World Cup 2017 Round 3: Leogang, Junior Kade Edwards takes his first World Cup Podium

World Cup 2017 Round 3: Leogang, Junior Kade Edwards takes his first World Cup Podium 

Huge celebrations for our Junior rider Kade Edwards today who took his first ever World Cup podium but disappointment for Muddy who crashed out twice in his Finals run. And of course with Gee and Rachel both sidelined there was a noticeable gap in the team.

Leogang was hot and dusty, and after practice in the morning Kade said that the track was so blown out it was like a different track than the one he had ridden in yesterday’s qualifications. Kade said: “ the track was dusty and red hot, I was sweating in the start gate! Being Kade he cheerfully admitted that there were a few sketchy moments during his Finals run, “but that’s me! The run was amazing” he said. 

In the women’s race our North Wales neighbour Tahnee Seagrave took her first ever World Cup win. The team have known Tahnee since she was “about 9 years old and sending these massive jumps.” Congratulations!

Then the men were on track. Muddy had qualified 41^st and was feeling confident as he headed into Sundays Finals but he made a mistake and then was pushing hard, eager to make up lost time when he clipped his pedal on a root in the second last turn and “hit the deck". He got sent off into the banners and lost a lot of time. Muddy said: “ I think I wanted it too much today, I really felt good, in my head anyway which blocked out all my banged up body parts from Fort William and practice here.”

The race got really exciting when Bernard Kerr took the hot-seat after a scorching top section – enough for 5^th and his first ever World Cup podium. 6th qualifier Mick Hannah was making up a lot of time on the motorway but a puncture put paid to his thoughts of podium. Loris Vergier had a pretty sketchy run but still went 3 seconds faster than Kerr. With Loic Bruni out, injured Troy Brosnan was next on track, he crossed into second with only Minaar and Gwin left on track. Minaar crossed into second but it was Aaron Gwin’s race for the the third consecutive year!

Results
Junior Men
1 Finn Iles Specialized Gravity 3.15.47
2 Matt Walker Madison Saracen Factory Team 3.17.86 +2.39
3 Kade Edwards Trek Factory Racing DH 3.20.45 +4.98
4 Kaos Seagrave Transition Bikes/FMD Factory Racing 3.20.65 +5.17
5 Harry Parsons 3.22.81 +7.34

Women’s Elite
 1 Tahnee Seagrave Transition Bikes/FMD Factory Racing 3.36.08
2 Tracey Hannah Polygon UR 3.36.77 +0.69
3 Myriam Nicole Commencal/Vallnord 3.38.58 +2.5
4 Manon Carpenter Radon Factory Downhill team 3.39.02 +2.94
5 Emilie Siegenthaler Pivot Factory Racing 3.44.13 +8.05

Men’s Elite
1 Aaron Gwin The YT Mob 3.06.95
2 Loris Vergier Santa Cruz Syndicate 3.08.39 +1.43
3 Greg Minaar Santa Cruz Syndicate 3.09.64 +2.68
4 Troy Brosnan Canyon Factory Racing DH 3.10.24 +3.28
5 Bernard Kerr Pivot Factory Racing 3.11.47 +4.35
75 Graeme Mudd Trek Factory Racing DH 3.35.41 +28.45

Images: Sven Martin