Aaron Gwin became the first American male since Shaun Palmer to win a Mountain Bike World Cup downhill race on home soil when he capped a strong weekend of racing in Windham, New York, with his win in the Men's Downhill. Gwin finished over two seconds ahead of Steve Peat, with Andrew Neethling taking third. Gwin's fourth win of the season gives him an almost insurmountable lead in the overall standings.

Josh Bryceland set the first sub-2:30 time, despite having to do a re-run when Romain Paulhan crashed hard ahead of him, requiring a race delay while he was removed from the mountain. Fabien Barel immediately bumped Bryceland out of the Hot Seat, but the time gaps were marginal, as riders chipped away at the lead. Greg Minnaar continued to struggle with this course, and eventually finished 12th. Neethling, at ten riders to go, recorded the next big drop in the leading time, only to be immediately topped by Peat, who recorded 2:26.376 .


This is where it stood, as the final rider, Gwin, was about to start. Expectations among the spectators were high, after Gwin qualified first, and the partisan nature of the crowd was clear, with American flags everywhere. The Trek rider was fastest through every part of the course, finishing 2.339 seconds ahead of Peat.

Aaron was mobbed by adoring fans and patiently signed autographs and posed for photos. "It was awesome today, all week actually. It was so great to race in front of the home town crowd. They were all so cool to me. It's been a fun weekend. I'm very happy. I was trying to ride smooth and not over-ride the course. On this course you can get up to speed pretty fast and that leads to mistakes."

Peat was also having a great time with the whole scene. This was an astounding 52nd World Cup podium appearance for the legendary Brit. "I was very confident and I felt good in practice. I had some problems in qualifying but it came together well today. I've had a bit of problem being consistent recently and I'm stoked to be able to have it come all together to claim second place.  "I've been struggling to put runs together. I've stalled and made little mistakes and not put it together properly. I came in here with confidence because I knew how well I rode it last year. I felt good in practice. The lines were similar to last year so I felt good."

Behind Neethling, in fourth place, was Steve Smith at 3.476. "I'm really pumped to be on the podium. I had a massive, massive mistake at the top of the course that cost me some time. I thought it put me out of the race, but I was able to make some time on the bottom of the course. I'm happy to have the fourth."

With his fourth win of the five races so far in the World Cup, Gwin has a total of 1110 points. Greg Minnaar sits in second with 776 points. Gee Atherton sits in third with 657 points after finishing 11th today. Troy Brosnan continues to lead the Junior standings after finishing eighth in Windham.

Women
Rachel Atherton became the third winner in five races of the women's Downhill World Cup with a strong performance at the fifth round of the Women's World Cup Downhill in Windham, New York. Atherton's winning time was 2:50:029. She recorded the fastest splits everywhere on the course and was delighted with victory. Atherton also won on the Windham track last year in the World Cup final.


"I love this track," stated Atherton. "It's short, which suits me. It was really dry, so I knew I had to go fast throughout. I'm really stoked to be number one here today."

Floriane Pugin claimed second, 1.348 seconds behind Atherton. Pugin was the fastest qualifier and was expected to dominate the day.  However, although her split on the top of the course was the second fastest, it was almost four seconds slower than Atherton. World champion Tracy Moseley, the World Cup leader, was third, 2.671 seconds back.

Top North American was Canadian national champion Micaylo Gatto in ninth, just ahead of U.S. champion Jill Kintner in tenth place. Gatto was one of the early leaders before a succession of riders began chipping away at the top time.

"It was a pretty good run," commented Gatto. "Super dry. I love the course. I don't know if I'll be good enough for the top five, but the top ten would be nice. I'm kind of kicking myself for coasting where I should have been pedalling. All in all a good day. No crashes so I'm happy."

Sabrina Jonnier (Maxxis-Rocky Mountain) was the first under three minutes, but then Myriam Nicole (Riding Addiction-Commencal) recorded the first sub-2:55 time.  Moseley, third-from-last to start, knocked 1.4 seconds off of Nicole's time, but then Atherton smashed that time by 2.671 seconds. Pugin, starting last, slipped in between Atherton and Moseley.

In the World Cup points standings Atherton gained enough points to solidify her third-place position at 820 points, and could still surpass Pugin with two races to go.  Continuing as the points leader is Moseley with 1080 points, followed by Pugin with 980.  The women's World Cup title is far from decided.

"I made a costly mistake right where you hit the road gap," explained Moseley.  "I unclipped and couldn't get my foot in for a whole pedalling section. I lost a ton of acceleration time. I knew it was going to be a tight race. The three of us are having a damn good battle."


Men     Time     Diff
1 Aaron Gwin (USA) Trek World Racing     2:24.037      
2 Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate     2:26.376     2.339
3 Andrew Neethling (RSA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team     2:27.244     3.207
4 Steve Smith (Can) Devinci Global Racing     2:27.513     3.476
5 Brook Macdonald (NZl) MS Evil Racing     2:27.582     3.545
6 Justin Leov (NZl) Trek World Racing     2:27.720     3.683
7 Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl) Lapierre International     2:28.634     4.597
8 Troy Brosnan * (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz     2:28.848     4.811
9 Danny Hart (GBr) Giant Factory Off-Road Team     2:28.951     4.914
10 Fabien Barel (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team     2:29.288     5.251
11 Gee Atherton (GBr) Commencal     2:29.800     5.763
12 Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate     2:29.847     5.810
13 Josh Bryceland (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate     2:29.911     5.874
14 Loic Bruni * (Fra) Lapierre International     2:30.030     5.993
15 Luke Strobel (USA) MS Evil Racing     2:30.183     6.146
16 Marc Beaumont (GBr) GT Bikes     2:30.425     6.388
17 Ruaridh Cunningham (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain     2:30.524     6.487
18 Lewis Buchanan * (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof     2:31.116     7.079
19 Cédric Gracia (Fra) CG Racing Brigade     2:31.189     7.152
20 Florent Payet (Fra) SC - Intense     2:31.384     7.347
21 Brendan Fairclough (GBr) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad     2:31.397     7.360
22 Julien Camellini (Fra) Team Sunn Montgenevre     2:31.409     7.372
23 Austin Warren * (USA)     2:31.413     7.376
24 Rémi Thirion (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team     2:31.814     7.777
25 Matti Lehikoinen (Fin) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof     2:32.040     8.003
26 Joshua Button (Aus) SC - Intense     2:32.073     8.036
27 Neko Mulally * (USA) Trek World Racing     2:32.087     8.050
28 Cameron Cole (NZl) Lapierre International     2:32.165     8.128
29 Joseph Smith (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof     2:32.191     8.154
30 Matthew Scoles (NZl) Team Cingolani Trek     2:32.429     8.392
31 Markus Pekoll (Aut) MS Evil Racing     2:32.432     8.395
32 Matej Charvat (Cze)     2:32.444     8.407
33 Nick Beer (Sui) Scott 11     2:32.539     8.502
34 Mickael Pascal (Fra) Morewood Unitedride     2:32.733     8.696
35 Thibaut Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal     2:32.749     8.712
36 Filip Polc (Svk) MS Evil Racing     2:32.966     8.929
37 Shaun O'connor (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team     2:33.147     9.110
38 Pierre Charles Georges (Fra) Team Lac Blanc / Solid / Massif Des Vos     2:33.164     9.127
39 Sam Dale (GBr) Team Sunn Montgenevre     2:33.232     9.195
40 Kyle Sangers * (Can) Devinci     2:33.643     9.606
41 Mitch Ropelato (USA)     2:33.860     9.823
42 Damien Spagnolo (Fra) Mondraker Factory Team     2:33.980     9.943
43 Lorenzo Suding (Ita)     2:34.086     10.049
44 Marcelo Gutierrez Villegas (Col) CG Racing Brigade     2:34.133     10.096
45 Ben Cathro (GBr)     2:34.148     10.111
46 Ben Reid (Irl) Dirt Norco Race Team     2:34.196     10.159
47 Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra) Scott 11     2:34.426     10.389
48 Michael Hannah (Aus) GT Bikes     2:34.547     10.510
49 Matthew Simmonds (GBr) Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof     2:35.049     11.012
50 Harry Heath (GBr) Unior Tools Team     2:35.074     11.037
51 Ralph Jones (GBr)     2:35.198     11.161
52 Cody Warren (USA)     2:35.383     11.346
53 Oscar Harnstrom (Swe)     2:35.746     11.709
54 Gavin Vaughan (USA)     2:35.879     11.842
55 Connor Fearon * (Aus) Kona     2:36.110     12.073
56 Mark Scott * (GBr) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain     2:36.489     12.452
57 Greg Williamson (GBr)     2:36.765     12.728
58 Dean Tennant (Can) Dunbar/Devinci/Elka     2:36.794     12.757
59 Lars Peyer (Sui) SC - Intense     2:37.254     13.217
60 Dan Stanbridge (GBr) Dirt Norco Race Team     2:37.527     13.490
61 Adam Brayton (GBr)     2:37.600     13.563
62 Fergus Lamb (GBr)     2:37.672     13.635
63 Boris Tetzlaff (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria     2:37.973     13.936
64 Robin Wallner (Swe) Team Are Bikepark Powered By W - Racin     2:38.003     13.966
65 George Brannigan (NZl) Devinci Global Racing     2:38.091     14.054
66 Hans Lambert (Can) Pivot Cycles     2:38.345     14.308
67 Curtis Keene (USA)     2:38.854     14.817
68 Oliver Burton (GBr)     2:39.099     15.062
69 Matt Zdriluk (Can) Primary/ SRAM /Trek     2:39.280     15.243
70 Gaetan Ruffin (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal     2:39.575     15.538
71 Dan Atherton (GBr) Commencal     2:40.168     16.131
72 Harry Molloy (GBr) Madison Saracen     2:42.613     18.576
73 Alex Bond (GBr)     2:42.798     18.761
74 Timothy Bentley (RSA) Morewood Unitedride     2:46.303     22.266
75 Rob Fraser (Can) Primary/SRAM/Trek     2:47.760     23.723
76 Duncan Riffle (USA) Giant Factory Off-Road Team     2:50.479     26.442
77 Cyrille Kurtz (Fra) Ck Racing Santacruz     3:24.006     59.969
78 Eliot Jackson (USA) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team     3:52.485     1:28.448
79 Charly Di Pasquale (Fra) Labyrinth Shimano Racing Team     10:25.265     8:01.228
*=Junior


Women     Time     Diff
1 Rachel Atherton (GBr) Commencal     2:50.029      
2 Floriane Pugin (Fra) Scott 11     2:51.377     1.348
3 Tracy Moseley (GBr) Trek World Racing     2:52.700     2.671
4 Myriam Nicole (Fra) Riding Addiction Commencal     2:54.087     4.058
5 Emilie Siegenthaler (Sui) Scott 11     2:58.748     8.719
6 Petra Bernhard (Aut) Alpine Commencal Austria     2:58.882     8.853
7 Sabrina Jonnier (Fra) Team Maxxis - Rocky Mountain     2:58.906     8.877
8 Emmeline Ragot (Fra) Team GR     3:00.373     10.344
9 Micayla Gatto (Can) Team BC/ Young Guns     3:00.406     10.377
10 Jill Kintner (USA) Transition Bikes/Red Bull     3:02.353     12.324
11 Jessica Stone (GBr)     3:03.838     13.809
12 Miranda Miller (Can) Team BC/ Young Guns     3:03.959     13.930
13 Miriam Ruchti (Sui)     3:04.405     14.376
14 Manon Carpenter * (GBr) Madison Saracen     3:04.870     14.841
15 Jacqueline Harmony (USA)     3:05.195     15.166
16 Céline Gros (Fra) Team Morzine - Avoriaz / Haute - Savoie     3:06.406     16.377
17 Joanna Petterson (RSA)     3:07.282     17.253
18 Katy Curd (GBr)     3:08.483     18.454
19 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Team GR     3:15.618     25.589
20 Lauren Daney * (USA)     3:42.752     52.723
21 Melissa Buhl (USA) KHS     3:45.797     55.768

Photos and story by Rob "Back to Europe" Jones