SLIDESHOW - Maribor World Cup Downhill Racing 1 of 2 - Mountain Biking Pictures

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The first race of a strange two-race World Cup DH weekend is in the books. The venue in Maribor, Slovenia, provided a slick, challenging track full of speed and big hits. Loris Vergier and Marine Cabirou took wins today, but there is no celebration as qualifying for the second race is only a few hours away. Stay strong, stay focused and enjoy photos and interviews from Sven, Boris and Dan.

Marine Cabirou on her way to her 4th consecutive World Cup win. -Dan Hearn

Four World Cup wins in a row (and two second places before that) makes Marine Cabirou the most dominant female racer right now by a long shot. Interestingly, this is the first time she’s in the leader's jersey. -Sven Martin

After 2 long years, Loris Vergier was back on the top spot of the podium! With an impressive run, he ended up winning the first race in Maribor, 2.6 seconds ahead of Remi Thirion in 2nd. @maddogboris

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Loris didn’t realise Reece wasn’t racing (who would have been last down the hill before he crashed badly in training) and felt like he missed the opportunity to shed a tear in the finish area because he was ushered away to the podium. -Dan Hearn

Oisin O’Callaghan dropping into a storming run, soon to be leading by 5 seconds, crashing, and still winning. Albeit by a tight margin of 0.091 seconds. -Dan Hearn

Oisin pedalling whenever he can, even if its up and off a lip. That’s how you win. -Sven Martin

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Looks like the YT MOB did a good job with their junior program and found a new young talent. Oisin Callaghan wins the first race in Maribor. @maddogboris

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Leona Pierrini 1st place, 3.111 seconds up on 2nd. @maddogboris

Remi Thirion nailing the rock garden like a boss to better his Worlds result by 1 place. -Dan Hearn

The course became more and more slippery as the course dried out, leaving a slick sheen on top of compacted dirt. Remi Thirion making light work of the slop in training. -Dan Hearn

Myriam Nicole was stoked about her second place and making it down in one piece. Let's see what she will do in the second race on Sunday. @maddogboris

First-year elite, Thibaut Daprela, had a wild run, taking some risks but reaping the rewards in time. 3rd place today to make it a French 1, 2, 3. -Dan Hearn

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Thibaut Daprela doing his Amaury Pierron impression. @maddogboris

Dan Slack happy to visit Maribor and come away with a second place podium -Sven Martin

Siel Van Der Velden just missing the win in Junior Women by 3 seconds. -Dan Hearn

Anastasia Thiele, third place in Junior Women's, only four seconds off the win. -Sven Martin

Young Matt Walker with the perfect finish line lunge into fourth spot, bumping Luca Shaw off the box. -Sven Martin

Greg "Big Air" Minnaar would never take the low, flat, inside rut. Great turn around from an average qualifier rounding out the podium. -Sven Martin

Nuno Reis from Portugal slid out at the start here, but fought his way back on to the podium with a great lower course. -Sven Martin

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Dante finding the limits of the California dust training during his race run. -Sven Martin

Same slipping Dante, different angle. -Dan Hearn

Mille slip 'n sliding during practice. She would repeat this maneuver in the rock garden during her race run. -Sven Martin

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Loic boosting and tweaking from being spat out of a tricky rut. Do we need Tom Hey and the CWX Slopestyle course diggers to keep the man-made lips functioning for racing or do we keep it moto? -Sven Martin

Ale and Maddog creating some of their own mist. -Sven Martin

Last lap for Marine, and she uses it to check out the course and the tricky, open, wet bit where you could throw it all away. -Sven Martin

Remi during training with perfect form and style. -Sven Martin

Finn slotting the ruts out here. -Sven Martin

Dak Norton getting low and hauling ass to the finish to take 12th place. -Dan Hearn

Thibaut Daprela pushing hard in training just as we saw him do in his race run. -Sven Martin

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A shook-up Reece. The new World Champ gutted he couldn’t take the start after a stellar first-place qualifier, but happy he got to keep his boyish good looks and teeth. -Sven Martin

The hardware for the hard lads. -Sven Martin

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That one’s going to sting in the morning. -Dan Hearn

Moody madness out here today. -Sven Martin

Eddie-no-lens. The blindest racer out here by a mile. -Sven Martin

Your Junior World Champs and World Cup Winner today, Oisin O Callaghan. @maddogboris

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First race run wearing the rainbow stripes for Camille Balanche. -Dan Hearn

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It was a cracking day for the Syndicate, with Loris taking the win, Minnaar 5th and Luca 6th. -Dan Hearn

Baptiste Pierron in an empty finish area. No spectators allowed, just messy media nerds with camera bags strewn about keeping things classy. -Sven Martin

Jure Zabjek racing in front of his home crowd to take 15th place. His position improved at each split, so with a few less mistakes at the top, he could be in for a great time in Sunday’s race. -Dan Hearn

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Lots of these out here this week. -Sven Martin

Gee pushed hard in his run, unfortunately blowing out a rut that was getting tore up by earlier riders. -Sven Martin

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Bernard Kerr being dwarfed by the gnarly rock garden. Weird seeing so few spectators during finals at a place normally deafeningly loud. -Dan Hearn

Bernard got the flattest on the scrub roller by a long way. That guy has skills and a cute puppy. -Sven Martin

Tracey Hannah doing better death grips than Brendan Fairclough. -Sven Martin

Highest plate number with the best result. Angel staying between the poles here. -Sven Martin

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Thibaut Ruffin, what a guy. Holding down manager/owner duties with Commencal Muc-Off Riding Addiction and still throwing down good race runs. That's living. -Sven Martin

When the pink gloves are put on Jack means business. Fastest Canyon rider today with a seventh . -Sven Martin

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Trophies but no champagne. -Sven Martin

Four riders, three podiums, that's how you win team of the day. -Sven Martin

Danny don’t give a hoot if there’s photographers or spectators course-side, he just has fun doing what he does. -Sven Martin

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With the course rolling slower today, it was a big yank for the racers to clear the big double. Only three of the Elite women gave this a pull. Marine, Tracey and Tahnee. -Sven Martin

It’s hard to detect a smile through a mask, so you have to “smile with your eyes”. Matt Walker taking his 5th place last year one step further and making it a 4th today. -Dan Hearn

12th place for Dak, and so far he’s kept his visor on all week. I hope I didn't jinx him. -Sven Martin

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Rockgarden aftermath for Mille. -Sven Martin

That useless pole on the right will move 40cm to the left for the next race. No idea about what will happen to the ruts though. -Sven Martin

Yeah… it was another wet one. -Dan Hearn

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Ruts on ruts. The story of the first two races of the 2020 season. @maddogboris

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Adam Brayton went down in the of the slippery corner at the bottom. @maddogboris

Reece Wilson went down hard in training. After he got checked out, he decided to ride down to the pits. A smart decision to not race today. @maddogboris

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Yeah Loris! You deserve that win. @maddogboris

Greg Minnaar was one of the few riders who checked out the course in the morning before their training. @maddogboris

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Pau Menoyo Busquets went down in his race run. Luckily he has another chance on Sunday. @maddogboris

2020 Maribor Elite Men's Podium @maddogboris

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Thankfully the weather forecast was right and it stopped raining after 1pm. @maddogboris

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Moody early morning training for Tracey Hannah. @maddogboris

Mille Johnset with a bit of mud roost. @maddogboris

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Specialized Junior, Christopher Grice, rolling in 6th with a chance to improve in just 2 days. @maddogboris

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Chris Kilmurray is one of the most successful trainers on the circuit. He's a pretty cool dude and for most of his riders, he is more than just a trainer! @maddogboris

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Farina Eleonora had a massive OTB in training and still managed to race and finish with the 4th fastest time. @maddogboris

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Tahnee Seagrave had a "little" case on the big double in the middle of the track. She didn't had any issues smashing it over these wet roots a bit further up the track. @maddogboris

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Props to Neko Mulally. He and Farina were of the few people who weren't wearing a shitty plastic rainjacket. @maddogboris

Go check out Thomas Estaques Instagram post. Short version. He had a false positiv covid test before qualis and wasn't allowed to start. He got tested again and was negative. They allowed him to start. Only problem was the missing training on a rough and fast track 50th place and experience for Sunday. @maddogboris

Nina Hoffman in the woods @maddogboris

Another Podium for Monik Hrastnik in 5th. @maddogboris

Troy Brosnan out of the dark woods, into the light on the way to P8. @maddogboris

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Impressive 9th place for the EWS racer Martin Maes. He nearly crashed just behind the corner in this picture. @maddogboris

Eleonora Farina thundering through the jungle to 4th place. -Dan Hearn

Phil Atwill is back on it at his first World Cup since Les Gets. -Dan Hearn

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Matt Walker giving it his all on a track he podiumed at last year. -Dan Hearn

The rain continued from qualifying into this morning, making for another cold morning on the hill. This little fella was into it though. -Dan Hearn

Goncalo Bandeira is regularly a favorite for a podium, but didn’t have the best day on the hill today. -Dan Hearn

Your Junior Men's podium: Oisin O’Callaghan, Dan Slack and Nuno Reis. -Sven Martin

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It’s a weird one in Maribor with a second qualifying tomorrow and race on Sunday. A few course changes and some cleaning is needed before then, so stay tuned to see what happens over the next couple of days!