After the second-to-last race of the Downhill World Cup, the riders are moving closer together, making the starting position for the final race in Méribel just as exciting as last year. Britain's Josh Bryceland, who is having his strongest season this year, is closing the gap on Australia's Troy Brosnan. However, the two swapped places on the short, fast and demanding downhill course in Windham, USA. Bryceland already sets the fastest time in the qualifying run, which earns him 50 points for the overall standings.

In the race, it was his compatriot Joseph Smith who led the race for a long time before being overtaken by his team-mate Michael Jones. Then nothing happens for a long time. Rider after rider failed to set the fastest time. Only New Zealander George Brannigan managed to break away, only to be ousted from the top spot by his compatriot Samuel Blenkinsop. The small Australian Brosnan then sets a super time on the finish line and is a whole second faster than Blenkinsop. That's a considerable lead on this short course. Nevertheless, Aaron Gwin manages to ride half a second faster in his home race. Victory seems to be in the bag. Then Bryceland starts and manages to be in front at the first split time. By the finish, the Brit achieves what he thought was impossible and squeezes one and a half seconds out of Aaron Gwin.

With this victory, Bryceland takes the lead in the overall standings, just over 30 points ahead of Brosnan, but more than 80 ahead of Gwin. This means that the World Cup final in Méribel, France, will be a showdown between Bryceland and Brosnan. Neither can allow themselves anything, because a crash or a defect and Gwin could be the laughing third.

Nick Beer has made some progress. The Swiss champion improved with his 15th place. "I'm not happy with my run, I made too many mistakes, which you can't afford on this course. You have to go to the limit and take risks. Too bad. I'm still surprised by the time, because I didn't think it would be that fast," says Beer, who is now 22nd overall. Noel Niederberger is satisfied with his ride: "The run went well, I'm very happy. I only had a problem with the brakes at the start. It didn't work, as if there was oil on the disk. After the first long meadow bend, it worked again."

Carpenter defends the lead
For once, it is not the up-and-coming Brit Manon Carpenter who is riding her competitors into the ground. Starting as the fourth-last rider, she brings the best time to the finish. However, her time is not as valuable as usual. Carpenter is first caught by the Australian Tracey Hannah and then by Emmeline Ragot. Ragot's time is a plant, because the fastest qualifier Rachel Atherton is visibly slower in places, which makes the Brit over two seconds slower than Ragot. Carina Cappellari finishes in 13th place once again.

With her victory, Ragot moves to within 70 points of overall leader Carpenter. Atherthon is 120 points behind. Here, too, things could get exciting again at the finale in France. If Carpenter loses that much again, she will be ousted from the throne. However, all three will remain on the podium, as fourth-placed Hannah is more than the maximum number of points behind Atherthon in the event of a win.

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