Photo Epic: Downhill - Crankworx Innsbruck 2018
The sophomore year for Crankworx at it's Innsbruck home is in the books and it went off without a hitch, producing some eye-popping competition and great times under the summer sun. The DH final was certainly some sweet, loamy icing on the cake. The largely natural course, winding down through alpine forest and meadows somehow cheated the weather gods throughout the two preceding practice days, but still, conditions didn't make it a cake-walk.
Gnarly roots quickly erupted out of the composty dirt and developed a real sheen that kept riders on their toes in between the blown out turns all the way down to a brief Fort William-esque boardwalk and gravel section entering the finish area. By the close of play it was to be last year's champs, Tracey Hannah and Danny Hart, rising to the top with honourable mentions going predictably to Vali Holl and slightly less predictably to Charlie Harrison and Kirk McDowell who were all but inseparable for the last step of the podium. It was a little bit of history repeating with some mad and unpredictable twists thrown into the mix that has left us thirsty for more.
A strong body is important, but you'll never win when your head is not in the right place.
Eliot Jackson's whip getting race prepped at the Giant pits.
Race day is a head game as much as a physical wrestle on a mountainside. Johannes Von Klebelsberg reflects.
Danny's always looking for those gains on and off the track.
Sam Blenkinsop keeps on banging out the sickest of runs... still not quite the quickest, but it feels like he's going to get there any race now.
Emilie Siegenthaler was on pace this weekend, taking the final spot on the podium in the women's race.
Casey Brown, the so called "free-racer" took her chances in the race today and looked good doing it.
Sik Mik was starting to look fiery fast once again coming back from injury, but still 7 seconds off top pace.
Mike Jones looking forwards (not literally) to a hot lap to end his Austrian vacay.
The new Mike Jones looks loose and aggressive like the old Mike Jones. 7th today.
Tracey Hannah, the victor here in the Austrian loam by some 5.5 seconds.
The Bulldog looked mighty angry up in the forest, but couldn't quite seem to piece it all together for a top spot after smashing his heel in practice.
Marcelo Gutierrez is a power house and muscled his way into 8th.
10 seconds back for Austrian golden boy Fabio Wibmer, will he reclaim the national champs jersey this year?
Isak Leivisson can be really happy with his riding and the end result after an amazing qualifier in Leogang. The Norwegian privateer placed in 6th,
Innsbruck local Paula Zibasa throwing some shapes in the dust on her way to 2nd fastest junior woman.
Jill Kinter wasn't satisfied with a mere pumptrack win on her trip to Austria so she smashed the second fastest run of the day for another medal.
FMD's Jamie Edmondson took the win in the junior men ahead of Charlie Makea and Kade Edwards.
Vali Holl had one heck of a weekend and rode to within just 2 seconds of besting the fastest elite women's time.
Bernard Kerr is almost back up to top speed, today riding to 5th spot.
Poland's Slawomir Lukasik put a solid score on the board today, riding to 9th place.
Laurie Greenland going full huck into the finish area and top ten time.
Canadian champ, Kirk McDowell missed the podium by just 0.01 of a second. It's incredible to think how close the times are in downhill racing these days.
Still, McDowell crushed it here in Innsbruck and let's hope the result gives him the confidence to keep the pace up at the World Cups.
Charlie Harrison on the run of his career to date... 3rd place and his first ever Crankworx podium.
Harrison, arguably man of the match here this afternoon with the turn-up result in the absence of IFR teammates Lucas and Moir.
Just the four mid-air pedal strokes for Blenki jumping into the finish area.
Clearly Danny Hart feels more than at home on this track. Fast and loaded with roots is exactly his kind of track and he took the win for the second consecutive year.
Hart smashing down the dusty landing strip of the finish area with the KOM.
Good game, good game.
Blenki just confirming there hasn't been some kind of mistake here.
Your Crankworx heroes and heroines of Innsbruck 2018.
Current King and Queen bid you farewell... See you all in France in a couple of days.
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Was this due to a rule on protective equipment?