The iXS European Downhill Cup continued this weekend with the fourth leg in Pila, Italy. A highly challenging course and changeable weather conditions turned the race into a nail-biting thriller. In the end Robin Wallner and Floriane Pugin were the victorious winners.

The seeding run for the women’s category on Saturday took place on a completely dry track with Emmeline Ragot (FRA – MS Mondraker Racing) showing what could be achieved on it, finishing in 4:23.744 min and with a more than 6 second lead. Conditions were more difficult by the end of the men’s category with the last 80 riders in the class having to contend with heavy rain, making it pretty difficult to compete with the times recorded previously. At that point Cesar Rojo (ESP – Mondraker), ex-World Cup rider and current developer at Mondraker had set the best time of 4:03.046 min. No-one was able to get anywhere near this time, with the exception of local hero Lorenzo Suding (ITA – Pila Black Arrows), so the starting order for the final was thus clear and it wasn’t possible to predict with any certainty what the results on Sunday would be.

Sunday again started dry but the heavens opened already during the training session. As a result the course was from the outset no longer dusty, as also well-demonstrated by the times recorded. On average the competitors needed another 20 – 30 seconds to complete the course. And, just as on the previous day, the Elite Men class was affected most as the last 100 riders or so were faced with heavy rain, making the numerous roots and rocks in the upper section in particular unpredictable. The riders who had started early thus had completely different conditions, enabling Robin Wallner (SWE – Team Åre Bikepark) to record a time of 4:17.309 min which no-one else had been able to match by the end of the day. Second place went to Oscar Härnström (SWE – Pila Black Arrows), who was also able to benefit from the early dry conditions. Best able to cope with the subsequent wet course was Joshua Button (AUS – SC Intense), taking third place just two tenths of a second behind Härnström. Damien Spagnolo (FRA – MS Mondraker) came fourth, as on the previous day, once again proving that he can always be counted on to produce a good result under such conditions. The fifth spot went to Ruaridh Cunningham (GBR – POC/Alpine Bikes), who had already shown his talent in extreme conditions with his win at Innerleithen. Leader of the overall rankings is now Spagnolo with 301 points. In second place is Wallner (275), followed by Markus Pekoll (AUT – MS Mondraker / 271), Brook MacDonald (NZL – MS Mondraker / 257), Johann Potgieter (RSA – Canfield Factory Team / 237) and Cunningham (226).

With over 20 riders the Elite Women class put up a good field, promising an exciting race. Alba Wunderlin (SUI – Veloatelier Biel) set the initial best time, which remained intact until Elisa Canepa (ITA) took to the course. Following this the only remaining riders to tackle the course were the previous day’s fastest. The first was Emilie Siegenthaler (SUI – Scott 11) who crossed the finishing line with a lead of more than 8 seconds. Her time was, however, immediately beaten by her team colleague (FRA – Scott 11), who shaved off another 2 seconds. Only current World Champion Emmeline Ragot remained in with a chance to block the Scott 11 women’s double victory. Following a fall she however only managed to finish the course with a four second time lag, forcing her to settle with third place. The winner was thus Floriane Pugin with a time of 4:53.291 min. The leader in the overall ranking is now Ragot with 122 points, head of Siegenthaler (87) and Rachel Atherton (GBR – GT Factory Racing / 86 points).

The Masters category saw what was virtually a wire to wire win, because after Wilfred van de Haterd (NED – YT Industries) had a flat tyre in the seeding run he was first onto the course, meaning that he was immediately able to take his place in the Red Bull Hot Seat. He only left it after the last rider in the category had crossed the finishing line and he was the clear winner. Van de Haterd was thus also able to secure his lead in the overall ranking. Second place went to Heinz Hostettler (SUI – Banditbike.ch), meaning that he is also hot on van de Haterd’s heels in the overall ranking. Maik Höhne (GER – Bikeland 262) finished in third place.

U17 category riders Ferran Jorba (ESP – Moto Club Sant Andreu) and Loris Vergier (FRA – US cagnes) slugged it out over both days in a neck-and-neck race. The Spaniard was able to win the duel on both days thanks to leads of just a few tenths of a second. Third place went to German young hopeful Ferdinand Brunold (GER – Mag41.com Racing Team).

Photos: © Thomas Dietze

The Out of Bounds Festival in the Leogang Bikepark was on the agenda last weekend. Next to the 26Trix, a as Gold Event of the FMB World Tour classified Dirt Jump Contest, the second run of the iXS European Cup also went ahead.

Since the iXS European Downhill Cup is only open to licensed riders from this year, it could establish itself even more amongst the world elite riders. On top of that, the Leogang race was the first test for many of the 2.3km and 480 vertical metres long World Championship course. All together the starting list was packed as it would be in a World Cup, so it was hard to say who would win the race. After the Salzburger Land was a sure spot for rain during the festival in the last years, the conditions this weekend were almost perfect. 416 riders from 27 countries took to the start, and the current record was already knocked off in the seeding run. At the end Emmeline Ragot (FRA – MS Mondraker Team) and Nick Beer (SUI – Devinci Global Racing) were the fastest riders during the seeding run and all eyes were on the final day.

The conditions were still perfect on Sunday as the highest profile race in iXS history was about to start. 30 riders started in the elite women class. Jill Kintner (USA – Team Norco intl.) started as fifth fastest and managed to break the 2-minute barrier in the interim time first. Tracey Hannah (AUS – Hutchinson United Ride) was even quicker in the interim time, but finished behind Kintner in the end. After those the top three of the seeding run were about to start. Floriane Pugin (FRA – Scott 11), winner of the last year’s World Cup in Leogang, managed to squeeze between the two leading riders, but it was pretty clear in the interim time that Emmeline Ragot and Rachel Atherton (GBR – GT Factory Racing) would decide the race between themselves. Atherton finished in 3:51, five seconds faster than Ragot’s time in the seeding run, and finally won before Ragot, followed by Kintner, Pugin and Hannah.

As of of the first Gee Atherton (GBR – GT Factory Racing) opened the final in the elite mens. Due to a fall in the seeding run in the forest in the upper half of the track he only qualified as 285 and had to accept such an early starting place. But he was already two seconds ahead of the best time from the previous day in the interim time, finishing in 3:25, so he could make himself very comfortable in the Red Bull Hot Seat. His time was the best until Brook MacDonald (NZL – MS Mondraker Team) took to the course. Still a second behind in the interim time, he gained momentum in the lower half and finished first. He was followed by Damien Spagnolo (FRA – MS Mondraker Team), who closely missed out on the time of his team mate and finished behind him. Next one on the course was Greg Minnaar (RSA – Santa Cruz Syndicate), and it was pretty clear in the interim time already that he was on course to win the race. He finished confidently four seconds ahead of MacDonald. Last starters were team mates Steve Smith (CAN – Devinci Global Racing) and Nick Beer. Smith had a perfect run, but could not beat Minnaar’s time. While people were waiting for Beer’s interim time it was announced that he had fallen of the bike, finally finishing at 182. Summing the race up Minnaar won, followed by Smith, MacDonald, Spagnolo and Atherton. Mick Hannah (AUS – Hutchinson United Ride), winner of last week’s iXS race in Winterberg/GER, finished sixth.

In the masters category, where 50 riders took to the start, Jordan Regnier (FRA – Vertical Bike) won confidently. A bit more than 2 seconds behind Nino Antic (CRO – Giant) finished second, with Rüdiger Jahnel (AUT – Specialized-mountainbiker.at) coming third. In the U17 category Marcus Hansson (SWE – Hanssonbil.se) won ahead of Loris Revelli (ITA – Argentina Bikes), followed by Ferdinand Brunold (GER – Mag41.com Racing Team) as third.

All together it was race weekend as no other with perfect weather, breathtaking sports performances, uncountable spectators and a worthwhile atmosphere. The Bikepark Leogang will be on its absolute best this year, as after this successful Out of Bounds Festival the World Championships will be stopping here later this summer.

The iXS European Downhill Cup will be heading to Scotland’s Innerleithen next from 15 – 17 June. More information can be found as usual at ixsdownhillcup.com. There will also be some more video clips that the iXS crew is producing in cooperation with the Red Bull Media House on the website soon.

Photos: © Thomas Dietze