MASS DESTRUCTION - Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup Qualifying Action - Mountain Biking Pictures

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It was a fair but brutal day at the Mont-Sainte-Anne UCI World Cup Downhill as qualifiers took place. We say it was brutal because of the relentless, punishing, non-stop-wheel-smasher of a course that racers must tackle. When the last boulder was bashed, Aaron Gwin had taken the top time, focused and ready to make up for the win stolen from him by a cut sidewall at Lenzerheide. Myriam Nicole went fastest in the women's class and Matt Walker took the Junior top spot. Imagine the impacts and insanity with photos from Sven Martin, @maddogboris and Dan Hearn from today's battle before the war.

Aaron Gwin was all business today on the jumps, while he can scrub and whip with the best of them, he chose to keep it pinned and squashed instead. 1st place. -Sven Martin

Some novel lines higher up the course and unrelenting pace didn't hurt Gwin's result either. Brock VanHeel of Suspended Productions in audio. -Dan Hearn

Pompon broke her arm here a few years ago when this feature was freshly built. No worries today though, styling it out with no latent fears. -Sven Martin

A dominating run from Matt Walker put him 9 seconds in front of the junior field. Before his flat, Finn was within 1 second of Matt at the first two splits. -Dan Hearn

Who needs Photoshop if you have rad riders like Loic Bruni to shoot? He was so kind and produced some extra dust to cover the rider in the background. Thanks Bru. Only 1.5 seconds back. @maddogboris

Sylvain Cougoureux drops into second, place but nine seconds back off of Walker!!! -Sven Martin

Tracey Hannah early this morning in training, gondola plastic substituting as a LOMO inta-filter. -Sven Martin

Danny Hart with the second fastest time and slit one and 5th qualifier. He could easily hold the hot seat through the last 4 riders tomorrow if he gets a good run. @maddogboris

Shark Finn Iles clicking it. -Sven Martin

Non Vitamin D or Skim here. It's all about the 2% fat for maximum sealing power. @maddogboris<br />

Float like a butterfly and sting like an Atwill. Phil does his best to avoid the fauna on the course while cornering at 70km/h. -Sven Martin

Yeow Blenki! 8th place quali position for one of the most exciting riders to watch out there! @maddogboris

Brendan Fairclough back in the Top 20 mix where he should be. -Sven Martin

Rachel all positive and philosophical after qualifying and is looking forward to her race run. -Sven Martin

We are stoked to see Walker Shaw in finals and we can't to see him going wild on the last jumps before the finish line. Fun times with his bro. @maddogboris

Troy wasn´t really happy about today result but after some heavy rain last night (as he was hoping for) everything is possible at finals. @maddogboris

Good Job Muddy! 13th place qualifier. @maddogboris

Focus and clarity with the always-super-clean Greg Minnaar. Within striking distance of another win. -Sven Martin

Jacob Dickson feeling the G's in this big bermed corner after the step-down mid course. -Sven Martin

Hi Troy. -Sven Martin

2nd place for Tracey Hannah in qualis, missing out on the top spot by a second and a half. -Dan Hearn

Young Kaos Seagrave muscling through and saving himself through this loaded corner after the big rock roll. Do your push ups kids. -Sven Martin

Seriously, do your push ups, kids. @maddogboris

Vergier bouncing off the pads during his qualifying run this afternoon. He kept it together for another great run. -Sven Martin

Brook MacDonald vids always clog the internet when the tracks are loose, fast and wild, which perfectly describes both Brook and his attacking style. -Sven Martin

Gee sliding through the end of the rock garden, steadily making progress on his injury and picking up the pace each and every timed run he takes. -Sven Martin

Eddie McGregor or Rupert Mayweather...who will be faster at the MSA Octagon? @maddogboris

One-foot style from Rupert Chapman. Sometimes a bunch of photographers stood near a feature in high-vis vests and shouting encourages some extra effort from the riders! -Dan Hearn

Lazy Lozza with the foot dangle steeze off the step down hip. -Sven Martin

Joe Bowman the RAW master spotted here at Mt Ste Anne between shoots of his and Aaron Barrettes new upcoming film. -Sven Martin

Marc Beaumont with a rear flat but still making it into the Top 50 for the race. -Sven Martin

The first and last of the riders that made it in for tomorrow. -Sven Martin

Mechanics kept busy on the wheel building this weekend. -Sven Martin

"Just" 4th place for Tahnee Seagrave in quali today. But she knows that she has more in the tank for finals! @maddogboris

Yeow Dakotah Norton! 16th quali position for the American and on the big show! @maddogboris

Joe Breeden, breezin' into 6th. @maddogboris

A flat front tire couldn't stop Finn Iles in qualis! Still the 9th fastest time and he may have just won Saturday's race as this was typed, but we're not sure. @maddogboris

Intense Factory Rider Nikolas Nesteroff with the 5th fastest time and 1st loudest kit. @maddogboris

Miranda Miller on home Canadian soil for 7th. @maddogboris

Greg Minnaar, Luca Shaw and Loris Vergier qualified 3rd, 5th and 6th respectively. The Syndicate has been killing it all season and it doesn't appear they are letting up here in Canada. -Dan Hearn

Fully focused and hungry for the podium, Laurie Greendland. @maddogboris

More bad luck for Eliot Heap. Quali run on a "rental bike" and the also a flat. @maddogboris

Early start for German Junior, Max Hartenstern and his new Cube 29er proto. @maddogboris

Rachel Atherton had fun riding today and is looking forward to finals. 3.3 seconds away from the fastest quali time on place 3 for her. @maddogboris

With Matt Walker out front with a 9 second lead, only a second separated the next three juniors. Kade Edwards placed 4th, but with such tight times one mistake could cost multiple places in finals. It's a hard track to hold a consistent run together, that's for sure. -Dan Hearn

Rachel Atherton looking back at some old-but-gold photos from her racing career. -Dan Hearn

Tahnée Seagrave had a smooth run but had a few more changes in mind to make before finals. -Dan Hearn

Jack Moir qualified in 9th place, which comes as no surprise having seen him hauling in training. -Dan Hearn

Jacob Dickson, latest recruit of the #SquidSquad taking his own action photos mid track. As seen on Instagram at @squidsontour! -Dan Hearn

Pom Pon continues her streak of dominating runs by qualifying 1st in Mont Sainte Anne. Her run was relatively conservative to ensure she didn't miss out on points for the season overall. -Dan Hearn

Hopefully this shows the steepness of the Steve Smith Drop. Some embedded rocks just waiting to destroy rims lurk in the landing zone below. -Dan Hearn

A flat in her qualifying run meant Vaea Verbeeck thought she would not qualify for finals. Her mood changed, however, when she reached the bottom and discovered that due to non-starters there were only 15 elite women - meaning she was guaranteed a spot in the finals! -Dan Hearn

Steve Smith's legacy lives on at Mont Sainte Anne. Never forgotten. #LongLiveChainsaw -Dan Hearn