E_News_FWWC

FABIEN BAREL TAKES SILVER MEDAL AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, FT. WILLIAM SCOTLAND

In what was one of the more amazing feats of the season (pun intended) Fabien Barel put together a stellar ride to take the Silver Medal in the Elite Men’s Downhill. After five weeks off of the bike due to a broken foot, Barel had only the four short days of training and practice before the big run. Barel is known for his uncanny ability to put it all together for the biggest of the big runs and this year was not different. The added pressure seemed to only make him more determined.

Barel said, “At the start I just try to focus on being calm and channeling all the energy into a nice calm place. When the race starts I attack. Once I get out on the course is when I let the energy go. I am happy with a silver medal, of course gold would have been nice. But this season has been challenging so to take home a medal from worlds is very good.”

Pre-race favorite Tracy Moseley for the Elite Women’s Downhill did not have the same luck finishing in 4th place. . Moseley felt good and qualified 2nd and was confident in her chances. The fans we absolutely rabid for Moseley a country favorite. But on this day it was not to be as she landed heavy and her rear wheel folded in the 2nd turn on the course. “I am pretty
disappointed of course. Being my home track and home crowd I feel empty to be out of contention due to a mechanical. But that’s racing. It all has to come together at the right time to win the big one like worlds,” remarked Moseley.

Kamil Tatarkovic competed in both the Downhill and the 4X but the 4X is his main event. The 4X has become increasingly competitive as many riders are putting in extra training for the upcoming Olympic Games. Many of the top 4X riders are also BMX riders which is an Olympic discipline. Amidst a stacked field Tatarkovic had good finish and took 9th place in the 4X and 46th in the Downhill.

Neal Kindree did and admirable job of fending off illness and still placing relatively well in the U-23 Elite Cross Country event. “The race was pretty uneventful with no mechanicals and no crashes. But really I did better than I thought I would give my plague stricken condition. I was lacking energy when it came crunch time and pushed through going as fast as my body would allow me and the result was 24th. This isn't good or bad... it just is. But if I might say so, damn that was a fun race,” said Kindree.

Barry Wicks had a very disappointing outing in the Elite Men’s Cross Country race finishing in 81st place. Wicks’ body never did adapt to the cold and rainy conditions of upper Scotland and couldn’t get the furnace stoked and rolling. The sunny and mild 80 degee F of Santa Cruz, CA is quite a change from where he resides. “I just had no power today. When I finally started to come around a bit I was deep in the pack and at a point of no return. Any hope for a good finish once you’ve dropped out of the to 25 or 30 and chance of moving up is out of the question,” said Wicks.

All in all a decent weekend for the Kona Les Gets Factory Team with some good luck, some bad. But that’s sport and the reason why it has the ability to hold our attention…the outcome is seldom a sure thing.

Finish Recap:
2nd Place-Fabien Barel-Elite Men’s DH-FRA
4th Place-Tracy Moseley-Elite Women’s DH-GBR
9th Place Kamil Tatarkovic-Elite Men/46th place Elite Men’s DH-CZE
24th Place Neal Kindree-U-23 Men XC-CAN
81st Place Barry Wicks-Elite Men XC-USA

Next up for the Kona Les Gets Factory team the World Cup Finals in Maribor, Slovenia Sept 14th-16th.

Till Next Time,
Marko

Check out Fabien`s run on Freecaster.tv (click image below)

www