Loic Bruni has won the 2017 men’s downhill WOrld Championships in Cairns, AUstralia.
The French rider picked up his second World Championships in three years on the track he won his first World Cup in 2016.
- Loic Bruni – 3:26.656
- Mick Hannah – 3:26.995
- Aaron Gwin – 3:28.623
- Jack Moir – 3:29.257
- Troy Brosnan – 3:29.649
Sam Hill was first down the mountain. He was just 2 seconds off Mick Hannah’s seeding time and enjoyed a long stay in the hotseat.
He took some big scalps such as Atherton, Mulally and Chapman but e was eventually toppled by Sik Mick. With all the pressure on him, the local boy practically ripped up the tarmac on the final straight and went five seconds clear with a phenomenal run.
Amaury Pierron, Marcelo Gutierrez and Vergier all put in good shifts but Hill and Hannah were largely unchallenged until Loic Breuni left the start gate. The winner in Cairns last year shattered Mick Hannah’s dream and pipped him by 0.3 seconds.
Into the top five and Jack Moir. On the prototype Intense 29er, Moir split Hill and Hannah and ensured the top five would be packed with Aussies.
Greg Minnaar was next on track in his twentieth World Championship start. It was an unusually scrappy run from the South African and he was struck out of the contention with his second flat tyre in a fortnight.
In search of his first World Champs jersey, Aaron Gwin rocketed out of the start gate. Once again he seemed unable to thread a Worlds run together and his hunt for the Champs continues. He still picked up bronze though – his first ever World Champs medal.
Danny Hart was up next hoping to defend the Rainbow Jersey he won in Val di Sole last year. On a track that probably didn’t suit him, he finished nine seconds back. All Australian hopes now had to be directed to Troy Brosnan at the top of the mountain.
With the weight of a nation on his shoulders, Brosnan put in a gutsy run and was in touch the whole way down but in the end had to settle for fifth leaing gold for France and SuperBruni.
2017 downhill World Championships men’s results
- Loic Bruni – 3:26.656
- Mick Hannah – 3:26.995
- Aaron Gwin – 3:28.623
- Jack Moir – 3:29.257
- Troy Brosnan – 3:29.649
- Sam Hill – 3:32.345
