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MTB world championships - CM

Rotorua, New Zealand, August 22-27, 2006

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Race 11 - August 26: Elite men downhill

Hill hurtles to Australia's first-ever senior men's DH title

By Rob Jones

Sam Hill put a dream run together
Photo ©: Mikkeli Godfree

Sam Hill gave Australia its first ever Elite men's world title; a somewhat surprising fact given the depth of Australian riders in the men's field. Hill was joined on the podium by former world champion Greg Minnaar (South Africa) and fellow Aussie Nathan Rennie, who had finished first in qualifying.

The men's field was extremely well stacked, with only defending two-time champion Fabien Barel (France) missing due to injury. Australia also had Mick Hannah (whose sister had earlier in the day won the Junior women's title) and Chris Kovarik as contenders, while Great Britain boasted perennial favourite Steve Peat, plus Marc Beaumont and Atherton brothers Gee and Dan.

Dan Atherton, who crashed in qualifying (and therefore started early) set a fast time of 3:25.58 . This time would hold up for 20 riders before Filip Polc (Slovakia) finally knocked a second off of it. Ten riders later Andrew Neethling (South Africa) took the leading time down a further three seconds, and he hung onto the lead until Kovarik took off another three and a half seconds.

Kovarik's reign lasted until Hill came rocketing home - a staggering seven full seconds faster. Hill's time would easily stand up through the final five riders, with Minnaar's silver medal performance still over three seconds behind the Australian's incredible run.

Greg Minnaar (South Africa)
Photo ©: Mikkeli Godfree

"I was pretty nervous waiting for those last guys to come down" Hill admitted. "Nathan (Rennie) was pretty close to my time in qualifying. I had struggled earlier in the week when the course was wet, but luckily the rain held off today and it was dry for my run.

"I'm actually pretty surprised to be up here; I didn't think I could make up that much time from qualifying. My run was flawless. I tried to be smooth; not lose too much time in the technical bits, and start pedalling right away when I was through them."

Rennie agreed that maybe he had put too much pressure on himself after qualifying first. "The track is slower than qualifying, and maybe I was trying too hard, but I still had the best run that I could have. It could have been any of us (Australians) ... we've got guys ready to hang it out - it's in our blood."

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Mikkeli Godfree/Cyclingnews.com

Nathan Rennie (Australia) keeping it under control.
Jared Rando (Australia) does the same.
Greg Minaar (South Africa) tries a few lines.
Peat loses his line and heads off piste.
John Kirkcaldie (NZ) with his eye on the prize in his swansong event.
Mick Hannah leads fellow Aussie Amiel Cavalier
Cedric Gracia (France) acknowledges the crowd after flipping onto his butt after a manual went wrong.
Rennie winding it up and getting faster.
Minaar turning it up and finding the edges of the course.
Sam Hill (Australia) cruising along.

Images by Kristine Seeto

The fastest rider Nathan Rennie (Australia).
Cedric Gracia.
Chris Kovarik.
Dan Atherton.
Bryn Atkinson.
Amiel Cavalier.
Adam Vagner.
Steve Peat (Great Britain) second fastest.
Sam Hill.
Gee Atherton.
Mick Hannah.

Images by Mikkeli Godfree/Cyclingnews.com

Steve Peat (Britain) looking more comfortable on the bike than in a skinsuit but fast as you want slotting into second spot 0.35 seconds behind Rennie.
Sam Hill (Australia) will go off sixth last on Saturday.
Mick Hannah (Australia) finishing off a stellar season qualifying 5th.
Fastest on the day Nathan Rennie (Australia) despite freewheeling down the finish straight - making it a Santa Cruz 1-2.
Cedric Gracia (France) always stylish, just outside the top ten.
Ex World Champ Greg Minaar (South Africa) slotted into third.
Filip Polc (Slovakia) came down with a bit of bunting.
South African Andrew Neethling looked quick but was just outside the top 30.
Justin Leov representing the host country slotting into 14th.
Bryn Atkinson (Australia) low and yellow.
Nathan Rankin very low in the last corner was 17th.
2005 World Champion Amiel Cavalier making a smooth transition to the elite category seeding 16th.
Michael Marosi (Czechoslovakia).
In his swansong race, John Kirkcaldie has the fire in his eyes on home soil.
Naoki Idegawa (Japan).
Justin Havukainen put his US passport to good use qualifying with the US team rather than the Aussie team.
Cole Bangert (USA) looking focused on his way to 21st.
German Daniel Auerswald sweeping into the finish straight.
Dan Atherton (Great Britain) getting his lines down in practice.
Cole Bangert (USA) looking fast.
Nathan Rankin (New Zealand) had a better morning than afternoon.
Jared Rando (Australia).
Oscar Saiz Castane from Spain.
Amiel Cavalier (Australia) in his first year senior year.
Bryn Atkinson (Australia) tweaking his run.
Matti Lehikoinen (Sweden) low and pro.
Steve Peat (Great Britain) looking to win.
Nathan Rennie (Australia) - Peat’s teammate following him down.
Cedric Gracia (France) throwing style in a practice run.
Dan Atherton (Great Britain) ended up 9th after sitting in the hot seat for a long time.
Tom Holland (New Zealand).
Jonty Neethling (South Africa) with locks flowing.
Duncan Riffle (USA) looking fast ended up 23rd.
Des Curry (New Zealand) impressing the home crowd.
Andrew Neethling representing Republic of South Africa.
Cole Bangert (USA) doing his thing.
Chris Kovarik (Australia) tore into the hot seat and was there for a very long time until he ended up fifth.
First year senior Amiel Cavalier (Australia) tearing down the course to take 17th.
Cavalier’s Giant teammate Jared Rando ended up 25th.
Justin Leov (New Zealand) didn’t have it on the day.
Cedric Gracia (France) looking fast but not fast enough - ending up 7th.
Gee Atherton (Great Britain) slipping into the top ten.
Mickel Pascal rounded out the top ten for France.
Mick Hannah wanted to equal his sister’s gold medal in the junior women’s race but he could only grab 6th spot.
Greg Minnaar (South Africa) couldn’t grab a second World Championship in Rotorua but did climb onto the podium a full four seconds behind Sam Hill.
Steve Peat (Great Britain) was fast as the current World Cup leader but still couldn’t take home the illusive World Championship win.
Sam Hill put a dream run together and finally got what was rightfully his - the World title.
Super-commentator Peter Graves with a shady masked character behind him.
Minnaar thinks about what could have been.

Images by Rob Jones/www.canadiancyclist.com

Results, 2.2km

Finals
 
1 Samuel Hill (Australia)                 3.11.03 (41.46 Km/h)
2 Greg Minnaar (South Africa)             3.15.25
3 Nathan Rennie (Australia)               3.17.16
4 Steve Peat (Great Britain)              3.17.92
5 Chris Kovarik (Australia)               3.18.04
6 Michael Hannah (Australia)              3.19.21
7 Cédric Gracia (France)                  3.19.73
8 Matti Lehikoinen (Finland)              3.20.79
9 Gee Atherton (Great Britain)            3.20.91
10 Mickael Pascal (France)                3.21.13
11 Andrew Neethling (South Africa)        3.21.44
12 Marc Beaumont (Great Britain)          3.22.78
13 Bryn Atkinson (Australia)              3.23.12
14 Filip Polc (Slovakia)                  3.24.49
15 David Vazquez Lopez (Spain)            3.25.24
16 Dan Atherton (Great Britain)           3.25.58
17 Amiel Cavalier (Australia)             3.25.83
18 Markolf Berchtold (Brazil)             3.26.88
19 Duncan Riffle (USA)                    3.27.57
20 Luke Strobel (USA)                     3.27.69
21 John Kirkcaldie (New Zealand)          3.27.74
22 Oscar Saiz Castañe (Spain)             3.27.92
23 Des Curry (New Zealand)                3.28.69
24 Cody Warren (USA)                      3.28.77
25 Jared Rando (Australia)                3.30.76
26 Michal Marosi (Czech Republic)         3.31.25
27 Andrew Mitchell (Canada)               3.31.77
28 Samuel Zbinden (Switzerland)           3.32.52
29 Adam Vagner (Czech Republic)           3.32.55
29 Christopher Herndon (USA)              3.32.55
31 Claudio Caluori (Switzerland)          3.33.35
32 Luke Kitzanuk (Canada)                 3.33.38
33 Evan Turpen (USA)                      3.33.40
34 Cole Bangert (USA)                     3.33.65
35 Kieran Bennett (New Zealand)           3.33.75
36 Carlo Gambirasio (Italy)               3.35.27
37 Justin Havukainen (USA)                3.37.30
38 R. Leiva Figueroa  (Chile)             3.37.40
39 Naoki Idegawa (Japan)                  3.38.36
40 Nathan Rankin (New Zealand)            3.38.71
41 Gerard Wolfe (Ireland)                 3.40.31
42 Tyler Morland (Canada)                 3.42.26
43 Jonty Neethling (South Africa)         3.42.45
44 Glenn Haden (New Zealand)              3.42.96
45 Santiago De Santiago (Argentina)       3.43.28
46 Julien Camellini (France)              3.45.44
47 Gary Barnard (South Africa)            3.51.29
48 Daniel Auerswald (Germany)             3.53.01
49 Justin Leov (New Zealand)              3.55.90
50 Johan Potgieter (South Africa)         3.57.32
51 Tom Holland (New Zealand)              4.17.11
52 Alfred Salgado Medina (Puerto Rico)    4.22.98
53 Nathaniel Giacomozzi (Brazil)          4.27.26
54 Sven Martin (South Africa)             4.46.21
55 Tiago Knorst (Brazil)                  4.54.27
56 Pablo Daniel Cingolani (Argentina)     5.25.55
DNF Alan Beggin (Italy)
DNF Stephen McClintock (Ireland)
DNF Livio Zampieri (Italy)
DNS Claudio Cozzi (Italy)  
 
Seeding run - 2200m Av. 41.25 Kmh
 
1 Nathan Rennie (Australia)               3.12.0
2 Steve Peat (Great Britain)              3.12.4
3 Greg Minnaar (South Africa)             3.13.1
4 Marc Beaumont (Great Britain)           3.15.4
5 Michael Hannah (Australia)              3.15.4
6 Samuel Hill (Australia)                 3.15.9
7 Mickael Pascal (France)                 3.16.1
8 Matti Lehikoinen (Finland)              3.16.3
9 John Kirkcaldie (New Zealand)           3.16.9
10 Gee Atherton (Great Britain)           3.17.9
11 Cédric Gracia (France)                 3.18.3
12 Julien Camellini (France)              3.18.6
13 Glenn Haden (New Zealand)              3.20.3
14 Justin Leov (New Zealand)              3.21.0
15 Jared Rando (Australia)                3.21.8
16 Amiel Cavalier (Australia)             3.22.0
17 Nathan Rankin (New Zealand)            3.23.1
18 Oscar Saiz Castañe (Spain)             3.23.4
19 David Vazquez Lopez (Spain)            3.23.4
20 Chris Kovarik (Australia)              3.24.1
21 Cole Bangert (USA)                     3.24.9
22 Carlo Gambirasio (Italy)               3.26.3
23 Luke Strobel (USA)                     3.26.9
24 Claudio Caluori (Switzerland)          3.26.9
25 Samuel Zbinden (Switzerland)           3.27.0
26 Cody Warren (USA)                      3.27.4
27 Christopher Herndon (USA)              3.28.7
28 Adam Vagner (Czech Republic)           3.29.2
29 Leiva Figueroa R (Chile)               3.29.4
30 Andrew Mitchell (Canada)               3.29.6
31 Andrew Neethling (South Africa)        3.30.0
32 Michal Marosi (Czech Republic)         3.30.1
33 Des Curry (New Zealand)                3.30.9
34 Evan Turpen (USA)                      3.30.9
35 Bryn Atkinson (Australia)              3.31.0
36 Luke Kitzanuk (Canada)                 3.32.1
37 Tyler Morland (Canada)                 3.32.4
38 Naoki Idegawa (Japan)                  3.32.5
39 Filip Polc (Slovakia)                  3.32.7
40 Markolf Berchtold (Brazil)             3.33.4
41 Santiago De Santiago (Argentina)       3.34.1
42 Livio Zampieri (Italy)                 3.35.0
43 Justin Havukainen (USA)                3.35.5
44 Duncan Riffle (USA)                    3.36.2
45 Jonty Neethling (South Africa)         3.37.0