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Lisboa Downtown - 1
Lisbon, Portugal, May 17, 2008
Peaty continues reign as downhill king of Lisboa
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The ninth annual Lisbon Downtown race sent riders on the infamous cobblestone stairways winding down the old city from the Castelo de Sao Jorge. As cats scrambled off the race track, citizens watched from their laundry-filled balconies to see Steve Peat take his seventh consecutive win. Santa Cruz Syndicate team-mate Greg Minnaar was in second, just 0.46 seconds behind him with Filip Polc (Kenda Tomac) in third at 2.33 seconds.
The Lisboa Downtown came just a week after racing the UCI World Cup in Maribor, Slovenia. The urban downtown downhill event took place on Saturday with four scheduled practice runs, a semi-final and the final.
Minnar won the semi finals with Peat and Polc in second and third. Local talent Roger Gonzalez finished fourth followed by Emanuel Pombo in fifth. Peat was riding with an injured finger, which he had dislocated on his final practice run.
"My [semi-final] run was solid, but kind of hard because photographers step into the course and it is hard to set up for your lines," said Minnaar. "I managed to hit everything I wanted, and some sections I just rolled through really well."
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In the finals, Peat continued his reign as downhill king of Lisbon, finishing ahead of Minnaar and Polc.
"The race was good today. I think Steve was lucky. I had to fake a mistake to let the old boy win!" joked Minnaar after his second-placed run. "Things went pretty good. I felt a bit of pressure from the old man. I made a little mistake on top and a costly mistake at the bottom, but that's racing and that's how it goes. I'm happy for Steve today, winning seven times in a row!"
"I'm stoked!" said Peat after his win. "It's luck! I don't know why I get good luck, but I did. After practice and qualifier I really didn't think I could win today. I knew everyone was fast, especially Greg. My qualifier was shocking. I really had to focus, but I've been in this situation before and I can deal with it."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Santa Cruz Syndicate
- Lisboa was the site of this weekend's downhill racing action for many.
- Steve Peat and Greg Minnaar scout the course.
- Steve Peat catches some air.
- Nathan Rennie on the downhill.
- Some spectators did their laundry while watching the race.
- Greg Minnaar picks his line down some stairs.
- A rider adds a little flair to his run.
- Steve Peat races some steps on his way to the win.
- Greg Minnaar on his way to second.
- Plenty of spectators watched the urban event.
- In the hot seat...
- Lisboa downhill King Steve Peat
- Steve Peat and Greg Minnaar exchange tales of their runs.
- Podium: 2nd - Greg Minnaar, 1st - Steve Peat, 3rd - Filip Polc
Results - Brief
Finals 1 Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate 1.40.43 2 Greg Minnaar (RSa) Santa Cruz Syndicate 0.00.46 3 Filip Polc (Svk) Kenda Tomac 0.02.33 4 Sam Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Iron Horse 0.02.95 5 Cedric Gracia (Fra) Commencal - Furious - Oakley Team 0.03.43 Semi Final Results 1 Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) 1.41.89 2 Steve Peat (Santa Cruz Syndicate) 0.01.85 3 Filip Polc (Svk) Kenda Tomac 0.02.05 4 Roger Gonzalez 0.02.12 5 Emanuel Pombo 0.02.21
