MTB World Cup XC #4 & DH #2 - CDM - CDM

Vallnord, Andorra, May 31-June 1, 2008

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Race 3 - May 31: Elite men 4X

Gee Atherton kicks off historic family gravity triple

By Luke Webber in Vallnord, Andorra

Dan Atherton celebrates the first win
Photo ©: Luke Webber

British gravity racer Dan Atherton (Animal Commencal) kicked off a unique family triple when he worn the men's four-cross ahead of Brian Lopes here on Saturday night. His siblings Gee and Rachel would take out Sunday's downhills in an unprecedented show of domination by the fastest family on two wheels.

This four-cross round was a totally different race than three weeks ago in Maribor, Slovenia. A course that featured wide corners and plenty of opportunity to pass made for great close racing. Speeds were down because of heavy rain making the track waterlogged and slow in places but this only made for closer competition.

In the early rounds selection for some was clear, but come the quarter and semi finals it was a lot closer. Cedric Gracia (Commencal - Furious - Oakley Team), racing on his home course, was desperate to win in style, but had to pull out some risky overtaking to make it through and was outed in the semi.

For the finals it was a total reversal of Maribor - all the favourites were there, including Brian Lopes who was hungry after an early exit in the last round. Another close contact race resulted in the first Atherton win of the weekend with Dan Atherton describing the action as "close, hard, but fair."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Luke Webber / www.lukewebber.com

Romain Salidini was fastest qualifier but only made it to the 1/8 finals.
Alvares made the quarters but could not repeat his stunning ride in Maribor
Lopes was fully committed in every race
Dan Atherton celebrates the first win of the weekend...
...and promptly gets filmed by brother Gee for the team website.

Results

1 Dan Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal  
2 Brian Lopes (USA) 
3 Guido Tschugg (Ger) 
4 Rastislav Pirman (Svk) 4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp  
5 Kamil Tatarkovic (Cze) Suzuki-Rb  
6 Cédric Gracia (Fra) Commencal - Furious - Oakley Team  
7 Jurg Meijer (Ned) 
8 Quentin Derbier (Fra) 
9 Mickael Deldycke (Fra) 
10 Ross Milan (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team  
11 Rafael Alvarez De Lara Lucas (Spa) 
12 Scott Beaumont (GBr) Rocky Mountain UK  
13 Sascha Meyenborg (Ger) 
14 Joost Wichman (Ned) Cannondale Factory Racing  
15 Johannes Fischbach (Ger) Team Ghost International  
16 Lukas Mechura (Cze) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense  
17 Michael Robert Haderer (USA) 
18 Matej Vitko (Svk) 
19 Mario José Jarrin Molina (Ecu) 
20 Reto Schmid (Swi) 
21 Sidney Gerber (Swi) 
22 Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles/Intense  
23 Will Longden (GBr) Team Bike Radar
24 Bernard Kerr (GBr) 
25 Romain Saladini (Fra) Team Sunn
26 Joey Van Veghel (Ned) 
27 Nicolas Siedl (Aut) 
28 Dave Wardell (GBr) 
29 Matthieu Faury (Fra) 
30 William Evans (GBr) 
31 Adrian Kiener (Swi) 
32 Premek Tejchman (Cze) 
33 Dominik Gspan (Swi) 
34 Lewis Lacey (GBr) 
35 Lars Sternberg (USA) 
36 Thomas Schäfer (Ger) 
37 Florian Gottschlich (Ger) 
38 Tilen Frank (Slo) Team Scott Lactat
39 Patrick Campbell-Jenner (GBr) 
40 Adrian Weiss (Swi) Tomac Factory Racing
41 Thomas Warmuth (Aut) 4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp  
42 Jeremy Morland (Fra) 
43 Borja Carrasco Morera (Spa) 
44 Nicolas Gspan (Swi) 
45 Vincent Gateau (Fra) 
46 Diego Alvaro (Arg) 
47 Ludovic Gadois (Fra) 
48 Joan Vicente Merida (Spa) 
49 Peter Roschner (Aut) 4 Elements Yeti/Hotec/Rsp  
50 Juan Manuel Garcia Rodriguez (Spa) 
51 Adrian Hanko (Ger) Solid Action Factory Team
52 Federico Ravizzini (Ita) 
53 Mitchell Scarr (Aus) 
DNF Bruno Boissin (Fra) 
DNF Martin Frei (Swi) 
DNS Federico Mattia Gemme (Ita) 
DNS Matthew Walker (NZl) 
DNS Thomas Bubla (Aut) 
DNS Antonio Ferreiro Pajuelo (Spa) Massi