First up in the packed schedule of racing today was the Elite Women and the track looked to be running better than the Elite qualifying as Vali Höll went around six seconds faster than her top qualifying time. Vali Höll was the dominant force in semi-finals as she led from top to bottom leaving Nina Hoffmann and Camille Balanche with no answer to her speed.
Nina Hoffmann was looking good before a crash into the finish area. This could spell trouble for the German rider as she is still recovering from a knee injury. Hopefully, she is all good for finals. Camille Balanche has been unbeatable in Leogang since 2020 but she could not match the winning pace in semi-finals crossing the line in 3rd. Camille doesn’t have much time to regroup before heading back up the hill for the most important run of the week.
The speeds were kept high for the Elite Men’s semi-final as Finn Iles made it another great day for the Specialized team taking the win by almost a second. Finn Iles held the lead all the way down from the second split as he bested Loic Bruni on the drying course. Wrapping up the top three was Troy Brosnan who ended his run just 1.2 seconds off the pace. Riders found it tricky to trust the track after yesterday’s conditions so expect the pace to rise again in finals now riders are fully up to speed on the course.
Check out the results below.
Results:
Elite Women
1st. Vali Höll: 3:26.737
2nd. Nina Hoffmann: 3:32.392
3rd. Camille Balanche: 3:32.417
4th. Monika Hrastnik: 3:36.215
5th. Rachel Atherton: 3:36.240
Elite Men
1st. Finn Iles: 3:03.070
2nd. Loic Bruni: 3:04.007
3rd. Troy Brosnan: 3:04.332
4th. Jackson Goldstone: 3:04.494
5th. Luca Shaw: 3:04.517
1:45 am PDT: The Elite Women’s Race is Now Underway
Semi-finals kicks off in Lenzerheide with Louise Ferguson starting proceedings.
1:49 am PDT: Louise Ferguson Sets a Time of 3:48.843
Louise Ferguson is the first rider down with a time that would have placed around 10th in qualifying. Conditions are very different today after yesterday’s storms and some overnight rain.
1:50 am PDT: Frida Ronning goes 0.1 Seconds Up
Frida Ronning goes just ahead to take an early lead.
1:51 am PDT: Anna Newkirk Takes a Big Lead
Anna Newkirk has gone into the lead by nearly three seconds as the times continue to tumble.
1:53 am PDT: Veronika Widmann Goes Fastest
Veronika Widmann lost a little bit of time at the top but goes into the lead by half a second.
1:54 am PDT: Gracey Hemstreet Takes a Huge Lead
Gracey Hemstreet flies into the lead as she masters the lower part of the course to lead by 5.494 seconds. Already we are reaching the 4th place qualifying times.
1:58 am PDT: Marine Cabirou Pulls Ahead of Gracey Hemstreet
Marine Cabirou looks to have found her old speed as she is another rider fast at the bottom of the course and leads by 1.2 seconds.
2:02 am PDT: Rachel Atherton Smashes the Course to Lead by Over 2 Seconds
Rachel Atherton holds the lead from top to bottom as she pulls ahead of Marine Cabirou by 2.466 seconds.
2:03 am PDT: Top 5 with 5 Riders Left
1st. Rachel Atherton: 3:36.240
2nd. Marine Cabirou: 3:38.706
3rd. Phoebe Gale: 3:38.976
4th. Gracey Hemstreet: 3:39.923
5th. Jess Blewitt: 3:41.087
2:05 am PDT: A Crash Could End Tahnee Seagrave’s Chances of Making Finals
A crash near the top has meant Tahnee Seagrave is in 8th so far. With four more riders, she could very well be pushed outside of the top ten and not make it to finals.
2:06 am PDT: Monika Hrastnik Overtakes Atherton by 0.025
The times are very tight at the top as Monika Hrastnik manages to make up over two seconds in the final section to go fastest by just 0.025 seconds.
2:08 am PDT: What a Run from Nina Hoffmann
Nina Hoffmann was on an absolutely wild run. Despite a crash into the finish she still leads by a huge 3.823 seconds.
2:09 am PDT: Camille Balanche Keeps it Steady to Take 2nd
Camille Balanche stays upright with a calm and collected run and goes across the line just 0.025 seconds behind Nina Hoffmann.
2:12 am PDT: Vali Höll Dominates in Leogang
Vali Höll was unstoppable in semi-finals as she takes the win by over five and half seconds.
2:23 am PDT: The Elite Men’s Race is Now Underway
Onni Rainio is first up for the Elite Men today.
2:32 am PDT: Top 5 After 10 Riders
1st. Ronan Dunne: 3:06.381
2nd. Tuhoto-Ariki Pene: 3:06.765
3rd. Pau Menoyo Busquets: 3:09.976
4th. Greg Williamson: 3:10.183
5th. Adam Brayton: 3:10.369
2:43 am PDT: Top 5 After 20 Riders
1st. Ronan Dunne: 3:06.381
2nd. Tuhoto-Ariki Pene: 3:06.765
3rd. Remy Meier-Smith: 3:06.998
4th. Pau Menoyo Busquets: 3:09.976
5th. Oliver Zwar: 3:10.151
2:54 am PDT: Top 5 After 30 Riders
1st. Ronan Dunne: 3:06.381
2nd. Max Hartenstern: 3:06.519
3rd. Tuhoto-Ariki Pene: 3:06.765
4th. Remy Meier-Smith: 3:06.998
5th. Antoine Vidal: 3:07.358
3:06 am PDT: Top 5 After 40 Riders
1st. Ronan Dunne: 3:06.381
2nd. Max Hartenstern: 3:06.519
3rd. Tuhoto-Ariki Pene: 3:06.765
4th. Remy Meier-Smith: 3:06.998
5th. Antoine Vidal: 3:07.358
3:07 am PDT: Greg Minnaar Takes the Lead
Greg Minnaar is looking fast on course as conditions are quickly improving. Greg crosses the line 0.103 seconds up and moves onto the hot seat.
3:11 am PDT: Laurie Greenland Makes it a Santa Cruz Top Two
Laurie Greenland makes it green on the timing screen as he finds some extra time to pull ahead of Greg Minnaar.
3:12 am PDT: Benoit Coulanges is Next to go Fastest
Benoit Coulanges found a lot of time on the course as he leads by over a second.
3:13 am PDT: Jordan Williams Takes 11th
Jordan Williams ends his run 2.7 seconds back, he will be looking for more in finals.
3:14 am PDT: A French Top Two as Loris Vergier Goes 2nd
Loris Vergier matches his position from Lenzerheide as he sits in second after his semi-final run.
3:15 am PDT: Loic Bruni Takes a Big Lead
Loic Bruni is out to prove he is the fastest Specialized team rider as he heads onto the hot seat with a lead of one second.
3:16 am PDT: Jackson Goldstone Goes 2nd
Jackson Goldstone is on it this week as he manages to come within half a second of Loic Bruni’s time.
3:19 am PDT: Top 5 With 10 Riders Remaining
1st. Loic Bruni: 3:04.007
2nd. Jackson Goldstone: 3:04.494
3rd. Luca Shaw: 3:04.517
4th. Benoit Coulanges: 3:05.009
5th. Loris Vergier: 3:05.348
3:27 am PDT: Troy Brosnan Rides into 2nd Place
Troy Brosnan has placed himself in 2nd as he comes 0.325 seconds off Loic Bruni.
3:31 am PDT: A Wild Run from Finn Iles Takes the Top Time
Finn Iles keeps the speed high as he finds almost a second on his teammate Loic Bruni to lead semi-finals with five riders left.
3:32 am PDT: Top 5 With 5 Riders Remaining
1st. Finn Iles: 3:03.070
2nd. Loic Bruni: 3:04.007
3rd. Troy Brosnan: 3:04.332
4th. Jackson Goldstone: 3:04.494
5th. Luca Shaw: 3:04.517
3:31 am PDT: Finn Iles Wins Semi-Finals in Leogang
None of the remaining could match the fastest time as Finn Iles will be last down the hill in finals later today.
Elite Women
Elite Men
Elite Women
Elite Men
