Who said: "After the storm comes the calm", failed this weekend at the International Downhill Gouveia. The popular saying for the weekend would be "after Calm ... flee!". This phrase summarizes what we experienced this weekend, which premiered circuit for this edition.
Everyone portended that Saturday would live a wet training rounds, but to everyone's surprise it was not. In the morning the ground was wet and aroused some mud areas very similar to the concept "swamp" where riders and closed their eyes, praying to a God for not staying stuck. During the afternoon all riders enjoyed a spectacular grip on most of the circuit, enjoying to the fullest. The team Giant-CRC Nukeproof, SC-Intense, Madison-Saracen, Pombo, Toni and much, they put out the colors drawn attendees doing unthinkable in areas where the line was suposed to be clear.
Marcelo Gutierrez
Danny Hart
Joe Smith
Toni Ferreiro
Andrew Neethling
A small training session with the Team 203mm scott spank riders, Marko Fernandez and Dani Olarra, and Scott Spain Gravity Team rider Iraitz Etxebarría , was the icing on the cake for a day that was arranging minute. We are all a grin thinking that Sunday would pass equally, but none presaged the hell that was to come. Iraitz crashed and was 29th position in Elite.
Dani Olarra
Marko Fernández The sky covered in gray and a soft rain, caressing our faces when we went to the streets on our way to the circuit. The worst was the cold weather in the upper circuit marked a temperature of 5 degrees accompanied by large amounts of water and where many riders decided not to participate for such harsh conditions. After the early morning we go, was beginning a first round in which the riders struggled to stay on the bike and get where the fact without kissing the ground was a great victory.
The circuit began with a technical area of rock and mud, which was better ensure and think that this was the beginning. The marshes became mud pools, and lotteries dropzone with few options emerge unscathed testing the skill of the riders. In the middle of the circuit was the most fun, the steper one and the place where almost anyone felt. As they approached the top 20 runners, we all thought in the stunning drop Danny Hart in the 2011 World Championships in Champery and surely would be like a fish in the water to see these conditions, but it was not. Matt Simmonds was a blow which hit the timer and marked the fastest time of qualifying to the surprise of all the spectators.
Matt Simmonds
Danny Hart
Francisco PardalThe worst was yet to come and a great hailstorm early in the second set, let us all face twisted thinking of how to react to so much water. Cars stuck in the mud in the paddock and a lot of mud that engulfed the foot step after step toward uptown thinking that the circuit would be the closest thing to hell.
Our riders
DhTeam 203mm, were two of the many victims who fell, but thankfully without serious consequences.
Marko Fernandez suffered a broken brake in the middle of the circuit that was complicated by its extreme form being down in 42 th in Elite.
Dani Olarra fell further, but despite continued that with an
8th position in Junior category.
Marcelo Gutierrez
After slightly improving weather conditions, runners came that marked the fastest time during the 1st run and suddenly stopped Marcelo Gutierrez 3:32,418 time. Even he was surprised by the descent very satisfied, as shortly after we acknowledged in an interview that from the first meter thought it was a losing battle, the fight against the terrain. 5 runners left to lose and all the sights on Danny Hart, Matt Simmonds and Sam Dale, but one after the other they could not do anything with the strength shown by Marcelo Guitierrez. First place for the Colombian followed by teammate Danny Hart and third Sam Dale.
Sam Dale
Danny Hart
Marcelo Gutierrez
Definitely the best Spanish was Toni Ferreiro we left on Saturday with a great feeling on the track and 7th position in Elite knows a great victory. One issue in which there lacked a high level of assistance but in which the star is awarded at any time the weather. Also highlight the performance of Spanish Juan Antonio Gutierrez with victory in the Master40. Congratulations!
Toni Ferreiro
We leave you with the Scratch classifications / categories and some pictures but it gives us the great Lanvo! Thanks for sharing such a nice picture with all of us. Soon we will have more available in our Facebook.
Joe Smith
Jono Jones
Eric Portillo
Pedro Silva
Emanuel Pombo
Víctor Saenz Durán
Marcelo Gutierrez
