Your Essential Guide to Cairns DH World Cup 2016
This weekend we're returning to Cairns, Australia, for the second round of the 2016 UCI DH World Cup series. In a forest full of nature's most venomous species, conditions are made that much harder given the downhill track is peppered with huge rocks, peanut butter-like mud, and step-downs the size of double-decker buses. Let's not forget the painful pedal to the finish line either.
This time out we'll be seeing the survivors from Lourdes heading to compete in the heat and humidity of Smithfield Regional Park, just around the corner of James Cook University in the state of Queensland. There's free entry to spectators on Friday, and for $22 at the gate, you can watch the DH finals on Saturday. Why Saturday you ask? Well, Cairns is also playing host to the first round of the UCI's Cross Country World Cup, which is the main event on Sunday. Looking ahead, Cairns will be hosting the UCI MTB World Championships next year, so there's even greater pressure for riders and organisers to make this weekend count.
The downhill track starts around 300m above sea level in the dense rain forest, although if you hang around too long, you'll be joined by plenty of curious spiders and snakes. Last year was a complete mudfest with riders sliding down the volcanically-infused mud without any hope of grip. Crowds were aplenty too - with three designated spectator sections - it was a jolly affair, although let's hope the UCI bring in ample double taping this time around to keep spectators away from flying bikes and riders.
With egos bruised, hearts broken and hope rising, we'll be seeing another weekend of joy and pain from the world's greatest downhill racers. Who will fortune favour this year? Last time it was an all-Atherton celebration, with Gee admitting it wasn't even his kind of track. Did that matter? No, but one has to wonder whether if the rain were to come down again, would those riders who are used to gloppy, slidey conditions akin to riding in the UK fair better than those used to riding bone-dry dirt?
THE TRACK
FROM OVERCAST LOURDES TO THIS
Who doesn't wish for a sea-view balcony under a sun-kissed sky to build your bike up after a flight from the geographically opposite side of the world? Life looks pretty tough for riders like Red Bull Hardline 2015 winner and Unior Tools Team rider Ruaridh Cunningham.
WHAT DO THE RIDERS THINK?
What do the riders themselves think about the Cairns track and what do they think is the most memorable bit about it for them? We asked a few and here's what they said:
PREDICTION
![WC R2 Cairns Predictions 2016]()
THE WEATHER GODS SAY
![WC R2 Cairns Weather 2016]()
Looks like we're in for another peanut butter-fest thanks to predicted showers every day in the run-up to and during finals. Bear in mind the weather is pretty changeable in such a tropical climate, so things may swing to full blown sunshine on race day. Even so, I wonder who's remembered to bring flats this time?
QUALY ON FRIDAY BE LIKE
Filmed back in 2014 at the last Cairns World Cup, riders were really showing their exasperation at the track conditions and their qualification results.
I really miss these interviews with Rob. Candid and raw, it was a great insight into what the riders were really feeling. One can only hope that no Colins were offended in the watching of this video.
'TIS BUT A SCRATCH!
Adam Brayton doesn't do things by halves. He knew it wasn't going to end well and as the woman in the video says, you can hear Mr. Brayton remarking on this very fact whilst he's whizzing past her at warp speed.
Luckily for him, it was a mere 9" scratch and nothing else. What happened next is a whole different story.
BAD DECISIONS MADE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS
On seeing a crash with a rider down and being attended to, some people are brave enough to assist in getting the bike off the track and out of the way. Not many people would then think to ride that same bike down one of the most technically challenging tracks in the world...apart from Ben Bunny McGowan, that is. And he didn't even bother putting on a helmet, let alone knee pads.
After a five-hour operation, our intrepid do-gooder was finally on the road to recovery. A broken shoulder and back, topped off with a concussion was the price he paid for what was seemingly - in his eyes - just a helpful thing to do. Last year I asked him whether he would do it again… "Hell no. I can deal with breaking my shoulder, but a broken back...I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy".
The only person to unwittingly benefit from the terrible affair was Steve Peat, who was able to get a second run in after being red flagged on his first. Peaty - the only man to have ridden Cairns in both 1996 and 2014 - crossed the line in seventh place.
THE WILDLIFE
![The golden orb spiders didn t get many hits in the old web today. The rains kept the birds snakes and what ever else these things eat away.]()
![Welcome to Cairns. Home of flip-flops... and paying serious attention to wear you put them.]()
![Yeah just one question which trees are the f ing stinging trees It s ok if you get stung although the pain can last for months apparently up to 6 months you can be treated using hydrochloric acid. Easy.]()
I suppose I could go into detail here about the precise species found in the area, their Latin names and useful things like how long it would take for whatever they are to kill you. But I won't because it's all too frightening.
WHAT 150 MILLISECONDS LOOKS LIKE
Back in 1996, the likes of Andrew Crimmins, Laurie Greenland, and Joe Parfitt hadn't even been born let alone ridden a bike. Meanwhile in Australia some guy called Shaun Palmer shunned the lycra, put on some MX gear and rode like a bat out of hell down the then slightly longer Stinger track.
Alas, it wasn't his day and he lost against the mighty Vouilloz by 0.15 seconds. No rainbow jersey, no gold medal. Let's not forget Leigh Donovan missing out by only 0.18 seconds to the mighty ACC either. Racing can be as cruel as it is exciting.
This video from the archives is rare footage of those moments for both Donovan and Palmer; the pain and anguish were all too apparent but thanks to Palmer, it proved to be a turning point in mountain biking history.
WHERE TITLES COME UNDONE
![Steve Peat greets a dissapointed Greg Minnaar after his run. Minnaar went through the tape costing him a podium spot.]()
Back in 2014, all eyes were on Greg Minnaar. He was clocking up his World Cup appearances - Cairns was his 99th - and based on his wealth of experience and racing pedigree, he was also in the running for the overall World Cup title. Unfortunately, on his race run, Minnaar fell foul to the UCI rule on exiting and re-entering the race track and was disqualified. Zero points meant his ambition to take his fourth overall World Cup series title was rudely quashed.
WHAT'S BEHIND YOU DOESN'T MATTER
ELITE MEN RESULTS - CAIRNS
ELITE WOMEN RESULTS - CAIRNS
Note: * denotes UCI World Championship race.
![UCI Mountain Bike Podium Cairns]()
TAKE A WALK IN MY SHOES
![Flat pedals win medals. Gee made a last-minute decision to ride flats and won the race in borrowed shoes.]()
As we know, Gee lives in Wales. He's used to riding in mud and rain and is happily clipped in for when he does but in Cairns he felt that the track has such tight, awkward corners that there was no advantage to using clips. The slight problem was that he didn’t have any flats with him. What do you do in that situation? Most people would just grin and bear it but Gee applied some good Ol' fashioned British ingenuity and started asking spectators if they had his size shoe.
By some fluke of fortune Gee managed to find a helpful chap called Sam who happened to be wearing a pair of the right size of Five Tens. The rest, as they say, is history.
Stay tuned to Pinkbike.com for all the latest news from the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup 2016.
MENTIONS: @geebeebee / @natedh9 / @paulaston / @mdelorme / @redbullbike / @SaracenBikes / @GTBicycles / @SCOTT-Sports / @hopetech / @Chamakazi
This time out we'll be seeing the survivors from Lourdes heading to compete in the heat and humidity of Smithfield Regional Park, just around the corner of James Cook University in the state of Queensland. There's free entry to spectators on Friday, and for $22 at the gate, you can watch the DH finals on Saturday. Why Saturday you ask? Well, Cairns is also playing host to the first round of the UCI's Cross Country World Cup, which is the main event on Sunday. Looking ahead, Cairns will be hosting the UCI MTB World Championships next year, so there's even greater pressure for riders and organisers to make this weekend count.
The downhill track starts around 300m above sea level in the dense rain forest, although if you hang around too long, you'll be joined by plenty of curious spiders and snakes. Last year was a complete mudfest with riders sliding down the volcanically-infused mud without any hope of grip. Crowds were aplenty too - with three designated spectator sections - it was a jolly affair, although let's hope the UCI bring in ample double taping this time around to keep spectators away from flying bikes and riders.
With egos bruised, hearts broken and hope rising, we'll be seeing another weekend of joy and pain from the world's greatest downhill racers. Who will fortune favour this year? Last time it was an all-Atherton celebration, with Gee admitting it wasn't even his kind of track. Did that matter? No, but one has to wonder whether if the rain were to come down again, would those riders who are used to gloppy, slidey conditions akin to riding in the UK fair better than those used to riding bone-dry dirt?
Who doesn't wish for a sea-view balcony under a sun-kissed sky to build your bike up after a flight from the geographically opposite side of the world? Life looks pretty tough for riders like Red Bull Hardline 2015 winner and Unior Tools Team rider Ruaridh Cunningham.
What do the riders themselves think about the Cairns track and what do they think is the most memorable bit about it for them? We asked a few and here's what they said:
Manon Carpenter, Madison Saracen Factory Team
My most memorable feature on the track would be the rock garden at the top. Most of the track is dirt and roots but there's one section that's just a mass of rocks. You have to be really precise and careful where you put your wheels, I actually crashed on it in my race run last time...I'm sure it won't have gone anywhere so will be looking to master it this year!
My most memorable feature on the track would be the rock garden at the top. Most of the track is dirt and roots but there's one section that's just a mass of rocks. You have to be really precise and careful where you put your wheels, I actually crashed on it in my race run last time...I'm sure it won't have gone anywhere so will be looking to master it this year!
Neko Mulally, Gstaad-Scott
The thing that sticks in my mind is the root section after the rock garden. It was straight and gnarly, and the type of section where I always felt like I was going too fast. With how slick it was, I was only making it through half the time whether I went fast or slow, so I just pinned it and hoped for the best! Watching back on the reply it was cool to see myself really go for it there. Truly gnarly!
The thing that sticks in my mind is the root section after the rock garden. It was straight and gnarly, and the type of section where I always felt like I was going too fast. With how slick it was, I was only making it through half the time whether I went fast or slow, so I just pinned it and hoped for the best! Watching back on the reply it was cool to see myself really go for it there. Truly gnarly!
Wyn Masters, GT Factory Racing
The jungle!
Gotta love that Far North Queensland tropical rainforest and eveything that hides within!
The jungle!
Gotta love that Far North Queensland tropical rainforest and eveything that hides within!
 | Crashing in Lourdes won't have hurt Loic's confidence. Checking the split times from a fortnight ago shows his huge pace. We're bound to see more control from him in the Aussie jungle. Gwin will be chasing the Frenchman and hopefully some home advantage will push Brosnan back up to the podium. For the women, I may be a bit of a bore to predict the next podium by copying the last, but Atherton is seemingly unstoppable when it comes to race runs. Tahnee did put the hammer down in Lourdes qualifying but has she taken the edge off Manon? The ex-World Champ from the valleys will be coming back to Cairns guns blazing. - Paul Aston, Pinkbike's World Cup Soothsayer |
Looks like we're in for another peanut butter-fest thanks to predicted showers every day in the run-up to and during finals. Bear in mind the weather is pretty changeable in such a tropical climate, so things may swing to full blown sunshine on race day. Even so, I wonder who's remembered to bring flats this time?
Filmed back in 2014 at the last Cairns World Cup, riders were really showing their exasperation at the track conditions and their qualification results.
I really miss these interviews with Rob. Candid and raw, it was a great insight into what the riders were really feeling. One can only hope that no Colins were offended in the watching of this video.
Adam Brayton doesn't do things by halves. He knew it wasn't going to end well and as the woman in the video says, you can hear Mr. Brayton remarking on this very fact whilst he's whizzing past her at warp speed.
Luckily for him, it was a mere 9" scratch and nothing else. What happened next is a whole different story.
On seeing a crash with a rider down and being attended to, some people are brave enough to assist in getting the bike off the track and out of the way. Not many people would then think to ride that same bike down one of the most technically challenging tracks in the world...apart from Ben Bunny McGowan, that is. And he didn't even bother putting on a helmet, let alone knee pads.
After a five-hour operation, our intrepid do-gooder was finally on the road to recovery. A broken shoulder and back, topped off with a concussion was the price he paid for what was seemingly - in his eyes - just a helpful thing to do. Last year I asked him whether he would do it again… "Hell no. I can deal with breaking my shoulder, but a broken back...I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy".
The only person to unwittingly benefit from the terrible affair was Steve Peat, who was able to get a second run in after being red flagged on his first. Peaty - the only man to have ridden Cairns in both 1996 and 2014 - crossed the line in seventh place.
| I just hit a tree in my run, spectators were awesome, couldn't thank them enough. The guy who took my bike down was a good man, no idea why he hit the whoops but I don't blame him they were sick! I think he's OK, though. He was in my ambulance on a spine board and was pretty knocked out. - Adam Brayton, Hope Factory Racing, speaking in 2014 immediately after the incident |
I suppose I could go into detail here about the precise species found in the area, their Latin names and useful things like how long it would take for whatever they are to kill you. But I won't because it's all too frightening.
Back in 1996, the likes of Andrew Crimmins, Laurie Greenland, and Joe Parfitt hadn't even been born let alone ridden a bike. Meanwhile in Australia some guy called Shaun Palmer shunned the lycra, put on some MX gear and rode like a bat out of hell down the then slightly longer Stinger track.
Alas, it wasn't his day and he lost against the mighty Vouilloz by 0.15 seconds. No rainbow jersey, no gold medal. Let's not forget Leigh Donovan missing out by only 0.18 seconds to the mighty ACC either. Racing can be as cruel as it is exciting.
This video from the archives is rare footage of those moments for both Donovan and Palmer; the pain and anguish were all too apparent but thanks to Palmer, it proved to be a turning point in mountain biking history.
Back in 2014, all eyes were on Greg Minnaar. He was clocking up his World Cup appearances - Cairns was his 99th - and based on his wealth of experience and racing pedigree, he was also in the running for the overall World Cup title. Unfortunately, on his race run, Minnaar fell foul to the UCI rule on exiting and re-entering the race track and was disqualified. Zero points meant his ambition to take his fourth overall World Cup series title was rudely quashed.
| DATE | POSITION | NAME | TEAM | WINNING TIME | GAP |
| 2014 | 1st | Gee ATHERTON | GT Factory Racing | 4:00.70 | - |
| 2014 | 2nd | Josh BRYCELAND | Santa Cruz Syndicate | 4:04.93 | +4.22s |
| 2014 | 3rd | Neko MULALLY | Trek World Racing | 4:07.63 | +6.93s |
| 1996* | 1st | Nicolas VOUILLOZ | France | 5:31.94 | - |
| 1996* | 2nd | Shaun PALMER | USA | 5:32.09 | +0.15s |
| 1996* | 3rd | Bas DE BEVER | Netherlands | 5:32.27 | +0.33s |
ELITE WOMEN RESULTS - CAIRNS
| DATE | POSITION | NAME | TEAM | WINNING TIME | GAP |
| 2014 | 1st | Rachel ATHERTON | GT Factory Racing | 4:50.57 | - |
| 2014 | 2nd | Manon CARPENTER | Madison Saracen Factory Team | 5:02.23 | +11.65s |
| 2014 | 3rd | Myriam NICOLE | Commencal Riding Addiction | 5:16.42 | +25.84s |
| 1996* | 1st | Anne-Caroline CHAUSSON | France | 5:27.58 | - |
| 1996* | 2nd | Leigh DONOVAN | USA | 5:27.76 | +0.18s |
| 1996* | 3rd | Missy GIOVE | USA | 5:31.37 | +3.79s |
Note: * denotes UCI World Championship race.
As we know, Gee lives in Wales. He's used to riding in mud and rain and is happily clipped in for when he does but in Cairns he felt that the track has such tight, awkward corners that there was no advantage to using clips. The slight problem was that he didn’t have any flats with him. What do you do in that situation? Most people would just grin and bear it but Gee applied some good Ol' fashioned British ingenuity and started asking spectators if they had his size shoe.
By some fluke of fortune Gee managed to find a helpful chap called Sam who happened to be wearing a pair of the right size of Five Tens. The rest, as they say, is history.
Stay tuned to Pinkbike.com for all the latest news from the second round of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup 2016.
MENTIONS: @geebeebee / @natedh9 / @paulaston / @mdelorme / @redbullbike / @SaracenBikes / @GTBicycles / @SCOTT-Sports / @hopetech / @Chamakazi
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Hahaha. I wish Warner still did these interviews.
Also, surely a range of different tracks is good for the WC competition overall, so the most all round accomplished rider (tech, fitness etc.) will be the eventual winner, rather than just tackling tracks like Lourdes and Champery.
It was chosen by UCI Committee and not a DH Racer... Sometime's us Aussie's like to be included in things, and seeing as though our Athletes are usually in the top 15 it is nice to include an AU round sometimes.
"What sort of downhill track has a sprint to the finish like that?" This one does, deal with it.
It could always be worse... They could be racing in Canberra.
Mt Buller: 1,805 m
Thredbo: 2,037 m
Canada -
Whistler: 2,182 m
Blackcomb: 2,436 m
We've got the elevation, just not the forward movement of getting World Cup's in these locations.
lourdesdhworldcup.wordpress.com
www.mtba.asn.au/mtbworldscairns/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/11/2016_DHI-Course-Map_FINAL.pdf
Nicolas VOUILLOZ 5:31.94
Hmmm..