The 2009 US open of Mountain Biking - Mens Downhill Event

The Amateur downhill contest was stopped when the storm that had loomed on the horizon finally hit the mountain late in the afternoon bringing thunder, lightning, and rain.
The storm shutdown lift service and delayed the racing action for about an hour.

The amateur race was continued after the storm had passed leaving those left to complete their runs at a disadvantage.
Earlier racers were riding a course that was dry and had relatively good traction.
The remaining racers were faced with a muddy wet course quite different from what they had previously practiced and qualified on.

The Pro racers had the time and resources to change their tires.
Monster Energy Teammates Sam Hill and Brenden Fairclough switched to spiked tires giving them the traction they needed for their 1st and 3rd place finishes respectively.

Afterwards I had an opportunity to speak with Sam and Brenden and ask a few questions.

RYB: How did you feel about your final run?
Hill: It was okay, enough for a win but I think the change in condition had the times about 5 seconds slower than they would have been.
Fairclough: It was an average run; even with spikes the traction was a bit sketchy.

RYB: You have raced all over the world what did you think of the course at mountain creek?
Hill: I enjoy riding on the East Coast.
Fairclough: I think Mountain Creek is a great example of rocky New England riding.

2009 is Sam Hill's third victory at Mountain Creek he also stood at the top of the podium in 2004 and 2005

Video:



Additional Links:
Official Results
Pro Top 10