Romain Saladini was victorious in Maribor’s first World Cup stage one year ago. At the start of the season, Saladini had big goals: a World Cup win. However, not everything went according to his plans. The Sunn rider, however, wanted his first win in the Schladming Rain. This World Cup race was almost over after World Champion Rafael Alvarez, main contender Guido Tschugg, were eliminated in quarterfinals. Romain Saladini was unfazed when he met Dan Atherton in Vallnord. He finished second.
Anneke Beerten, a woman in the women’s race, was certain of winning a second World Cup title. She came in second at Schladming and was beaten by Czech Romana Labounkova.
Sabrina Jonnier hoped to ruin the series’ overall results in the downhill. The former World Champion was not in the race. This is especially in contrast to Rachel Atherton who totally humbled her competitors. The World Champion won both rounds with no problems. She beat Floriane Pugin in the final by 13 seconds. She won the overall World Cup title with four stage wins (Vallnord. Mont-Sainte-Anne. Bromont. She could be the youngest member of the Atherton clan for a few more years.
Many surprises were witnessed in the Men’s downhill final! We were hoping for an exciting battle between Greg Minnaar and What In The Sam Hill. It didn’t happen. Samuel Blenkinsop, a massive talent from the Schladming Race, emerged. The Juniors World Vice-champion 2006 completely dominated this stage. The New Zealander won the morning round and was able to withstand the pressure to sign the final best time. Hill, who made several errors in the final, took second place. Minnaar was fourth in Schladming and took his third overall World Cup win (after 2005 and 2001).
SCHLADMING WORLDCUP DH RESULTS
1. Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl),YetiFox Shox4.10.16
2. Samuel Hill (Aust)Monster-Iron Horse4.11.80
3. Gee Atherton (GBr),Animal Commencal4.12.36
4. Steve Peat (GBr)Santa Cruz Syn4.13.20
5. Greg Minnaar (RSA)Santa Cruz Syn4.17.56
6. Justin Leov (NZl),YetiFox Shox4.18.33
7. Fabien Barel (Fra)Subaru4.18.49
8. Aaron Gwin (USA)Yeti-Fox Shox4.21.44
9. Mitchell Delfs (Aus)Kenda-Tomac4.21.60
10.Andrew Neethling (RSA)GT4.21.87
47. Luke Strobel (USA).Maxxis4.31.44
69. Duncan Riffle (USA),Cannondale The Cut4.35.82
WOMEN
1. Rachel Atherton (GBr.Animal Commencal4.47.21
2. Floriane Pugin (Fra),Playbiker-Iron Horse 5.00.88
3. Sabrina Jonnier (Fra)Maxxis5.01.33
4. Tracy Moseley (GBr.Kona5.04.05)
5. Emmeline Ragot (Fra),Suspension Center5.04.94
6. Fionn Griffiths (GBr)Norco5.10.07
7. Helen Gaskell (GBr)5.12.41
8. Petra Bernhard (Aut)5.14.54
9. Claire Buchar (Can)Intense-Sombrio5.19.51
10. Anita Molcik (Aut)4 Elements Yeti-Hotec-RSP5.25.39
FINAL 2008 WORLD CUP DOWNHILL STANDINGS
1. Greg Minnaar (RSA)Santa Cruz Syn1354 points
2. Samuel Hill (Aust)Monster-Iron Horse1293
3. Gee Atherton (GBr).Animal Commencal..1207.
4. Steve Peat (GBr)Santa Cruz Syn1099
5. Samuel Blenkinsop (NZl).YetiFox Shox794
6. Fabien Barel (Fra)Subaru717
7. Nathan Rennie (Aus)Santa Cruz Syn620
8. Justin Leov (NZl).YetiFox Shox614
9. Chris Kovarik (Aust)Chain Reaction Intense608
10.Julien Camellini (Fra)Chain Reaction-Intense505
WALL OF FAME
EVERY AMERICAN CAN GET A 2008 WORLD Cup DH POINT
26.
Aaron GwinYeti-Fox Shox199 points-37. Luke StrobelMaxxis166-52. Kyle StraitSpecialized93-56. Duncan RiffleCannondale85-69. John SwanguenMS-Intense56-70. Cody WarrenSpecialized-Redline54-82. Ryan CondrashoffX-Fusion/Santa Cruz/Nema/Dean39-111. Cole BangertSpecialized-Decline22-114. Bradley BenedictX-Fusion22-141. Jason MemmelaarScott-Diablo16-144. Geoffrey UlmerPlaybiker-Iron Horse15-157. Geritt BeytaghMorewood14-166. Brad Oienodi-Southridge-Turner12-175. Caleb CambernFront Range12-182. Lars SternbergFluidride-Foxshox11-190. Eli KrahenbuhlTrek-Hayes-Ringle-Gamut-FoxShox11-201. Joey SchuslerYetiFox Shox9-204. David CampSol Vista Bike Park9-212. Dave TrumporeTranscend-Iron Horse9-216. John HauerGT9-247. Derrick NobmanNinety degrees8-251. Evan TurpenKona6-256. Curtis KeeneSpecialized-Decline6-257. Matthew JohnstonKHS6-260. Matthew FisherThefixbikes6-266. Philip WheelerThe Fix6-268. Chris ShewmakeSolvista Bike Park6-269 Douglas EwerBig Crank Race6-270. Andrew PierceSpecialized/Go-ride6-282. Brian BuellGeronimo Racing6-286. Michael BuellGeronimo Racing6-287. Steve WentzSol Vista Bike Park6-334. Lee TrumporeTranscend3-341. Matthew ThompsonBig Crank Racing3-356. Alexander VidalThe Fix-Transition-Fox-Diety3-357. Adam MorseCobra Cons3-387. Chris HeathTomac-Hayes-Smith-Manitou3-391. Tyler McCaulSpecialized-FoxShox-Spyder3-407. Chris BoiceYeti -Fox Shox3-428. Heikki HallE13-Hayes-Michelin-Smith-SDG3 points
FINAL 2008 WORLD Cup WOMEN DOWNHILL STANDINGS
1. Rachel Atherton (GBr.Animal Commencal1533 Points
2. Sabrina Jonnier (Fra)Maxxis1335
3. Tracy Moseley (GBr.Kona1272
4. Emmeline Ragot (Fra),Suspension Center898
5. Floriane Pugin (Fra),Playbiker-Iron Horse852
6. Fionn Griffiths (GBr)Norco798
7. Mio Suemasa (Jpn)MS-Intense687
8. Claire Buchar (Can)Intense-Sombrio539
9. Anita Molcik (4 Elements Yeti Hotec-RSP504)
10. Myriam Nicole (Fra)406
20. Melissa Buhl (USA)KHS199 points
21. Kathleen Pruitt (USA).Jamis191
67. Darian Harvey (USA)Sobe-Cannondale3
68.Wendy Reynolds (USA)Sobe-Cannondale3
TOP 10 WORLD CUP DH TEAMS
1. Santa Cruz Syndicate618 points
2. Animal Commencal582
3. Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team351
4. Monster Energy-Iron Horse325
5. Team Maxxis303
6. Chain Reaction Cycles – Intense257
7. Playbiker-Iron Horse247
8. Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team246
9. Suspension Center246
10. Kona228
WOMEN
1. Santa Cruz Syndicate618 points
2. Animal Commencal582
3. Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team351
4. Monster Energy-Iron Horse325
5. Team Maxxis303
6. Chain Reaction Cycles – Intense257
7. Playbiker-Iron Horse247
8. Subaru Mountain Bike Pro Team246
9. Suspension Center246
10. Kona228
SCHLADMING WORLD CUP 4X RESULTS
1. Romain Saladini, (Fra).
2. Dan Atherton (GBr.Animal Commencal
3. Joost Wichman (Ned)Cannondale
4. Jakub Hnidak (Cze)Krabcycles
5. Roger Rinderknecht (Swi)
6. Kamil Tatarkovic (Cze) Suzuki-RB
7. Aurelien Giordanengo (Fra)
8. Jurg Meijer (Ned)
9. Cedric Gracia (Fra)Commencal-Furious-Oakley
10. Rafael Alvarez (Spa)Specialized
33. John Swanguen (USA)MS-Intense
WOMEN
1. Romana Labounkova (Cze)
2. Anneke Beerten (Ned) MS-Intense
3. Jana Horakova (Cze) Suzuki-RB
4. Angelika Hohenwarter (Aut)
5. Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco
6. Lucia Oetjen (Swi)
7. Emmeline Ragot (Fra), Suspension Center
8. Helene Fruhwirth (Aut)
9. Mio Suemasa (Jpn) MS-Intense
10. Diana Marggraff (Ecu)
20. Neven Steinmetz (USA).
FINAL 2008 WORLD Cup 4X STANDINGS
1. Rafael Alvarez (Spa)895 points
2. Guido Tschugg (Ger)830
3. Dan Atherton (GBr),Animal Commencal755
4. Cedric Gracia (Fra) Commencal-Furious-Oakley610
5. Romain Saladini, (Fra). 6. Jared Graves (Aus), Yeti-Fox Shox500
7. Joost Wichman (Ned)Cannondale465
8. Johannes Fischbach (Ger)Ghost445
9. Kamil Tatarkovic (Cze)Suzuki-RB395
10. Filip Polc (Svk)Kenda-Tomac210
12. Brain Lobes (USA)Oakley-Ibis200
23. John Swanguen (USA)MS-Intense80
26. Ross Milan (USA) Yeti-Fox Shox70
33. Thomas Tokarczyk (USA)Jamis-Shark Energy30
45. Erik Nelson (USA)Troy Lee-Michelin10
WOMEN
1. Anneke Beerten (Ned) MS-Intense1230 points
2. Anita Molcik, (Aut),4 Elements Yeti Hotec-RSP540
3. Mio Suemasa (Jpn)MS-Intense480
4. Fionn Griffiths (GBr)Norco460
5. Melissa Buhl (USA)KHS420
6. Caroline Buchanan (Aus)370
7. Jana Horakova (Cze)Suzuki-RB350
8. Romana Labounkova (Cze)310
9. Angelika Hohenwarter (Aut)160
10. Rachel Seydoux (Swi)150
18.Neven Steinmetz (USA).Totally Wired20
TOP TEN 4-CROSS TEAM TEAMS
1. MS-Intense Factory Racing350 points
2. Suzuki-RB168
3. Animal Commencal151
4. 4 Elements YetiHotec-RSP146
5. Commencal-Furious-Oakley Team141
6. Norco World Team122
7. Team Sunn113
8. Team Ghost International109
9. Yeti Fox Shox Factory Racing Team104
10. Cannondale Factory Racing94
WOMEN
1. MS-Intense Factory Racing350 points
2. Suzuki-RB168
3. Animal Commencal151
4. 4 Elements YetiHotec-RSP146
5. Commencal-Furious-Oakley Team141
6. Norco World Team122
7. Team Sunn113
8. Team Ghost International109
9. Yeti Fox Shox Factory Racing Team104
10. Cannondale Factory Racing94
