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Canberra World Cup

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My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
Action Starts Thursday on the course no one wanted to travel to to attend!

Short, not much elevation and apparently just not a great venue from what I have been told. Very pedally, look forward to seeing who can make things happen, as well as seeing some random pinner aussies come out of the woodwork.
 
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My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
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JDA

Chimp
Feb 6, 2008
60
0
Sydney, Australia
It's not as bad as some people say, sure the elevation is pretty small and when you look around there are all these huge mountains but Mt Stromlo is where they got the approval and funding to build the MTB park so hey...

I really enjoy racing there, it has good flow and they have made real good use of the elevation at hand. From a spectators point of view its probably the best track out there, there are no large trees due to a bush fire so if you're in the right vantage point you could potentially watch riders from the top to the bottom of the coarse.
 

dbp

Chimp
Aug 26, 2005
65
0
wow... negativity sure runs strong around here. the uci is at least trying to spread racing around the world and share it with everyone, not just europe and canada so that has to be a positive.
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
wow... negativity sure runs strong around here. the uci is at least trying to spread racing around the world and share it with everyone, not just europe and canada so that has to be a positive.
Some of the regular Aussie racers I spoke to didn't even want to bother racing it if they didn't have to due to travel schedules and the course. Putting a race on the other side of the planet mid season is a bad idea. First race, sure (a la Africa next year).

Many racers had to go from Crankworx to Oz and then back to Europe the following week. It just doesn't make any sense at all and it really shows in the rider turnout, not to mention media. I think Gary is the only "regular" world cup still shooter going, and that is because of his UCI contract. Would you have travelled all the way home had you not moved back to Oz?

This World cup has the smallest field of the year by far (50%??) and over half of it is local riders (although some are regular WC names). 180 racers + at every other world cup this season (300+ in Maribor I think???) Canada only had about a 15 Canadian rider field + 10 americans or so, rest were from all over.

That's great that they want to spread racing around, but seriously, this event doesn't serve the WC well at all due to location and schedule. Also, as I am sure you would agree, there are some stunning locations in Oz to hold a World Cup event. This isn't one of them by all accounts I have heard.

Edit: Just to be clear, I would have gone myself had it been scheduled better, crummy venue or not. It just sucks that the UCI can't seem to fathom what sort of a travel nightmare this would be.
 
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General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
wow... negativity sure runs strong around here. the uci is at least trying to spread racing around the world and share it with everyone, not just europe and canada so that has to be a positive.
Negativity runs deeper even on the Farkin forum, and they have actually raced there:crazy:

general concensus is that with all the great venues in Australia why does this have to be the one hosting a world cup. I imagine it's a bit embarrassing and doesn't do much for local pride?
 
May 12, 2008
59
0
Shame Bryceland's out for this one because of his shagged collar bone, hopefully he'll get the bugger plated for Schladming.

Anyone know what the 4x track is like? Photos I've seen on the Dirt site make it look like a bit of a bleak place...
 

pinkgoat

Chimp
Dec 11, 2007
56
3
Australia
Wow, didnt expect there to be so much negativity....

Sure it isnt the greatest track, although it is not as bad as you are making it out to be. I guess it could be compared to Willingen, but more pure dh oriented (rock gardens/dust etc rather than just moto jumps).

With that said, It is still a world cup, and as it is a crucial point in the season, those who need to be here (ie top 30 odd) will be/are.

There will be critisism/complaints/negative attitude from International riders, especially regarding the track/conditions/transport/facilities etc. But this is Australia and this is how we do it, I'd say most tracks in Australia (SE coast at least) are similar to this terrain wise, so keep in mind we ride tracks like this every weekend and have people who still smash the worlds best. You will see this with the speed of the 'unknown' Aussies.

Bring it on!
 

pinkgoat

Chimp
Dec 11, 2007
56
3
Australia
WTF is up with all the hate of a short track?
A world cup champ should be determined on ALL types of tracks.
Quoted for truth.
(Although don't know where you pulled the 'short track' from, its roughly a 3 minute run. I guess its the lack of gradient of the hill.. )

A world cup champ should be determined on ALL types of tracks, and its pretty bloody poor riders not coming because they don't like the track. If you have the means to go but choose not to because you simply 'dont like it', to me that is a pretty unproffessional and crappy attitude.

At the same time the schedulling by the UCI could have been done a little bit better.

But hey, the world champs are here next year so they will be coming whether they like it or not!
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Short, not much elevation and apparently just not a great venue from what I have been told. Very pedally, look forward to seeing who can make things happen, as well as seeing some random pinner aussies come out of the woodwork.
I'm with you, it's a lame excuse for a DH track and pretty embarassing really. I think anyone who thinks otherwise hasn't ridden everything else this country has to offer, there's so much more... I guess only canberra put in a bid though (and had the funding and location to back it up, shame, cause in my opinion at least, they don't have the track).

For posts like stik's: yes short tracks can be brilliant - unfortunately this one only covers the "short" part. Anyway I guess it'll still be interesting to see who makes a meal of it.
 

Cave Dweller

Monkey
May 6, 2003
993
0
Im with udi. Its a dud track.

I have ridden it and don't rate it. Actually, i rate it in the bottom 5% of tracks i have ridden. Sooooo many better tracks in oz, pity this is the only one that can hold a DH race. The 4x track is alright though.

The only people who appear to like it actually live in Canberra. Canberra also has the largest concentration of red heads in the world. Coincidence? Hmmm......

Regardless, i will be their on the sunday to drink some beer and cheer on the guys who came over to race DH on a XC track.
 
Apr 8, 2003
49
0
kangaroo land.
I am from canberra and I agree that scheduling is a real problem. I would have thought that any race in the southern hemisphere should be either first or last round, last round preferably as then people could stick around after the event and explore the country since it's so far from home for most riders.

As far as the track goes there is no denying there are much better in oz, but since the "world" cup is always based in the southern hemisphere winter, the bigger tracks with lift access are covered in snow, i.e. buller & thredbo.( they are ski resorts just like scladming,maribor,etc)
Tracks such as illinbah (on the gold coast) have applied to host a WC round but were rejected due to zero accomodation near the venue and the refusal of the local council to help financially!.
This would probably apply to other worthy contenders around the country, but most are run by small clubs and none have bid or made it known they have bid to host a round...

As far as the bigger mountains (the brindabella's) all around western canberra they all had light snow covering them 2 weeks ago, it gets f*#*k'n freezing up there, so we have the mountains but can't utilize them this time of year.

I guess the saving grace for the riders is that it's not the middle of summer. If they hate the track now just image it with heaps of dust, heaps of wind, extremely dry and extremely hot with flies trying to get into every oriface known to mankind, .....thats what the aussie nationals are like!
 

Daver

Monkey
Jun 1, 2005
390
0
Shiddeny
The track is... meh. But hey, there's Canberra nightlife, which is... meh.

Still, Brad Kelly, Craig Yates and Andrew Mills are racing, so it will be fun to see the old timers battle down the hill. And it's another excuse to get drunk.
 

yuroshek

Turbo Monkey
Jun 26, 2007
2,438
0
Arizona!
what time does this air on freecaster for us east coast people to watch? im for once not racin this weekend and would like to watch it.
 

Lex

Monkey
Dec 6, 2001
594
0
Massachusetts
what time does this air on freecaster for us east coast people to watch? im for once not racin this weekend and would like to watch it.
It's a 14 hour difference. If the race is 2:30 pm local time on the 31st it will be 12:30 am on the 31st East Coast time. Not the best time. I will probably not see this one live. Bummer.

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