Four Words:
Steve Peat World Champion
Lots of people thought they would never hear that collection of words, but it has happened here today in Canberra, Australia, in an amazingly emotional race.
My race notes got destroyed by what seemed like a hose pipe of alcohol being sprayed in the rolling maul that was the Steve Peat World Champion celebration group hug of about 1000 people.
The race went something like this:
Hannah throws his bike to the ground and his arms in the air, he thinks he might have got the win. 2:31.02.
There are five riders sat at the top of Mount Stromlo, Nick Beer is the first of them to drop in to the race, he ends up out the back in nowheresville.
Steve Peat sprints out of the start gate next and is immediately up at he first split, faster again at the second split, with a speed trap reading equal to that of Hannah.
We knew times were going to be tight, and Peat goes just 0.69sec faster than Mick over the 2.1km course.
Peat in the hot seat looking nervous, he’s been in this position before, watching the times, watching the big screen, listing out for the split times.
Sam Hill is next to leave the start hut. No one really expected Hill to do that well here on this pedally course, but he stops the clock at 2.33.04 just 2.71 down on Peaty. Not bad.
Minnaar is the next big threat to Steve, riding the same bike, Greg is an awesome pedaller, one second down at the first split, still one second adrift at the second split, it all comes down to the last sprint to the line, has Minnaar got the legs? No, by the smallest of margins 0.05, I really don’t know what that would actually look like, 0.05
Peaty sat in the back of the Ute told me he was shitting himself.
Gee Atherton last man down was the only person who could shatter Peaty’s dream, something that happened last year in Val Di Sole.
Not this year though, Gee was 2 seconds down at the first split, that’s alot of time to make up here and he just couldn’t do it.
Steve Peat is World Champion.
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Steve Peat 2009 World Champion
After the hullabaloo of the finish arena, the podium, the press conference, Peaty sits down on his own in the corner and phones his wife, Adele, with the good news.
(His phone was constantly buzzing with congratulatory text messages, one of which was from Nico Vouilloz)
Full Results
1 4 PEAT Steve Great Britain 48.735 (2) 1:14.14 (1) 1:52.46 (1) 2:30.33 0.00
2 2 MINNAAR Greg South Africa 48.507 (4) 1:15.29 (4) 1:53.68 (2) 2:30.38 +0.05
3 6 HANNAH Michael Australia 48.735 (2) 1:15.59 (5) 1:53.92 (3) 2:31.02 +0.69
4 9 BAREL Fabien France 46.125 (21) 1:15.06 (2) 1:53.96 (4) 2:31.17 +0.84
5 3 HILL Samuel Australia 48.280 (5) 1:15.15 (3) 1:54.06 (5) 2:33.04 +2.71
6 1 ATHERTON Gee Great Britain 46.125 (21) 1:16.14 (6) 1:55.04 (6) 2:34.25 +3.92
7 20 RENNIE Nathan Australia 1:16.85 (9) 1:56.35 (9) 2:34.31 +3.98
8 8 LEOV Justin New Zealand 46.963 (11) 1:17.59 (12) 1:56.86 (12) 2:34.32 +3.99
9 16 KOVARIK Chris Australia 47.394 (8) 1:16.83 (8) 1:56.01 (8) 2:34.35 +4.02
10 17 SMITH Steve Canada 46.751 (14) 1:17.96 (15) 1:56.45 (10) 2:34.50 +4.17
11 24 ATKINSON Bryn Australia 49.435 (1) 1:16.38 (7) 1:55.56 (7) 2:35.07 +4.74
12 22 GRAVES Jared Australia 45.117 (38) 1:17.92 (14) 1:57.74 (17) 2:35.31 +4.98
13 42 WARREN Cody United States 45.920 (27) 1:18.76 (23) 1:57.81 (19) 2:35.95 +5.62
14 19 GIORDANENGO Aurelien France 43.965 (46) 1:17.46 (10) 1:56.53 (11) 2:35.97 +5.64
15 38 STRAIT Kyle United States 45.920 (27) 1:17.81 (13) 1:57.02 (14) 2:36.31 +5.98
16 36 RANDO Jared Australia 45.117 (38) 1:18.68 (21) 1:57.76 (18) 2:36.56 +6.23
17 7 BLENKINSOP Samuel New Zealand 46.540 (17) 1:18.65 (20) 1:57.58 (16) 2:37.47 +7.14
18 59 LOPES Brian United States 47.612 (6) 1:21.01 (40) 2:00.60 (37) 2:37.58 +7.25
19 25 POLC Filip Slovakia 45.920 (27) 1:19.14 (28) 1:58.98 (25) 2:37.76 +7.43
20 48 GUTIERREZ VILLEGAS Marcelo Colombia 46.963 (11) 1:20.35 (36) 2:00.14 (36) 2:37.91 +7.58
21 10 GWIN Aaron United States 45.716 (32) 1:18.14 (17) 1:57.27 (15) 2:38.12 +7.79
22 21 RIFFLE Duncan United States 46.751 (14) 1:18.85 (24) 1:58.18 (21) 2:38.46 +8.13
23 14 BEAUMONT Marc Great Britain 46.125 (21) 1:19.04 (27) 1:58.37 (23) 2:38.48 +8.15
24 12 FAIRCLOUGH Brendan Great Britain 45.515 (33) 1:18.68 (21) 1:57.88 (20) 2:38.71 +8.38
25 33 VAZQUEZ LOPEZ David Spain 47.612 (6) 1:21.74 (42) 2:01.48 (39) 2:39.36 +9.03
26 41 VAGNER Adam Czech Republic 45.117 (38) 1:19.98 (35) 1:59.94 (32) 2:39.56 +9.23
27 23 DELFS Mitchell Australia 47.178 (10) 1:19.32 (30) 1:59.52 (27) 2:39.58 +9.25
28 18 BRYCELAND Josh Great Britain 45.515 (33) 1:18.05 (16) 1:58.21 (22) 2:39.63 +9.30
29 49 SCOLES Matthew New Zealand 46.540 (17) 1:18.87 (25) 1:59.42 (26) 2:39.68 +9.35
30 52 BILUK Jamie Canada 46.540 (17) 1:19.71 (32) 2:00.06 (34) 2:39.86 +9.53
31 27 SUDING Lorenzo Italy 46.963 (11) 1:19.72 (33) 2:00.09 (35) 2:39.99 +9.66
32 51 SCHUSLER Joey United States 44.343 (44) 1:18.62 (19) 1:59.59 (29) 2:40.02 +9.69
33 5 BEER Nick Switzerland 46.751 (14) 1:18.95 (26) 1:58.73 (24) 2:40.05 +9.72
34 15 GUARDIA PASCUAL Bernat Spain 46.125 (21) 1:19.94 (34) 2:00.04 (33) 2:40.09 +9.76
35 40 BERCHTOLD Markolf Brazil 45.920 (27) 1:19.29 (29) 1:59.60 (30) 2:40.24 +9.91
36 46 BENNETT Kieran New Zealand 44.534 (43) 1:20.43 (37) 2:00.66 (38) 2:40.28 +9.95
37 32 RANKIN Nathan New Zealand 47.394 (8) 1:18.30 (18) 1:59.84 (31) 2:40.84 +10.51
38 58 SALADINI Romain France 46.125 (21) 1:22.08 (43) 2:02.12 (43) 2:41.33 +11.00
39 30 STROBEL Luke United States 46.331 (20) 1:19.42 (31) 1:59.53 (28) 2:41.82 +11.49
40 31 WALLNER Robin Sweden 42.344 (52) 1:20.79 (38) 2:01.50 (40) 2:42.32 +11.99
41 50 TENNANT Dean Canada 45.315 (37) 1:22.66 (44) 2:02.84 (44) 2:42.43 +12.10
42 53 GARSTIN Simon Canada 45.515 (33) 1:20.93 (39) 2:02.03 (42) 2:43.65 +13.32
43 29 BEER Marcel Switzerland 44.921 (41) 1:21.13 (41) 2:01.63 (41) 2:43.72 +13.39
44 54 RUTAR Nejc Slovenia 43.965 (46) 1:23.58 (45) 2:04.14 (45) 2:44.60 +14.27
45 56 FRASER Rob Canada 45.515 (33) 1:23.74 (46) 2:05.41 (47) 2:46.16 +15.83
46 28 COLE Cameron New Zealand 46.125 (21) 1:17.54 (11) 1:56.87 (13) 2:46.66 +16.33
47 57 VITKO Matej Slovakia 44.153 (45) 1:26.33 (49) 2:07.24 (49) 2:46.88 +16.55
48 37 NAGATA Junya Japan 43.050 (48) 1:25.69 (48) 2:07.15 (48) 2:47.25 +16.92
49 55 SANCHEZ PAEZ Camilo Andres Colombia 45.920 (27) 1:23.96 (47) 2:05.33 (46) 2:48.16 +17.83
50 34 MASTERS Wyn New Zealand 40.837 (55) 1:32.08 (54) 2:12.46 (51) 2:51.93 +21.60
51 47 TSUI King Man Hong Kong 44.921 (41) 1:29.62 (51) 2:12.93 (52) 2:55.42 +25.09
52 63 CAMARGO REY Anderson Colombia 42.344 (52) 1:28.12 (50) 2:12.38 (50) 3:00.29 +29.96
53 43 LAU Shu Sum Hong Kong 41.661 (54) 1:30.75 (53) 2:15.56 (54) 3:00.30 +29.97
54 44 BENDER Maximilian Germany 32.904 (56) 1:30.73 (52) 2:14.24 (53) 3:04.22 +33.89
55 39 YIP Kim Fung Hong Kong 42.518 (49) 1:35.49 (56) 2:21.58 (56) 3:13.08 +42.75
56 45 WONG HON Chiu Hong Kong 42.518 (49) 1:36.45 (57) 2:22.40 (57) 3:13.52 +43.19
57 61 ALVAREZ VILLA Daniel Colombia 42.518 (49) 1:35.48 (55) 2:18.82 (55) 3:27.77 +57.44
58 11 PASCAL Mickael France 28.152 (57) 1:49.32 (58) 2:48.82 (58) 4:01.38 +1:31.05
13 NEETHLING Andrew South Africa DNS DNS
santa cruz rider steve peat is 2009 world downhill mountainbike champion in Canberra Australia
