WORLD CHAMPS RESULTS - Val di Sole Delivers in 2016 3

The 2016 UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships proved to be one of the most challenging in history. The course in Val di Sole, Italy, is known for being incredibly steep and rough, filled with massive rocks and roots, but this year, the track deteriorated due to extremely dry conditions. As the hundreds of competitors practiced for three days, the course became unpredictable and dust-covered for race day, providing plenty of excitement and carnage. By the time the last rider came down the course, reckless abandon beat out calculated risk for the medals.

Laurie Greenland's run was a sight to behold. If anyone threw calculated risk out the window and went completely wide open without consideration for safety, it was Laurie, the 19-year-old, first-year Elite rider. He danced over the rocks and holes with a brilliant result, showcasing 100-percent confidence in his bike and ability. His performance defined a perfect World Champs DH run besting many of the best in the game. Then Danny Hart took the course, some 10 riders later. Danny Hart emulated his teammate but turned the pace up to 11 with a wild, loose and risk-heavy run that paid off in rainbow stripes and a gold medal. Troy Brosnan and couldn't match podium pace and Aaron Gwin, last rider down, suffered an exploded wheel just after the first split, where he was back by 1.5.

Danny Hart deservingly earned the 2016 World Champion stripes with a spectacular performance! Laurie Greenland held on to a silver medal and the lanky Frenchman, Florent Payet, backed up a solid timed training and proved his fluidity combined with the strength of French tactics could add up to an impressive bronze medal run. Mondraker Bikes secured all three Elite Men's World Championship medals today.

Rachel Atherton made history with a perfect World Cup season and now a World Championships win in 2016. When 2015 World Champs are factored in, this is her 15th Elite Women's DH win in a row at the World Cup/World Championship level. She had a hard-charging run with very few mistakes and received a well-earned gold medal and another set of rainbow stripes. Here race time was just .004-seconds faster than here timed training run.

The only woman to really give Rachel a challenge for the top spot was Myriam Nicole who had a clean, aggressive run finishing with silver, just 3.1 seconds off of first. Myriam suffered two major injuries this World Cup season, missing most of the races, but put it together for World Champs today. Australia's, Tracey Hannah earns bronze, some 9 seconds behind Rachel. The Top 3 women were in their own league today as 4th place was nearly 25 seconds behind. Manon Carpenter had a brutal crash in the first corner that left her possibly injured. We'll fill you in as we hear more.

Finn Iles had a remarkable comeback after a major crash in practice earlier this week to take the Junior victory and Alessia Missiaggia earned Junior Women's gold convincingly.

Elite Men's - full results (PDF)

Top 35 with splits

Elite Women's Results

Junior Men Results - full results (PDF)

Top 20 w/ splits

Junior Women Results

Congratulations to Samantha Kingshill from the USA with a silver medal result!