Brook MacDonald and Rachel Atherton fastest at the rocky, unrelenting Croatia downhill venue.
The rocks of Croatia showed their teeth today as riders sampled the Losinj World Cup Downhill track for the first time. Loic Bruni injured his arm first run, taking him out for the day and possibly the race, and a day earlier, Claudio Caluori crashed while filming the Red Bull TV course preview, knocking his head. At the end of practice, official timed training was opened up for the top riders to gauge speed and bike settings in preparation for qualifying on Saturday. Brook MacDonald and Rachel Atherton ran quickest.
Watching the live timing and looking at results, it sure seems like there were plenty of mechanicals and unfinished runs. We'll get some track-side info as soon as we can.
There are 140 Elite Men, 26 Elite Women, 43 Junior Men and 9 Junior Women on the qualifying start lists (seeding for Jr. Women). Timed training does not provide series points or count toward any official result, so it's a loose baseline as to what race day times may be.
Pre-race Course Impressions
Bermsmasher
4/20/2018 9:48 AM
I know its just timed training, but anyone know where Finn ended up?
sspomer
4/20/2018 10:00 AM
if he's not listed, he didn't finish a timed run. i'm pretty sure i remember him dripping in for a run or two when i watched live timing. i guess if a rider had an issue it was easier to skip the bottom of the course and take the road back to the pits, skipping the finish line, hence the incomplete times.
sspomer
4/20/2018 7:44 PM
updating here, as just got finn audio for slideshow. he said he is #62 and was not part of the timed training session, hence no time.
mp
4/20/2018 9:21 AM
Please tell me the women's field is more than 9 people.
sspomer
4/20/2018 9:23 AM
it says in copy above, 26 women riders listed for qualifying, 140 men, 43 jr men and 9 jr women.
mp
4/20/2018 9:58 AM
Thanks... can't read!