The weather in Leogang could hardly have been more difficult. Rain on the training day and a drying track on race day. The mud became increasingly dry and therefore sticky like biscuit dough. It was not easy for the riders to find a clean line. The Frenchman Amaury Pierron (Commencal) was hotly tipped for victory in Leogang. He would have won the first three races of the season. Even though the Frenchman was in the lead after a good run, his time in the hot seat was limited.
After the Spaniard Angel Suarez Alonso (Commencal), it didn't take long for the Briton to take the lead. Danny Hart (Cube) showed that he felt comfortable on the muddy track. Finally the surprise: the Brit Matt Walker (Saracen) mastered the course even better and was able to celebrate his first ever World Cup victory at the finish. The Austrian Andreas Kolb (Atherton) delivered a strong run and took fifth place.
Superiority from Switzerland: Camille Balanche wins in Leogang
The difficult conditions on the course did not make it easy for the downhill women either. Riders crashed, especially in the challenging forest section, such as local heroine Vali Höll (Trek) and the German Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz), thus spoiling better placings. The World Cup leader, the Swiss Camille Balanche (Commencal), was the last to take to the track. Right from the start, she left no doubt about her riding ability on the muddy track. Without crashing and eleven seconds ahead of the second-placed rider Myriam Nicole (Commencal), she crossed the finish line and celebrated her victory. Third place went to the Italian Eleonora Farina (Mondraker).
Downhill World Cup Leogang - Men's rankings:
- 1st Matt Walker (GBR) 3:28.816
- 2. Danny Hart (GBR) 3:29.141
- 3rd Angel Suarez Alonso (ESP) 3:30.370
- 4th Amaury Pierron (FRA) 3:30.530
- 5th Andreas Kolb (AUT) 3:31.249
Downhill World Cup Leogang - Women's rankings:
- 1st Camille Balanche (SUI) 4:08:218
- 2nd Myriam Nicole (FRA) 4:19:586
- 3. Eleonora Farina (ITA) 4:24:281
- 4th Louise-Anna Ferguson (GBR) 4:29:876
- 5th Monika Hrastnik (SLO) 4:30.258
