SRAM athletes celebrate early season successes in South Africa at World Cup #1. Pietermaritzburg hosted the World Cup triple, which saw attendance of more than 16,000 cheering spectators.
South African native, Greg Minnaar started off his season right with a solid win by over two seconds. His victory was welcomed by the crowds roaring with approval.
According to Anneke Beerten, "The 4-cross track was long; it looked a bit like a mini Downhill with some nice jumps, rock sections, flat corners and fast as hell." Beerten, the defending Champion, talks about the final run, "I was on the inside gate in the final and I knew, with Fionn and two BMX girls Jana and Romana next to me, that my gate had to be good... And it was (thanks to a million gates I did this winter). I snapped it, rode the first corner well on the inside, and from that moment on I went Full On!"
In the Men's Cross Country, it was a flock of SRAM racers driving the pace in the brutal heat. It would be a three-way battle, with Julien Absalon assembling repeated attacks. In the end, it was to be José Hermida's day. Hermida showed excellent early season form with this solid victory at the season World Cup opener.
Mens XC
1 José Antonio Hermida Ramos (Esp) Multivan Merida Biking Team - SRAM, Avid
2 Julien Absalon (Fra) Orbea - SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
3 Burry Stander (RSA) Specialized Factory Racing - SRAM, Avid
4 Christoph Sauser (Sui) Specialized Factory Racing - SRAM, Avid
5 Wolfram Kurschat (Ger) Topeak Ergon Racing Team
6 Nino Schurter (Sui) Scott-Swisspower MTB-Racing - SRAM, Avid, Truvativ
Womens XC
1 Elisabeth Osl (Aut) Central Ghost Pro Team
2 Irina Kalentieva (Rus) Topeak Ergon Racing Team
3 Lene Byberg (Nor) Specialized Factory Racing - SRAM, Avid
4 Margarita Fullana Riera (Spa) Massi
5 Mary McConneloug (USA) Team Kenda/Seven/No Tubes - SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
Mens DH
1 Greg Minnaar (RSA) Santa Cruz Syndicate
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
2 Michael Hannah (Aus) GT Bicycles
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
3 Steve Peat (GBr) Santa Cruz Syndicate
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
4 Samuel Hill (Aus) Monster Energy / Specialized / Mad Catz
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
5 Gee Atherton (GBr) Animal Commencal
Mens 4x
1 Jared Graves (Aus) Yeti Fox Shox Factory Race Team
2 Michal Prokop (Cze)
3 Rafael Alvarez De Lara Lucas (Spa) Specialized Factory Racing
SRAM, Avid
4 Roger Rinderknecht (Swi)
5 Romain Saladini (Fra) Team Sunn
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
Womens 4x
1 Anneke Beerten (Ned) Suspension Center
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
2 Fionn Griffiths (GBr) Norco World Team
3 Romana Labounkova (Cze)
4 Jana Horakova (Cze)
5 Jill Kintner (USA)
SRAM, RockShox, Avid, Truvativ
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