Juniors had the spiciest conditions during Sunday’s downhill World Cup, which proved to be excellent conditions for B.C.’s Dane Jewett. The Pivot Factory Racing rider landed his second junior men’s podium in as many races this year as Biers-Biała hosted the first-ever Polish World Cup.
While the junior women were granted relatively clear skies, if still damp course conditions, the junior men raced in a downpour. That made for challenging conditions as the exposed sections of track were shiny and wet while the wooded sections were decidedly mixed conditions. With the Bielsko-Biała course constantly going back and forth between the two, it made for a highly technical race run for the juniors
U.S. phenom Asa Vermette set the early marker for the fastest time. While Frameworks Racing junior won the opening round in Fort William, a crash in qualifying in Poland had him dropping in early in the order. That would leave the rest of the junior men chasing his time all day.
Dane Jewett was the first Canadian to sprint out of the start hut. After qualifying fourth fastest, the Pivot Factory Racing rider was pushing hard in the mixed conditions. That was enough for third, but with three riders remaining at the top of the mountain.
That included Jewett’s teammate, second fastest qualifier Ryan Griffith. Despite hairy conditions, Griffith looked powerful and controlled the whole way down the track until the second last corner before the line. The Pivot momentarily lost traction in a spot that would claim several elite and, while he held it upright, missed the entry to a wood jump and crossed the line eighth.
Till Alran (Commencal Muc-Off) was the last rider left at the top of the mountain. His brother, Max Alan crashed hard earlier in the junior men’s race. Till looked to be riding on the edge as well and, after a few near misses of his own, crosses the line just outside Dane Jewett’s third place time.
That mean’s Jewett finishes third, his second podium of the 2024 World Cup season. Mylann Falquet (Goodman SantaCruz) of France takes second. Asa Vermette (Frameworks Racing) continues his sensational World Cup debut season, winning in Bielsko-Biała, Poland just as he did in Fort William, Scotland in round 1.
The junior women raced before the junior men and before the rain started in earnest. They still had damp conditions, but did get a break in weather. The wet corners still threw a few riders for a loop in finals.
Great Britain’s Heather Wilson (Muc-Off Young Guns) was clearly comfortable in the slick conditions. She narrowly edged out reigning world champion Erice van Leuven (Commencal Les Torres) by a razor thin 0.069-second winning margin. Sascha Earnst (Trek Factory Racing) earns third ahead of Union’s Elina Hulsebosch, Saturday’s fastest qualifier.
“I can’t believe it. At the top I was just laughing, and I wasn’t feeling nervous. I was like ‘OK, I’m just going to have fun and try and ride my bike’. It was so loose, and I was really enjoying it. It was so fun. The whole track everywhere is so blown out. It’s so physical.” – Heather Wilson
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