Finals Photo Epic: Les Gets DH World Cup 2021
Once again Les Gets over delivered on already high expectations. A venue that has seen some of the most historic races over the past few decades once again came through with all the drama and excitement we've come to expect from this small corner of the French Alps. Just when you thought Les Gets couldn't outdo itself, it raised the bar once again. One of the best tracks we have seen in years, a massive French crowd that we've oh so missed over the past year, and a twist of fate from mother nature just to make things a little spicier all added up to keep everyone on the edge of their seats all afternoon long.
First up would be the Junior race where we would see two first time winners in the likes of Phoebe Gale and Jackson Goldstone. Behind them a mix of fresh and familiar faces rounded out the remaining podium spots, proving once again that the next generation is deep in talent and hungry to leave their mark on the world stage in the years to come.
The Elite Women's race would get the drama started and set the stage for what would be an afternoon of unpredictable highs and lows. With near misses, gutsy race runs, close calls and crashes throughout, it would be Tahnee Seagrave who would reclaim her spot on the top step of the podium. Finding speed and confidence that's been missing recently, Tahnee dug deep to raise her game when it counted and proved to the world she is still very much one of the women to beat this season. Myriam Nicole for the second race in a row crashed in her run and still almost managed to set the fastest time, showing that if she can stay on her bike she may just be in a league of her own later this season. Camille Balanche would keep it consistent for third, while another pre-race favorite, Vali Höll crashed in the final corner while on a fast run.
In came the rain for the Men's race to turn everything on its head a bit. Steady at first it would affect nearly everyone's runs in some way, but the real fun was dished out on the top 10-15 riders who would progressively see things deteriorate as a drizzle became a downpour. Reece Wilson just about had the ride of the day, on a podium pace in the worst conditions, followed by the most epic of crashes moments from the finish. A gutsy run to be proud of for sure, and lucky to walk away uninjured. French favorites Loic Bruni and Loris Vergier still pinned it for the home crowd even in the worst conditions possible and would receive some of the loudest cheers of the day, with Bruni being mobbed in the finish as the last rider down. Truly the people's champion of France. But in the end, it would be another Frenchman, Thibaut Daprela, giving the people what they were after as he would take advantage of a slick but less treacherous track to set what would be the fastest time of the day, and his first Elite World Cup win. Rounding out the top three would be Max Hartenstern and Baptiste Pierron.
While the party in Les Gets will continue long into the night and the early morning, the World Cup takes a month off before picking up again mid-August in Maribor, Slovenia.
Not Sunny
Finals day already upon us and in case you didn't hear, the much-feared weather came and wreaked some havoc.
Slippery when dry, treacherous when wet
Ross Bell doing a good deed for his photo karma. Yes, the cows had plenty of grass already, which maybe explains why it didn't yield desired results.
Les Gets this party started
Chainsaws are so 2020. It's Citroen's from now on.
Huge roots everywhere you look for almost the entire track. Les Gets was a gnarly one
The crowds were substantial despite Covid and the atmosphere strong despite the rain.
The final leap of faith that would soon take down Reece Wilson.
Out of the woods and into the light.
Jackson Goldstone on his way to winning the Junior Men's race
Top qualifier Jordan Williams almost held it down for the win but would have to settle for 2nd.
Lachlan Stevens-McNab took third from Oliver Davis by two tenths.
Anything but easy out there today
Izabela Yankova rolling into second place.
Junior Women's winner Phoebe Gale
Anastasia Thiele taking the final spot on the Junior Women podium.
Phoebe Gale lead out Izabela Yankova and Anastasia Thiele in the Junior Women's race
Your top 3 Junior Men: 1st Jackson Goldstone 2nd Jordan Williams 3rd Lachlan Stevens-McNab
The track was rough and rutted already this morning and it was about to get a whole lot worse...
Camille Balanche is looking really consistent so far this season. Third place for the World Champ.
What a ride by Mille Johnset to her first Elite podium.
Tahnee Seagrave on a burner to take the win in the Elite Women's race
Monika Hrastnik keeping the Dorval standards at the top of the game with another podium.
Vali Höll cannot catch a break it seems. The last berm was a hard-packed sheet of ice with all the rain that fell.
Vali Höll lost it in the last turn and was left to run over the line. She's on the pace and just needs to be patient. Her time is coming.
Fastest qualifier and last woman down the hill, Myriam Nicole
Myriam Nicole tucking towards the line but out by a small margin. Rest assured, the French crowd was there to welcome her regardless.
Myriam Nicole inspects the damage whilst Johnset and Balanche congratulate Tahnee.
An emotional end to a crazy day for Tahnee Seagrave and Myriam Nicole.
A first top 10 for Kade Edwards.
Laurie Greenland gets to grips with the final steep chute in the lower woods.
Top ten for Joe Breeden on the rutted track.
Luca Shaw pushing in the final woods
Max Hartenstern with his best-ever world cup finish in 2nd
A great finish for George Brannigan in 8th place.
Connor Fearon also came down early before it really started to rain and ended up on the podium
Dean Lucas back racing World Cups and back in the top 10.
Baptiste Pierron has been knocking on the door of the podium for a while and things fell into place for him today.
When it starts to rain the first thing to get sketchy are the hard-packed berms as many a rider found out in the final corner
Troy Brosnan was one of many heavy hitters that would have been able to flirt with Daprela's time but the weather had other plans for him.
A crash in qualifying and a crash in the finals left Troy Brosnan out of the big points and out of the leaders' jersey
Thibaut Daprela's full tuck on the final off-camber grass. It would take more than a broken nose and lacerated tongue to stop him.
Thibaut Daprela came down in the rain but escaped the worst of the conditions. An aggressive run that would turn out to be the best of the day
Greg Minnaar blurring his way into the finish area
Fifth and final podium spot for Mark Wallace after a clean run.
Daveboy Trummer holding on for dear life in the super-slick final turn.
Dakotah Norton tried his best to do damage control in the rain
Reece Wilson may have used one of his 9 lives today
Reece Wilson was on a podium run in the worst conditions until a huge crash on one of the big jumps near the bottom. All in all, he's lucky to be walking away uninjured today
One valiant effort from Scotland's finest.
On paper, a 25th placed finish for Loris Vergier isn't a great result but given the conditions he faced that was one hell of a ride.
A rough day for many and a lot of points tossed away for the overall.
Last man down and the skies had opened up on Loic Bruni
The mad mob arrives to party like it's 2099.
Win or lose, the French crowd came to celebrate Loic Bruni, the people's champion of France.
Euro 2020 DH edition.
The French crowd was treated to a home winner once again in Les Gets. Thibaut Daprela does the business in Elites for the first time.
Happy and humble. Today's Elite Women's winner Tahnee Seagrave
Tahnee Seagrave struggled all week with pace and confidence on track but dug deep when it mattered most and threw down an incredible run
The fastest lady and her bike in Les Gets, Tahnee Seagrave
World Champ, Camille Balanche, leaves Les Gets in the World Cup leaders jersey
Camille Balanche happy to finish on the podium and retain her lead in the overall
Reflecting on one mad day on the mountain.
It was a mess out there and one quite a few riders would happily forget, and others will celebrate on into the night
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Ah yes? Wasn't Brosman's ride far before Daprela's... and before the massive rain?
My grandma's been dead for more than a decade and she could have picked better camera positions.
Warner mentions only once I think during the women's final right at the end, I think.
And then instead mention 500 times that the conditions were so slippery. As if the viewers couldn't tell.
I really enjoyed the commentary - I think it's a really good balance with Hype Man Warner (who is very professional too these days) and a more analytical racer's view alongside.
Rain was announced , why not make the race in the morning so ?
Completely pointless to watch this race at the end of the day , and riders get massive crashes trying hard to save only a few points