Seagrave's "winter dream"

The Downhill World Cup in Poland demands everything from the riders. It becomes clear early on just how challenging the course is: Veronika Widmann (Mondraker Factory Racing DH) is the third rider to master the entire course - a clear sign of the difficult conditions. Lisa Bouladou (Goodman Santa Cruz) skidded before the flat section, Phoebe Gale (Orbea / FMD Racing) lost control on a slippery promenade bridge and crashed.

After that, the US American Newkirk sets a first sporting exclamation mark: she chases to the top with a lead of 17 seconds over the previous leader at times and sets the bar high for everyone else.

Only four riders remain within ten seconds of the lead - the first UCI World Cup victory for Newkirk is within reach. Neither Marine Cabirou (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) nor Nina Hoffmann (Santa Cruz Syndicate) or Gloria Scarsi (MS Racing) can beat her time. Scarsi is relying on a belt-driven bike, with an eye on the 100,000 euros in prize money offered by Gates for a victory with this technology.

Tahnée Seagrave is next. Despite the onset of a snowstorm, the Brit attacks the course with full force. She rides as if the course was dry and dominates the first three split times - even though she almost flies over the handlebars towards the end. Her time: an impressive 3:34.340 minutes.

Valentina Höll, the reigning overall winner of the UCI Downhill World Cup, is no match for Seagrave. She lacks the necessary aggression on this day. Seven seconds behind, the Austrian only managed fifth place, while Seagrave made an impressive comeback and defied the chaos.

"Due to the adverse conditions, my brakes weren't working particularly well and I think that helped," joked Seagrave. "You just have to make the best of it. I kept pushing on the brakes to make it work. I had a bit of a scare at the end because I forgot, but I'm glad I made it. I don't think it's too early to start thinking about the overall standings. I feel the healthiest I've ever been and I've recovered from a series of terrible injuries. I've had a few years to get back in the game and I'm ready to give it my all again."

Results

Bruni takes victory by the skin of his teeth 

It's a showdown right up to the last corner: Loïc Bruni squeezes through to the finish line with a lead of just one tenth over O'Callaghan - despite losing a second between the last two split times. The Frenchman thus avoided a second bitter defeat in Poland in just a few years.

In a race characterized by crashes and risk, simply staying on the bike proved to be a recipe for success. The slightly better weather conditions tempt many to take more risks - often with a painful outcome.

Danny Hart (Norco Race Division) sets a serious time early on. But Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off by Riding Addiction) dominated the race for long stretches. He was the sixth rider of the afternoon to set a 3:05.675 on the track - enough for second place for a long time. Only Bruni undercut him.

Many started strongly, but no one managed a clean run to the finish. Benoît Coulanges (Scott Downhill Factory) loses all chance due to a broken chain. Ronan Dunne, Andreas Kolb (YT MOB), Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour) and Luca Shaw (Canyon CLLCTV Factory Team) lose control in a promising position.

Lachlan Stevens-McNab (Trek Factory Racing DH) also falls victim to the course again - for the second time in a row, he crashes heavily while on course for the best time.

Richie Rude (Yeti / Fox Factory Race Team) provides a ray of hope. The American, two-time overall UCI Enduro winner, returns to the downhill - and impresses with crazy speed in the tightest passages. Only seven tenths of a second behind Pierron. No crashes, no mistakes - a statement.

Harriet Harnden (AON Racing - Tourne Campervans), the overall Enduro World Cup winner from 2024, attempts a similar comeback. She qualifies in third place, but then crashes on the final run and loses over 30 seconds.

Then comes O'Callaghan's big moment. The Irishman conjures up a flawless run to the finish, takes the lead and celebrates. It almost looked as if no one would be able to counter - until Bruni took off.

And Bruni delivered. With millimeter precision. Relentlessly. Victorious.

"Last season was a bit of a bummer because I came so close to winning," says Bruni. "I didn't think I had it in me because the offseason was a bit complicated and the weather was so far from my favorite conditions, but I just kept riding.It wasn't so perfect for me, it was very rough and I got caught out under braking. I just had to give it my all."

With this podium, Loïc Bruni draws level with his hero Nicolas Vouilloz, who finished on the podium 44 times in his career, although he downplayed his own achievements in comparison to the French legend.

O'Callaghan added when he saw Bruni's run: "It definitely gets the heart racing more than your own run. Wow, that was close, I was rooting for it, but it was a good start, I really can't complain."

Results