If he opened his mouth a plague of locusts would fly out and he would enter an eternal battle with Rock Jesus.
2011 World Cup Finale - Val di Sole
- Thread starter slyfink
- Start date
That's supposed to be a bad thing?
Perhaps THIS is the big 2012 thing the Mayans are referring to!!!
I want to talk about Rock Jesus riding through rocks and not moving.
Seriously how's he do that shlt?
Seriously how's he do that shlt?
God works in mysterious ways....
If any of us knew, we'd be right there on the podium with him and you'd be like "howtheydothat??". I'd be curious to see an x-ray of him to see if he's human or some bionic robot thing.
I was totally mentioning to my friend I was watching the coverage with about how he looked like he was on a wire the whole way down the hill. The bike wasn't that far behind as far as tracking a level line vertically. Just frickin' nuts!!!
Still rad to see a kid like Hart literally obliterate the track and only finish 1.2sec behind RJ, too!
I think he's the physically strongest guy ever to race DH. If you watch his bike the suspension is getting completely pulverized yet his upper body hardly moves.
I think Gwinn will have another killer year next year but Minnaar will be much closer. Then they may aswell take the next year off because the Aussie kid who makes Nico look messy will destroy them
In terms of upper body strength Hill might take the cake. The one image that stands out in my mind is his 2007 Champery run. The last drop coming into the finish straightaway. It looked like a 12-ish ft drop to nearly flat. It's the end of a brutal run, and his arms barely flinch when he lands but his fork goes crazy. That ****er might not be able to pedal like the other guys, but his back and arms...crazy.
I unfortunately don't have the answer, alpine skiing probably does tho.
It's all in Gwins training I reckon, I remember reading somewhere that he was under the supervision of Ryan Hughes, that guy has some really good programmes, plus he has won like 7 WORCS races, to finish one of those races is unreal, let alone win one, so he knows what needs to be done in terms of training to win some hardcore races. Obviously Gwins mindset comes into it as well and his determination.
I am just speculating, but I don't think baby jeebus comes into it at all...
I am just speculating, but I don't think baby jeebus comes into it at all...
Last edited:
it's an optical illusion. Rock Jesus shall not overcome obstacles, thus obstacles will move for Rock Jesus..
Rock Jesus' technique is pretty amazing. I'd say his body is like a rear shock that is way oversprung, very little sag, with high speed damping set pretty fast and lots of low speed damping.
Graves 2012
I wonder if Minnaar and Gee started dressing like Roman Centurions if that would help?I think Gwinn will have another killer year next year but Minnaar will be much closer. Then they may aswell take the next year off because the Aussie kid who makes Nico look messy will destroy them
If so, maybe Stik can get TLD to make a special bike hat with a sweet red mohawk plume.
No cause when Nico was 15-16 his times in Junior would have won ELite men's class not gotten him top 10. Just saying. Let the Aussie Muppet get his 11 Rainbow jersey's then we can talk. Nico/AC= GOAT's of DH!Then they may aswell take the next year off because the Aussie kid who makes Nico look messy will destroy them
As Pagey says in Troy's run. "He's never seen anything like it". I agree. I've never seen anyone so precise and effortless.
Plus Nico would be the first to admit that the level is far higher these days.
Whats up with the Brosnan hate? ("Aussie muppet")
And who are you to 'talk', to give approval or disapproval on riders?
And which race specifically did Nicos junior times beat the seniors? I know what they are, and they were not many, but please tell us.
I am giving no "hate" either way. It makes no difference to me. Do you think he will win 11 titles? Can you tell that already. Thats like all the NBA announcers saying this kid is the next MJ. That hasn't happened yet either. Wasn't trying to be rude may have sounded that way sorry. Like AUS. and NZ have friends from both and they have been cranking out killers riders over the last 15 years or so!
When I have free time between the 3 jobs I will dig through my Dirt magazine collection from 2002 and find the article about him with the times.
Last edited:
dirtTV finals vid:
http://dirt.mpora.com/news/dirt-tv-val-di-sole-world-cup-finals.html
http://dirt.mpora.com/news/dirt-tv-val-di-sole-world-cup-finals.html
I get the Aussie Mullet reference. He's tiny, wears baggy clothes the giggle and jerk around as he flies by....like Muppets. 
For people to say the level of competition now is higher than when Nico was running the show is not that accurate. Equipment may be higher tech and speeds over big terrain have increased, but they balance one another out.
Watching Steve Peat on a GT Lobo, Oscar Saiz & David Vasquez on Cannondale abominations and Palmer on a Specialized DH that was essentially a trail bike these days just rip through places like Mt. Snow, Seven Springs, etc and make it look like they are strapped to a rocket will make you change your mind about any elevation in talent.
Being on Nico's level of dominance and talent in this day and age hasn't been seen. What Hill did at Champerey only one single time, Nico did over the course of a decade multiple times. He put in rides that people couldn't figure out most every time down the mountain.
I still say the biggest freak of nature in our sport is Lopes. He's the best bike handler of all time and to have seen him in person multiple times against the world's best confirms it in my mind. Stik has seen the world's best from every generation.
Would be interesting to hear his opinion.
For people to say the level of competition now is higher than when Nico was running the show is not that accurate. Equipment may be higher tech and speeds over big terrain have increased, but they balance one another out.
Watching Steve Peat on a GT Lobo, Oscar Saiz & David Vasquez on Cannondale abominations and Palmer on a Specialized DH that was essentially a trail bike these days just rip through places like Mt. Snow, Seven Springs, etc and make it look like they are strapped to a rocket will make you change your mind about any elevation in talent.
Being on Nico's level of dominance and talent in this day and age hasn't been seen. What Hill did at Champerey only one single time, Nico did over the course of a decade multiple times. He put in rides that people couldn't figure out most every time down the mountain.
I still say the biggest freak of nature in our sport is Lopes. He's the best bike handler of all time and to have seen him in person multiple times against the world's best confirms it in my mind. Stik has seen the world's best from every generation.
Would be interesting to hear his opinion.
Lopez? Really?I get the Aussie Mullet reference. He's tiny, wears baggy clothes the giggle and jerk around as he flies by....like Muppets.
For people to say the level of competition now is higher than when Nico was running the show is not that accurate. Equipment may be higher tech and speeds over big terrain have increased, but they balance one another out.
Watching Steve Peat on a GT Lobo, Oscar Saiz & David Vasquez on Cannondale abominations and Palmer on a Specialized DH that was essentially a trail bike these days just rip through places like Mt. Snow, Seven Springs, etc and make it look like they are strapped to a rocket will make you change your mind about any elevation in talent.
Being on Nico's level of dominance and talent in this day and age hasn't been seen. What Hill did at Champerey only one single time, Nico did over the course of a decade multiple times. He put in rides that people couldn't figure out most every time down the mountain.
I still say the biggest freak of nature in our sport is Lopes. He's the best bike handler of all time and to have seen him in person multiple times against the world's best confirms it in my mind. Stik has seen the world's best from every generation.
Would be interesting to hear his opinion.
To each his own I guess. Seems like every other hot shot 16 year old can rip apart a slalom course like he could. The technology factor is not something you can really count on as a handicap for riders of yesteryear. Heck look at Val Di Sole last year, and Val Di Sole this year, technology not a factor, I see huge progression in skills and strength.
Seriously? Rennie has been gone for what, 2 seasons and now Gwin is the physically strongest person to ever race DH? Drunken wrestling to establish an overall pecking order of hugeness needs to return to the WC next season.
Hell, I'd be in favor of this for local races as well.
santa cruz head to head:
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Santa-Cruz-Head-To-Head-Val-di-Sole-World-Cup,8896/bturman,109
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Santa-Cruz-Head-To-Head-Val-di-Sole-World-Cup,8896/bturman,109
where was cedric? is he injured?
It's taken all night for the damn thing to load but after watching the Dirt vid on the lap top (had to watch finals on my phone) I'm in awe at that track, bat **** crazy is the only thing that can sum it up!
whether its 1989, 2009, 2015 or 1995...
DH racers have always been the raddest athletes of any sport. Can't say 'who was stronger or ballsier' and compare generations.
The difference really is in training and dedication, that surely ebbs and flows. We are coming out of an era of drunken retardation and Gwin has helped transition everyone back into a dedicated, 100% focus on being a high performance athlete....and thats a good thing.
DH racers have always been the raddest athletes of any sport. Can't say 'who was stronger or ballsier' and compare generations.
The difference really is in training and dedication, that surely ebbs and flows. We are coming out of an era of drunken retardation and Gwin has helped transition everyone back into a dedicated, 100% focus on being a high performance athlete....and thats a good thing.
palmer was basically off the couch and doing it for fun and boarder cross training. hardly a serious comeback attempt. every interview i saw with him he mentioned it was just for fun.
the conditions in champery make it difficult to really compare riders, however nico qualified 5th in in '07 to peat's 60th, then the positions were basically swapped at the final. i think nico's quali was dry to peats wet and vice versa for finals. i'd say nico held his own as well as, and better than many riders that weekend including gee, greg and a handful of other top riders who have been racing consistently for years.
Putting up photos now int he new Transcend Gallery from VDS. Look for a bunch of them that haven't been seen anywhere going online in the next 15 or so!
http://www.transcendmagazine.com/2012test.html
http://www.transcendmagazine.com/2012test.html
What others forget to is that Nico was the only top guy at that race who has a day job that pays way more. I'm sure in the finals he didn't throw caution the wind so he could go into work on Monday morning.
Thanks dude.
Search for the '93 (nad '95) Cap D'Ail race on YouTube. Watch Vouilloz through the rock section, and marvel at the smoothness with just a nut's worth of travel at both ends.What others forget to is that Nico was the only top guy at that race who has a day job that pays way more. I'm sure in the finals he didn't throw caution the wind so he could go into work on Monday morning.
Nico = Rock Jesus. Gwin's just the second coming.