After a quick turnaround from last weekend’s UCI Downhill World Cup in La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy), riders were back between the race tape in Pal Arinsal - Andorra for the final round before a six-week summer break.

With thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon, there was even more incentive for the Downhill athletes to qualify for tomorrow’s Finals in the Pal Arinsal Bike Park at the first time of asking. 

HEMSTREET BACKS UP BLISTERING FORM

Gracey Hemstreet (Norco Race Division) is the only rider to have won twice this year, and the Canadian has put herself in the best position to make that three in Andorra. After a sluggish first sector, the 20-year-old showed why she’s currently second in the standings, getting faster at every split to be the only rider to stop the clock at 3:00 dead.

It was only a narrow victory though, with Tahnée Seagrave (Orbea/FMD Racing) just a tenth of a second off the pace. The Brit had recorded fastest splits in all four intermediate splits but a slight loss of speed in the final sector cost the 30-year-old a first Q1 win of the season.

Mille Johnset (Axess Intense Factory Racing) was the best of the rest, securing a Finals spot in Q1 for the first time this year, while series leader Valentina Höll (YT Mob) was back down in fourth. The Austrian is without a win since she became the UCI Downhill World Champion in Andorra last year and will have a nervous wait tomorrow if she finds herself in the hotseat with three riders still to go.

Elsewhere, Louise-Anna Ferguson (Axess Intense Factory Racing) and Monika Hrastnik (Aon Racing – Tourne Campervans) needed Q2 to make it through to Finals, while Myriam Nicole (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) and Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) were both non-starters.

MUÑOZ PUTS IN RIDE OF HIS LIFE

In the men’s field, Colombian young gun Fernando Juan Muñoz (Axess Intense Factory Racing) outpaced everyone to claim the biggest result of his burgeoning career. It shouldn’t have come as a complete shock though – the 21-year-old making it through to the last two Finals in Val di Sole – Trentino (Italy) and La Thuile – Valle d’Aosta (Italy), where he’s placed 27th and 11th respectively.

It was a close call though, with the top nine riders separated by less than a second on Pal Arinsal’s high-altitude downhill track.

Loïc Bruni (Specialized Gravity) came closest to matching Muñoz, going fastest in two of the intermediate splits, and he will fancy his chances of getting back to winning ways in tomorrow’s final.

Series leader Jackson Goldstone (Santa Cruz Syndicate), meanwhile, recovered from a slow first sector to finish fifth. The Canadian is on course to break the men’s best all-time winning streak by claiming a fifth consecutive victory in Andorra but will need to iron out the early mistakes if he is to beat his and Aaron Gwin’s record.

Other notable highlights include Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), who qualified seventh while still recovering from a broken collarbone, and wildcard entry David Palazzari (Rogue Racing-SR Suntour), who made it through to Finals in eighth.

Riders forced to take a second bite of the cherry and make it to Finals via Q2 include UCI Downhill World Champion Loris Vergier (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction), Dakotah Norton (Mondraker Factory Racing DH), Matt Walker (Trek Factory Racing DH) and Reece Wilson (AON Racing - Tourne Campervans), while Troy Brosnan (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) misses out on a final spot.

ALRAN AND OSTGAARD FASTEST IN JUNIORS

Max Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) put in a stunning performance in the men’s Junior Qualifying – the French rider going fastest in every split to record a time that would have won the men’s Elite Qualifications. Second-place Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing/5Dev) would have also won the senior competition with his 2:39.711, while overall series leader Till Alran (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) could only manage fifth.

Aletha Ostgaard (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Racing) meanwhile showed that she hasn’t slowed down since winning in La Thuile, setting the fastest time with a dominant second half in the women’s Junior Qualifying. Series leader Rosa Zierl’s (Cube Factory Racing) kept things consistent to finish third, while privateer Rosa Marie Jensen was sandwiched between the series front runners – the Dane fastest in intermediate splits one and two before fading at the end.

Racing gets underway tomorrow (Saturday, July 12) in Pal Arinsal - Andorra from 12:30 CEST with the Women Junior UCI Downhill World Cup Finals. Find out how to watch here.