Quantcast

World Cup #1 - South Africa

JCL

Monkey
Aug 31, 2008
696
0
I agree with a lot of what Norbar is saying. I also think 90% of the riders would too.

Look at guys like Rennie who can struggle on the steeper tech tracks, yet you still find him in Earthed 5 saying that the UCI needs to step it up and give the riders real courses etc. If the race wasn't the first of the season and in Minnarr's home town etc, I'm sure we'd have heard a lot more complaining.
 

P.T.W

Monkey
May 6, 2007
599
0
christchurch nz
Norbar...IMO the only people who really have the right to complain about a race track are the riders who are racing on it. An watching the online footage their wasnt too many actual complaints from the riders...just comments about the all peadling...most infact said it was a fun track to ride but not to race(but its their job to race so tuff!).
Just how did the relative flatness an peadling effect you????

I do agree that the main focous of dh(esp world cups) should be steep techie tracks...bit id just as strongly say that there needs to be variety.

P.S. the chain etc on our bikes is for more than riding from the top of the uplift to the start of the track
 

stiksandstones

Turbo Monkey
May 21, 2002
5,078
25
Orange, Ca
PMB, Canbera, etc are not, clearly not, XC races. This is not 1995. We aren't going to see Gunn Rita Dahle or Adam Craig showing up on the podium at these events the day after their XC races.
Just when I was going to type what you wrote......you beat me to it.

No XC goon is going to podium at RSA world cup DH#1 nor Sea Otter, nor any DH event, no matter how 'easy' it is.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
If you really believe that the top motocross racers aren't fit - and by that I don't just mean 'in shape' but 'world-class athlete physical condition' - they you are either insane, or uninformed, or both.
Man are you blind or just didn't go threw elementary school? I've never stated they are not fit. I've said that I KNOW THEY ARE FIT and the SAME GOES FOR DH RACERS I was just saing that their fitness is not a determinant of their results. The need it to race but win thanks to their skills.


P.T.W I think everybody is entitled to an opinion. The idea that you can't have one if you can't participate was allways silly. Does this mean that for example no one but a select few can't criticise the whole mess that is happening in F1? I'm not a F1 driver but I'm still entitled to an opinion, that's what forums are for - expressing opinions. I'm just saying what I feel. The track wasn't an XC track and I never stated it goes that way. I only said that fitness can't take too much room over technique in dh as we have other disciplines for that.
The funny thing is I remember what everybody is saing about canberra and it was only pedally at the end while acording to Warner you have to pedal your ass off from almost the half of the race.

BTW. I want to clarify some things as half of the people don't seem to misunderstand me.
1. Riders need fitness, most of them have it and much more than we can imagine. (2 guys I know who raced at maribor said to me that the only time they did the track at once was when it was timed as it was so tireing)
2. I know we need variety(that's why I loved the season with Brasil, Willingen, it was nuts) and pedaly tracks yet I just don't think a track that is in large part "almost flat" and then goes to a 4x track on par with other power tracks on the circut like Mount St. Anne or Fort William.
3. I'm not denying that Pmb is a dh track or that it is fun. It just has some silly features and I doubt that outside races dh riders do the whole 4x track.
4. I'm not on the WC circut, just an average rider and I know my opinion has little to no impact but I care about the sport and belive it shouldn't go the way Pmb and Canberra go.
 

epic

Turbo Monkey
Sep 15, 2008
1,041
21
Do you guys think that Minnaar won just because of his pedalling? I think he was probably fast everywhere and holding his speed in places where others couldn't.
 

primo661

Monkey
Jun 16, 2008
412
0
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Do you guys think that Minnaar won just because of his pedalling? I think he was probably fast everywhere and holding his speed in places where others couldn't.
Exactly, Minnaar was almost a second up at the first split which is where the tech ends and the pedalling begins. Give the guy some credit for his technical ability and not just the power he can put down. The only change in the top 5 was Andrew Neethling falling away and Gee moving up to 5th. The race was won and lost on the top section and the gaps between Greg, Micheal, Steve only just increasing as the riders went down the rest of the track. Greg actually made up the biggest bulk of his winning margin(0.90 seconds) on the top technical section when compared to all the other splits. It clearly didn't favour the typical "power riders" as much as everyone seems to think because the good "technical riders"(Hill, Blenkinsop etc with the exception of a brilliant ride up top by Andrew Neethling) couldn't dominate the tech section up top as much as the two "power houses", Minnaar and Peat. Thats the way I see it, correct me if I am wrong though.
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
From what i saw on freecaster i liked the uphills in the course that were preceded by momentum gathering steep-ish sections.....so then it's about carrying speed. Short uphills in DH courses if placed correctly are fun...
 

slowitdown

Monkey
Mar 30, 2009
553
0
I am sorry I think you are totally wrong. It is a race, the best racers there knew where to push it, and where they didn't have to, they had the skill to get through the tech section without exerting themselves, and conserve their energy for the parts they needed to.

that's what that is man...!
so it's "wrong" to prefer more technical courses?

dang. this must be the first time disagreement on preference is seen as "wrong."

some of us prefer technical challenge. I quit XC racing because courses became dirt sidewalks with no techie challenge. I suppose that was "wrong" of me, though.:disgust1:
 

al-irl

Turbo Monkey
Dec 9, 2004
1,086
0
A, A
so it's "wrong" to prefer more technical courses?

dang. this must be the first time disagreement on preference is seen as "wrong."

some of us prefer technical challenge. I quit XC racing because courses became dirt sidewalks with no techie challenge. I suppose that was "wrong" of me, though.:disgust1:
I think Rayhan was trying to say that there was nothing wrong with the course not being that technical as it gave the riders different challenges. I think there should be a variety to the style of courses over the season. The overall winner will then be the best rounded rider. If they can win on tech and peddaly courses then they deserve the title. The difficulty of the course shouldn't be discounted just because the course was a pedalfest
 
Apr 9, 2004
516
8
Mount Carmel,PA
If this was NASCAR we would be debating Ovals and road courses.
I like to look at it this way. You start at point A finish at point B and everything in between determines who is the best rider of the day. Diversity in courses will eventually show who is the best ALL AROUND Downhill racer
my worthless 2 cents.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Do you guys think that Minnaar won just because of his pedalling? I think he was probably fast everywhere and holding his speed in places where others couldn't.
I'm not really talking about the result as I didn't like the pedaly section before the the race ended (ie. first helmetcam shown on RM). Carrying speed was a key factor in Gregs win but it's an important factor on any flatter track. I respect Minnaar and like his style but I prefer him to win by bold moves like he did in Lugano.
 

RTG

Chimp
Apr 23, 2008
24
0
On ze peddles
Norbar...IMO the only people who really have the right to complain about a race track are the riders who are racing on it. An watching the online footage their wasnt too many actual complaints from the riders...just comments about the all peadling...most infact said it was a fun track to ride but not to race(but its their job to race so tuff!).
Just how did the relative flatness an peadling effect you????
There wouldn't be any sport (aka sponsors) in this way if there were no spectators.... if you want to throw it that way, everyone has some right to complain.

Oh, and probably if WC racers were complaining many more people here would be jumping on the same wagon. The fact that you don't see them comment negatively on the track in online footage doesn't mean they didn't do it at all. Same as Hill holding a Monster drink doesn't mean he likes it himself... it's as simple as companies need to be satisfied.
 

pedalmunky

Monkey
Jan 15, 2007
124
0
No XC goon is going to podium at RSA world cup DH#1 nor Sea Otter, nor any DH event, no matter how 'easy' it is.
Second that. This course may have had more pedalling that other DH courses, but that doesn't make it a Super D. Which is evidenced by the fact that the podium wasn't littered with XC whippets wearing short-sleeved skinsuits, shiny Sidis, and roadie helmets with moto goggles.
 

Rory

Chimp
Oct 9, 2003
10
0
Looks like the Kranked Revolve trailer has some footage from the race including Kovarik's crash.
 

pedalmunky

Monkey
Jan 15, 2007
124
0
Bashing people with english as their SECOND language must seem like fun.
Zing! Got me again! With your discerning eye and keen insight you have pierced me to my very soul and shown me the error of my shallow ways. My eternal gratitude and naming of first-born shall follow.

Seriously, though, I'm sure your English is much much better than my Polish (I see you list that you're from Warsaw? I happen to live in Chicago, which is like the unofficial Polish capital of the Western Hemisphere). But nobody forced you to get on a forum and insult other people's intelligences and question their educational levels in your non-native language.

Have a nice day.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Zing! Got me again! With your discerning eye and keen insight you have pierced me to my very soul and shown me the error of my shallow ways. My eternal gratitude and naming of first-born shall follow.

Seriously, though, I'm sure your English is much much better than my Polish (I see you list that you're from Warsaw? I happen to live in Chicago, which is like the unofficial Polish capital of the Western Hemisphere). But nobody forced you to get on a forum and insult other people's intelligences and question their educational levels in your non-native language.

Have a nice day.
Sry for the tone of my post. Don't really see the need to throw meat on each other. Just bear with my poor grammar next time and read my damn posts :P

Peace
 

Akula_7

Monkey
Nov 15, 2004
917
0
Specialized, Trek and the Syndicate all have their PMB race vids up on their respective web****es! Yeti and Athertons to follow I assume.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Anyone has any idea why I can't review the whole PBM replay? Want to get the parts I missed and don't see the dot thingy on the lower bar.
 

konastab01

Turbo Monkey
Dec 7, 2004
1,203
218
Good for jawlor.
His stuff is sick.
On trek though I though the parkin bros where there filmers?!
 

luiz carlos

Monkey
Apr 15, 2002
687
0
Brazil-Rio de Janeiro
On trek though I though the parkin bros where there filmers?!
Yeah...no credits at the end of the movie...but with the quality of the video and the style of filming, I think is Lawlor...but I can be wrong.

edit: Yes, I was wrong...some old Dirtmag news..."Parkin brothers, will make videos for Dirt and Trek."
Sorry, the confusion.
 
Last edited:

konastab01

Turbo Monkey
Dec 7, 2004
1,203
218
Im pretty sure the Parkin Bros(Focus/Dirt Mag vids) where signed up in the press release.
Now to find that.
;)
 

- seb

Turbo Monkey
Apr 10, 2002
2,924
1
UK
Boy, you sure showed me what for. Might work better without the grammatical error, though.

Twit.
Although the sentence is certainly not perfectly formed, I'm 99% sure that the error you meant to point out is the spelling error, not a grammatical one... happy to help :D
 

pedalmunky

Monkey
Jan 15, 2007
124
0
Man are you blind or just didn't go threw elementary school?
I think that transposing 'threw' for 'through' qualifies as an error in grammar. I think that my boy spelled the past tense for throw rather well. Why don't we just leave it at that, alright?
 

luiz carlos

Monkey
Apr 15, 2002
687
0
Brazil-Rio de Janeiro
Wierd, the vid didn't show Blinky's result or any real rider talk on their runs or how they felt about it. I suppose its the new guys first World Cup podcast, room for improvement, some nice shots though.
Akula_7, Do you have any information if all those filmakers, John Lawlor (podcasts for Spesh Monster and Syndicate), Scott Marshall (podcast for Mtbcut) and John Reynolds (podcast for Yeti) are making their documentaries dvd's about the 2009 WC season?