{"id":6740,"date":"2020-08-14T18:14:47","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T16:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/?p=6740"},"modified":"2025-10-21T11:35:30","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T09:35:30","slug":"series-leaders-finn-iles-and-vaea-verbeeck-take-win-in-maxxis-sun-peaks-dh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/events\/2020\/series-leaders-finn-iles-and-vaea-verbeeck-take-win-in-maxxis-sun-peaks-dh\/","title":{"rendered":"Series leaders Finn Iles and Vaea Verbeeck take win in Maxxis Sun Peaks DH"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

18 days in to back-to-back-to-back racing and training, B.C.\u2019s best mountain bikers still managed to turn it on when it counted, on a grueling, long and physical track in the Maxxis Sun Peaks DH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finn Iles \/ photo: Chris Pilling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I love this track. The top two and a half minutes of this one was so fun. It\u2019s fast and straight and everything you want in a Downhill track. It was really physical. Four and a half minutes long. That\u2019s basically the longest Downhill track you\u2019ll find anywhere in terms of World Cup length or Crankworx length.<\/p>

I felt like I needed a bit of redemption after last week. I was kind of frustrated with myself. I felt like I hadn\u2019t been riding my Downhill bike as well as I would have liked to over the past three weeks. So today I sort of figured something out on my bike and decided I should probably go for it and I feel like I rode really well. I\u2019m super excited to take the win.<\/p>– Finn Iles<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The women\u2019s first place finisher who, like Iles, is the reigning Canadian National Downhill Champ, echoed his elation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vaea Verbeeck \/ photo: Chris Pilling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It feels awesome. Yesterday I was so exhausted I was just thinking about getting food in me and going to bed. But today it feels like an even bigger relief and I\u2019m actually enjoying it. As much as I felt super exhausted – my arms were just about to fall off – I kind of noticed in practice this morning that when I was riding, I was charging. So I could still gather a little bit of energy to focus on the riding part, which made me pretty excited about dropping in for the race.<\/p>– Vaea Verbeeck<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Verbeeck said she did make a major mistake on track, drifting off trail and into the bushes, almost running into a tree, but managed to get back control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had a great race run but still thought I gave it away. So I\u2019m stoked I got a super clean race other than that one mistake.<\/p>– Vaea Verbeeck<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Casey Brown \/ photo: Chris Pilling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And while Iles secured enough points to clinch the overall CLIF Crankworx Summer Series Championship yesterday, Verbeeck is not guaranteed, but is certainly on the cusp. She would have to be a DNS in tomorrow\u2019s\u00a0race, and earn no points, to not take the overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, she said she\u2019s still ready to charge in the Sun Peaks Air DH, the final event to wrap up three weeks of competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s never over \u2018til it\u2019s over.<\/p>– Vaea Verbeeck<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

FULL RESULTS:<\/strong> Maxxis Sun Peaks DH – Elite Men<\/a> \/ Elite Women<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n