DESTEPPING UP AT SNOWSHOE
SRAM and RockShox stars Vali Höll and Thibaut Daprela showed they’re more than ready to step up from Juniors to Elites next year by smashing their DH race runs and taking overall World Cup titles in Snowshoe, West Virgina this weekend.
Two-time Junior DH World Champion Vali Höll (SRAM-TLD Racing) dominated the weekend on a super physical track. After winning qualifying by nearly 13 seconds, she finished her Saturday race run nearly 12 seconds ahead of Anna Newkirk (SRAM Young Guns), with a time that would have earned her a bronze in the Elite Women’s field. Höll looks to be an immediate threat next season.
My run was super wild - it was the first time I cleared the first jump really well - it was so fast. I was sliding with both wheels and like ‘oh my god, this is gonna be wild.’ That was actually my whole run. I’m really excited about next year. That’s the only way to get better, by racing with better people. I know I have the speed, I just have to make it down in one piece, so let’s see!
Thibaut Daprela (Commencal/Vallnord) sent the huge doubles and crushed the daunting rock gardens of Snowshoe mountain for a 6-second winning margin, taking the Junior World Cup Overall win for his second consecutive year.
[The season] ended perfectly. I did a great run and it’s so good to have back the feeling of winning. I would like to thank everybody from the team and sponsors for the amazing job. It is a team effort that pays off because we won the best team of the year one more time! Cheers guys and see you next year on the World Cups with the big boyzzzzz!
After one of the most exciting downhill seasons in history, we can’t wait to see how Höll and Daprela step up to their respective Elite fields, kicking off 2020 at another new track in Lousa, Portugal, 21-23 March, 2020.
Thibaut rode SRAM X01 DH, SRAM CODE Brakes.RockShox BoXXer Ultimate, withRockShox Super Deluxe Ultimate Air
- Photos by Sven Martin