About this episode

The episode reviews the unpredictable Loudenvielle DH race, highlighting Lucas Shaw's victory and the chaos of the World Cup.

The 2026 World Cup Downhill season rolled into France for Round 2, and Loudenvielle delivered one of the most unpredictable races we've seen in years. Photographer and World Cup insider Sven Martin joins me for another edition of Bench Racing as we break down a weekend defined by blown-out conditions, huge crashes, surprise results, and a long-awaited first World Cup victory for Lucas Shaw. We dive into the incredible crash rate that caught out many of the sport's biggest names, the costly mistakes from Asa Vermette and Jackson Goldstone, Loïc Bruni's injury concerns, and why the overall championship picture has suddenly been blown wide open. We also discuss Vali Höll's growing dominance, the rise of the sport's next generation, and which riders left France with momentum heading into Leogang. Bench Racing is your go-to source for technical analysis, insider perspectives, and post-race debriefs after every single World Cup round this season. Tune in for one of the deepest dives into Downhill racing anywhere in the sport.

People in this episode

Host: Andrew Neethling

Guests: Lucas Shaw, Sven Martin

Topics covered

• Downhill racing
• World Cup analysis
• Rider performance
• Race breakdown
• Injury concerns
• Championship standings

Keywords

• Downhill racing
• World Cup
• Lucas Shaw
• Sven Martin
• crashes
• injuries
• championship
• Loudenvielle
• Leogang

Mentioned in this episode

Places: France, Loudenvielle, Leogang

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