![\"ccs-62657-0-59319700-1473943660.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-59319700-1473943660.jpg\")
<\/a> Junior rider Christopher Philogene was happy to get down the challenging track with no injuries at the 2016 UCI MTB World Championships in Val di Sole, Italy, from 6-11 September. Photo: Jos Williams.<\/span>\n<\/div>\nSouth African superstar and multi World Cup medallist, Greg Minnaar (Santa Cruz Syndicate) finished seventh in his final run, and said: \u201cWorlds was one hell of a race and I just really didn\u2019t have the hand strength towards the end to be able to push it as hard as I needed to, which is just unfortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n
The three-time World Champion has been bike testing in Val di Sole to get ready ahead of next season. \u201cAll-in-all, I\u2019m happy to leave there in one piece,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
South African Elite Men\u2019s Champion, Stefan Garlicki finished 57th with a time of 4:07, and Johann Potgieter, 72nd with a time of 4:22, despite two crashes during his race.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorlds is always a highlight for me in the year and hanging with the South African Team is such a good vibe,\u201d said Potgieter.<\/p>\n
When chatting about the course, he said: \u201cVal di Sole is always a track where I feel like I can go fast. I feel confident on the rough terrain and I\u2019m not afraid of the track or anything. A full run is really tough, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
He mentioned that no tracks in South Africa could prepare the riders for the beating that their arms take on a track like Val di Sole. \u201cWe need to train on tracks like those overseas, but its hard with the South African Passports as we are only allowed 90 days in six months, which is mostly taken up by the races, he said.<\/p>\n
Potgieter had an unfortunate run-in with a red flag due to a rider crashing ahead of him, three quarters of the way down his race run, which meant for him a re-run. \u201cIt was basically like running an 800m race and then after 600m someone stops you. So after giving it your all, you have to do it again,\u201d he said. All in all, Potgieter said that he was happy to get away injury-free. He commended the work of the team manager and mechanic, having done a great job.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been racing overseas since 2004, and that was probably the toughest track I\u2019ve ever raced on. Hats off to the juniors who raced, and thank you to Cycling South Africa for the support,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Lapierre\u2019s Christopher Philogene enjoyed his race, but also commented on the physical toll taken on his upper body: \u201cIt was pretty hard to put a full run together, but I just tried to get down as smoothly as possible. It was hard on the arms and hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Philogene finished in 40th place in the Junior race. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t the best result for me, but I was just happy that I had made it down without crashing or making any stupid mistakes, which was very easy to do on a track like this. The mechanic and manager helped out a lot, and it was a really good time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
His brother, Johnathan, was looking slick and confident on the track, until a crash on his timed run, which later resulted in the decision and recommendation by management and medical professionals for him not to race due to a minor head injury.<\/p>\n
Cullen McMaster said: \u201cThe race went well. I put down a safe run and got to the bottom in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n
McMaster also mentioned that the Val di Sole track was the toughest he\u2019d ever ridden, and was tough on his hands. \u201cOtherwise the weekend was awesome, the World Champs vibe was so cool, a once in a life time experience,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n
Team Manager, Sam Bull, described the track as one of the \u201cgnarliest\u201d he had seen. \u201cIt was the roughest, and certainly the most physically demanding,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
On the track, Bull said: \u201cThe guys weren\u2019t able to push as hard as they needed to, but they weren\u2019t alone. They had to ride a lot tighter than they had wanted to because they couldn\u2019t manage the speeds that they wanted to ride.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bull enjoyed the experience and said that the World Championships was awesome to watch, packed with action. \u201cWe were busy flat out with bike issues and one or two injuries, but a really great time was had,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
To see the full set of results from the 2016 UCI World Downhill MTB Championships, see below:<\/strong><\/p>\n Junior Men: http:\/\/www.valdisolebikeland.com\/_files\/f_media\/2016\/09\/1217.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n