The UCI Mountain Bike World Series made a spectacular debut in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, with the world’s top downhill riders facing a challenging new track. Amidst varying weather conditions, Marine Cabirou (Scott Downhill Factory) and Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing) emerged victorious in the Elite categories.
Elite Women Category
Marine Cabirou secured her first win of the season, rebounding from a disappointing performance in Fort William. Cabirou’s run was marked by a cautious start, but she picked up speed in the lower sections, finishing ahead of her competitors despite the challenging track conditions. Her victory was sealed as Valentina Höll (YT Mob), the 2023 UCI Downhill World Champion, crashed early in her run, finishing in sixth place.
Key results:
- Marine Cabirou (Scott Downhill Factory)
- Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal)
- Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate)
- Jess Blewitt (Privater)
- Tahnée Seagrave (Canyon CLLCTV FMD)
“I’m super happy to win here on this new track in Poland. It was difficult to manage the race run because of the changing conditions, but I just tried to do my best.”
After her win, Cabirou expressed her joy, stating,
Elite Men Category
Ronan Dunne achieved a milestone, claiming his first-ever UCI Downhill World Cup win. Dunne’s aggressive and calculated performance saw him navigate the course with precision, edging out Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) by a narrow margin. Bruni, despite a strong run, finished just 0.064 seconds behind Dunne, while Loris Vergier (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) completed the podium.
Key results:
- Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing)
- Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity)
- Loris Vergier (Trek Factory Racing Gravity)
- Benoît Coulanges (Dorval AM Commencal)
- Oisin O’Callaghan (YT Mob)
“I was loving the track in Poland. The crowd was insane. I had myself in the mindset of either I was going for a helicopter trip, or I was coming down in first. We didn’t take the helicopter trip, but we took the win.”
Reflecting on his victory, Dunne said,
Current Standings:
Women Elite:
- Valentina Höll (YT Mob) – 560 points
- Tahnée Seagrave (Canyon CLLCTV FMD) – 550 points
- Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal) – 540 points
- Nina Hoffman (Santa Cruz Syndicate) – 506 points
- Marine Cabirou (Scott Downhill Factory) – 490 points
Men Elite:
- Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) – 627 points
- Ronan Dunne (Mondraker Factory Racing) – 467 points
- Loris Vergier (Trek Factory Racing Gravity) – 454 points
- Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) – 447 points
- Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) – 441 points
The next rounds of the UCI Downhill World Cup are scheduled to take place in Saalfelden Leogang, Austria, on June 7-9.
Add comment