Biking
BIELSKO-BIAลA, Poland โ Elite mountain bikers from around the world opened the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup season with dramatic victories and crashes this weekend in southern Poland, where freezing weather and treacherous trails tested even the best in the sport. British rider Tahnรฉe Seagrave and Franceโs Loรฏc Bruni claimed hard-fought wins in the downhill competition at Szczyrk Mountain Resort, while Polish rider Slawomir Lukasik thrilled home fans by dominating the enduro race on the nearby trails of Bielsko-Biaลa.
The downhill course in Szczyrk, typically a summer race venue, was blanketed in snow during the finals. Riders slid, skidded and, in several cases, crashed on steep wooden bridges and muddy switchbacks. Many struggled to simply stay upright, with race times swinging wildly depending on the weather window.
In the elite womenโs downhill final, Seagrave delivered a fearless run despite limited braking power and a near-crash near the bottom. Her time of 3 minutes, 34.340 seconds was fast enough to beat American-born Anna Newkirk by several seconds. It marked a strong comeback for the British rider, who has battled injuries in recent seasons.
โBecause of the conditions my brakes werenโt working very well so I think that helped,โ Seagrave said with a laugh after the race. โYouโve just got to make the best of it.โ
Defending overall champion Valentina Hรถll of Austria finished fifth after a cautious run. Her fellow competitor Harriet Harnden, a British rider transitioning from enduro to downhill this year, crashed hard and bottomed out midway through the course. A volunteer race marshall then mistakenly ran across the track during her run, a moment that went viral on social media. The incident fortunately had no bearing on the results, but could have caused serious consequences had Harnden still been in contention for the podium.
In the menโs final, Bruni edged out Irelandโs Oisin OโCallaghan by just 0.156 seconds. The win was a personal redemption for Bruni, who lost last yearโs race in Bielsko-Biala by an even slimmer margin. After recovering from a collarbone injury, he returned to Poland uncertain about his form but delivered an almost flawless run.
โTo me it was not so perfect, it was really rough,โ Bruni said. โI just had to give everything.โ The narrow win ties Bruni with legendary French rider Nicolas Vouilloz for 44 career World Cup podiums.
Downhill mountain biking has changed a lot in the past two decades, and Australian competitor Troy Brosnan, who crashed on his run and placed 29th, told SnowBrains at the race how he’s seen it change since he started competing 15 years ago. Brosnan said that the biggest changes have been to the bikes riders now used as well as the tracks: 15 years ago, riders were racing on 26-inch wheel sizes before that progressed to 27.5-inches, to now 29-inches, allowing for bigger travel which means more speed and explosiveness on the track. The Downhill courses have intensified as well, when previously they were longer, roughly 4 minute tracks to now steeper, straighter, shorter courses that typically take riders about 3 minutes to complete in competition. “It’s been pretty fun to have been through all the changes,” Brosnan said. “Different parts, different bikesโit’s good.”
The weekend also included a round of the UCI Enduro World Cup on Bielsko-Biaลaโs dense network of trails, where Lukasik gave local fans reason to celebrate. The Polish rider led from start to finish across five timed stages, conquering slippery roots and slick rock features to claim his first elite win by more than six seconds.
โIt was crazy. I still canโt believe it,โ Lukasik said. โThe home crowd was so crazy. I am so stoked.โ In the womenโs enduro race, Canadian Elly Hoskin took her first World Cup win after Germanyโs Raphaela Richter crashed out while leading. Richter had built a lead heading into the final stage, but went down with a reported shoulder injury. Hoskin stayed consistent through the day and finished with a combined time more than 45 seconds ahead of her closest competitor.
The junior categories also delivered excitement. Denmarkโs Rosa Maria Jensen won the womenโs junior downhill, calling it the best day of her life. Franceโs Max Alran repeated as the menโs junior downhill winner, holding off a late charge from New Zealandโs Tyler Waite. In enduro, Tommy Bougon of France and Sloveniaโs Nezka Libnik topped the junior podiums.
The event drew hundreds of fans and volunteers despite the weather, and also featured an Enduro Open race that welcomed amateur and electric mountain bike riders to compete on the same trails as the pros. Next, the UCI Mountain Bike World Series continues in Novรฉ Mฤsto na Moravฤ in the Czech Republic, with Olympic-style cross-country races taking center stage May 23 to 25. The downhill and enduro riders return to action at the next gravity round in Loudenvielle, France, at the end of the month.
A list of complete results from all of the races the can be found on the UCI website.ย
