<p>Monster Energy / Specialized placed two riders in the top 11 at the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup opening round in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa this weekend. Troy Brosnan finished eighth in the finals while Sam Hill was 11th.</p><p>
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Two-time junior world champion Brosnan was making his debut as a first-year elite rider. After qualifying fifth on Friday with a time of 4:01.890, just 2.270 seconds off fastest qualifier Greg Minnaar, Brosnan was well seated going into the final.</p><p>
</p><p>
In both qualifying and finals, Brosnan rode well early in the course, clocking the second and third fastest split number one respectively. On the very pedally course, especially lower down, he lost some of that early advantage. After being fifth fastest at the end of split 2 during his final run on Sunday, Brosnan, who is the current Australian downhill national champion, ended up eighth with a time of 4.02.997, 5.017 seconds slower than finals winner Minnaar.</p><p>
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Former world champion Sam Hill qualified 14th fastest with a time of 4:06.810 (7.190 seconds off the fastest time). He improved in the final to finish 11th with a time of 4:03.816 (5.836 seconds down).</p><p>
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The pair is now ranked seventh and 11th in the World Cup individual standings after the first of seven rounds.</p><p>
</p><p>
Brosnan's and Hill's combined efforts put the Monster Energy / Specialized team in seventh place on the weekend and in the World Cup team standings.</p><p>
</p><p>
The riders have a long time to wait until the second round of the World Cup, which will be in Val di Sole on June 2-3.</p>
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</p><p>
Two-time junior world champion Brosnan was making his debut as a first-year elite rider. After qualifying fifth on Friday with a time of 4:01.890, just 2.270 seconds off fastest qualifier Greg Minnaar, Brosnan was well seated going into the final.</p><p>
</p><p>
In both qualifying and finals, Brosnan rode well early in the course, clocking the second and third fastest split number one respectively. On the very pedally course, especially lower down, he lost some of that early advantage. After being fifth fastest at the end of split 2 during his final run on Sunday, Brosnan, who is the current Australian downhill national champion, ended up eighth with a time of 4.02.997, 5.017 seconds slower than finals winner Minnaar.</p><p>
</p><p>
Former world champion Sam Hill qualified 14th fastest with a time of 4:06.810 (7.190 seconds off the fastest time). He improved in the final to finish 11th with a time of 4:03.816 (5.836 seconds down).</p><p>
</p><p>
The pair is now ranked seventh and 11th in the World Cup individual standings after the first of seven rounds.</p><p>
</p><p>
Brosnan's and Hill's combined efforts put the Monster Energy / Specialized team in seventh place on the weekend and in the World Cup team standings.</p><p>
</p><p>
The riders have a long time to wait until the second round of the World Cup, which will be in Val di Sole on June 2-3.</p>
More...