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Who won what at the Mountain Bike World Championships
Watch video replays, see the best photos and find out the results when the athletes took on the treacherous track at the MTB Worlds in Leogang, Austria.
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Replay all the racing from the 2020 World Championships:
- Women's XCO World Championship – Watch the Replay
- Men's XCO World Championship – Watch the Replay
- Women's DH World Championship – Watch the Replay
- Men's DH World Championship – Watch the Replay
Downhill World Championships
Deep ruts, treacherous conditions and carnage faced the downhill riders, as heavy rain overnight turned the Leogang track into a steep, sloppy and very slippery mess.
Trying to hold on in the woods
© Bartek Wolinski
Gloop fest
© Bartek Wolinski
The weather closed in, with intermittent rain
© Bartek Woliński
Deep ruts formed in the forest section
© Bartek Woliński
The tough conditions set things up for a memorable World Championships, as just getting to the bottom of the hill upright was the challenge of the day. One of the toughest World Championships to date, so many of the world's best fell during the day.
Watch the winning runs from the 2020 MTB World Championships in the player below. Don't want to know who won just yet? Read on for the full rundown first:
Women's Finals
Fastest qualifier and Austrian local Vali Höll had a hard crash on the big road gap jump during the morning's practice and damaged her ankle, putting her out of the Women's final.
The massive gap jump that put an end to Vali Höll's Worlds chances
© Bartek Woliński
Writing on her social media after she said: "Had a crash this morning and I tore two ligaments and have a fracture in my ankle. My first 'big' injury ever, but I'm already fired for next year, I felt really confident over the last two weeks."
Leogang's Swamp-fest conditions
© Bartek Wolinski
The woods section, or shall we call it 'rodeo' section, is where the race was won and lost. Deep ruts sucked any speed straight out of riders' wheels and, in some instances, jammed them to an instant halt, throwing the riders over the bars.
This was a very common sight all day long
© Bartek Wolinski
Eleonora Farina felt the full force of the mud, as her front wheel got so caked that she couldn't physically get it to spin around. The frustrated Italian could be heard cursing the mud, as she tried in vain to free the wheels from the gloop.
Defending world champ Myriam Nicole went full gas from the start
© Bartek Wolinski
Defending world champion Myriam Nicole's tactic to retain her crown was to go all out. Aggressive from the start, the French rider held good momentum at the top, sailing over the big jumps. Carrying speed into the woods section, though, even 'Pompon' fell foul to the deep ruts, which sapped her speed and sent her sailing over the bars into the mud. Regaining her composure, she quickly continued down the track, putting in a run that would place her in the hot seat with the fastest time to date.
Tahnée Seagrave was fastest at the top, but crashes in the woods cost her
© Bartek Wolinski
Tahnée Seagrave looked to be a challenger to Nicole's time and was lighting-up the splits green at the top of the track. The Brit's run came apart in the woods, though, with her front wheel washing away on the roots. Not losing much time, she was back on her bike again and navigating the slippery conditions really well until another crash saw her slide down the muddy slope away from her bike, struggling to climb back up the steep hill to reach it and carry on. This crash lost her all the time she'd previously gained and she ended up finishing down in 11th position, but it was a great first ride back for the British rider, who's battled to recover from two major injuries in the past two years.
Camille Balanche kept her cool and was the only woman not to crash
© Bartek Wolinski
Compared to some of the other riders on the track, Switzerland's Camille Balanche is a relative newcomer to downhill, with her athletic background rooted in hockey. Incredibly, after just three years of downhill racing, she managed to secure the first female downhill World Championships title for Switzerland.
Tracey Hannah was last down the hill, but couldn't match Balanche's pace
© Bartek Wolinski
Using completely different tactics to Nicole's flat-out attack, Balanche played a careful balancing game and was the first – and only – woman to make it through the woods section without crashing. Maintaining her composure and momentum, she crossed the line over three-seconds faster than Nicole, dethroning the 2019 champion and claiming the coveted rainbow stripes jersey, as Nicole walked away with the silver medal.
Myriam Nicole, Camille Balanche and Monika Hrastnik celebrate on the box
© Bartek Wolinski
"The main goal was to make it to the bottom without crashing. I decided to take the safe line and not rush it, and it paid off. It's going to take some time for me to realise what just happened," said the delighted new world champ, as he achievement sunk in.
Slovenian rider Monika Hrastnik took the bronze medal
© Bartek Wolinski
Monika Hrastnik struggled through the slick woods, keeping her legs out for balance and at some points running to get her wheels rolling again, but she managed to keep the pace high enough to secure the bronze medal, which will be a big boost for the Slovenian, as the World Cup season heads to her home race in Maribor next weekend.
Position
Rider
Time
Gold
Camille Balanche (CHE)
5m 8.426s
Silver
Myriam Nicole (FRA)
5m 11.566s
Bronze
Monika Hrastnik (SLO)
5m 25.392s
Men's Final
Like in the Women’s finals, the boggy woods section was where the Elite Men's contest would be won or loss. Germany's Johannes Fischbach was the best of the early starters on the treacherous course and was in the hot seat for quite a while, before his time was beaten by Australia's Jack Moir.
Anyone who attacked the wooded area and managed to stay on their bike would be rewarded with a good time. Great Britain's Reece Wilson epitomised that approach. He was fast going into the woods and then smooth through it. Wilson picked out the fastest line in there while managing to keep his feet on the pedals and his momentum through the section meant he carried great speed into the bottom half of the course, crossing the finish line over seven-seconds faster than Moir and into first place.
Reece Wilson didn't put a foot wrong on his run
© Bartek Woliński
There were still 31 riders to go after Wilson, but the British rider had set quite the benchmark. His countryman, Bernard Kerr, was the next racer to put in a notable performance, slotting into second behind Wilson, who watched on from the finish area as successive riders crashed or ran off course. Aaron Gwin was one who wasn't enjoying the conditions and the American would eventually finish 26th. Two riders who'd been faster than Wilson's splits before the woods were France's Thibault Daprela and Slovenian rider Jure Žabjek, but the woods bit back and they both went down while on good runs.
This ride would be Laurie Greenland's last of the season
© Bartek Woliński
Just riding here in Leogang was an achievement for Brook Macdonald
© Bartek Woliński
A debut at the downhill Worlds for Chile's Pedro Burns
© Bartek Woliński
The next racer to make an impact on the leaderboard was Rémi Thirion. Like his French colleague Daprela, Thirion's approach in the woods was to go all out and take risks. It was very much a rodeo ride from him at times, but somehow Thirion stayed on his bike. A slow top section however meant that he was six seconds slower than Wilson's time at the finish line. That time meant he was now in second place, though.
A wild ride from Rémi Thirion, but it was fast
© Bartek Woliński
Thirion would go from second to third after Austria’s David Trummer put together a dream run on the home turf of Leogang. A fast top section coupled with a clean ride through the wood saw him power into second behind Wilson.
David Trummer had the support of the locals who were on the course
© Bartek Woliński
The last 10 riders on course was full of talent. Surely the likes of Loris Vergier, Greg Minnaar, Danny Hart, Troy Brosnan or Loïc Bruni could better Wilson's time. Top qualifier Vergier was the fastest of everyone at the first split on the course, but, like most, he came unstuck in the woods. Minnaar crashed heavily early in his run, which effectively ended his challenge, while Danny Hart didn't carry good speed on his ride and Brosnan was fast and smooth before hitting a tree as he entered the woods. That mistake killed his chances.
A mistake when he entered the woods section cost Troy Brosnan dear
© Bartek Woliński
Greg Minnaar will be back to fight another Worlds
© Bartek Woliński
Loris Vergier lost control at the tree stumps after a first fast split
© Bartek Woliński
Danny Hart didn't quite have race pace today
© Bartek Woliński
So, to the last man down: Bruni. If anyone could pull out a seemingly impossible ride, it was the defending three-time world champ. It wasn't to be this time, though, as he got bogged down in the woods and lost considerable time trying to get going.
Ever the showman, Bruni styled it once he knew he was out of contention
© Bartek Woliński
At that moment, Wilson realised he was the 2020 world champion and his emotions began to flow. Commenting on his remarkable win, Wilson said: "I can’t believe it. I've worked really hard and here we are."
Believe it Reece, you're a world champion
© Bartek Woliński
The winning bike – a Trek Session 9.9
© Bartek Woliński
An unexpected Worlds podium, but all deserving of their medals
© Bartek Woliński
Medal
Rider
Time
Gold
Reece Wilson (GBR)
3m 51.243s
Silver
David Trummer (AUT)
3m 54.440s
Bronze
Rémi Thirion (FRA)
3m 57.196s
The World Championships may be over but the UCI Downhill World Cup is just about to begin. It all kicks-off in Maribor, Slovenia, with a double-header race – first on Friday, October 16 and then again on Sunday, October 18 – before moving to Portugal for the final two races of 2020.
Cross-country World Championships
Scenic Leogang backdrop for the XCO race
© Bartek Wolinski
Severely steep climbs, root-laden technical descents and a course rutted and sticky with mud made the new Leogang cross-country (XCO) World Champs course one of the most difficult tracks we’ve seen in years. The newly-cut track was built specifically for this event and featured two main steep climbs and a very technical descent, which looked more like a downhill course than an XCO one! With a tough course and even tougher track conditions, it was set to be a spectacular race for the rainbow jersey.
Take a look at the track with Emily Batty:
2 min
Leogang XCO course preview with Emily Batty
Canada's Emily Batty takes you on a preview of the steep and muddy cross-country track in Leogang, Austria.
Women's Finals
The women's field spread out quickly
© Bartek Woliński
Defending World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot established her position at the front of the race early on, opening up a fair gap during the start loop.
Defending World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
© Bartek Woliński
Britain’s Evie Richards had a good start and after her two short track wins in Nové Město eyes were on the young Brit to see what she’d deliver. However, this track is very different to the Czech one and, despite holding a strong position initially, Richards soon dropped back as Ferrand-Prévot’s pace split apart the competition.
Evie Richards started strong but was unable to hold onto the front pace
© Bartek Wolinski
Australia’s Rebecca McConnell was the closest to front-runner Ferrand-Prévot, but she wasn’t able to match the pace of the leader – seeing Ferrand-Prévot open up a lead of 56 seconds after the first lap alone.
Australia's Rebecca McConnell held second for the majority of the race
© Bartek Woliński
The experienced Frenchwoman has a number of World Championships under her belt, spanning a variety of different disciplines, and it was clear she was using all her skills and expertise to navigate this race.
The Leogang track was incredibly technical
© Bartek Woliński
Ferrand-Prévot dominated the race from the very start
© Bartek Woliński
Such a phenomenal ride from the Frenchwoman
© Bartek Woliński
Ferrand-Prévot’s lead grew as the race progressed and she crossed the finish line nearly three minutes ahead of anyone else to retain her title and secure her third XCO World Championship win.
Ferrand-Prévot retains her World Championship title for another year
© Bartek Woliński
This track favoured the climbers, with riders like Ukraine’s Yana Belomoina's ascending strength shining through. The descents needed a lot of caution, as steep, exposed root sections and long ski-slope mudfests created a number of crashes. It was about weighing up the risks as the athletes navigated the treacherous conditions.
A crash and seatpost malfunction lost Belomoina time
© Bartek Woliński
Belomoina fell foul of one of the descents with a crash damaging her dropper seatpost, forcing her to pull into the tech zone and have a standard post put in. It was a disappointing situation for the Ukrainian, who spent the early part of the race in contention for bronze.
Lechner and Frei battle it out for bronze
© Bartek Woliński
With Belomoina set back, the bronze battle moved between Switzerland’s Sina Frei and Italy’s Eva Lechner. Both riders brought different strengths, with Lechner’s climbing and cyclocross experience a benefit in today’s conditions, while Frei’s descending skills made her strong on the technical downs. A great battle played out between these riders until the final lap, when pulling away from Frei, Lechner set her sights on second-placed McConnell.
Rebecca McConnell coming under increasing pressure
© Bartek Woliński
After riding the majority of the race alone, this was not an expected advancement and the pressure that Lechner put on the Australian rider was apparent. The two battled valiantly with positions chopping and changing during the final lap.
Missing out on silver by the smallest of margins
© Bartek Woliński
Coming into the final straight, McConnell burst into a sprint with Lechner close behind. In the final seconds, Lechner upped the power and crossed the line to secure silver by the smallest margin. A jubilant Lechner dropped to the ground in disbelief, while an understandably gutted McConnell got to grips with her third place.
Isla Short taking on the Leogang mud
© Bartek Woliński
One young rider who shone in the muddy mayhem was Team GB rider Isla Short. The Scot tackled the muddy conditions with relative ease and would end up crossing the line in fifth place, ahead of Swiss superstar Jolanda Neff. Illness in Nové Město and Leogang hindered Neff, but despite not being in full health she still exceeded the majority of the field with her sixth-place finish.
Neff battled back to take sixth place
© Bartek Woliński
Kate Courtney crashed and opted to stop racing
© Bartek Woliński
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot maintains her rainbow jersey
© Bartek Woliński
Ferrand-Prévot became the first woman to successfully defend her own World Championships title. Speaking after the race, she described how her tactics had been in reaction to the technical course: “I wanted to achieve a very good start to be able to make a gap in climbs and descents, because I knew it could be a bit tense going downhill if we were riding in a group… I wasn’t expecting such a big gap. I wanted to be safe until the end and keep my calm and ride at a good pace.”
Position
Rider
Country
TIme
Medal
1.
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
France
1h 27m 33s
Gold
2.
Eva Lechner
Italy
1h 30m 34s
Silver
3.
Rebecca McConnell
Australia
1h 30m 34s
Bronze
Men's Final
Rain was forecast for the men’s race, but thankfully as the riders took to the start line the dark clouds above hadn’t yet opened. Rain would make this already sodden Leogang course difficult to ride in places. Pre-race favourites Henrique Avancini and Nino Schurter started from the front row of this six lap race, with Schurter looking for what would be a ninth men’s World Championship title.
Avancini was taking the confidence of his first World Cup win into the race
© Bartek Woliński
The race for those two didn’t start well, however. Brazilian Avancini appeared to knock another rider’s handlebar at the mass start and dropped back into the field as a result. Schurter rode into another racer's wheel on the first corner and nearly fell. Like Avancini he also dropped back into the field.
Avancini recovered from his bad start
© Bartek Woliński
Dutchman Milan Vader dominated the early proceedings and managed to get away from the French pair of Titouan Carod and Jordan Sarrou at the head of the race on the first full lap of the course. Vader couldn’t sustain his effort though and was soon caught by Sarrou by the end of that lap.
Sarrou on the charge
© Bartek Woliński
Sarrou soon left Vader in his wake to lead the race on lap two, tapping out a rhythm that was not only distancing Vader, but also the chasers behind the young Dutchman. From there Sarrou was able to build a commanding lead at the front of the race from which he'd never be caught.
Once he was clear there was no looking back for Sarrou
© Bartek Woliński
The race was now about who'd get that silver medal. Vader was in position to take it until the third lap, but surrendered his spot as a result of crashing twice.
Vader lost control on this descent and crashed
© Bartek Woliński
A chasing group of Italy’s Luca Braidot, Switzerland’s Mathias Flückiger, Carod and Avancini soon passed him by and left him behind.
The chasers engulf Vader
© Bartek Woliński
Unlike Avancini, Schurter hadn’t been able to move up the field from his early mistake and was riding outside the top 10. The eight-time World Champion would not be challenging for medals today.
Schurter was not at his usual best
© Bartek Woliński
The fourth lap saw a move from Flückiger to distance himself from Braidot, Avancini and Carod in the chasing group. Flückiger was able to eke out time gaps on descents with superior downhill handling skills, but wasn’t able to completely ride away in second place.
Mathias Flückiger got stronger as the race went on
© Bartek Woliński
Avancini began to feel the pace of the race and it saw him drop away from the battle for the silver medal. That battle would go down to a two-horse race as Carod managed to gap Braidot and ride up to Flückiger going into the final lap.
Carod was battling with Flückiger for the silver medal
© Bartek Woliński
Avancini faded towards the end of the race
© Bartek Woliński
Lars Forster was part of a strong Swiss team of eight at the race
© Bartek Woliński
Vlad Dascălu was racing his first senior World Champs
© Bartek Woliński
With the race edging closer to the finish line, Flückiger attacked Carod on one of the climbs, managing to get some daylight between him and the Frenchman. The sliver was his as he stretched away from Carod. Flückiger crossed the line just 45 seconds down on gold-medal winner and new World Champ Sarrou. Carod finished next to claim the bronze medal.
A day Sarrou will never forget
© Bartek Woliński
Sarrou, who's also the French national champion, was still taking in the enormity of his performance and victory at the end of the race: “I was really, really focused on my ride. I can't believe it, I’m World Champion, I’m in a dream.”
A strong French presence on the podium
© Bartek Woliński
Position
Rider
Country
Time
Medal
1.
Jordan Sarrou
France
1h 25m 37s
Gold
2.
Mathias Flückiger
Switzerland
1h 26m 22s
Silver
3.
Titouan Carod
France
1h 26m 32s
Bronze
Downhill Quali
The qualifications race at the World Championships took on a new significance when the UCI announced that these are the results that will count should the Finals be cancelled as a result of the threatened snow forecast. The result? The riders had to go for it on the muddy, rooty and technical course or hope that the snow holds off.
Loïc Bruni in his custom kit during practice
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
There were casualties; a crash may have jeopardised Laurie Greenland’s championship aspirations, causing a dislocated thumb that’s likely to need surgery – though he still plans to race Finals.
Laurie Greenland dislocated his thumb in quali but will still race
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
The conditions also contributed to chunky time gaps back to Tahnée Seagrave and Myriam Nicole in the women’s and FinnIles and Remi Thirion in the men’s, so expect some hard racing from them if Sunday’s finals do happen.
Myriam Nicole didn’t get the qualification result she wanted
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
Taking the quickest times, which may or may not make them World Champions, are Vali Höll and Loris Vergier, though Tracey Hannah and Loïc Bruni respectively gave them a close run for their money, placing second and in close contention for Sunday’s potential battle.
Vali Höll has her eyes on the prize – gold at the 2020 World Champs
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
Brook MacDonald didn’t have the best of luck with a crash and resulting bike problem that meant he had to pull out of the qualifications race. However, he’s fired up and ready to go for Sunday, which, if it happens, will be only his second race back after recovering from the spinal injury he sufferred at the 2019 World Championships at Mont Sainte-Anne.
Finn Iles is hungry for victory
© Bartek Woliński/Red Bull Content Pool
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