FINAL RESULTS - 2024 Mont-Sainte-Anne Junior World Cup Downhill - Mountain Bike News Story

The day of the last race of the season is always a bitter-sweet moment. Awarding the overall titles provides a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, a fitting finale to long and hard-fought points battles, but the euphoria can be short-lived as the prospect of the offseason looms ahead. For the young ones, it can be extra melancholic as many of the competitors leave the junior ranks to make their way into the elite category. You only get two shots at junior World Cup glory - and those two years can go by very quickly.

Mont-Sainte-Anne awoke to the smell of overnight rain, always a magical moment unless your day involves rolling through some of the world's toughest rock gardens with wet mud on your bicycle tires. With overall titles on the line, there could be no safe runs for those with their eyes on the prize, and the junior women did not hold back.

Women's conditions were foggy and slick as riders struggled to complete a mistake-free run. Notables like Heather Wilson went down in the slabby rock garden. Kale Cushman of the USA was the first rider to break the 5-minute mark at 4:59 until New Zealander, Sacha Earnest came down with aggression and grit, taking the lead with a 4:50. Current World Champ, Erice Van Leuven, and fastest qualifier, Ella Svegby remained. The rainbow stripes of Erice Van Leuven kept her in the green for her entire run with very few issues. As she crossed the line, she was nearly 5 seconds faster than Earnest. Ella Svegby of Sweden was the last Junior woman down the mountain in 2024. Her upper splits were not on pace with Van Leuven, but she was in the hunt for a top-3 finish until washing out right before rolling into the Stevie Smith drop and then having troubles in the slabby rock section. She still managed a 5th place. Erice Van Leuven wraps up her season with another World Cup DH win and the series overall victory in Mont-Sainte-Anne. #USDH goes 3 and 4 with Kale Cushman and Pella Ward on the box to finish out the year!

Fog and mist continued to plague the Junior Men's class. The fastest DH groms let it all hang out, and like the ticking timebombs that they are, some stomped phenomenal runs while others ended up on the ground in a pile of schrapnel. Top speeds for the kids were over 50kph through the speed trap. Lorenzo Mascherini and Tyler Waite had a battle down to the hundredths until Till Alran came down besting their 4:01 times by 2.8 seconds. Dane Jewett didn't have the pace for a win, but he hucked and styled his way down the track like a true Canadian to a podium finish in 5th. 2nd pace qualifier, #USDH Gavin Tomlinson was on a decent run until an OTB in the slabs crushed his momentum. The precision and flow of France's Max Alran is unparalleled in Junior class. He backed up his fastest qualifying run with a flawless run down the MSA track, scrubbing and popping with efficiency. He managed to go fastest by over 5 seconds, securing the win in a dominating fashion with brother Till in 2nd.