Novak takes two in a row with Slovenia DH Cup victory at Črni Vrh in front of Jeršin and Austrian juniors Warmuth and Stonig. Course gets dry and gaps shrink.
Just like a week ago in Kamnik, Luka Novak won round 4 out of 6 of Slovenia downhill cup at Javornik ski resort at Črni Vrh. The name on top was the only similarity to last week’s race. Conditions were completely different at the "Downhill Specialized Črni Vrh" and other riders were breathing down Novak’s neck.
Luka was already fastest in morning semifinal, 8 seconds slower than his 2005 time on slightly different course that won him the National Championship title. Austrian junior Matthias Stonig (+2.47) and Andraž Jeršin (+3.92) followed. After Saturday afternoon rain that made the official practice runs very difficult and filled with crashes (former Austrian champ Walter Martinschitz injured his wrist) the course dried well on race day under the sun and wind. By the semifinal no one was thinking of mud tires.
The final was one of the most thrilling in Slovenia Cup recent history. There were not many bad runs, crashes or mechanicals so the hot seat - this time a fancy high tech lawnmower by sponsor Husquarna - was constantly changing its occupants. Rok Podbevšek was in the lead with 2:47.25 before the top ten from the semifinal came down. He was outseated by 10th from the semi, Žiga Živoder (2:44.50). Then 7th Boštjan Volf set the best time (2:44.00) only to be beaten by each of the following riders. Simon Marčič (2:42.42) obviously recovered well after last weeks trip in the ambulance bus. Then came the other Austrian junior Thomas Warmuth (2:40.53). Matej Drnovšek (2:41.18) settled for 2nd, making a speedy recovery after breaking his arm his a month ago. Warmuth was kicked off the lawnmower by Jeršin (2:40.05) who put the end to a series of crashes in his final runs. Stonig (2:44.57) rode into third behind Jeršin and Warmuth and in front of Drnovšek. It was Novak’s turn. He would win even by repeating his semifinal time but he stepped it up a bit, improving his time by over one a half second to take the victory. Counting a Slovenia Cup 4X he won for third time in a row after missing first two DH series due to a shoulder injury. How fast could he get if he wasn’t regularly getting hurt, we wonder...
"It’s about time," said Novak. "I’ve been riding flat pedals on a dry course after a long time because of so many off-camber turns and the tricky rock garden. You were able to race clipped here last year but now the course is getting bumpy."
Warmuth and Stonig took first and second in junior men category with Slovenian Jaka Seme in third. Rebeka Barlič won the women’s race.
Volf kept the series lead with a seventh place. Drnovšek, round 1 winner, is back in second after missing one race, 121 down on Volf. Jeršin is third only 14 points behind Drnovšek. Nejc Rutar, number 2 after first three races, missed this one after earning a sport of World Championships team.
Great race, everybody agreed, and a very good crowd.
Round five follows on September 17 in Mežica. Regional DH racing continues on August 26/27 in Gorizia, Italy with final race of the Alpe-Adria series.
Final results
overall men
1. Luka Novak (Suunto Scott Slovenica NE) 2:36.84
2. Andraž Jeršin (MTB Trbovlje Cult) +3.21
3. Thomas Warmuth (Aut, verticalracing.at) +3.69
4. Matthias Stonig (Aut, Carinthia Power bike) +3.73
5. Matej Drnovšek (MTB Trbovlje Cult) +4.34
6. Simon Marčič (Pintatim) +5.58
7. Boštjan Volf (Snurfclub RSP) +7.16
8. Žiga Živoder (MTB Trbovlje Cult) +7.66
9. Rok Podbevšek (KD Calcit Kamnik) +10.41
10. Andrej Šumberger (Snurfclub GT) +10.75
junior men
1. Warmuth 2:40.53
2. Stonig +0.04
3. Jaka Seme (321 Guerilla Bikes) +7.41
4. Jan Lovše (MTB Trbovlje Jr) +7.84
5. Denis Paradiž (Fanatic Enduro Maxxis) +7.86
women
1. Rebeka Barlič (MTB Trbovlje Cult) 3:26.81
2. Maja Pahor (MTB Sokol Fun Sports) +1:41.59
masters
1. Šumbergar 2:47.59
2. Boštjan Felc (MTB Trbovlje Cult) +0.35
sportsmen
1. Matevž Zupanc (321 Guerilla Bikes) 2:50.02
2. Gašper Klemenčič (KD Sloga 1902) +2.53
3. Matej Žen (DH team Žen) +3.02
4. Dino Žunjič (Cro, Z-Racing) +3.15
5. Blaž Hölcl (Fanatic Enduro Maxxis) +13.55
Semi-final results - men overall
1. Novak 2:38.41
2. Stonig +2.47
3. Jeršin +3.92
4. Drnovšek +5.98
5. Warmuth +6.49
6. Marčič +8.10
7. Volf +9.99
8. Paradiž +10.20
9. Cestnik +10.40
10. Živoder +11.41
Slovenia DH Cup 4/6 - men overall
1. Volf 771
2. Drnovšek 650
3. Jeršin 636
4. Paradiž 596
5. Podbevšek 595
Complete series ranking below in PDF.
Links:
Complete results here www.sokolgroup.com/crnedirke/dh/index.php
Files:
DHpokal06_CrniVrh_01.pdf
