Four months, nine countries, two continents and it all comes down to this: The last stop of the World Cup season in Val di Sole, Italy will – finally – determine who takes home the men’s and women’s 2017 overall title in Downhill (DHI). The resort in Trentino, Italy was home to the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships just last season and a World Cup XCO event the year before. In fact, 2017 marks the third time that the rocky, rooty terrain of the Northern Italian valley has hosted the UCI World Cup Finals. The Italian fans who flock to the spectacular World Heritage area in the Dolomites are mad for MTB, cheering at top volume for every rider.
Myriam Nicole / Tracey Hannah
The Downhill title hinges on the final race, and the action will be nothing short of intense on a track that’s widely regarded as the most technical of the season. When it comes to the women, overall leader Myriam Nicole (FRA) rolls into Italy as the favorite with her 1,190 points, but she’ll have to deliver a solid performance under high pressure to hold off Australia’s Tracey Hannah in second with 1,080 points, as well as Great Britain’s Tahnee Seagrave, who holds third with 1,044 and defeated Nicole by nearly six seconds at the recent stop in Mont Sainte Anne, Canada. Expect a nailbiter.
Greg Minnaar / Aaron Gwin
Meanwhile, the men’s deadlock is even tighter, with a spread of only 77 points separating first-place Greg Minnaar (RSA), second-place Aaron Gwin (USA) and third-place Troy Brosnan (AUS). All three will charge across the start line determined to grab the glory, but only one can finish with the overall crown. Can Minnaar, already the most successful rider in the history of Downhill, add to his extraordinary legacy? Gwin has the momentum of a triumph at Mont Sainte Anne, while Brosnan just recently took the win at the Candian Open in Whistler. Everything is set up for a battle for the ages and a spectacular finish to an extraordinary season.
Watch the finals of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2017 live from Val di Sole, Italy on August 26-27, exclusively on Red Bull TV.
Schedule:
- Val di Sole DHI Women: August 26 Live on Red Bull TV 1:00pm CEST
- Val di Sole DHI Men: August 26 Live on Red Bull TV 3:00pm CEST