2016 Pinkbike Awards - DH Race of the Year

DH Race of the Year Winner

After another long summer of dual-crown race action, over far too soon, it's time for us to pay homage to the very finest of all contests. There are so many factors that make a downhill race great besides the track itself; it could be due to record-setting results, flawless weather, incredible crowds, amazing atmosphere and one more very important, not-to-be-forgotten word, 'drama'. Typically it's the UCI downhill events that bring the best of the action, and once again that held true in 2016, with one particular World Cup rising to the top.

WE ARE LEGEND Fort William WC Finals 2016

DH Race of the Year Winner

Fort William

UCI WC Round 3

Highland Perfection

Not very original you say... Fair enough the 'Bill has been on the schedule since Kovarik took the first win back in 2002 (and quite a win that was), but hold your horses... While this is a venue where we are accustomed to seeing heroes born, this season we saw heroes also 'retired' and remembered too. Not only that but this time the annual northerly migration of the World Cup circus was a textbook DH event if ever there was one and with more drama than you could shake a 15 can-strong wizard stick at...

Unbelievable really, that following a decade and a half of racing in the land of whisky and haggis, the mighty Fort is still able to produce the goods like nowhere else. This year it produced them big time... Those in attendance were treated to astonishingly fine weather without interruption and surely some of the biggest crowds in highlands history. After a sun-stroke inducing trackwalk down through the heather, with the recent passing of the late Stevie Smith still very raw to everyone in the MTB community, #allthelads donned red t-shirts for a full run down the mountain to remember a legend. Later on MTB veteran and hero, Martyn Ashton, made his remarkable and truly inspiring lap onboard his specially equipped Sender, before Greg the GOAT did it again out of nowhere to conquer in the loose conditions. Other highlights included Rachel Atherton finally making it a hat-trick of Scottish wins, Adam Brayton going ballistic up on the hill to land on the podium for the first time and Steve Peat racing his last Fort William WC in front of a crowd of (more than) familiar faces. Finally, in the middle of the live-feed, the MTB world fell silent and was moved by the tear-jerking and quite profound memorial run of the sorely missed Canadian Chainsaw.

Steve Peat goes full plaid and argyle for his last WC race in Fort William.

Pinkbike’s Take:

One race to rule them all... Fort William 2016 showcased DH racing at its best in nigh-on every respect, while also weighing heavy with emotional and historical significance. A very deserving claimant to the PB awards throne - Nathan Hughes

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52 Comments

143 2

fracasnoxteam FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:21)

Ok, i've just remember the ghost lap of Smith. Fckn onions...
#longlivechainsaw

25 1

evildos (Dec 1, 2016 at 5:01)

There, there, have a piece of cheese...

17 0

RedBurn (Dec 1, 2016 at 5:53)

Such a historic moment for the mountain bike world. #longlivechainsaw

hardyk (Dec 1, 2016 at 8:03)

ninja cutting onions back at it again #longlivechainsaw

LoganRory-314 (Dec 1, 2016 at 8:57)

I was at the the finish line when his run 'started', it was one of my proudest moments as a mountain biker. The atmosphere was quite surreal. #longlivechainsaw

fracasnoxteam FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 9:03)

@LoganRory-314: oh man I can't even imagine...

DaMilkyBarKid (Dec 1, 2016 at 10:53)

@LoganRory-314: Was there too, one of the most surreal moments I've ever experienced. Was unbelievable the way the whole place went from mental to silent and back to mental, not one person spoiling the moment whatsoever. One hell of a weekend.

62 0

Ohlalaa (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:42)

Not to forget ed master's quali run...

19 2

RedBurn (Dec 1, 2016 at 5:51)

And race run

but it didnt beat branningan's 2015 windham run

gemma8788 FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 9:03)

@RedBurn: My bad meant to positive prop, both legendary ; )

20 2

boardinbob FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:06)

/pedant mode

It's "whisky" round here, not "whiskey"

An amazing weekend though. The weather was scorchio, the racing was fantastic and Peaty's Bar was amazing!

11 0

jpcars10s (Dec 1, 2016 at 7:27)

Oh so now there are missing vowels instead of extra ones.

14 0

thestigmk1 (Dec 1, 2016 at 9:04)

@jpcars10s: Indeed. We invented both the language and the whisky. Play ball

grandmastere (Dec 1, 2016 at 9:24)

@thestigmk1: Well you've certainly invented history there at the very least.

thestigmk1 (Dec 1, 2016 at 12:11)

@grandmastere: In which respect? Whisky was distilled and cask matured in Scotland before the white man even set foot on the North American continent.

zorba73 (Dec 1, 2016 at 19:32)

@thestigmk1: Actually it was the Irish. But you certainly took it to the next level.

12 1

ThePriory1978 (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:59)

FW DH 16 will go down as one of the all time greats. It was The perfect weekend.#LongLiveChainsaw #PeatySigningOff

10 2

teamkr (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:24)

Fort William World Cup = Mecca.

El-Guapo93 (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:56)

*Martyn Ashton...

Samarius (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:53)

This was amazing. My first ever WC. Plus a buds stag do. Couldn't have asked for anything more.

ThePriory1978 (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:18)

Hands up if you in the crowd pic ????

fatduke FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 11:39)

just made the top right corner

Ritgut (Dec 1, 2016 at 14:58)

I'm in the stage pic. You can't see me, I am behind the stage. In the bushes. Behind the big fence built to keep weirdo's out.

Spark24 (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:15)

I'm South African and I approve this award! #GOAT

leopaul FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:20)

this race had indeed everything a race needs to become memorable

ompete (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:19)

I totally agree with the above, for Stevie, Greg and Peaty, but for all out racing Val di sole was epic!

Riwajc (Dec 1, 2016 at 8:14)

@vesko @bigtim @barrysbikes @neimbc no i heard 4th place gets a medal made from a rock picked up on the track and fifth place gets one of those gold coin chocolates.

MacRamsay (Dec 4, 2016 at 16:31)

So glad i made it to the WC at FW this year, what a superb event it was! Weather Gods defo played ball, and so many significant happenings. Awesome!

elliott-20 (Dec 1, 2016 at 8:51)

Fort Bill was so good this year for so many reasons. So much so I told myself to give it a break for a year, maybe two. Just so I don't lose that magic for a while yet.

topsog (Dec 1, 2016 at 11:03)

Found this vid. Fck.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEy0rE8O6PI

karoliusz (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:28)

Pretty much every one of them! Can't wait for the 2017 season!!!

preach (Dec 1, 2016 at 10:40)

No doubt. A dry race at FW for once.

Wouldhaveletmego (Dec 1, 2016 at 12:23)

It's awesome to see Minnaar getting the accolades he deserves!!

pbfan08 FL (Dec 2, 2016 at 8:35)

AHHH THIS just reminded me we're still months away from WC DH season.

Eastern-States-Cup (Dec 1, 2016 at 18:08)

#longlivechainsaw

BMXrad (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:06)

FW FTW but 5 on the podium sucks x

vp27 (Dec 1, 2016 at 3:36)

I agree. Never really understood why it's 5 and not 3 like any other sport. What are the 4th and 5th spot medals. Aloy and steel? Also, has the PB font just changed?

12 0

neimbc (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:08)

@vesko: Not to be a wise guy, but Bronze is an alloy - but you're right - maybe make 'em aluminum and steel, but I think they only get medals at Worlds. Also 5 on the podium is great - gives more ambition and esteem to the guys who get there, and for the other guys to reach it.

steviemarco (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:33)

@neimbc: Would that be the same as Aluminium?lol

neimbc (Dec 1, 2016 at 5:13)

@steviemarco: well strictly speaking most all metals are alloys to some degree, but aluminum is naturally occurring, whereas bronze isn't, but then steel is also an alloy - so maybe aluminum and iron!

bigtim FL (Dec 1, 2016 at 6:17)

@vesko: Maybe you're thinking the wrong way round, maybe 3rd is gold, 4th is Silver & 5th is Bronze, leaving 2nd to be Titanium and 1st is Carbon.

barrysbikes (Dec 1, 2016 at 6:34)

@neimbc: Rust potential with Steel

djm35 (Dec 1, 2016 at 10:05)

@neimbc: Think you missed steviemarco's point, he was referring to the American bastardisation of the word and the removal of the last i. Us Brits can get emotional about these things!

neimbc (Dec 1, 2016 at 14:04)

@djm35: Ok, true, thanks for pointing that out. If I may redeem myself, - my wife is South African Indian and speaks and spells as the Brits do.

djm35 (Dec 2, 2016 at 0:52)

@neimbc: Lol, fair enough, I used to live in South Africa and know they are influenced by both US and British english. For most South Africans football is soccer and crisps are chips for example. Either way is lekker and I bow to your superior knowledge of metals!

Below threshold threads are hidden

mudmandhbrazil (Dec 1, 2016 at 6:00)

Red Bull Hard Line

neimbc (Dec 1, 2016 at 14:08)

I believe it's judged on WC races only and not their courses - BTW, I really like Gee! and I hate bke park courses.

mudmandhbrazil (Dec 1, 2016 at 14:21)

for me the best DH race of the year will always be Hard Line. such amazing technical track. beautiful place, invited only... I know Dan make the track and Gee is always there and I love all of them Dan Gee and Rachel. I love those rock drops and drop of from the track... anyway

4 15

ctd07 (Dec 1, 2016 at 4:10)

I'm just going to assume you guys forgot about hardline... Its ok, we all make mistakes!

mudmandhbrazil (Dec 1, 2016 at 7:44) (Below Threshold)

man people here don't like Gee Atherton that's why people don't like Hardline. Shure is the best Race of the year with all that impossible drops and jumps. but people here like that Bikepark races with smooth jumps and berm turns...

km79 (Dec 1, 2016 at 8:46)

@mudmandhbrazil: It's the best DH race of the year, not the best DH track of the year. There is more that makes up a race than just the track.

djm35 (Dec 1, 2016 at 10:09)

@mudmandhbrazil: maybe it's because of the competition or lack of. It needs more riders to be considered a great race. The track was amazing and it was built by Dan, not Gee.