This past weekend the iXS European Downhill Cup celebrated the first race of the new season. 350 riders from 28 different nations made their way to Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) to kick-off the 2017 EDC season. At the end of the day, Eleonora Farina and Jure Zabjek were the winners of an exciting race weekend.
Jure Zabjek (Unior Tools Team)
For the third time already the opening race of the tenth(!) season of the iXS European Downhill Cup invited the downhill elite to Kransjka Gora (Slovenia). The fight for the title 2017 is now officially on and the competition seems to get stronger every year. This season the EDC includes 5 races in Slovenia, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
Michał Śliwa (Top Riders Myślenice)
Except for some minor changes, Kransjka Gora’s race track looked very similar to last year’s race, so most of the riders were rather familiar with the course and the overall conditions. As usual, the most important topic of the whole weekend was the roots… these breath-taking, nerve-wrecking roots. Especially those parts of the course are extremely demanding and take their toll. And as if that wasn’t enough, the track is also extremely steep in some sections, before the track finally enters the open field. Fortunately, at least the weather was at its best this year, saving the athletes lots of trouble.
Qualifications
The first odds-on favorite who entered the track in the seeding run was Matt Walker (NZL – Cube Global Squad). With his incredible victory at the Crankworx Rotorua Air DH last month he has already proven that he’s in top form, so expectations were high this weekend!
Sławomir Łukasik (NS Bikes Factory Racing)
When he crossed the finish line he took the lead with a 6-second gap and for a long time it looked like he would succeed again. However, Stanislav Sehnal (CZE – Banshee Bikes) beat his time by split seconds, and then all eyes were on the last remaining two riders on the track – Jure Zabjek (SLO – Unior Tools Team) and Sławomir Łukasik (POL – NS Bikes Factory Racing).
At the end of the day, Zabjek set the best time of the day that not even Łukasik could reach.
Eleonora Farina (GB Rifar Mondraker)
In the Elite Women category Eleonora Farina (ITA – GB Rifar Mondraker) was the fastest rider of the seeding run, setting both the best time of 2.48 minutes and a clear goal for her final run on Sunday. In the past Farina reached the podium numerous times, without reaching the top so far – but apparently this was going to change this time!
In the meantime, vice European Champion Monika Hrastnik (SLO – Blackthorn) finished in second place, followed by Veronika Widmann (ITA – FS Petrol Funn) in third.
Finals
Sunday again greeted the riders with dry conditions and even some rays of sunshine, so the overall conditions could not have been better, presenting the track in perfect shape for a fast and exciting race. As always the Masters category opened the race, once more crowning Michał Śliwa (POL – Myślenice / Top Riders) as fastest.
Masters podium
After that, all eyes were on the younger generations. Valentina Höll (AUT – Sram TLD Racing) delivered the fastest time in the U17 category, which would even have landed her in fifth place in the Elite category. Among the male U17 riders Chris Cumming (GBR – Wideopenmag) succeeded, while Sylvain Cougoureux (FRA – Les Gets Intense Team) already took his second title in Kranjska Gora in the U19 category after finishing in third in the Lordes World Cup – seems like a promising career!
U17 women & men podium
The next point on the agenda was the Small Final of the Elite Men category. After Jacob Dickson (IRL – Giant Factory Off-Road Team) did not finish his seeding run, he was the first man down the hill in Sunday’s race. With a time of 2.30 he reached the top 5 of the seeding run and took the rest of the race to relax in the Red Bull Hot Seat, hoping to carry his lead all the way to the end – which, in the end, he did!
U19 women & men podium
The Elite Women Finals definitely qualified as some kind of déjà-vu: the first 8 riders remained in the exact same order as in their seeding and so the official winner of the first EDC 2017 is Eleonora Farina. With a best time of 2.50,626 she finished only split seconds faster than Monika Hrastnik. Veronika Widmann completed the podium in third place.
Elite women podium
The outcome of the Elite Men Super Final was similar to the Elite Women: Jure Zabjek simply copied Saturday’s result and finished 2.1 seconds faster than odds-on favorite Sławomir Łukasik. Matt Walker reached the third place with only split seconds towards Łukasik.
Elite men podium
With this result and beautiful sunshine the first EDC weekend in Kranjska Gora comes to an end. Once more it has been a unique setting and an incredible atmosphere! The next stop already awaits and will take us all to the Bike Festival in Willingen in only two weeks from now. See you there!
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Official website: ixsdownhillcup.com
Photos: Rick Schubert