Hattie Harnden Wins Her First World Cup and $100k
Congratulations to 6D rider Hattie Harnden on her first World Cup DH Victory in Les Gets, France!
The weekend kicked off with an aggressive rainstorm that made it next to impossible to navigate the technical track. Even still, Hattie managed to qualify third in Q1 setting her up nicely for finals.
Track conditions were brutal during qualifying runs. The mud was so thick many riders did not make it through.
During finals, Hattie battled hard through her race run. Starting in the red through the first two splits, she pulled away hard on splits three through five, coming across the line in first with two more riders to go, including the dominant Vali Holl.
Sitting on the hot seat, Hattie watched as both riders came down the mountain, waiting to see if what she did would be enough.
In the end, Hattie secured her first World Cup win by a dominant 1.232 seconds. What makes this win even sweeter is that she did it on a belt driven bike. Last season Gates introduced their $100k Belted Prize Purse for the first rider to win a World Cup Downhill on a Gates belt-drive equipped bike. After over a season and a half, Hattie became the rider to accomplish their goal and was able to claim this amazing prize.
This win means a lot to all of us at 6D. We've had the privilege of supporting Hattie throughout her DH journey and have watched firsthand the dedication and hard work she's put into reaching the top step of a World Cup podium. Seeing her earn her first World Cup victory while making history with the Gates belt-drive bonus is a testament to her talent, and determination. We are incredibly proud of Hattie and the entire AON Racing team for this historic achievement.
We can't wait to see if she can carry this momentum into the World Championships in Val di Sole this weekend and challenge the rainbow stripes to cap off an already remarkable season.
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