprised everyone and even himself by finishing in fourth, thus being the fastest central European rider. "My results in the season's first World Cup races gave some reasons to be optimistic, and posting the second-fastest time in the seeding run was an extra motivation," said Strasser, who just moved into the elite category last season and has already been on the podium in third at the German National Championships.
As he flatted immediately after the start of his race run, fastest men's qualifier Nick Beer (Scott 11) was not the fastest Swiss rider of the day. Instead it was Nick's elder brother Marcel (Ancelotti), who was riding without a chain all weekend.
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Without a doubt, Marcel Beer was the biggest surprise of the weekend. Sans chain, he finished in fifth overall and as the fastest Swiss rider of the day. The lack of a chain was caused by a missing derailleur mount on GT's exotic full carbon downhill bike. "I wanted to finish in a time of 3:30," he said. Well, it turned out to be a 3:14, which is rather surprising considering that some non-downward sloping portions of the course forced him to propel himself forward by doing running-like motions on his bike in order not to loose to much speed.
"Just wait until I have got a chain on my bike again," said Beer, teasing his competitors.
Lars Peyer and Dominik Gspan, only separated by six thousandth of a second on the next positions, topped off the strong performances of Swiss riders at their home race, one that featured many strong racers.
Swiss favorite and fasest qualifier Nick Beer finished 61st after his flat. Sam Zbinden suffered a similar fate. He finished fourth in the seeding run, but only finished in 51st in the finals.
2007' junior World Champion Floriane Pugin surprised no one with her win in the women's race. She' already scored podium finishes at World Cup races.
Second place women's finisher Emilie Siegenthaler was happy with her performance. "I have only lost five seconds on Floriane, which shows that I managed to reduce the gap to the world's best riders compared to last seaso. Diana Marggraff of Ecuador was third.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Martin Platter / www.velomedia.ch
- Duncan Riffle (DRR/Giantnerd) won the elite men's downhill in Verbier.
- Elite men's podium
Results
Elite men 1 Duncan Riffle (USA) DRR/Giantnerd 3.06.591 2 Matthew Scoles (NZl) 0.01.867 3 Ben Reid (Irl) Just Reid Race Team 0.02.554 4 Benny Strasser (Ger) 0.06.551 5 Marcel Beer (Swi) 0.08.143 6 Lars Peyer (Swi) 0.08.243 7 Dominik Gspan (Swi) 0.08.249 8 Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 0.08.300 9 Will Rischbreth (Aus) Willpower 0.11.102 10 Loic Delteil (Fra) Hotpoint.ch 0.11.858 11 Josh Button (Aus) Mongoose 0.12.985 12 Lee Heyden (NZl) 0.13.453 13 Roman Roschi (Swi) 0.15.437 14 Patrick Meyer (Swi) 0.16.288 15 Martin Frei (Swi) 0.16.526 16 Noah Grossman (Ger) E-Unit 0.16.598 17 Benedict Brad (USA) DRR/Giantnerd 0.17.213 18 Falco Ruppert (Ger) Cannondale Germany 0.19.193 19 Billy Caroli (Swi) Vall Cycle 0.22.932 20 Nils Correvon (Swi) 0.23.044 21 Nicolas Gspan (Swi) 0.23.078 22 Gernot Ruppert (Ger) Cannondale Germany 0.25.158 23 Fabrice Tirefort (Swi) 0.25.174 24 Ian Schaad (Swi) Nauna Loa/ Friedli Bike Style 0.27.756 25 Samuele Aicardi (Ita) 0.29.225 26 Markus Planitzer (Aut) bikestore 0.29.772 27 Cristian Mazzolini (Ita) Ready2Ride 0.30.444 28 Joel Gebbie (GBr) 0.30.904 29 Jonas Baehler (Swi) 0.30.914 30 Andi Schaefer (Swi) iXS Sports Division Yety 0.31.769 31 Randy Van Goubergen (Bel) 0.33.465 32 Moritz Kruse (Ger) 0.34.040 33 Roland Schwaller (Swi) iXS Sports Division Yety 0.34.343 34 Ravnik (Slo) Grintovec 0.34.776 35 Janick Lieberherr (Swi) iXS Sports Division Yety 0.35.279 36 Nicolas Cherik (Swi) 0.35.729 37 Doardo Franco (Ita) Oakley - Intense 0.35.907 38 Rico Putzi (Swi) Freeberg.ch 0.36.371 39 Peter Felber (Aut) ARBO BangBrothers 0.36.745 40 Bjoern Aeschlimann (Swi) RC Steffisburg / GS Wuethrich 0.37.555 41 Chris Kilmurray (Irl) Ancillotti 0.37.669 42 Anssi Koskinen (Fin) 0.41.278 43 Johannes Suetter (Ger) 0.42.315 44 Martin Viertel (Ger) 0.42.453 45 Federico Frulloni (Ita) 0.44.438 46 Mario Reinbacher (Aut) Flowmotion 0.46.058 47 Kevin Schramm (Ger) 0.46.063 48 Marc Fischer (Swi) 0.47.417 49 Mario Steiner (Ger) 0.47.895 50 David Lischka (Ger) 0.48.098 51 Samuel Zbinden (Swi) 0.48.396 52 Adrian Finger (Swi) RU Ersingen/ One 80 Shop 0.49.618 53 Joachim Schielke (Ger) Last International 0.50.035 54 Jonathan Debus (Ger) Team Last 0.50.619 55 Zimmermann Michael (Swi) 0.52.984 56 Philipp Fischer (Ger) 0.53.361 57 Felix Herdzina (Ger) 0.53.933 58 Goel Wirz (Fra) s-vtt 0.54.284 59 Andreas Dotzauer (Ger) Alutech Soulrider e.V. 0.55.292 60 Samuel Baumann (Swi) Bandit Bike 0.55.722 61 Nick Beer (Swi) Scott 11 0.56.032 62 Volker Huebner (Ger) 0.57.238 63 Jan Marcus (Ger) 0.59.308 64 Andre Wackenhut (Ger) 1.02.449 65 Peter Ballin (GBr) 2stagebikes.com 1.04.442 66 Thomas Di Litta (Fra) 1.04.541 67 Benjamin Scharfetter (Aut) 1.06.968 68 Edijs Pauls (Lat) 1.07.212 69 Christian Daxner (Aut) 1.08.553 70 Christian Vogt (Ger) 1.16.449 71 Juergen Steindl (Aut) ARBO BangBrothers 1.28.326 72 Matthias Weiss (Ger) 1.34.856 73 Martin Schelberger (Aut) 1.36.999 74 Patrick Schum (Ger) 3.12.897 75 Nathan Rankin (NZl) Iron Horse Playbiker 3.14.124 DNS Alexander Evans (GBr) empirecycles DNS Daniel Rossmann (Ger) DNS Fabian Bieli (Swi) DNS Daniel Vogt (Ger) DNS Vinzenz Guntern (Swi) Suspension Center DNF Christian Greub (Swi) DNF Seb Muller (Swi) DNF David Schmid (Ger) followme/ qu-intwerbeagentur Elite women 1 Floriane Pugin (Fra) Ironhorse-Kenda-Playbiker 3.52.743 2 Emilie Siegenthaler (Swi) Scott 11 0.04.976 3 Diana Marggraff (Ecu) 0.14.823 4 Martina Bruehlmann (Swi) FATWORK 0.18.989 5 Miriam Ruchti (Swi) Vario Racing Team 0.59.300 6 Miriam Maurer (Ger) 1.31.482 DNS Marion Bast (Ger) Junior men 1 Brook Macdonald (NZl) 3.11.578 2 Shaun O Connor (Aus) Iron Horse Kenda 0.07.766 3 Aari Barrett (NZl) Scott 11 0.16.489 4 Robin Van Goubergen (Bel) 0.21.509 5 Andy Klaey (Swi) 0.22.035 6 Daniele Cosseta (Ita) Ready2Ride 0.24.520 7 Robin Hagen (Swi) Scott 11 0.25.635 8 Julius Fournier (Swi) KEETCH/ScottB,icossclub chabla 0.33.401 9 Basil Weber (Swi) ewz mountainbiketeam loop 0.33.539 10 Timo Pries (Ger) Eight Inch Racing,RC 50 0.36.002 11 Lucas Meyer (Swi) 0.38.169 12 Philipp Buennemann (Ger) 0.39.226 13 Max Kruse (Ger) 0.39.415 14 Fabian Pfister (Swi) 0.39.460 15 Alec Montanier (Swi) 0.45.362 16 Martin Buck (Swi) Vario Racing Team 0.48.965 17 David Bierbaumer (Aut) 0.54.086 18 Faessler Christoph (Swi) 0.57.874 19 Ziki Fontana (Swi) Wild Horses 1.02.768 20 Yanick Duske (Ger) BONEBILL Bikes.RC 50 Erlangen 1.03.682 21 Xavier Angelini (Ita) Team Maggi Off Road 1.06.789 22 Sandro Hess (Swi) 1.21.531 23 Lorenzo Baragiola (Swi) Wild Horses 1.21.711 24 David Hosang (Swi) 1.46.965 DNS Kevin Setzer (Ger) DNS Marius Paccolat (Swi) DNS Benjamin Oluoch (Ger) EAZE-Bikes DNS Fabian Fader (Ger) DNS Riku Laensioe (Fin) DNS Florian Mueller (Swi) Alutech Co-Factory Team DNF Bernhard Kammel (Ger) Junior women 1 Leoni Caroline Dickehroff (Ger) 4.59.975 Master men 1 Markus Bast (Ger) 3.31.251 2 Wilfred Van De Haterd (Ned) 0.00.490 3 Heinz Hostettler (Swi) 0.07.900 4 Michael Stammbach (Swi) 0.18.054 5 Laurent Castella (Swi) 0.18.179 6 Tino Beutel (Ger) 0.19.567 7 Samuel Aklin (Swi) Bikegarage DH Team 0.22.029 8 Denis Imboden (Swi) X-Team / GAB 0.23.383 9 Marcel Waldmann (Swi) 0.25.747 10 Stefan Hubacher (Swi) LogoPrint MTB DH Team 0.25.842 11 Thomas Weber (Swi) 0.28.378 12 Urs Stadelmann (Swi) 0.30.948 13 Beat Spengler (Swi) Vario Racing Team 0.52.848 14 Urs Sturzenegger (Swi) 1.11.329 DNS Patrick Mueller (Ger) DNS Olivier Lagger (Swi) Fatwork DNS Andi Deutschenbauer (Swi) Fox Racing Russenberger Velo S Open men 1 Markus Ruchti (Tretlager Factory Racing) 3.31.514 2 Frederic Rul 0.21.585 3 Micael Aellig 0.22.352 4 Mathe Huesler (Bikegarage DH Team) 0.24.035 5 Tobias Lonfat (Downhill Spirit Team) 0.30.052 6 Torsten Wolf 0.30.144 7 Dominik Trost 0.30.308 8 Christoph Eichinger 0.30.452 9 Matthias Tahlen 0.31.946 10 Jeremias Zimmerli (EISS #1) 0.32.463 11 Daniel Zollinger (Team Anesgo) 0.33.070 12 Marco Heim 0.33.342 13 Dominik Mast (One 80) 0.33.946 14 David Pache 0.35.966 15 Martin Kaegi (Rahmenspraenger) 0.36.267 16 Tom Cox 0.36.429 17 Sergio Tschenett (The Bike Patcher) 0.36.628 18 David Haeuptli (Team Anesgo) 0.39.622 19 Yanik Lauper (Team Anesgo) 0.40.866 20 Christian Gauch (Dragon-cycle.ch) 0.42.429 21 Vito Tschenett (The Bike Patcher) 0.44.397 22 Nicolas Wolflisberg (EISS #1) 0.44.769 23 Jan Sponseil 0.45.238 24 Florian Nagele 0.49.865 25 Stephan Schelling (Dutrefaction) 0.50.080 26 Alan Turin 0.50.553 27 David Egli 0.52.062 28 Nico Hunger 0.52.331 29 Julien Rossi (Trek Alouette) 0.53.508 30 Oliver Morier (Sam Bike) 0.53.977 31 Alain Grosjean (EISS #1) 0.54.592 32 Sebastian Strehl 0.55.011 33 Samuel Buetikofer (M-B-Z) 0.55.055 34 Nick Etter 0.55.201 35 Karol Gall 0.55.337 36 Gerold Papp 0.56.585 37 Stefan Zieche 0.56.680 38 Simon Gerber (EISS #1) 0.57.673 39 Simon Longthorn 0.58.012 40 Timo Muncke 1.00.026 41 Wolfgang Warmuth 1.03.984 42 Etienne Jaquier 1.05.696 43 Peter Vanhara 1.06.309 44 Jan-Phillip Strehl 1.11.458 45 Markus Bihler 1.12.735 46 Sven Unger (Eightinch Racing) 1.13.739 47 Christoph Stoeckl 1.16.390 48 Giovanni Iannelli 1.18.042 49 Fabian Tschueperlin (Solid Bikes Schweiz) 1.19.559 50 Tobias Wobmann 1.21.308 51 Dano Maurer (Bikegarage DH Team) 1.22.323 52 Esteban Zimmermann 1.23.931 53 Johannes Stephan 1.24.032 54 Hendrik Schulze 1.25.739 55 Ramun Tschenett (The Bike Patcher) 1.25.796 56 Jeremie Troillet (MagicDownhill-Transition) 1.27.091 57 Colin Darbre (Kona TwoBikes) 1.28.033 58 Nicola Schraven 1.32.296 59 Romain Mosimann (Malley) 1.37.480 60 Benedikt Charlier 1.39.232 61 Stefan Mattner 1.44.828 62 Pascal Partikel (Wheels over Frankfurt) 1.47.204 63 Rolf Kehrli 1.53.240 64 Janto Schmid 1.58.462 65 Vincent Crottaz (Crans-Mountain) 1.58.660 66 Samuel Wicki (Bikegarage DH Team) 2.06.052 67 Sven Siats 4.19.774 DNS Romain Burnier DNS Tobias Mueller DNS Robin Kopplin DNS Vincent Butticaz DNS Dirk Ahrendt DNF Markus Mueller (Team Anesgo) Open women 1 Nathalie Daeppen 4.58.366 2 Nicole Beege 0.10.009 3 Noemi Derron 0.31.844 4 Anja Lechthaler 1.30.868 5 Caroline Fellay 1.35.726 6 Sabrina Morell (Bikegarage DH Team) 2.06.463 Open junior 1 Freddy Hunziker 3.44.558 2 Max Broccard 0.10.654 3 Patrik Deuss 0.24.768 4 Axel Monnet (Bike n Joy) 0.25.587 5 Vincent Bezencon 0.31.683 6 Adam Omeroviv 0.35.455 7 Antoine Jacot 0.36.214 8 David Reber (MagicDownhill-Transition) 0.36.474 9 Maxime Chapuis 0.38.510 10 Colin Favre 0.40.730 11 Markus Bucher (Bikegarage DH Team) 0.45.353 12 Arnuel Monnet 0.45.358 13 Julien Corfu 0.46.278 14 Ken Zimmermann 0.46.354 15 Cedric Hagen (Jumpin Crazy Bike Team / VC Le) 0.49.048 16 Michael Fuhrer 0.49.901 17 Sebasstiasn Bylbhn 1.04.677 18 Jochen Haeussler 1.08.000 19 Jerome Caroli (MagicDownhill-Transition) 1.14.523 20 Patrik Kuster 1.24.966 21 Felix Klee 1.37.447 22 Yannick Allemant (twobikes) 1.38.495 23 Michael Roth 1.48.162 24 Kevin Torrent (Black Dragon Downhill Team) 1.49.750 25 Kevin Venthey (Black Dragon Downhill Team) 2.05.917 26 Pascal Von Holzen 2.08.435 27 Myles Weber (ewz mountainbiketeam loop) 2.24.710 28 Michael Gaertner 6.12.298 DNS Jerome Biolaz (Bike n Joy) DNS Stive Giovanda (Nauna Loa/ Friedli Bike Style) DNS Yann Chamot DNF Nils Verniol DNF Dominique Willemin Open senior men 1 Roger Beutler (Vario Racing Team) 4.20.484 2 Raphael Salamin 0.00.894 3 Mike Rum 0.01.231 4 Thomas Schaal 0.01.840 5 Dirk August 0.03.399 6 Maurus Bieri 0.06.695 7 Christian Dassi 0.10.921 8 Roger Hagen (Jumpin Crazy Bike Team / VC Le) 0.11.796 9 Christian Staudenmann (suspension-center) 0.14.976 10 Alexandre Heritier 0.21.859 11 Oliver Lustenberger 0.27.049 12 Sebastien Aymon 0.27.423 13 Marcel Schlapbach (Dragon-cycle.ch) 0.29.349 14 Andreas Grossenbacher 0.33.161 15 Alvarez Javier (Vario Racing Team) 0.38.993 16 Christian Koch (Bikegarage DH Team) 0.41.743 17 Christian Kunz 0.50.703 18 Oliver Pusch 0.56.059 19 Toni Galfano 0.57.556 DNS Stefan Stadelmann (SchinkenKaeseFrape) DNS Damian Chromik DNS Matthieu Lalloz DNS Yann Palanchon
