France’s Emmeline Ragot repeated her 2012 triumph when she upset the odds to win the women’s elite downhill race at the world mountain bike championships in Fort William yesterday.
The 28-year old from Angouleme in southwestern France set up her sixth world cup win with a flawless run while three of here main competitors, Britons Tahnee Seagrave, Rachel Atherton and leading qualifier Manon Carpenter all suffered punctures on the their way down.
A record Sunday crowd of more than 9,000 who had descended on Aonach Mor cheered enthusiastically as Ragot dropped into the bowl at the finishing line on her winning run.
Ragot said: “Fort William is very special for me as the track is so hard to ride and the crowd are so full-on, but they are very respectful too, it is absolutely amazing.
“My 2012 win was also very enjoyable but the crowds here definitely help to push you through the race, when you know you have the support of the spectators it really helps.
“This is my first podium of the season, with a win I can push-on and I will definitely be back in Fort William to defend my title next year.”
As for her rivals’ punctures, Ragot added: “I have had several flats during training sessions and it also happened to me during my race run in South Africa, the first event of the new season, mechanical faults can happen and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Carpenter’s disappointment was tempered by the fact that she did appear on the podium to accept the world number one’s rainbow jersey after her scintillating performance in qualifying.
Carpenter said: “I haven’t had a puncture in a race for a very long time and I couldn’t believe it when I realised that my tyre was flat, it went down so fast.
“I just couldn’t believe that people were still cheering when I was coming slowly down the hill with my puncture.”