The 2022 World Cup downhill season wrapped up with a phenomenal race in Val di Sole, Italy on Saturday. French riders landed wins in elite men and women’s races. Canada has a new top finisher, with Lucas Cruz putting in a career-best ride.
Canadians in Italy
Lucas Cruz (Norco Factory Team) leads the Canadians with a huge 13th-place finish in Val di Sole. It’s the Pemberton, B.C. racer’s best elite World Cup finish to date, and a big step up on one of the hardest courses of the year.
Jakob Jewett (Canyon Cllctv) and Kirk McDowall (Norco) finished in 40th and 41st. Elliot Jamieson (Norco Factory Team) followed close behind in 46th and Mark Wallace (Canyon Cllctv) 49th. Seth Sherlock (Intense Factory Racing) rounds out the Canadian results in 55th.
Iles finishes third overall, even after missing two World Cup rounds. It’s a huge result for the Canadian and an even bigger indication of what could be coming in 2023.
Another weekend for the French
It was Loris Vergier taking the win in Val di Sole, though. The Trek Factory Racing rider put in an incredible 3.008-second win over Andreas Kolb (Continental Atherton) and an Intense Factory Racing U.S. duo of Dakota Norton and Aaron Gwin in third and fourth. Bernard Kerr (Pivot Factory Racing) rounds out the podium in fifth.
Vergier’s win moves him into second overall in the World Cup standings. He moves ahead of Finn Iles in third, but can’t catch fellow French rider, Amaury Pierron (Commencal/Muc-Off0. With an incredible four wins in 2022, Amaury Pierron is the 2022 elite men’s World Cup overall winner.
On the women’s side, Myriam Nicole finishes her season on a high note. The Commencal/Muc-Off rider soared to a solid win in Val di Sole. Nina Hoffman (Syndicate) followed in second and new world champion Vali Höll in third.
That narrowly gives Camille Balanche (Dorval AM Commencal) the points to maintain her World Cup overall lead. The Swiss rider battled back from injury to finish fifth on a recently broken collarbone, preserving her lead ahead of Höll in the series standings.
Results: 2022 World Cup DH #8 – Val di Sole, Italy
Elite Women
Elite Men
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