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EBlackwell
1/14/2022 9:53pm
1/14/2022 9:53pm
A few days ago I was listening to the most recent episode of Andrew Neethling’s podcast with Matti Lehikoinen and Matti brought up that before having a massive crash, he was actually up on Sam Hill’s race winning split time. I’d never heard that stat before, and it got me thinking of the other race runs that “could’ve been” that have been forgotten or buried away deep in the results sheets that most people aren’t aware of. Given that Vital is the home of the WC DH nerds, it seemed like the perfect place to start a discussion on the race runs that were almost legendary, but a crash or mechanical pushed them into the dustbin of history. Anyone remember any others?
Sam Hill at Val Di Sole 08 was another "what could have been" run...
He was the fastest racer in the world and at his peak, utterly untouchable at that point. Fastest qualifier by a long way and blew his wheel apart off screen somewhere.
He never won there b/c his wheels disintegrated 3 years in a row with him trying to limp a warped rear to the finish and still finished top 10 on third attempt
That Mt. Snow result, standing track side in Yard Sale with thousands of fans from all over, would have been the most epic moment. If you know ..you know
A close second is Ratboy at World Champs in Hafjell. 40 foot jump to flat, breaks ankle, can't pedal, coasts to the finish line, misses out on being World Champ by 0.4 seconds.
If Rob hadn't been screaming times, obscenity's and feeding on the high stakes the whole way down, maybe he wouldn't have continued into the next year. And then it went viral on YouTube, people watched it over and over again. I think that run made what we have today possible.
Course then you had rat right after as well.
Of course, on a biased note haha, my better half, Leigh Donovan-she went to 1996 World Champs in Australia as the reigning world champ from 1995. A controversial race in 95' as Leigh wins elite world champs, Anne Caro wins juniors with a faster time (It rained the night before, pros used to go in the morning, juniors later in the day, track got way faster, even Cedric's junior time was faster than Nico) so, ACC vs Leigh at 96' world champs was the ultimate show down.
When we arrived in Oz, Leigh got some gnarly flu (would have called it Covid back then hahaha) she was in bed, with 104 fever, aches, the entire time, she never got to practice the WHOLE TIME. Of course, you had to do a practice run and the quali, the day before race was the quali, she was able to roll down hill for a practice, and do quali, then back to bed.
On race day-she just did what she had to do and after going over track notes I put together from track walks and pedaling her ass off, she was last down as the reigning world champ, and did lose, by .18 of a second.....fuuuuuuck. A well earned silver medal, that's for sure, with 3 total runs under her belt.
Testament to the mental aspect of DH racing, as much as talent, equipment and luck haha.
Peat at Les Gets Worlds
Sam at VDS Worlds
I think were the most devastating
A good one is also
Shaun Palmer at Worlds 1996
He did crash in the run too....I think it was Clay Porters video that year which has the footage (ie filming the trackside video screen). I rate this one near the top considering how stacked against him the conditions were. I believe the next fastest rider in the same conditions was (THE LEGEND) Mickael Pascal about 27 seconds back!
VDS was insane but I put the Champery one above it
Agree with Neko's chainless run AND his run at Cairns where he crashed but still ended up 3rd or 4th?
Peaty at Les Gets '04 - That one still hurts to watch. I wonder how different his career could have been if he had won worlds when he was at his peak?
I also think Loic had a run in Lordes where he was up at the split and crashed. If he held that one together I think it would’ve been his first WC win and on home soil, but I might have my facts wrong on that.
Also want to throw in Mick Hannah's worlds run in Cairns. Obviously no crash, he just didn't quite have the speed. But what a moment that would have been for him. And then Tracy also missing out on the top step because she KO'd herself and even after being knocked out after the crash came in second as well.
Sam Hill at VDS tops the list for me.
Post a reply to: The best “what could have been” race runs in WC DH history.