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Ft. William 2013 World Cup Round 1

davet

Monkey
Jun 24, 2004
551
3
Dude, no offense but you have no idea what you're talking about.Smith SMOKED everyone last years during the garbo race which is a 14+ minutes...I wouldnt call that having problems holding it together.
Not taking anything away from Steve Smith but no one else in that race was even a top 20 world cup finisher.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Dude, no offense but you have no idea what you're talking about.Smith SMOKED everyone last years during the garbo race which is a 14+ minutes...I wouldnt call that having problems holding it together.

Stevie is extremely fit, been training with Todd for many years , has a solid program with him and he's just as fit as any other top racers.

Im afraid Gwin is going to take the win again but Im not sure he will be as dominant this year...New bike, LOTS of pressure on him to deliver and now the rest of the pack is also catching up.

By your logic, Neetling should have been the biggest threat after winning Garbanzo. With World Cups, there is no logic, only insane stuff.

And Gwin has LESS pressure than ever. He literally got to pick local companies run by guys who all are essentially his buddies. Pressure to perform for Big House? Stikman putting the heat on him? "Name drop here" at Specialized pushing him to win them all? Nope! None of the guys are high pressure sponsors, the exact opposite. They're practically DH valume, they're treating him so right. :D
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
Well that would certainly be something to get excited about. ;)
Yeah, I guess setting records as the most consistent and dominating racer in the world cup series is nothing to be excited about :D
 
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tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
Not taking anything away from Steve Smith but no one else in that race was even a top 20 world cup finisher.
This! Of course these riders are extremely fit and capable but it becomes relative at the top. Garbanzo is nice and all but in the end it's an off-season event without much wc-competition.

I'm just basing by assumtions on past race-outcomes which is the saftest bet. Of course I could rave about brendogs whips and all but being pragmatic I have to hand it to gwin gee and greg (who does whips, backflips and supermans aswell).
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
This! Of course these riders are extremely fit and capable but it becomes relative at the top. Garbanzo is nice and all but in the end it's an off-season event without much wc-competition.

I'm just basing by assumtions on past race-outcomes which is the saftest bet. Of course I could rave about brendogs whips and all but being pragmatic I have to hand it to gwin gee and greg (who does whips, backflips and supermans aswell).
Read my last post again. You are not basing your assumptions on race results if you talk about fitness.

Also Smith has said that every Ft. William race he was either injured or had a crash.
 

tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
That's true but fighting over potential race-results and fitness-level of the pros is useless. Everything can happen. I'm just guessing as everyone else based on the impressive results of the above mentioned trio over many seasons.

The problem with newcomers is that you never know if they really make it into this league.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
That's true but fighting over potential race-results and fitness-level of the pros is useless. Everything can happen. I'm just guessing as everyone else based on the impressive results of the above mentioned trio over many seasons.

The problem with newcomers is that you never know if they really make it into this league.
You claimed they aren't fit which is why you were called on your BS. I don't think many people here think Gwin is the favourite to win
 

tabletop84

Monkey
Nov 12, 2011
891
15
I assumed that they are more fit. Not that anyone is unfit. I would love to see a exciting season but it reminds me of last year were everyone was raving about how everyone stepped up their game to beat gwin and then he smoked everyone in val di sole by 8 seconds. I think apart from greg and gee other riders have still some more seconds to catch up if he rides on this level.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
What makes Fort Bill a tough race to call is that it plays out over such a vast riding landscape and what we are usually able to point to as pluses or minuses to certain riders doesn't apply there.

Every kind of rider has won on that course. If Vegas were doing the odds on it, I'd imagine they'd hide Minnar in there as their odds on favorite until the final day, unless Tonya Harding gets to him first.
 

supercow

Monkey
Feb 18, 2009
969
128
No one ever spells Minnaar's surname right!

...just saying

Speaking of Neethling, will that guy ever win a WC?
Doubt it...though seems a better chance than Brendan!
Would have been interesting to see how close he'd have been off the top spot if he didn't crash at last year's Legoland
 
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jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
What makes Fort Bill a tough race to call is that it plays out over such huuuuuuuge tracks o' land and what we are usually able to point to as pluses or minuses to certain riders doesn't apply there.

Every kind of rider has won on that course. If Vegas were doing the odds on it, I'd imagine they'd hide Minnar in there as their odds on favorite until the final day, unless Tonya Harding gets to him first.
:brows:
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
You claimed they aren't fit which is why you were called on your BS. I don't think many people here think Gwin is the favourite to win
people don't think gwin is the favorite to win? Were they not paying attention the last two years? A win last year, and a 5th the year before with a big crash mid race run? Gwin and Minnaar are pretty heavily favored here, with the edge going to gwin I think.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
people don't think gwin is the favorite to win? Were they not paying attention the last two years? A win last year, and a 5th the year before with a big crash mid race run? Gwin and Minnaar are pretty heavily favored here, with the edge going to gwin I think.
I'm a moron. Meant it the other way, probably got distracted by something. Of course they think he will win. Sorry.
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
Oh man I cannot read.....
No, you are wrong. You can read and I would like to argue that fact. Maybe if you were more fit or could hold it together or were on a new bike or on an old bike that you were familiar with or were not injured or it was raining or it was dry or or or...
 

Biffff

Monkey
Jan 10, 2006
913
0
I'm mainly interested to see if Sam will roll over or make a statement. Also interested to see if Smith can start as he finished last year. The Gwin, Minnaar, Atherton debate is getting boring and although I expect one of those guys to win I wish they didn't..... I 'm praying for some kind of exciting weird outcome.
 

bobsten

Monkey
Oct 23, 2008
240
0
rain rain go away
I'm mainly interested to see if Sam will roll over or make a statement. Also interested to see if Smith can start as he finished last year. The Gwin, Minnaar, Atherton debate is getting boring and although I expect one of those guys to win I wish they didn't..... I 'm praying for some kind of exciting weird outcome.
Quoted for the truth.

My hope is Danny follows up on his destruction early last year.
 

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
people don't think gwin is the favorite to win? Were they not paying attention the last two years? A win last year, and a 5th the year before with a big crash mid race run? Gwin and Minnaar are pretty heavily favored here, with the edge going to gwin I think.
Maybe they were paying attention to the fact that he hasn't won a major race in 11 months and the last 3 world cups/champs were won by someone else? I think he's going to have a fight on his hands for the overall this year.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
Maybe they were paying attention to the fact that he hasn't won a major race in 11 months and the last 3 world cups/champs were won by someone else? I think he's going to have a fight on his hands for the overall this year.
Champs - pretty clearly on pace till his brakes failed on him, but mechs can happen to anybody. We will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Val di Isre - Esploded hand, can barely hold on to bars, almost crashes in the finish as his hand blows off bars. Finishes a distant 5th, 2 seconds off. Pretty clearly losing it here, I'm starting to see where you're going with this. I mean, only 5th with a hand that can barely hold the bars? What a pvssy.

Hafjell - doesn't race because of said fvcked hand. Pretty clearly lost his mojo and probably wont continue his domination ever again.

First race with all the big players back, that despite being a sh1tty track is usually a pretty good judge of overall speed for the year save a few consistent exceptions (Hannah,Graves, and Lopes), he only finishes first. Probably a fluke.

Fanboy forever here.

Gwin 6/6 + Champs, thats what i'm rooting for.
 

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
...he hasn't won a major race in 11 months...
based on a season that ended 9 months ago. you make it sound like there are 'major' races consistently throughout the year.

not that gwin needs defending but he was injured for round 06 and still top 5.
a mechanical kept him out of contention for worlds.
he didn't race round 07.

and while i agree he's going to have a much harder time taking the overall this year, the dude is currently the most dominant and consistent racer around and by most accounts he's the guy most still won't bet against.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
448
If reckon if anyone can have a gaudy paintjob like that, and have the speed to back it up, it's Gwin.

I'd say it's vomit only when you're that dude who paints it, then can't decide whether to hang it up, ride it, or sell it.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
448
Ok, semi on topic question:
I'm going to be in Whistler Sunday, does anyone know of any bars/breakfast joints that are going to open early and air the world cup? maybe a crazy pipe-dream, but had to ask.
 

Cant Climb

Turbo Monkey
May 9, 2004
2,683
10
Gwin was a homesick puppy last year at Ft. William. Not this year.....

GM and Gee are the only realistic challengers.
If Gee stays healthy i think he still has more upside to his career.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
And hopefully his brain didn't get banged around against his skull one too many times....
The guy almost got killed by an angry chicken.


http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Gee-Atherton-gets-hunted-by-a-Peregrine-Falcon,21510/970biking,307



I think a counter side to Gee's racing career is solidly in the 'stupid human tricks' category now.

He races cars. He races motorcycles. Now he's racin chickinz!!

Can't wait till he races some other bike riders for a change.