Truth be told, Georgia Astle was not particularly confident in her ability to defend the women's Garbanzo DH gold medal.
She owned two such awards going into Tuesday's spectacle, but those came back in 2018 and 2019. The event had been on hiatus for five years, during which time Astle reinvented herself as a freerider. Her training had changed, her fitness levels had been calibrated for a different purpose, and her rivals brimmed with talent and savvy.
If fantasy mountain biking were a thing (à la fantasy hockey or football), maybe some would've been leery of betting on Astle. She was hardly a lock for the podium. She might have admitted that, were you to ask.
But what did Astle do to address her own doubts?
She rocketed down one of Earth's most punishing tracks in 14 minutes and 34.668 seconds. That's almost 24 seconds faster than Emmy Lan in the runner-up hole (14:58.291), and half a minute better than third-place Martha Gill: the Queen of Crankworx overall leader (15:05.810).
"It's pretty crazy," Astle said. "I watched all the girls sprint their little hearts out over the start line, and I'm like: 'oh my God, I'm doomed. I'm doomed!' I don't have a racer's fitness anymore, but I think the local knowledge and past confidence of wins carried me through. I just played to my strengths and rode smooth."
Garbanzo presents a unique mission for all who take it on: jaw-dropping length by downhill standards and a bevy of terrain traps capable of preying upon anyone—especially those who fatigue. It can be viewed as a hybrid between enduro and downhill, and it is not for the unprepared.
Serious business
Ill-timed electronic difficulties knocked out Crankworx scoreboards during the ladies' elite race, leaving thousands of fans in suspense in the Boneyard. Athletes began making their way into the finish corral, but it was initially impossible to tell who had placed where.
Eventually, the technical snafus were sorted and a picture began to coalesce.
Gill had put together a medal-worthy run, superseding fellow veterans Shania Rawson (fourth), Amy Morrison (fifth) and Miranda Miller (sixth). Raising the bar further was Lan of Vancouver Island with the day's first sub-15 minute lap by a woman.
Astle then got going. She believes her bike setup provided a key edge: 27.5-inch wheels, clip pedals (which she described as "serious business") and a softer suspension on her Devinci-designed vehicle. Poise and experience took her to the promised land from there.
"Garbanzo is such a rough track, but I have raced it quite a handful of times at this point so I have the lines dialed," Astle explained. "I know where I'm going even if I don't ride it all the time anymore, so I think it's just that little extra sprinkle of magic dust I hold on the Garbo."
Lan, who snagged another silver medal to complement her Canadian Open DH result, is one of many who hold a healthy respect for Astle's prowess.
"Georgia is super, super good on this track," she said. "I would love to win once, but I'm really happy and proud of my run. I think I could've pushed harder on the pedals, because in my mind [those sections] were going to be super hard and super long. But when you're actually racing, it goes by so much faster."
The Garbanzo DH will always occupy a special place in Astle's heart, and not just because it's a wicked undertaking. As a former hockey player, the Whistlerite's pro riding career didn't truly take off until her inaugural Garbo victory six years ago—after which she began partnering with Devinci.
That sponsorship materialized at an important time. Astle was feeling worn down after a number of World Cup appearances, but her Crankworx breakthrough ultimately spring-boarded her to a diverse and brilliant career.
Recipe for success
Bronze in the Boneyard elevated Gill past 900 points as she took a step closer to becoming Queen of Crankworx. It may turn out to be a vital edge, as the Brit's closest rival Jordy Scott placed last (13th) after a difficult outing.
"To be honest, I really was not expecting a podium," Gill spoke candidly. "I was hoping for a top five, maybe. Had a really good, smooth run. I did a couple practice laps earlier last week, so that definitely paid off."
Gill had never attempted the Garbanzo DH before, but past Enduro World Series (EWS) contests in Whistler gave her some idea of what to expect.
"Definitely the length of it is what makes it so special and challenging," she continued. "In my opinion, Garbo is way more savage to race than the 1199 course."
Prior to Crankworx Whistler, a mere eight points separated Gill and Scott atop the Queen rankings. Now, Gill is up to 912 against her American rival's 832, with third still belonging to Rawson at 766.
Not unlike Astle, Gill has wrestled with professional burnout. Her love of enduro faded after seven years on tour, and she was afraid her love of biking had also winked out. Crankworx 2023 was nothing short of rejuvenating, and this season has only bolstered her momentum.
"I just wanted to do the Crankworx stuff because I found it really fun," admitted Gill. "Training has heaps of variety, which is way more motivating for me. I think just building up from having fun means a lot to me, and that's that's my recipe for success."
Junior results
Geza Rodgers secured a gold medal of her own as the lone U19 female to break the 16-minute wall (15:55.311). Not far behind was Pemberton's own Rebecca Beaton with silver (16:04.985) and Kelly Swarens, who managed bronze (16:44.542).
With no downhill bicycle in her garage, Rodgers entered battle astride an enduro bike similar to the one that carried her to a U21 Canadian Championship in 2022. It apparently didn't slow her down too much.
Aletha Ostgaard followed up her U17 Canadian Open DH triumph with another in the Garbo (15:15.024) over her American compatriot Nory Klein (16:07.954). Luella Jones rounded out the top three (16:37.563).
While Mayumi Wakefield had the honour of being the first athlete to drop into the Garbanzo DH in half a decade, it was three other U15 girls who eventually stood on the podium. Local youth Ruby Wells led the way (15:30.465) in front of Megan Pretorius in second (16:33.070) and third-place Cleo Brown (18:13.784).
Wells admitted during an interview in the finish corral that she was "ready to pass out" moments after her triumphant lap.
Circle back to Pique Newsmagazine for a full story on the men's Garbanzo DH, with Richie Rude on top. Full results are available here.
