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MTB
Urban legend Juanfer Vélez claims Red Bull Cerro Abajo hat-trick in Mexico
Victory at the final round of the series on the streets of Guanjuato handed Colombian urban downhill phenomenon Junafer Vélez his third straight Red Bull Cerro Abajo title. Watch the replay here.
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01
Who won Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo?
Junafer Vélez consolidated his position as the undisputed king of urban downhill racing after a blistering victory in the third and final race of the series in Guanajuato, Mexico, handed the Colombian a surprise hat-trick of Red Bull Cerro Abajo titles, besting title favourite Tomáš Slavík and compatriot Sébastian Holguín to the championship belt.
After back-to-back victories at Red Bull Genoa Cerro Abajo in Italy and three weeks ago at Red Bull Valparaíso in Chile, Slavík was the overall points leader and overwhelming favourite to take his first Cerro Abajo title in Mexico - especially after Vélez crashed way down the order in Valparaíso. The Czech veteran needed to finish just sixth or better to claim the title, but on a day of thrills and surprises, it wasn't to be.
Tomáš Slavík was the favourite for the title...
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
... but it was Juanfer Vélez who rode away with the victory
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
After Vélez dominated qualifying, Slavík, who qualified down the order, was the third rider on the course during finals. Visibly putting maximum effort into his run, unfortunately Slavík suffered an extremely hard slam on the exit of the container at the bottom of the fastest stair section on the course, ending his chance or the race victory and, more importantly, effectively ending his title hopes.
To stand any chance of walking away with his first Red Bull Cerro Abajo title, Slavík had to hope all the big contenders would crash or suffer bike damage. It happened in Valparaíso three weeks earlier, when the Colombians all crashed during finals, but lightening didn't strike twice.
With Chilean Felipe Agurto and Vélez now in the fight for overall title, the pressure was suddenly on both riders. Argurto, third fastest qualifier, gave his all, but couldn't find podium pace and finished down in sixth on the day.
Felipe Agurto couldn't find his Valparaíso pace in Guanajuato
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
After finishing fourth in Valparaíso, Brazilian Roger Vieira held the fastest time with just two riders to go, guaranteeing him a first ever Red Bull Cero Abajo podium. His time of 1m 49.853s had held strong through five previous riders until second qualifier Sébastian Holguín left the start hut. The Colombian seriously upped the ante with a blistering time of 1m 48.194s to go fastest by an incredible 1.65s, meaning Vélez would need to produce the run of the season to take the win and secure title. He did just that.
Colombia and Brazil topped the podium in Mexico
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
The champ Juanfer Vélez celebrates title number three in Guanajuato
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Fastest at every split, the Medellín native powered down the track in incredible style to stop the clock at 1m 47.257s to secure the win and a surprise third straight Red Bull Cerro Abajo title. He's never been beaten in the series to date.
Slavík had to be content with another second place in the championship, while Holguín snatched third overall from Argurto thanks to his superb second place on the day – his second straight overall Cerro Abajo podium.
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A course distinct in personality
At 1.2km, the Guanajuato course is the shortest of the three Red Bull Cerro Abajo tracks and provides a very different challenge to Genoa and the Valparaíso track we'd seen three weeks previously.
What it lacks in length it more than makes up for in intensity and is the wildest ride of the three venues, with barely a second's respite for racers from start to finish. Considerably narrower, featuring a lot more steps and not one, but two huge drops out of residents' houses, as well as quite a bit of hard pedalling required at an altitude of 2,000m, Guanajuato is all the best bits of urban downhill racing rolled into one track.
Socratis Sotos skips down the fastest stairs in urban downhill racing
© Jose Duch/Red Bull Content Pool
Edgar Carballo gives the neighbourhood a close up view
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Brook Macdonald launches out of the famous painted house
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
And the huge new drop from a rooftop
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Phil Atwill shows just how narrow parts of the course are
© Jose Duch/Red Bull Content Pool
Right out of the first turn, Jonathan Moreira hits a huge stair set
© Bruno Díaz/Red Bull Content Pool
Juanfer Vélez hits one of the many wooden slingshot berms in the alleys
© Bruno Díaz/Red Bull Content Pool
Alex Marín enters the shipping container at speed
© Jose Duch/Red Bull Content Pool
Sébastian Holguín powers through one of the narrow pedalling sections
© Jose Duch/Red Bull Content Pool
Big whips over the finish jump in the plaza
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
Add in a perfect weather and a big, welcoming and very rowdy Mexican welcome, this makes Guanajuato a favourite stop for many of the racers and the perfect city to host the Red Bull Cerro Abajo finals.
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Watch the replay
If you want to see all the runs from finals or want to relive the live broadcast of Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo, then watch below.
Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo: Livestream
The world's most epic urban downhill MTB race hits beautiful Guanajuato, Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
04
Red Bull Guanajuato Cerro Abajo results
Juanfer Vélez celebrates with his third Red Bull Cerro Abajo belt
© Jose Duch/Red Bull Content Pool
Rank
Person
Time
1.
Juanfer Vélez (COL)
1m 47.257s
2.
Sébastian Holguín (COL)
1m 48.194s
3.
Roger Vieira (BRA)
1m 49.853s
4.
Johannes Fischbach (GER)
1m 49.906s
5.
Jeronimo Paez (ARG)
1m 50.3101s
6.
Felipe Agurto (CHI)
1m 50.661s
7.
Douglas Vieira (BRA)
1m 50.756s
8.
Gabriel Giovannini (BRA)
1m 50.922s
9.
Lucas Borba (BRA)
1m 51.375s
10.
Adrien Loron (FRA)
1m 51.531s
11.
Edgar Carballo (SPA)
1m 51.890s
12.
Alex Marin (SPA)
1m 52.480s
13.
Wyn Masters (NZL)
1m 53.555s
14.
Alan Reyes (MEX)
2m 08.741s
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