Out of Bounds Festival 2019: Leogang world champion with best qualifying time

South African Greg Minnaar surprisingly secured qualification for the Downhill World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang on Saturday. An exciting final is also in the offing for the women: Australia's Tracey Hannah has a wafer-thin lead over Leogang record winner Rachel Atherton. In addition to Valentina Höll, who once again impressed today as the fourth fastest lady on the World Cup course, David Trummer also qualified for tomorrow's final of the 60 best men from an Austrian perspective.

He's back: One year before the Downhill World Championships return to Saalfelden Leogang for the second time, Greg Minnaar, the 2012 World Champion, is also back at the top in the Pinzgau bike metropolis. The South African downhill perennial favourite secured the fastest qualifying run today and relegated the other big names of the season, Vergier, Brosnan and last year's winner Pierron to the back of the pack: ‘This is just madness. The track is difficult because it's so extremely fast. You have to hit the key sections so precisely to be fast here. It's going to be incredibly exciting tomorrow because the gaps are very, very tight,’ says Minnaar, who is a real fan of Leogang.

The Austrian men, on the other hand, are still struggling on home soil. With David Trummer, only one red-white-red skier made it into the final of the top 60: ‘Today was still a bit tough. I didn't get going so easily and made a few mistakes. But it's a good basis for tomorrow. After the good results recently, I'm motivated for the weekend,’ says Trummer, who was able to impress with two top 15 finishes in the last two World Cups in Maribor and Fort William.
 

Hannah ahead of Atherton in the women's race
 
In the absence of the injured Brit Tahnee Seagrave, the well-known names of the current season dominated the women's field today. Australian Tracey Hannah came out on top ahead of Leogang record winner Rachel Atherton by just half a second: ‘After yesterday's training, I was very unhappy about my time, so I had to push today. Due to the close gap to Rachel, it's going to be a very exciting race tomorrow,’ said Hannah. The German Nina Hoffmann finished in third place, with Raphaela Richter in fifth place, another German rider in a good starting position for tomorrow's final.
 

Vali Höll at the top again 
 
Austria's downhill ace Valentina Höll impressed on all levels with her seeding run. Her time of 3:50.757 would have put her in fourth place in the elite women's category today. At the finish, the Saalbach native was relieved: ‘After the crash and second place in Fort William, everything felt completely different at the finish today. Hence the clenched fist. The course here in Leogang is relatively short and the lead was good today. It was different in Fort William. I wasn't able to make up much time in qualifying. Then things didn't go so well in the race either. I just want to show tomorrow that I can cycle,’ says Höll.

Grand finale with an ingenious supporting programme and new grandstand
 
If you want to experience Vali Höll's final live on site tomorrow, you should be early. The female juniors will start the race at 9.45 am, followed by the male juniors at 10.15 am.
The men's and women's elite finals will then be heralded by a spectacular freestyle motocross show from 11.00 am. There is also plenty to experience all around. The team and expo area, where you can get up close to the stars of the scene, opens its doors at 9.30 am.
Also new in Leogang this year is a new grandstand in the finish area which, together with the Grand Stand, will create a stadium atmosphere. All spectators with a valid entry ticket will have free access to the seats there.
 
For all those who cannot make it to Leogang, the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup in Leogang will be available live and as video-on-demand free of charge at www.redbull.tv/uci/deutsch on the Red Bull TV BIKE Channel: redbull.tv/bike. The Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup in Leogang will also be broadcast live on Servus TV.