The WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series heads to a brand new venue in Bielsko-Biala, Poland for the second round of the UCI Downhill World Cup! Watch the live race as the Junior riders go head to head between the tape to battle for the top step on this fresher than fresh track!
You can watch the elite riders race this Sunday (19th May) live on Max, Eurosport channels, and discovery+
to just read ter in front of you and not push too hard I think today is going to be a lot of this like to kind of ride without knowing how it will be and so far what we can see it looks very slippery for her so I think she’s going to adapt our lines throughout the D yeah Maxima she has won EXs St Hill rookies cup level back in 2022 this is her debut UCI D Hill World Cup and she’s qualified so big result already for her that’s already impressive I mean the level right now in the junior woman to make it into this top 10 is quite high oh it’s looking really really greasy out there the track really has developed a across the week we had a torrential Deluge on Friday which kind of uh baked in on Saturday morning and a lot of the ruts firmed up but you can just see where water can get to at the track looking extremely slick yeah I’m impressed she’s still going for all the lines and heading those jumps even with that you know bit of extra moisture on the surface so yeah hats off to her and she’s qualified for our first downo the World Cup why not go for it absolutely this turn here very very tricky C some of the big names out it’s really flat really loose and dug of and and there’s one shiny route right through the middle that’s just behind that tree yeah but yeah she’s clean through there you can see on the screen there as well one side just even a matter of feet it’s really really wet and then really really dry just as I say a foot and a half away from it but let’s see what the split time is going to say on the second one for Jack and this is where things steepen out 150 through there so yeah and you can see the dust behind coming off the bike so that will fill those tires nicely yeah she’s still looking good though hting those aines it’s definitely the holes have really been opening up especially in this section of the woods here the get so soft and loose it just blows apart is it looks tricky up there doesn’t it it pretty much looks like an Ural track section actually but I think she’s doing great she’s keeping on line she’s riding smooth and I think today staying on the bike might be key is this a very easy one to overthink if you’re Maxima Jax you know you’ve done the hard bit you’ve qualified is it easy to overthink this race run I think it’s always difficult to go first as well she’s the first one on track and that’s a lot of pressure but definitely I think she wants to enjoy it and she’s pretty much riding super smooth and in control and I think for such a young Rider it’s quite impressive yeah the German on track her first ever Elite left sorry excuse me Junior women’s D Hill World Cup finals appearance 223 at the third split let’s see she head back into the open you can just see it’s greasy looking on the landing off that one as well yeah I’m really impressed with the ring cuz it’s so hard to read when it’s like this one corner will be completely bone dry and the next will just have just enough water to make it icy it’s 42.4 km hour through the speed trap for Jack we saw speeds well in excess of 50 yesterday so this turn char as well just basically Rubble through out yeah there’s that loose Rock in there and it’s just shifting around every lap but um yeah she’s smooth through there and do the last sort of steep section yeah this section is where there we saw so much time in yesterday’s semi-finals here she is here she comes down the line there Maxima Jax crosses the line with a free 48.3 as our Benchmark time for the junior women looks happy enough with that yeah that was impressive she was strong she you know kept her composure the whole way down next up Sasha Mills in for the Scott D Hill Factory Squad young Australian teammates with Marine kabaro yeah she’ll be learning a lot of marine yeah marine and action later on in the elite women’s as we jump live night to Sasha Mills so she was up at the first split but it’s moved away from her 3.8 seconds back Isabel can you read anything from that I think maybe we don’t see actually how much it’s changing now but this kind of slippery conditions is the worst you know when it just started to rain and you don’t know how to adjust like Char say you’re going to go in one turn it’s going to be dry the next one is going to be super slippery and it makes it I think the most difficult RVE yeah I agree I think you have to be so confident and if you have one little mistake where your bike slips away from you the rest of your run you’re not confident you’re not attacking so it’s just a little bit of luck and just having that confidence but she’s coming across the line now she’s going to be about 8 seconds back eight seconds back for Sasha Mills then so that time of jacks not too bad at all standing up rightly here we go then Matilda Melton for transition Factory racing qualified fifth in Fort William and then improved the fourth so she’s definitely got a race run head on her really really good vibes at transition Factory racing as well this Riders she’s been helped a lot by Valentino R Sanchez 3.6 seconds up at the four split for Melton this one’s coming together she just she did on that rubbly turn though she made a mistake so it’s going to be interesting to see if that 3se second buffer can hold I don’t know if you saw that right the bike just stepped out there yeah it’s just it moves around on you the whole way down here let’s get her Melton crosses the line and goes fastest with a 3 44.6 3.6 seconds faster than Jack so good effort just trying to read the body language at the Finish there for Melton as we have back to the top they’re coming F in Fast Night Min sters from the Netherlands there aren’t too many D hillers in Holland but this young lady looking to make a name for herself stuers on course now she’s a bit of time there good performance yesterday with a seven from qualifying one win during a in 2024 already in hurg she’s won at the ISS cup before as well back in 2022 so by no means brand new to this corner seems to be a bit loose at the moment it’s the second one we see a bit sliding into it she kep her fade on she um had a bit more speed coming out of it she really cleaned this section she was looking very smooth and comfortable this last little H into the step down really ight on the bike Stoppers crosses the line is it going to be enough think that is going to be outside that time off Matilda Melton from transition Factory racing she looks back up see we head back to the top then and it is tan Heap from pivot Factory racing oh huge huge impact for Tan Heap straight out of the GE oh no oh the to see that the front wheel Charlie just goes completely yeah the front wheel slipped and then her foot hit the ground oh that’s just the worst feeling you can have as a racer is what do you think I think it’s quite uh it’s so difficult to watch she admitted on Instagram being nervous about this race and that’s obviously not we want to see like a girl crashing into the first corner but it looks very tricky from what we can see when you have this kind of miror things on the turns you know it’s going to be very s yeah K kushman’s on track now Young American Rider she got a top five at her second ever UCI downhill World Cup last season that one a place on wind Master’s Privateer project in Mon andan and now she’s got the US national champ sleve so a young woman with a bit of momentum behind her kushman 1.1 up at the second split what’s the third going to tell us this section she really cleaned it she fully committed and that’s impressive yeah she’s looking good she just is quite relaxed on the B yep kushman on the big Santa Cruz V10 let’s see the third split coming up my over that big gap jump 50.6 km and R for kushman 2.4 seconds she’s extended here she looks so confident like the way she did this is so insane flowing with the track here kushman oh she’s ripping through there very impressive writing so far so she was E from Fort William and I think anything inside the top 10 in Fort William no matter what category erasing pretty impressive so she’s looking to go better again here in Poland and Basco bwa I mean it’s looking good so far she’s just going to hang on for this next state B this bit so physically tough just standing on a Gear it looks like aective a big push yeah as she heads over these big double [Music] jumps The Spectators are slowly building as well it’s awesome yeah there’s a there’s a beer tent there so I think we could see a lot more people on that shot by the end of this 2.4 seconds at the third split 2.58 at the fourth so she is me that was great for there she’s fully on I like her style of riding she’s committed she’s Lean Like L flying through this section kushman having a good go at this looking like a really polished Elite never mind a fast Junior down here kushman on a charge here B SCA big off the last jump kale kushman crosses A 5.6 seconds faster at the Finish than the time of compatriot Matilda Melton so kale kushman goes into the hot seat in Poland she’s got to be happy with that next up AR F Len then coming s is over bit of a problem in uh qualifying yesterday Charlie do you know what happened no I don’t I know she had a bit of a sore hand but um she was still froing and really excited to get back up there she just is such a charger 4.7 seconds at the second split sorry as the interrupted there but this one is looking good for Van I’m just I was going to say she must be on after what happened in for I think she really wants it and she’s going to push it can show so far 4.8 seconds now yeah Fort William she was she was roaring at top of her lungs for half the track after getting that puncture but this one looking like it’s really going to count she was you know in many ways the The Pick of the bunch last season Charlie but this year she’s got Ellie H boss to to try and find an answer for and yeah we’ve got a really strong contingent of kiwi Juniors at the moment and I think it’s cuz we have people like a who are pushing it there’s the re as it the rain is back it’s pouring rain right now so hopefully it won’t affect the race too much from took a big bubble there for AR F Len she’s just attacking though she’s just staying on top of that by okay I really like her style it’s so aggressive she really pushing it’s all out isn’t it you can just see her 9.1 9.1 seconds now faster for AR van L goes that yes through that really tricky stump section you can really tell she’s so strong as well her upper body does not move through this section yeah like Bernie here we go D the line there there van the line 10 seconds faster than kale kushman 10 seconds is such a huge G that’s very impressive massive run the best we’ve seen off and Len so far this season and that looked like that one exercised a few ghosts from Fort William absolutely like as I said I think she’s just so hungry ASA talk us through that technique I think like honestly Aris is so composed you can see but she’s also such an aggressive Raider so sometimes obviously she’s a bit on the limit but I think that’s what we like and as a junior she’s going to build up so much momentum from that here we go though another fast kiwi Sasha Ernest for TR Factory racing gravity leaves the start hon two UCI downhill World Cup wins to name already in val Sol trantino and ludville two extremely technical tracks so this one and this well or might just suit her today Charlie yeah I mean Lon is actually quite similar to this truck I think so I’m I’m started Sasha Ernest on track in what I’m assured is that new merlu color scheme for the track Factory racing Squad I dared to say it was malbeck and got shot down yesterday by Andrew shandro so here we go split times with j in touch a 10 for a second she just right there kiwi’s on a te here in Poland I mean she’s she like she well they’re all really but she’s showing a style on the jumps through here yep Sasha Ernest oh does well to hold on to that one through that right hander that’s where the push-ups coming handy oh she just brushes past that pad there is that you just get those Riders who just whenever things get technical they just become more and more at home I think honestly like I’m very impressed so far I can’t like even imagine the conditions right now and it seems like they keeping you know like on their to they keeping their confidence through it and that very impressive to keep pushing especially after making some small mistakes like that and I think they really want it like look the way she’s writing she’s committed full on just like Aris and it’s pouring rain right now it’s pouring rain out in the open and you just get a spot of moisture on the visor on the uh the goggle lens psychologically it can look like a lot more she’s a 10 back now but she’s still in touch with Van Len let go either way this one set to go Le wire then so there is your top speed so far resp L perhaps no surprise fastest by nearly 52 km an hour but let’s see what the third splits see for Sasha [Music] Ernest that is so smooth absolutely on fire here Sasha Ernest this is looking good the first split says she’s 610 faster [Music] now I’m on the edge of my seat this is so exciting you guys have had a lot of excitement already this weekend this is pretty it’s pretty much overload now yeah I’m more nervous watching than I was riding this this morning but I was in the dry to be fair but I think it’s interesting to see with that rain and that one camera shot it’s really coming down whether it’s raining everywhere or the trees are Sheltering it a little bit yeah it’s just kind of like where there’s holes in the tree canopy it just fills with mud here it just gets really really slick it lets the moisture in and you can see really greasy looking on the surface of that landed Earnest not going for the big gap so that will cost her some time maybe just starting to Tire slightly as this one goes on but she’s got this wood section coming up where she can find time cross that off camera you see a back whe just spping out a tiny bit there 41.5 km now for that speed trap yeah she’s moved back 2.5 seconds back now for Sasha erest so she needs something really really special in these Woods yeah but she’s good in the technical sections she could pull it back oh nice through there for [Music] Ernest off that Gap heads towards a big final Gap jump heads towards the Finish area Sasha Earnest can she be that time of re van Lin no she can’t van Lin holds on by 2.4 seconds so she uh she stemmed her losses she didn’t lose much more time Sasha Ernest but shows you how strong AR was done the bottom absolutely I think it’s also hard to know if that rain in the bottom half of the track is affecting it at all we saw her not be able to do that Gap jump because it’s a bit greasy it’s going to be interesting to see hel Wilson then for mock off Young Guns what a story this was last time I won her home race at her first UCI downhill World Cup in Fort William the young Scottish Rider very very different track today but it must have been so much pressure for her to make it happen on her home soil in front of her home Crow in Your very first appearance like imagine that so I think today she wants to prove that was like you know like able she was able to do it everywhere and so far she’s fully committed lot of people around a lot of people around British racing have been talking to me about this young woman for a long time and 53 race wins to her name already going back to under 10’s level so no stranger but the top step hel Wilson let’s see what the split time says for the young Scottish Rider then he’s looking soid I love to see that foot come out on that corner there you know she’s pushing 10 for a second in touch with the time off AIS vanan Len plenty of style off that Gap Wilson looking really comfortable here you can see those tires just felling off the dry dir see that she the left hand line coming into that section had more speed coming out of it too so she is finding options here heler Wilson in that UCI World Cup Downhill overall points leaders jersey here we go class the shiny Ro really tight inside there does it pay off on the exit yeah she say ight that’s the main [Music] thing really nice through there isabo it’s a deep talent pool all of a sudden in junior women isn’t there I’m so amazed honestly as they are stylish they are fast they are fully committed the next generation is on fire oh ban tried to get away from her there but the light turns green she’s four10 of a second night the second Wilson that was not scripted surely that was in bit of impro gets away but smashes that R has us on the edge of our seats in the commentary boo she is lining it up in this bottom section H Wilson with that kind of middle line up on the B she so strong yeah she’s reading it back but just staying 50 km an hour the first Rider we’ve seen today through that speed trap at that speed 1.7 seconds at the third split for heler Wilson from the [Music] UK that’s we we take a breath in here to try see this run out as she heads towards the four split we know that van Len was extremely strong down at the bottom can’t Heather Wilson go two for two still you still got some grip coming across that off C comes off that first Bridge early PES yeah yeah you can just tell like your legs are burning by there and the feel like they do not want to turn makes that Gap that Sasha Ernest passed on so well looks like she will still be in touch here this off camber section getting trickier and trickier she just Cal and just patient acoss 1.7 seconds and it’s gone back to half a second back at the split four Z this next section is key for Hela Wilson if she can become undefeated in the UCI downhill world cup two from two on the table here for [Music] Wilson on the number one bik still still pedaling hel wilson d to the line goes fastest by 600s of a second oh thereis f l straight out to celebrate wher what a run is aable it’s so impressive to confirm here on a very different track than in for William and I think she can be very proud of her run it was clean and she pass all the way down well here we go speaking of talents they don’t come much bigger than Ellie H boss the union forged by Steel City media come on allly the rain is coming down there at the top it really is bucket and D at the top no Ellie who’s the boss she’s on the crank she’s looking hungry I’m really quite nervous with this one reck I’m afraid I saw her slot in behind you in a couple of runs Charlie she’s she’s the real deal isn’t she Ellie yeah she’s super hando and just um just you know rides to have fun so it’s just F always fun to to ride and you can see it you really fun is fast you really feel for squads like the union and mck off Young Guns in that they do the hard bit they find these young talents and then inevitably they go to the bigger squads and they have to start the search all over again but my goodness haven’t they found a fast one here in Ellie whoel boss yeah I’m so excited to see what this first qu is oh she’s in touch she’s in touch just under a 10 of a second at the first split then for the Kiwi oh just drifting coming into there on the brakes but clean it’s hard to know if it’s raining down here as well or just at the top but yeah slowly getting slip here there’s no doubt about it looking fast through there so she was W clips that clips that p a good margin give it a good R oh so she was second would have been second in elak behind Kam Bal lanch at one stage yesterday so yeah she’s got the pace for sure that’s just where these conditions are going to play into a hand but it’s a this level of tight competition as well it brings all these Riders up doesn’t it if you’re racing fast people weekend week out that’s obviously key and I think what’s very impressive is to actually see where these young wom find their times in the elite category and can you imagine in the few years where I got to put the level yeah so it’s one second back at the second split so Ellie H boss has work on her hands here hel Wilson was electric through this wood section H boss the slightly wider round strong Ro there fastest sector time so far Ernest Wilson Wilson Van Len and Wilson so gives you an idea of just how good that run from ell Wilson it was 52 on the speed track yeah and I think now it’s actually pouring rain we can see it from many of the shots here so might actually affect the track as well the r has arrived here in bike [Music] park what drama we are in for this afternoon Junior men up next and it’s elite women and Elite men’s racing and what difference the weather will make is anyone’s guess off the bridge early for Boss perfect through there and then this horrible P feels like it going [Music] uphill yes clean over that double clean over the double indeed I’m holding my [Music] breath it’s good to be in here with somebody who’s not biased at all I like it 44.6 km an hour for Lael boss so the four split 1.6 back it’s a lot to ask ISO but that looked fast RI there F yeah so can Ellie Hoss win her first ever UCI downhill World Cup or is it going to go the way of H Wilson just two more gaps to go and we’re going to find out who the boss takes flight heads down towards the line crosses it and goes into fourth place H Wilson takes the win goes 1-1 at the start of this season ahead of her he’s van Luben Sasha erest takes third who boss slots into fourth and then it was kale kushman what a race wow that was exciting I’m so impressed with all these Riders just everyone was laying it on the line but hanging on with that strength is whenever the Weller doing that how impressive was that I’m honestly so amazed like they are fully committed through this you know like very difficult Condition it’s insane I just can’t wait to see what they’re going to do in the next few years but so far the level down right now is very impressive well thank you very much for both of your help during that one much appreciated hope you enjoyed it here is our result sheet then heler Wilson takes the win ahead of her eastan Len Sasha Ernest whoel boss kushman Matilda Melton Maxima Jack 7 place at our first U downhill World Cup menu Stoppers and then Sasha Mills let’s hear from your [Music] winner well a very big congratulations Heather Wilson very much making a name for yourself here at the world cup two from two wins just talk us through that one oh I actually can’t believe it at the top I was just like I was like laughing and just having fun I was like I’m not feeling quite nervous right now but I just like I was like okay this is I’m just going to have fun and just try and ride my bike and uh it was so loose and I was actually really enjoying I was like oh my God I no corners and oh so fun where do you think you managed to capitalize what section today uh I’m not even sure like just like the whole track everywhere it’s all blown out and like into the corners I’m like oh my God and is actually so physical and um I was just like trying everywhere I was like okay I need to try and do this I can do it and it worked well well done today thank you just like that dead straightforward when you’re as fast as hel Wilson huge huge result for the young Scottish Rider backing up a win look at the eyes Wilson superb in Poland ERS out of the game look at the holes in the track as well theen continues to fall here are the standings and Wilson leads Away by Sasha Ernest by 25 points in it’s here Ean Len H Bosch fourth and Matilda Melton in fifth kale kushman sixth Sasha Mills is seventh Jack now into eth after only competing in one round L Bor injured earlier this weekend Heen Vibes to her in ninth stofer’s currently in 10 after that shake up today here are how the runs stood up then Ernest had the fastest first split it was all Wilson through two and three then van Len was super strong down the bottom but that fifth one no contenders at all how Wilson Peerless at the bottom of the track here B 3 28.8 interesting to see how that one stands up really really tiny as this week end continues to develop the weather continues to be a huge huge Factor down hill the UCI downhill World Cup Junior man’s race getting ready to go underway we are getting ready to go r here at the whoop UCI Mountain Bike World Series the UCI downhill Junior Man’s World Cup race getting ready to get underway I’m Pride to say joined in the booth no way none other than Aaron Gwen Aaron uh you’ve you’ve I see you’ve arrived without an umbrella what’s it doing out there it’s uh it it’s kind of can’t decide it seems like it’s raining it’s pretty steady uh not super hard but it’s been consistent so uh it’s always really tricky in these conditions this is almost like the hardest conditions to judge because the track is still rolling really fast uh but the stuff especially the stuff in the open not in the trees it’s going to start to get shiny slippery it’s hard packed from the last couple days of riding and now it’s going to have that little bit of Grease so it’s as a rider a lot of times you kind of just wish it would really rain or not rain it’s these in between conditions that really can get a little tricky to judge you know how fast to push and how much you want to kind of go for it yeah you want one or the other don’t you but what about that ride from hel Wilson absolutely superb yeah impressive man to go back to back first two
6 Comments
Enjoyed good coverage.
Heatler Wilson. Wow. Impressionnant les filles
Heather the red headed speed demon!! Awesome!
Well done all. Well done Winner Wilson!
Awesome commentary!
Flying Kiwi girls. Well done Scotland.
What a future our sport has!