MTB cycling: After the final of the Downhill World Cup in Vallnord last weekend, the UCI Downhill World Championships are now on the agenda in Val di Sole on Sunday. At the most important race of the season, the cards are reshuffled for the last time in the current season. Can World Cup winners Rachel Atherton and Aaron Gwin end the 2016 season as world champions?
In contrast to the World Cup, where consistent performance is the key to success, only one perfect run counts at the World Championships. Rachel Atherton impressed in the 2016 season with an unbelievable winning streak that downright scared the competition. Even before the World Championships it seems almost clear that the Briton will end up on the top step of the podium in Val di Sole as well. But especially in downhill racing nothing is certain and so it remains exciting. Her compatriot Manon Carpenter, second at the UCI Downhill World Championships 2015, is the strongest competitor in the battle for the title and the coveted rainbow jersey. The men's battle for overall victory at the World Cup was much tighter. In the end, USA's Aaron Gwin was just 26 points ahead of Britain's Danny Hart.
Val di Sole – THE perfect run counts
Compared to other downhill slopes, the route in Val di Sol has only a few jumps. The steep gradient with an average of 21 percent is characteristic of Val di Sole. An extreme challenge for the riders, especially when it is wet. The technically very demanding downhill track is about 2,2 kilometers long, with 519 meters of altitude lost. Greg Minaar will still have painful memories of the Wall section in Val di Sole. At last year's World Cup final, the South African hit the ground hard here. After the Wall section comes the Mickey Mouse section with straight lines and roots. Also scary is the steep drop "Teo's Dog Stone" and "The Hell" which is a fast section with steep turns, roots and fat rocks. A route that guarantees excitement!
Redbull TV will broadcast the spectacle live on September 11 from 12.30:XNUMX p.m.
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