Strong finish to breakthrough rookie season

Giant Factory Off-Road rider Danny Hart put the finishing touches on a stellar rookie World Cup Downhill season with a 15th-place finish at the August 29 finals in Windham, New York. The 18-year-old Brit finished eighth overall in the World Cup and was the youngest rider to finish in the top-10.

Hart had a consistent season from start to finish on his Giant Glory downhill bike, scoring a handful of top-20 results in conditions ranging from dry and fast to slick and technical. Hart, the Junior World Cup DH champion in 2009, graduated to the elite ranks this year and steadily progressed throughout the season. After a 20th place finish at the opener in Slovenia, he finished 12th in Scotland and then 13th in Austria. The highlight of his season was a seventh place finish at Val di Sole, Italy.

With the World Cup season now complete, Hart turns his attention to the 2010 World Championships in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec, next weekend. Last year he won a bronze medal in the junior category. This year he heads to Canada ready to compete as an elite rider for the first time. The men’s downhill will be held September 5.