On the final day of racing at the 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Leogang, Austria, the Junior, and Elite Downhill races took off on the 2.3-kilometer course which proved to be difficult given the weather conditions. Junior Ella Erickson (Hayden, Idaho; Commencal) was Team USA’s top finisher today placing fifth, 2:01.558 behind top time, in the Junior Women’s Downhill race.
Christopher Grice (Brevard, N.C.; Specialized Factory Racing), Dante Silva (Chula Vista, Calif.), Austin Dooley (Yucaipa, Calif.; Commencal), and Matthew Sterling (San Jose, Calif.; Giant Factory Off-Road Team) rode for Team USA in the Junior Men’s Downhill race. Grice was first up for the U.S. and finished in a time of 4:28.614 placing him in 14th, the best finish for Team USA. Silva and Dooley were up next, and both had strong races finishing 28th and 35th respectively. Last up for the Junior Men was Sterling who had the fastest qualifying time going into today’s finals. Sterling finished in 43rd in a time of 5:11.777.
Mazie Hayden (Pittsfield, Vt.; Defiant Racing) and Anna Newkirk (Riehen, Switzerland; SRAM Young Guns Racing) competed in the Elite Women’s Downhill event for Team USA. Hayden finished 12th stopping the clock at 6:47.590. Newkirk close behind finishing 14th finishing in a time of 7:58.860.
The weather continued to worsen as the Elite Men’s Downhill race took off, causing course conditions to deteriorate with cement-like mud playing a factor in many athletes’ rides. Neko Mulally (Pisgah Forest, N.C.; Intense Factory Racing), Aaron Gwin (Murietta, Calif.; Intense Factory Racing), Dakotah Norton (Knoxville, Tenn.; Unior Devinci Factory Racing), and Luca Shaw (Hendersonville, N.C.; Santa Cruz Syndicate) represented Team USA in the Elite Men’s event.. After a challenging course, Mulally was the top finisher for the U.S., finishing 21st in a time of 4:09.527. Gwin was the next highest finisher for the U.S., clocking at time of 4:13.846, placing him 26th for the day. Norton and Shaw would place 36th and 45th, respectively.
In total, the U.S. Worlds Team took home a silver medal in the U23 Men’s Cross-Country race by Christopher Blevins (Durango, Colo.; Specialized Factory Racing) and 13 top-20 finishes in the 2020 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
Results
Junior Women Downhill
1. Lauryne Chappaz FRA 5:42.502
2. Sophie Gutohrle AUT +46.809
3. Leona Pierrini FRA +53.812
5. Ella Erickson USA +2:01.558
Junior Men Downhill
1. Oisin O’Callaghan IRL 4:02.142
2. Daniel Slack GBR +2.141
3. James Elliott GBR +10.705
14. Christopher Grice USA +26.472
28. Dante Silva USA +37.529
35. Austin Dooley USA +53.026
43. Matthew Sterling USA +1:09.635
Elite Women Downhill
1. Camille Balanche SUI 5:08.426
2. Nichole Myriam FRA +3.130
3. Monika Hrastnik SLO +16.966
12. Mazie Hayden USA +1:39.164
14. Anna Newkirk USA +2:50.434
Elite Men Downhill
1. Reece Wilson GBR 3:51.243
2. David Trummer AUT +3.197
3. Remi Thirion FRA +5.953
21. Neko Mulally USA +18.284
26. Aaron Gwin USA +22.603
36. Dakotah Norton USA +29.723
45. Luca Shaw USA +40.036
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