I agree 100%...particurly the last part.re. hill......I'm a huge hill fan, nothing gets me more stoked than to see him ruling a nasty loose offcamber corner.....but I feel like calling Bullsh!t on him not diggin' the course so just styling.....we all know that rennie rules the big dirty gnarlfest courses and he was able to throw down on this very much not a typical course.....racing's racing, if you're gonna be there, put the pedal to the metal.......especially when you're wearin' the fresh stripes........
That's why Palmer still has such a following. He had zero fitness in the first few seasons and yet pinned every single run he ever did, even if it meant collapsing at the finish line...which he often did his first full season. He said himself that he blew up on race day and spent the other 6 recovering for the next race.
The idea of a guy lucky enough to get paid to do something every other rider would love to do "phoning it in" just doesn't sit well with me. Why pay for someone to show and LOSE? Nobody on that course could have been excited to wait courseside for the reigning DOWNHILL WORLD CHAMPION to fokk off? That would be the biggest disappointment a kid could have.
RC & McGrath didn't go out and do parade laps until AFTER the races.