Meanwhile the Brits were making significant moves of their own. Starting from 78th place on the grid, Killeen had hammered through the pack and somehow managed to close out the third lap in fifth spot, heading a small group of three just 2secs behind his Specialized team-mate Sauser. Oli Beckingsale wasn’t far behind in 15th, only 2.51secs off the leader.
Back at the head of the field the top four held their positions until the second half of lap four when Absalon surged past Kessiakoff and began ominously chasing down Vogel. With three full laps still to run the podium places were up for grabs. The Brits held their places in their respective chasing groups until the latter stages of the penultimate lap when there was dramatic movement on the leaderboard. Absalon pulled up for reasons unknown just as another Swiss rider, Ralph Naef, had left Killeen’s group and assumed bronze position. Killeen was now lying in fourth and pushed some 5secs ahead of the tiring Kessiakoff.
Barring a disaster Sauser was safe though and still gaining time on his opponents. Vogel too was pretty much assured of silver, but Naef was left looking over his shoulder as Killeen sat a mere 40secs back. However this wasn’t to be another Brit fairytale and Switzerland claimed a unique full house on the podium. Sauser completed his seven laps in under two hours, an astonishing 1:58:26. Vogel came in nearly 3mins down and Naef just over a minute more. Killeen was determined not to relinquish his highest ever finish and ended 4mins 42secs behind the new champion. Beckingsale had ridden consistently strongly too and crossed the tape in 10th. Two riders in the top ten at a Worlds is unique achievement and bodes well for the Olympics in two months’ time.
Check back later for comments from the Brit boys, plus pics and news from the women’s race.
RESULTS SO FAR:
DOWNHILL ELITE MEN
1 — Gee Atherton (GB)
2 — Steve Peat (GB)
3 — Sam Hill (Aus)
Other Brits: Brendan Fairclough (14th), Ben Cathro (26th), Marc Beaumont (93rd).
DOWNHILL ELITE WOMEN
1 — Rachel Atherton (GB)
2 — Sabrina Jonnier (Fra)
3 — Emmeline Ragot (Fra)
Other Brits: Tracy Moseley (6th), Fionn Griffiths (8th).
DOWNHILL JUNIOR MEN
1 — Josh Bryceland (GB)
2 — Sam Dale (GB)
3 — Remi Thirion (Fra)
Other Brits: Danny Hart (6th), Joseph Smith (11th).
DOWNHILL JUNIOR WOMEN
1 — Anais Pagot (Fra)
2 — Myriam Nicole (Fra)
3 — Melanie Pugin (Fra)
CROSS-COUNTRY ELITE MEN
1 — Christoph Sauser (Sui)
2 — Florian Vogel (Sui)
3 — Ralph Naef (Sui)
Brits: Liam Killeen (4th), Oli Beckingsale (10th).
CROSS-COUNTRY ELITE WOMEN
1 — Marga Fullana (Esp)
2 — Sabine Spitz (Ger)
3 — Irina Kalentieva (Rus)
CROSS-COUNTRY U23 MEN
1 — Nino Schurter (Sui)
2 — Burry Stander (RSA)
3 — Matthias Fluckiger (Sui)
Best Brits: Ian Bibby (27th), Ross Creber (47th), David Fletcher (57th), Ian Field (DNF).
CROSS-COUNTRY JUNIORS MEN
1 — Peter Sagan (Svk)
2 — Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra)
3 — Matthias Rupp (Sui)
Best Brits: Hamish Creber (39th), Alex Paton (47th), Sebastian Batchelor (50th).
CROSS-COUNTRY U23 WOMEN
1 — Tanja Zakelj (Slo)
2 — Nathalie Schneitter (Sui)
3 — Aleksandra Dawidowidz (Pol)
CROSS-COUNTRY JUNIORS WOMEN
1 — Laura Abril (Col)
2 — Barbara Benko (Hun)
3 — Mona Eiberweiser (Ger)
Best Brit: Annie Last (9th)
FOUR-CROSS MEN
1 — Rafael Alvarez de Lara Lu (Esp)
2 — Roger Rinderknecht (Sui)
3 — Mickael Deldycke (Fra)
4 — Jared Graves (Aus)
Best Brits: Scott Beaumont (6th), Lewis Lacey (12th).
FOUR-CROSS WOMEN
1 — Melissa Buhl (USA)
2 — Jana Horokova (Cze)
3 — Romana Labounkova (Cze)
4 — Anneke Beerten
Best Brit: Fionn Griffiths (10th).