As Del La Soul once said, “three is the magic number” and it certainly was this weekend for the Athertons as two thirds in the final event of the year were matched to two thirds in the overall in the World Cup Series.

Val di Sole, Italy lived up to its name offering the teams blazing sunshine all weekend with temperatures in the mid thirties for most of the week. The weather made a welcome change to the terrain where deep dust replaced the deep mud that we have been so accustomed to over the past few seasons.

Friday saw a great qualifying session with Gee holding back a little as he likes to do, taking fifth spot while little sister Rachel kept up her great form with a third place. Another day of 35 degree heat on Saturday made the course that much dryer, the holes on the track even bigger and the dust piles on each corner even higher. The finals rolled in just as fast as the season seemed to fly by and Team Commencal were out to end the season on a high.

The women were up first and it became obvious that times were going to be quick. Emmeline Ragot set the pace as fifth place qualifier. but when Rach flew out the start and passed the first interval time, mouths dropped. Her first split was nearly 4 seconds up despite only being one minute into the track, she kept the pace up until the bottom with a huge six second margin over Ragot. It was short lived however as second seed Myriam Nicole pulled back a two second deficit at interval one and turned it into a two second lead as she broke the beam at the finish. Frenchwoman Floriane Pughin was last on track and the only one capable of taking the win from Nicole. Pughin rode really strongly but couldn’t do enough to dislodge her fellow Frenchwoman as she took her first ever World Cup win. Pughin pushed Rach back to third which meant she held her third spot in the overall Series. “I’m made up with my result today, on a different run I could have taken it but I’m sure a few others could say that, just stoked for Myriam” commented Rach at the finish.

Photo:Sven Martin

The guys seemed to follow suit with times getting faster and riders getting looser. Greg Minnaar who qualified down the order put in a time that looked like it was good for a podium, but it wasn’t long before he slipped back positions. Gee stepped up to the mark, his riding seemed on the edge with a few close calls but it seemed to be exactly the right balance as he put in some great interval times. Charging down the final steep section Gee pedalled hard to the line to take the lead with four remaining. Young gun Troy Brosnan couldn’t follow up his qualifier, leaving only three on track. Fellow Brit and third qualifier Danny Hart rode in his usual “on the edge” style leaving the crowd wondering if he could hold it to the bottom. He did it and in great style putting 2.9 seconds into Gee. This left only series champion Gwin after Canadian Steve Smith did not start following a big crash in the mornings practice session, Gwin was on true form and showed why he is champion. Fastest on all splits, loosing only a little time in the final sector meant he took the win and the overall in style. Gee was happy with third at a race where the level of racing was the quickest of the year on a track that was easily the most demanding.

Photo: Sven Martin

Third in the finals and third overall for both Rachel and Gee capped a great season, one with plenty of ups and plenty of downs. With only the World Championships left to race, here’s hoping for results that allow them to step up a few steps at the podium in Champery.

Photo: Sven Martin