[bizutch]

I still slalom...when built near the scale of MTNX is way better for the sport. The last monster course they built at either Mammoth or Big Bear that had that big step up tabletop and the berms the riders practically disappeared had some of the most incredible racing ever.
Now that ZIPLINE cameras are available, OLN footage would make the viewing on TV just incredible. They could follow the riders from the front, then switch to the back and chase them down the slope with it. 2 riders on BIG slalom courses like that one are the best ever. Slalom on big berms and with bigger jumps translates much better to the public because the turns give you a better idea of the speed and rider abilities. On big MTNX courses, after they reach terminal velocity, they all look like they are on cruise control over big jumps.

 

[Cant Climb]

I still slalom...when built near the scale of MTNX is way better for the sport. The last monster course they built at either Mammoth or Big Bear that had that big step up tabletop and the berms the riders practically disappeared had some of the most incredible racing ever.
Now that ZIPLINE cameras are available, OLN footage would make the viewing on TV just incredible. They could follow the riders from the front, then switch to the back and chase them down the slope with it. 2 riders on BIG slalom courses like that one are the best ever. Slalom on big berms and with bigger jumps translates much better to the public because the turns give you a better idea of the speed and rider abilities. On big MTNX courses, after they reach terminal velocity, they all look like they are on cruise control over big jumps.

I liked watching slalom more too.......Mt. Snow in '99 they had to abandon a rain soaked course and they just basically put poles in the ground around the jumps that were water-logged........was great racing.....guys "poop faced" all the way down.....seemed like old fashioned determination was more of a factor in the old days. Also guys would seem to make more mistakes in the corners because they were more technical.

 

[blt2ride]

Did you see Supercross 15 years ago? those SX guys looked at the jumps and said "no way can we jump them"....then one guy did, another, then 10 more, now everyone...It is really quite simple.
Did you ever see some of the HUGE jumps Eric Carter made at his races back when he was creating his mountain cross tracks? They were huge, but made so everyone can do them. EC is not known for being a 'big jumper' but he did them fine. The sixpack he made at the Vermont mountain cross demo race was so big, so wicked and most of the pros jumped it, the fans loved it and the race was a hit. Huge jumps are not the cure, but I like to see guys fly on bikes with no motor, it gives me wood....so maybe its a personal pref thing.

Sure there are other ways to have great racing for 4x...but nothing wrong with some big air.

Do not get me started on DH and big jumps, people would flock to the TV to watch guys going 50 mph jumping 60' jumps down a fireroad...I know I would.


<<<EDIT>>> P.S. while on the subject of SX, go Vote for RC, the baddest mofo EVER for an ESPY Award
http://espn.go.com/espy2005/s/05maleactionsportsnominees.html

I couldn't have said it better myself. Personally, I think that the current 4X courses are holding the pros back. When you look at most of the courses, the jumps are so small that it doesn't even challenge the pros. While a 40' jump may be out of reach for a lot of amateur riders, I feel confident that the pros will be jumping them, and it will be a challenge.

Let's face it, who doesn't like to be challenged on a bike? I, for one, like to build new jumps, drops, etc. that challenge me. There's no fun in doing the same old thing all the time...without progression the sport will die out.

Bottom line, I think pros should ride pro tracks/courses. Once that happens people would be willing to watch races on TV, and with TV coverage comes money...

I guess it is a moot point now, since the Angel Fire track has been changed...and the jumps weren't made bigger...

 

[stiksandstones]

Just got timed training times for DH....looks like Sabrina and Tracey will battle again, they are well ahead of the other ladies...only 12 girls...chicks racing is dead.

Guys,

1. 20 AUS19821216 GRAVES Jared AUS 4:38.46 0.00 0.00 0.00 4:38.46
2. 4 FRA19780323 GRACIA Cédric FRA 4:42.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 4:42.78
3. 5 FRA19791011 PASCAL Mickael FRA 4:57.06 4:46.86 0.00 0.00 4:46.86
4. 9 RSA19811113 MINNAAR Greg RSA 5:07.68 4:47.00 0.00 0.00 4:47.00
5. 27 AUS19810622 RANDO Jared AUS 4:49.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 4:49.68

 

[bizutch]

Just got timed training times for DH....looks like Sabrina and Tracey will battle again, they are well ahead of the other ladies...only 12 girls...chicks racing is dead.

Guys,

1. 20 AUS19821216 GRAVES Jared AUS 4:38.46 0.00 0.00 0.00 4:38.46
2. 4 FRA19780323 GRACIA Cédric FRA 4:42.78 0.00 0.00 0.00 4:42.78
3. 5 FRA19791011 PASCAL Mickael FRA 4:57.06 4:46.86 0.00 0.00 4:46.86
4. 9 RSA19811113 MINNAAR Greg RSA 5:07.68 4:47.00 0.00 0.00 4:47.00
5. 27 AUS19810622 RANDO Jared AUS 4:49.68 0.00 0.00 0.00 4:49.68

chit mang...graves done brung up....unless Kovarik and Rennie are doing power wheelies during their runs

 

[blt2ride]

chit mang...graves done brung up....unless Kovarik and Rennie are doing power wheelies during their runs

I agree...Jared has been pinning it all season...

 

[DVNT]

So did they level the 40ft. doubles???

And they left the 35 footer right before it?

 

[dondon]

i think one of the athertons were up there too in timed runs. lots of other riders skipping timed runs

Hannah Hannah (stevens) backflipping jumps on the 4x track for outside magazine - she just taught mick flips last week at woodward west - cute.

beaumont still no bike - same as last week in brazil.
lots of flats today....
4x training in a half hour - if the heavens dont open up....

 

[COmtbiker12]

I agree...Jared has been pinning it all season...

I saw Graves up at Keystone last weekend and WOW it was incredible watching him run through things there. And saying that he was probably just chillin without trying to go 'fast' or anything.

 

[biker3]

Thats crazy Graves is pinning it that hard. Its gotta be the 303. I dont think he'll be able to take it tho just because of sheer body weight. I think Rennie or Kovarik will be taking the finals. Gracia maybe as well.

Graves is awsome but as you all saw at snowmass last year the big burly guys just go faster.

 

[Zutroy]

Thats crazy Graves is pinning it that hard. Its gotta be the 303. I dont think he'll be able to take it tho just because of sheer body weight. I think Rennie or Kovarik will be taking the finals. Gracia maybe as well.

Graves is awsome but as you all saw at snowmass last year the big burly guys just go faster.

We'll see, Graves is on it, and from what I've seen the course is much smoother than Snowmass which is where the weight helps lets your hold speed through all them bumps, but Rennie does love that fast loose stuff, should be a good battle.

Only 12 girls, that sucks....how many american riders are there? Willing to bet most of the women pros here don't even have a UCI point.

 

[stiksandstones]

Graves told me after his first ever big U.S. win..."Stik, I am so stoked, it seems I have been holding back all these years, I never knew I could pin it that fast, but I did and my riding has improved a lot"....ahhh music to my ears "pinning it".

Sounds like a thunderstorm is coming for 4x quali.

 

[ekozy39]

Let's face it, who doesn't like to be challenged on a bike? I, for one, like to build new jumps, drops, etc. that challenge me. There's no fun in doing the same old thing all the time...without progression the sport will die out. ......

The sport has progressed to going with bigger jumps than before and what did I just hear 12 women at the WC...It's still dying so what facts do you have to support your point?

Bottom line, I think pros should ride pro tracks/courses. Once that happens people would be willing to watch races on TV, and with TV coverage comes money......

Yeah, and DH BMX is full of huge jumps and I see that on TV all the time....

Jumps don't translate well on TV anyways. A 40ft jumps looks like small and especially when you speed jump it. SX jumps look huge b/c of the heights they reach, and well b/c they are huge..

Either way it's all a matter of opinion and personal preference...

 

[Zutroy]

The sport has progressed to going with bigger jumps than before and what did I just hear 12 women at the WC...It's still dying so what facts do you have to support your point?



Yeah, and DH BMX is full of huge jumps and I see that on TV all the time....

Jumps don't translate well on TV anyways. A 40ft jumps looks like small and especially when you speed jump it. SX jumps look huge b/c of the heights they reach, and well b/c they are huge..

Either way it's all a matter of opinion and personal preference...

Big jumps will help, and as Stik said you can build monster jumps that are jumpable, and safe for that matter...well or at least as safe as you can make them........DH never translates well to TV or Vid for that matter, I have a friend that has seen ever DH vid I own and wasen't that enthused, she came to a race and was like holy crap that is awesome.

What we're really missing is noice man....everyone need to make moto noises coming down the hill then we'll be set.

 

[ekozy39]

What we're really missing is noice man....everyone need to make moto noises coming down the hill then we'll be set.

Just require all riders to put baseball cards in there spokes!

 

[blt2ride]

The sport has progressed to going with bigger jumps than before and what did I just hear 12 women at the WC...It's still dying so what facts do you have to support your point?



Yeah, and DH BMX is full of huge jumps and I see that on TV all the time....

Jumps don't translate well on TV anyways. A 40ft jumps looks like small and especially when you speed jump it. SX jumps look huge b/c of the heights they reach, and well b/c they are huge..

Either way it's all a matter of opinion and personal preference...

I just don't understand how anyone can disagree that the pros should be racing on courses that challenge their ability. Most of the 4X and dual courses I have seen were pretty weak. The jumps are so small the pros have to slow down so they don't over shoot the landings; at the speed the pros race, they can jump 30' or 40' doubles with ease. Have some condfidence, these guys know what they're doing...

 

[biker3]

We'll see, Graves is on it, and from what I've seen the course is much smoother than Snowmass which is where the weight helps lets your hold speed through all them bumps, but Rennie does love that fast loose stuff, should be a good battle.

I DEF wouldnt call it smoother then snowmass. There were MAJOR brake bumps there at the chili challenge and the course was brand new. Not to mention Rock EVERYWHERE. There's tons of flat rock sections that the big guys will be able to blast through.

But who cares, it will be a sweet race. Graves could def take it tho because hes in real good shape this year.

Whats up with the women and the WC this year? what happened?

 

[ekozy39]

I just don't understand how anyone can disagree that the pros should be racing on courses that challenge their ability. Most of the 4X and dual courses I have seen were pretty weak. The jumps are so small the pros have to slow down so they don't over shoot the landings; at the speed the pros race, they can jump 30' or 40' doubles with ease. Have some condfidence, these guys know what they're doing...

No one said not challenging riders, it was brought up about jumps that 1-2 people can jump and how it was a MUST for progression. There are so many other ways to challenge riders than huge jumps anyways. I'm all for 30-40' double that are well built. I'm not against that. My point was that it's not the savior of the sport.

 

[BC VAN]

any 4x quali results yet?

 

[dondon]

1st lopes
2nd hanah
3rd minnaar.....

1st jill

 

[WhiteRavenKS]

graves 4th right?

wtf am i doing on the interwebs here? i should be getting rid of the day's funk and dirt all over everything of mine.

 

[stiksandstones]

1. 66 USA19710906 LOPES Brian USA 43.27
2. 80 AUS19831121 HANNAH Michael AUS 43.36 +0.09
3. 85 RSA19811113 MINNAAR Greg RSA TEAM G-CROSS HONDA 43.39 +0.12
4. 65 CZE19810401 PROKOP Michal CZE 43.68 +0.41
5. 84 AUS19780301 KOVARIK Chris AUS 43.93 +0.66

 

[stiksandstones]

6. 71 AUS19821216 GRAVES Jared AUS 44.07 +0.80
7. 67 FRA19780323 GRACIA Cédric FRA SIEMENS CANNONDALE MTB RA 44.12 +0.85
8. 118 USA19781205 MILAN Ross USA 44.29 +1.02
9. 92 USA19690630 KING Mike USA 44.74 +1.47
10. 74 USA19870404 STRAIT Kyle USA SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACIN 45.09 +1.82
11. 86 USA19780320 HOUSEMAN Rich USA 45.14 +1.87
12. 87 AUS19821209 ATKINSON Bryn AUS 45.35 +2.08
13. 78 GBR19820125 ATHERTON Daniel GBR 45.51 +2.24
14. 116 GER19760514 TSCHUGG Guido GER 45.69 +2.42
15. 88 RSA19840805 NEETHLING Andrew RSA 45.75 +2.48
16. 90 USA19860308 ZINK Cameron USA 45.92 +2.65
17. 69 GBR19850226 ATHERTON George GBR 45.94 +2.67
18. 117 AUS19870116 POKOJ Darren AUS 46.01 +2.74
19. 76 USA19820511 BALOOCHI Robin USA 46.21 +2.94
20. 83 USA19730117 SCHMITH Brian USA 46.30 +3.03
21. 82 GBR19741123 LONGDEN Will GBR 46.33 +3.06
22. 115 USA19780815 ZIEGMAN David USA 46.42 +3.15
23. 111 USA19740531 VOREIS Kirt USA 46.53 +3.26
24. 102 USA19861029 RIFFLE Duncan USA 46.77 +3.50
25. 77 GBR19780602 BEAUMONT Scott GBR TEAM KONA BEAUMONT RACING 46.85 +3.58
26. 96 USA19810128 HERNDON Christopher USA 46.98 +3.71
27. 112 USA19761021 WATT Jonathan USA 47.10 +3.83
28. 103 USA19800327 ADAMS Nathan USA 49.75 +6.48
29. 97 USA19860513 ODONNELL Henry USA 50.31 +7.04
30. 79 GBR19810310 WARDELL David GBR 52.36 +9.09
31. 73 CZE19791016 TAMME Lukas CZE 55.07 + 11.80

 

[stiksandstones]

1. 18 USA19811024 KINTNER Jill USA 50.90
2. 17 NED19820707 BEERTEN Anneke NED SPECIALIZED FACTORY RACIN 51.21 +0.31
3. 23 USA19761128 LLANES Tara USA 51.51 +0.61

 

[WheelieMan]

8. 118 USA19781205 MILAN Ross USA 44.29 +1.02

And you said Ross Milan wasn't a world cup contender!! I'd say thats a pretty darn good qualifying time. Especially coming off of a broken collar bone last month.

 

[stiksandstones]

Not bad, it is his home track more or less. But I will stand by my words that he will not be in the main event, ala 'contender'.
He did beat a career factory team rider Brian Schmith though!

 

[Transcend]

Berny P just checked in with another update - up on Transcend now.

 

[bizutch]

Cool Herndon qualified. Good deal. Guess gapping that 40 footer in Brevard must have paid off.

 

[DHblur]

Ross is for sure a main contender. I've seen the look in his eyes about this race... he's determined! I mean c'mon, he took like 9th in his first ever world championships last year. The guy just keeps getting faster. I think a lot of people are underestimating him. Especially when he's not on a gaper course where all the regulars can pedal their way to victory. Ross has balls, he'll show that this weekend.

 

[BC VAN]

it's good to see ross up there after doin a c bone on i believe this same course?
he proved last year at west virginia when the course gets big and fast that he's legit
fastest qualifier was awsome ....and then he won the final after king got inside of schmith for the lead in the last turn and they went down.
although ross seems super intense, he has to be one of the nicest guys out there.

 

[BC VAN]

how about the brackets! if you look at some of the match up's things could get crazy

i believe 1 /8 / 9 / 16 or 17 will match up thats lopes, ross, king @ zink or atherton

then the semi could be 2 of these 4 matched up with prokop and kovarik.

lopes, king, prokop, kovarik would be awsome to watch on that course.

 

[Transcend]

Women's DH qualis in...jonnier is in first. Rest are on the site.

 

[profro]

Not bad, it is his home track more or less.

home track????

He lives in Colorado and they just built that track this year. Go gravy stik , I've sat quietely by enough. YOU ARE A TOOL. :nuts:

 

[Mtnrider]

Go Ross! THE CRUSHER!!!

 

[biker3]

home track????

He lives in Colorado and they just built that track this year. Go gravy stik , I've sat quietely by enough. YOU ARE A TOOL. :nuts:

HAHAHAHAHA.

 

[Transcend]

Men are in..Jared Graves over minnaar...@ 41.59km/h

 

[dondon]

gerrit beytag goes from being 2nd american @ us open and Deer Valley - to qualifying 1st american today -

 

[Akula_7]

I would love to see Graves win a DH WC! Fingers crossed.!
Utopia's first Mens DH WC win???

 

[biker3]

gerrit beytag goes from being 2nd american @ us open and Deer Valley - to qualifying 1st american today -

Well what position did he qualify?

 

[THEDUDE]

home track????

He lives in Colorado and they just built that track this year. Go gravy stik , I've sat quietely by enough. YOU ARE A TOOL. :nuts:

I completely agree