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2022 Racing/Team Rumors

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,503
1,719
Warsaw :/
Id been interested to see where Josh Lewis turned up after Santa Cruz fired all its U.K. jib crew…I’d been expecting my him and Chris Akrigg (new ride not announced, but he’s off GT) to be signing with Cannondale, but it looks like that’s off the cards.

turns out Josh Lewis has gone to Scor, and Akrigg is still unannounced.
Chris Akrigg kinda needs to be more active video wise or his vids seem to miss me. I remember seeing his vids often back in the day but now? Not so much.
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
5,366
2,453
not in Whistler anymore :/
He has been racing Enduro for 2 years with amazing results (6th overall last year). So he is doing better.

As for "chances" he got to race world cups pretty late but in 2017 he got 21st, 20th and 16th at 3 different world cups and ended with a higher overall positio than Bernard Kerr, David Trummer, Reece Willson while not being able to start in 1 race and DNFing another one.

Also it was a bigger comment about how hard it is for people from poorer countries to break through. Riding in a country with a lot of known athletes means you are closer to industry people so it's easier to get noticed. Not to mention you can learn from faster riders and be featured in their vids + have a lot of media where you live. (there is a reason many places blew up after getting 1 super strong local rider).

Sure I get why it happens. Poorer countries sell fewer bikes and generally you want visible athletes so it's easier for the ones closer to the media but it is a bummer. I don't know Slavek personally but I remember his quali times and his splits. He clearly had the speed. Imho he could easily be a top20 regular with factory support. The guy was getting beating all the local pros as a junior and while the local pros were not top20 they did from time to time get a decent WC result.
where‘s the big antidote wc team with polish riders?
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,503
1,719
Warsaw :/
where‘s the big antidote wc team with polish riders?
I doubt they have the budget even though it would be pretty cool. Tbh. NS bikes would be more probable but they focus more on slopestyle and freeride. There was some team on NS bikes but it wasn't a Polish team. XC and Road get all the money here. That got us results in those disciplines so it's a bummer more money didn't go into DH. Though it was weird seeing a local XC racer on local dancing with the stars.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,656
666
Chris Akrigg kinda needs to be more active video wise or his vids seem to miss me. I remember seeing his vids often back in the day but now? Not so much.
I think he was producing more short content stuff for social media rather than big video sections. Mongoose definitely used him better as an asset to show their wide range of bike types, whereas GT seem to have used him in a narrower setting.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,503
1,719
Warsaw :/
I think he was producing more short content stuff for social media rather than big video sections. Mongoose definitely used him better as an asset to show their wide range of bike types, whereas GT seem to have used him in a narrower setting.
Yeah I just felt like his stuff wasn't blowing up like it used to and his niche was kinda taken over by Fabio Wibmer. I loved his vids so I'd love to see more long form stuff from him
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
I wouldn't say Chris Akrigg's style in any way represents anything close to that of Fabio Wibmer's. and that's not a bad thing for either of them.
Chris has has had a fair bit of time out through injury and done absolutely tons of films/vids over the last 20+ years go back and re-watch/discover more of his back catalogue and give the geezer a break.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,503
1,719
Warsaw :/
I wouldn't say Chris Akrigg's style in any way represents anything close to that of Fabio Wibmer's. and that's not a bad thing for either of them.
Chris has has had a fair bit of time out through injury and done absolutely tons of films/vids over the last 20+ years go back and re-watch/discover more of his back catalogue and give the geezer a break.
Stylistically they are very different but it's the closest comparison I could find of a guy being rather creative with what he does on a bike which all started with some trials things and morphed into something else but yes it's a stretch because few people do what Chris does.
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
I've always thought of Chris' style as akin to a track sprinter late for his dinner who uses all that power to pull off insane trials moves over XC obsticles everyone else would stop and carry their bike over/up/down or round. So yeah. fairly unique.
but yeah his level of creativity def is also replicated by some other riders, especially in BMX.

Don't remember ever watching a Chris Akrigg video I've not enjoyed but conversely most Danny Mac videos mainly just bore me.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,503
1,719
Warsaw :/
I've always thought of Chris' style as akin to a track sprinter late for his dinner who uses all that power to pull off insane trials moves over XC obsticles everyone else would stop and carry their bike over/up/down or round. So yeah. fairly unique.
but yeah his level of creativity def is also replicated by some other riders, especially in BMX.

Don't remember ever watching a Chris Akrigg video I've not enjoyed but conversely most Danny Mac videos mainly just bore me.
I like them both but Chris really tries to do different things not only in tricks but in video concept alone. He is super creative but imho probably too creative for his own good. Too much novelty doesn't work for people in my industry so probably it's the same everywhere. Danny gets more views because he goes big instead of novel but even if you have no understanding of bikes you still get he is doing something impressive. I don't think every video from Chris could be appreciated by random people.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,656
666
I like them both but Chris really tries to do different things not only in tricks but in video concept alone. He is super creative but imho probably too creative for his own good. Too much novelty doesn't work for people in my industry so probably it's the same everywhere. Danny gets more views because he goes big instead of novel but even if you have no understanding of bikes you still get he is doing something impressive. I don't think every video from Chris could be appreciated by random people.
I think that nails it. Not many lay people will appreciate just how powerful and impossible some of the combinations Akrigg does are.

The difference between smashing your way up a slate incline and then doing a relatively simple looking manoeuvre over a fallen tree vs the same trials skill done from a roll in and over a prop really doesn’t come across to the casual viewer.
 

fwp

Monkey
Jun 5, 2013
415
410
Looks like Rude is racing DH in 2023 on a new Yeti DH bike.
Rude and Hill, what an exciting year!
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
What's Dan Booker doing?
Noticed he wasn't listed on Nukeproof's Enduro team in the pinkbike EWS team rundown.
Really hope that dude rides DH instead.
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
I don't think there's anyone here who wasn't a Sam Hill fan back during his prime
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,873
5,240
Australia
I don't think there's anyone here who wasn't a Sam Hill fan back during his prime
The crowd was definitely still going nuts for him at Aussie nats the other week. I just wanna see more of this stuff

 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,656
666
I bet the teams are so excited their riders are ready to come back to DH the year that the UCI entrance fee has skyrocketed
 

fwp

Monkey
Jun 5, 2013
415
410
I bet the teams are so excited their riders are ready to come back to DH the year that the UCI entrance fee has skyrocketed
I would have to guess Sam and Richie racing DH is a net positive for a brand. 80% of the rest of the field you would have a point.
 

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,656
666
I would have to guess Sam and Richie racing DH is a net positive for a brand. 80% of the rest of the field you would have a point.
Depends if he finishes above 80% of the field really doesn’t it
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
Higher than 12th place you say?

At this rate of improvement they'll be winning again by April. The Internet.
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,425
469
Higher than 12th place you say?

At this rate of improvement they'll be winning again by April. The Internet.
Wait,wait ,wait. So Sam Is on Nuke,and Rude on Yeti,is that right? So,Yeti does not have money for WC. If they did,we would see them. They could not afford the 2nd Best DH rider in the World,my Boy,the Slayer of America,the Cheese Grader of the French,and the Last Call for the Fuckin Aussies.

I think it was Gary,or woo,forgive me I am not sure? Fuckin Boys think they can come to Real DH and compete.
I speak of Rude here,the only guy I can think of that did pretty good is Maes from GT. That was not every race,so I think that will be the same for Rude,GT has more money than Yeti.

As for Sam,I am not going to say Jack Shit,I only hope this Cluster Fuck season will be good.

Avy
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
Subtitles for the blind? :blink:

Sam did extremely well racing WC DH for 15+ years from junior World champ (circa 2001/2) to Multiple WC podiums, Multiple WC race wins, Mulitple WC series overall wins and Multiple World championship wins to Enduro in 2017 where he went on to dominate for a few years (winning 3 series overall in a row) before tailing off significantly.

It will be great to see him racing DH WC again. I just don't really see Sam having the ability to challenge WC podiums anymore. But I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong.

Teaser...

MOAR...
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
Richie had a couple of successful years at WC DH. Winning a Jnr Worlds champs and going on to do pretty well in his first year in Elite there was a lot of hype surrounding him. Especially from you guys (being from the US). But that was ten years back now.
Who knows perhaps he'll be able to pick up where he left. No real way of knowing.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,873
5,240
Australia
I don't think they'll win - not many can, but I think they'll definitely challenge plenty of the DH field regulars and put on a bloody good show.

I'd say the biggest threats for the usual top 5 DH lads won't be the two Enduro lads but last years juniors stepping up.
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,425
469
I don't think they'll win - not many can, but I think they'll definitely challenge plenty of the DH field regulars and put on a bloody good show.

I'd say the biggest threats for the usual top 5 DH lads won't be the two Enduro lads but last years juniors stepping up.
Yeah,I think Goldstein will be tough. My only concern is he is a small man,in a brutal sport that takes strength,he has the Skill,leaving only the Mental game. I forgot the name of the German BadBoy coming up? He is a threat,and a larger lad right on Goldsteins ass.

If memory serves me,the Best Record of a Jr coming into to Pro’s the last 15 years is Brosnan. Am I correct?

Avy
 

Andeh

Customer Title
Mar 3, 2020
1,212
1,178
It took Finn what, like 6 years, to win his first Elite. And he put on a lot of muscle in the last couple years. So I kinda see what you're saying about it'll probably take a bit for Goldstone/Williams to really be podium threats. On the other hand, they both had race times last year where they would have been among the top elites, and basically traded wins all season and were neck and neck, so who knows, maybe one of them will lay down a hot one and snag a win.

I don't think Richie is trying to go out and snag a win in this first year, just see if he likes DH more if that option is there. I could see him doing really well on a longer and more physical track right off the bat though. I think he's got a better shot than Sam.
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
If memory serves me,the Best Record of a Jr coming into to Pro’s the last 15 years is Brosnan. Am I correct?
dunno.
Apart from Gwin all the fastest Pros were Juniors first :brows:
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
22,145
21,719
Canaderp
It took Finn what, like 6 years, to win his first Elite. And he put on a lot of muscle in the last couple years. So I kinda see what you're saying about it'll probably take a bit for Goldstone/Williams to really be podium threats. On the other hand, they both had race times last year where they would have been among the top elites, and basically traded wins all season and were neck and neck, so who knows, maybe one of them will lay down a hot one and snag a win.

I don't think Richie is trying to go out and snag a win in this first year, just see if he likes DH more if that option is there. I could see him doing really well on a longer and more physical track right off the bat though. I think he's got a better shot than Sam.
As good as Finn is, Goldstone looks to be at his level already. I believe Finn has mentioned it in a few interviews now, but it sounds like he has a lot of mental hurdles to overcome at times. You can see a clear difference in his riding - some races he pinballs down the course to an okay finish and others you can tell he is pinned and probably a lot more confident in his riding, with the results to back it up.

It'll be great for us Canadian to cheer for them both (along with the others).
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,567
6,480
UK
I honestly couldn't actually care who comes second and certainly don't care which nationality the winner is. I enjoy watching WC DH racing to see an insane level of riding full of thrills, spills n a touch of drama from the worlds best DH riders and am genuinely happy for the guy on the top step at the end of the race