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Leogang World Cup - Live Thread

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My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.

The weather in Leogang is looking just about right for a European World Cup, cold and very, very wet. The venue itself is spectacular, with massive mountain vistas all around.
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The course itself, from early reports, is steep and rooty at the bottom with a few pedaling section featuring some tables thrown in between to tie things together. Look for some rad photos to come out of this event from everyone, as it's untouched, original shots for everyone and backgrounds that will make your jaw drop.

Qualifying Results and Synopsis

Photos by Fraser Britton

Sam Blenkinsop has been the main story of this the third World Cup of 2010. The young kiwi has been unstoppable thus far, dominating timed practice and qualifying. Rachel Atherton has been similarly at the fore, taking 50 points for top spot in qualifying.


The qualifying results are similar to what we've been seeing throughout the year.


After a spill further up the track, Brendan made his way down the track at his typical lightning-fast pace.

Greg Minaar put in a solid effort in qualifying, coming second to Blenki and racking up valuable overall points. It seems that Aaron Gwin is here to stay, as if we didn't know that already, as he continues to stockpile podiums. His first place at the Wheels of Speed beat out other top riders such as Minaar. Today he kept 'er going with a third place finish in qualis.


The fog during DH qualifying was insane; it also started to fog over towards the finals of 4X.


Gee Atherton way above the trees in the grassy fields of Leogang.

Rounding out the top 5 from qualifying were Matti Lehikoinen, who is returning to his pre-injury form, and Gee Atherton. Tomorrow should be one hell of a show, the mud is making things interesting!


Top qualifier Sam Blenkinsop.
 

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norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
The top section is what I was hoping theyd change. :/ It still looks a bit better than what it was 4 years ago.
 

jon-boy

Monkey
May 26, 2004
799
0
Vancouver BC
http://dirt.mpora.com/news/leogang-world-cup-track-photos.html

Rooted parts look deadly, top link sections errrrrr not so much.
Given that it looks like the bits that link the tech sections look flattish, I'd be putting my money on a Gee/Minnar battle again this weekend. Maybe Cam Cole can put it all together as he seems pretty fit and technically adept too. I don't think Bren-dog will like that type of track as it's not as intensely technical as he might like.
 

Tdiddy

Monkey
Apr 8, 2009
222
1
gee, minnaar, gwin top three. blenky on the new bike for top five, and I'll throw in steve smith top five because he's due.

top ten steve peat?
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Given that it looks like the bits that link the tech sections look flattish, I'd be putting my money on a Gee/Minnar battle again this weekend. Maybe Cam Cole can put it all together as he seems pretty fit and technically adept too. I don't think Bren-dog will like that type of track as it's not as intensely technical as he might like.
It has some flattish spots. Friends who have been there more recently than me claim it requires a good fitness level so yeah. Your picks + Mick and Peat.
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
It's steep at the top, steep at the bottom, technical in both areas. The middle is a gravel path with jumps and some berms. it's an interesting track to say the least. Lots of tech but also lots of pedalling. Roots everywhere, it's gonna be wild times in the wet.
 

Rider15

Chimp
Dec 13, 2008
59
3
Why do people complain about pedaling so much? The bikes do come with pedals for a reason dont they? Surely if you dont want to pedal they have motorbikes for that.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
Why do people complain about pedaling so much? The bikes do come with pedals for a reason dont they? Surely if you dont want to pedal they have motorbikes for that.
Becasue down in downhill means something. Do you even ride your downhill bike? Because Im yet to meet a person who will go - oh this flat part is my favorite part of the track, I love pedaling on flat much better than going fast on steep technical sections and Im impressed more by pedaling skills than by technical skills. Seriously?
 

FlipFantasia

Turbo Monkey
Oct 4, 2001
1,659
492
Sea to Sky BC
Becasue down in downhill means something. Do you even ride your downhill bike? Because Im yet to meet a person who will go - oh this flat part is my favorite part of the track, I love pedaling on flat much better than going fast on steep technical sections and Im impressed more by pedaling skills than by technical skills. Seriously?
pedaling is a part of the whole package, seriously. Ah RM, if it isn't Champery gnar top to bottom it isn't worthy.....
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
Becasue down in downhill means something. Do you even ride your downhill bike? Because Im yet to meet a person who will go - oh this flat part is my favorite part of the track, I love pedaling on flat much better than going fast on steep technical sections and Im impressed more by pedaling skills than by technical skills. Seriously?
Well if your a World Cup racer and you can't pedal you're a Damn Fool.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
pedaling is a part of the whole package, seriously. Ah RM, if it isn't Champery gnar top to bottom it isn't worthy.....
I understand that its a part of the package and you need that skills. The problem is that some people apparently want us to understand that pedaling is important and they dont try to understand why we like tech.
Imho pedaling should have comparable significance to enduro stage races where you only need fitness/pedaling to race (because you have to go to the next stage in a given time period) but you race on the downslopes and your tech skills win. I see dh should be kinda this way - there can be enough pedaling so all the riders will need to be fit (you still need to be crazy fit to ride any wc track at full speed, belive me I tried and I know of some friends who tried to qualify/qualified and were gassed on the tech tracks) but not so much that you win races thanks to it.

Im guessing you have not been to leo? The middle jump part has some small uphill parts and in that place it doesnt really feel like a dh track, that is why people are complaining. The track is fun but the middle sections are in my opinion not that race worthy as other tracks on the circut. And its only A PART of the track. Its still a cool track. Why people go so self righteous when someone only mentiones they would want a more tech track?

ps. Is it only me or is hunting popular opinions on rm the new fad?
 
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KavuRider

Turbo Monkey
Jan 30, 2006
2,565
4
CT
I understand that its a part of the package and you need that skills. The problem is that some people apparently want us to understand that pedaling is important and they dont try to understand why we like tech.
Imho pedaling should have comparable significance to enduro stage races where you only need fitness/pedaling to race (because you have to go to the next stage in a given time period) but you race on the downslopes and your tech skills win. I see dh should be kinda this way - there can be enough pedaling so all the riders will need to be fit (you still need to be crazy fit to ride any wc track at full speed, belive me I tried and I know of some friends who tried to qualify/qualified and were gassed on the tech tracks) but not so much that you win races thanks to it.

Im guessing you have not been to leo? The middle jump part has some small uphill parts and in that place it doesnt really feel like a dh track, that is why people are complaining. The track is fun but the middle sections are in my opinion not that race worthy as other tracks on the circut. And its only A PART of the track. Its still a cool track. Why people go so self righteous when someone only mentiones they would want a more tech track?

ps. Is it only me or is hunting popular opinions on rm the new fad?
I'm impressed by riders who can do it all, pedaling and super tech. I like that the tracks aren't all suited to one type of rider, I think it would be boring if they were.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
I'm impressed by riders who can do it all, pedaling and super tech. I like that the tracks aren't all suited to one type of rider, I think it would be boring if they were.
Yeah but in essence they always are. With any longer pedaling section the bigger guys get an advantage and with where its steep top to bottom the new school riders have more to say. Typical basic tracks seem most balanced but they are boring so that would be the worst choice imho ;) The main thing is that its hard to find a good balance - especialy that we have to work with what mountains give us and for me if its harder to find a balance then it is better when the track is more techy than pedally.


btw I still cant wait for the race.
 
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OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
I like how the WC has variety in tracks so different people get a chance to win individual races and the most versatile, fit and consistent riders have the best chance of taking the series overall. And it's not like a little pedaling turns it into an xc or super d race, it just keeps the (relative) slackers from getting on top of the podium.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,288
5,028
Ottawa, Canada
Im guessing you have not been to leo? The middle jump part has some small uphill parts and in that place it doesnt really feel like a dh track, that is why people are complaining. The track is fun but the middle sections are in my opinion not that race worthy as other tracks on the circut. And its only A PART of the track. Its still a cool track. Why people go so self righteous when someone only mentiones they would want a more tech track?

ps. Is it only me or is hunting popular opinions on rm the new fad?
Bromont has a little uphill section in it too. Just before the rocky tech section(s). Still is an awesome track.

I don't think anyone was saying they want a purely pedally track. The only thing people are saying is that pedalling is part of the sport, and a track that has a bit more of it vs. another track that is more "gnarly" is still fine.

My opinion of pedally vs. out-and-out-gnarly tracks is that it doesn't really change the composition of the top 10. it just changes the order in which the riders appear in it. So in this sense, I think it's good to have a variety of tracks, to give the various riders the ability to play to their various strengths.

I say :cheers: and bring on the racing :headbang:
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
it is cool to see some variety...and honestly, part of the WC is the bikes, not just the riders. It's cool to see tracks that test both. There are some tracks that could probably be won on a TMX from 1998, but the flatter and more pedal-friendly courses would make it obsolete....not that a good rider couldn't win on either, blah blah blah, but a variety of courses put the results against the hype.
 

davetrump

Turbo Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
1,270
0
guessing you've never seen a proper WC cup track in person have you :rolleyes:

how on earth do you reason that flat, non tech sections are what make bike design the most important factor?

I think you, my friend, are the one who has gotten caught in all the hype if you truly believe that rubbish.
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
guessing you've never seen a proper WC cup track in person have you :rolleyes:

how on earth do you reason that flat, non tech sections are what make bike design the most important factor?

I think you, my friend, are the one who has gotten caught in all the hype if you truly believe that rubbish.
How much did a "TMX from 1998" weigh....50-54 pounds....?....that's what i thought he was saying....
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
guessing you've never seen a proper WC cup track in person have you :rolleyes:

how on earth do you reason that flat, non tech sections are what make bike design the most important factor?

I think you, my friend, are the one who has gotten caught in all the hype if you truly believe that rubbish.
no suh.

What I'm trying to get at is that a variety of conditions will present the best rider and bike at the finish/end of season. I don't know what this course looks like or any of the other ones. The first WC track to be on the east coast is the one this year.

If every course looked the same, it would be very easy to design a bike that excelled at that specific task. Lots of tasks, lots of bikes.
 

davetrump

Turbo Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
1,270
0
If every course looked the same, it would be very easy to design a bike that excelled at that specific task. Lots of tasks, lots of bikes.
Champery, Val Di Sole, Maribor, Schladming, La Bresse are all drastically different other there fact there are no flat tame pedal bits... I doubt the lack of including gravel road sprints will limit the variety of terrain and how the bikes are set up to handle it.

I say let's wait and hear what the professionals have to say after riding this one... I am optimistic that the flow/speed is high enough that you can stay on top of your gear and not have to grind in out (like say PMB and Cambera)

always good to see new venues being added that add an element of unknown... I just wish it was in addition the already scant WC schedule and not as a substitution for the classic venue at Schladming

damn FIS messing it all up on Planai... if anyone was wondering what Schladming is looking like at the moment, scroll down for some pics of the gondola station.
http://bautagebuch.planai.at/
 
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Sverre

Monkey
Aug 26, 2004
400
0
Norwaii
I bet this track will be challenging for most of the riders. That ment in a good way. The flatter part is not that exciting, but it will add some excellent variety to the package. The steep in the beginning, and the bottom, is really steep. And those roots... Oh my, they are gnarly as $#ll. Especially if it turns out to be wet this weekend.
I saw Fabien, Minnar and alot of other fast guys race there in dry conditions a few years ago and it was sick!! Can´t wait :)
 

MDJ

Monkey
Dec 15, 2005
669
0
San Jose, CA
My opinion of pedally vs. out-and-out-gnarly tracks is that it doesn't really change the composition of the top 10. it just changes the order in which the riders appear in it. So in this sense, I think it's good to have a variety of tracks, to give the various riders the ability to play to their various strengths.
I agree. While the top 10 doesn't change much, beyond that it does. Some of the "new school" (??) riders tend to fall of the back on the pedally tracks and show they need some work if they really want to hang with the big dogs.
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,287
854
coloRADo
Let's just remind ourselves that this is a fringe sport on top of a fringe sport. We DH'ers should be glad we get what we get in this global recession. It's freakin' riding bikes for god country's sake.

As for Schlady, ski resorts have to re-invest in their dominant attraction (skiing) in order for them to remain competitive. We see the cycle happen in CO all the time. You should see Lionshead Village in Vail now. A little over the top IMO. But those improvements to the base and to the mtn will trickle down to MTB/DH eventually. C'mon Vail, bring back the WC!