We did this last year, pretended that each World Cup round was just a stage race, like in World Rally, and we kept a running clock all season to see how the top five compared. Well with just one round to go it makes for interesting reading. As you will see from the list below, Sam Hill leads by over four seconds from nearest rival Steve Peat, but interestingly Mick Hannah slots in there in third. Current second place rider Greg Minnaar is there in fifth. All the riders (bar one) have had mixed fortunes and at least one bad race: Hill crashed out in Vallnord, Peaty punctured and Gee crashed in Maribor, Minnaar crashed in MSA…in fact if memory serves me, it is only Hannah that hasn’t had an obvious problem.

1. Sam Hill 20mins 17.63 seconds

2. Steve Peat 20:21.77

3. Mick Hannah 20:22.43

4. Gee Atherton 20:23.39

5. Greg Minnaar 20:23.47

World Cup running clock 2009 World Rally, Sam Hill Steve Peat Mick Hannah Greg Minnaar