[shelteringsky]

So since this place has been pretty dead recently, thought it might be fun to look at how the WC guys are doing in their local races in the off-season and make some misinformed, completely speculative extrapolations as to how they might do in the 2014 World Cup circuit.

I heard that Gwin was doing a race in Fontana this weekend. Did he take it out?

Australian nationals next week, not sure how Hill is doing recovery wise, but I'd expect Troy to win.

Anything happening in the UK/Europe/anywhere else?

 

[ianjenn]

Practice at Fontana today. Should know by mid afternoon who won Pro men.

 

[ianjenn]

Gwin was 1 second back.....

 

[shelteringsky]

Gwin was 1 second back.....

Uhh okay, I actually thought he would take it out considering he smashed a US national last year by 11 seconds... Do you know if he came off or had any mechanical issues?

 

[4130biker]

I am rooting for the guy over here. Any pics up yet? I heard he raced a demo instead of a wagon wheeler.

 

[ianjenn]

I am rooting for the guy over here. Any pics up yet? I heard he raced a demo instead of a wagon wheeler.

Dan has images on his PINKBIKE account I will link here. Looks like most the top guys were on DH bikes....

http://www.pinkbike.com/u/danyul/album/GWIN/

 

[cowman]

Aiello won on a trail bike, Fontana isn't real

 

[ianjenn]

Aiello won on a trail bike, Fontana isn't real

Thats actually funny if he won by almost a full second with a 600 yard flat sprint along the wall with a "TRAIL" bike. If they stopped it at the road he probably would have been a few seconds behind!

 

[bizutch]

Neko Mullaly has been hanging in WNC with the locals killing it at cyclocross and then at this wacky race in the concrete troughs of the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte. In attendance were him, Jeff Lenosky, Geritt Beytagh, Christopher Herndon..etc. Forgot to ask my buddies if the Shaw's were there.

Me, I'm chillin' on the couch, doing PT for my knee. Gettin' fit for race season. Look for me on the senior citizen pro dual sport modified stock open class podium.

 

[BigBoi]

We are doing just fine. Thanks!

 

[Lelandjt]

I've doing a lot of road riding, I won the "Maui World Championships". I've been kiting when there's wind and surfing Honolua every chance I get. Once a week I've been doing a big descent on the enduro bike.
http://www.mauisurfphotos.com/Honolua-Bay/Honolua-Bay-December-2013/Honolua-Bay-121413-10am-to-2pm/i-DfBGNVh

 

[TrumbullHucker]

im doing good... work is a bitch but what can ya do amirite????


probably look at some porn tonight

 

[jackalope]

Pro pr0n or amateur pr0n? Starting to think my affinity for blown out cougars is whats keeping me off the podium.

 

[demo 9]

Just riding cross country and watching supercross. No snow sports for this guy

 

[ianjenn]

Gwin is at Bootleg be interesting to see how he does there!

 

[shelteringsky]

Gwin is at Bootleg be interesting to see how he does there!

Awesome.

Jared Graves took out the XCO race in the first round of the Australian Nationals in Adelaide. Guess he's focusing on Enduro, XC this year?

Practice is underway for the downhill. Troy's racing, but haven't been able to track down a start list so not sure who else is there.

 

[ianjenn]

Nice racing is starting to pick back up out west here. It was 80 degrees here yesterday.....

 

[bizutch]

16 degrees today. 2 hour nap face up on the sofa followed by spinach artichoke dip & veggie pizza on a daddy/daughter date night with my 10 year old.

Program coming along smoothly. Now...if I could squat more than 15 pounds without sweating like Stik riding shotgun in the 55 van, I could get back into race mode.

 

[ianjenn]

Qualifying at Bootleg......

 

[shelteringsky]

Looks like Connor Fearon has taken out the first round of Australian Nationals! Troy Brosnan in 2nd and Joshua Button in 3rd. Should hopefully get the full results up soon.


EDIT: Results are up.


Having issues with uploading pictures. Full results here.

Not a huge showing for the pros, probably because of where the track was held. Solid result for Connor with a clear ~1.5 second gap to Troy. Dean Lucas, having raced junior WC last year did well to get 4th. Should do pretty well this year I'd imagine.

 

[shelteringsky]

Qualifying at Bootleg......

Hmm, a pretty conspicuous omission in the qualifying... Anyone know what's up?

 

['size]

Hmm, a pretty conspicuous omission in the qualifying... Anyone know what's up?

flat tire.

 

[ianjenn]

Graeme during practice yesterday.

 

[ianjenn]

Gwin pulls the win...

 

[boogenman]

Gwinning

 

[shelteringsky]

Gwinrar!

 

[supercow]

INteresting that it's +0.7 only, but then the rest of the field quite a bit behind.

 

[shelteringsky]

Second round of the Australian National Series at Mt Buller run and won.

Troy Brosnan takes the win! Two seconds ahead of Dean Lucas with Josh Button another 0.8s back. It's worth noting that Connor Fearon got a front flat, so who knows what could have been.
Congrats to Troy!

 

[shelteringsky]

So the Australian National MTB Championships were on this weekend in Bright, Victoria. Very steep and arguably the most similar track to a World Cup track on this season's circuit.

Troy took it out with comfortable 2 second lead over second placed Connor Fearon; Mik Hannah, making a mistake in his run, rode to 5th place.

Tracey Hannah smashed the women's field, winning with over a 35 second gap to the next competitor.


Tracey Hannah (Photo Tim Bardley Smith)

Bring on the World Cups!

 

[Mo(n)arch]

Tracey Hannah smashed the women's field, winning with over a 35 second gap to the next competitor.

You gotta be kidding me.
Was there a shoe shop beside the track?

 

[shelteringsky]

You gotta be kidding me.
Was there a shoe shop beside the track?

Hahaha. No offence to second place, but really not that much competition in the Elite women's field here. Here's hoping she can follow through with a win in Cairns for the second world cup!

 

[Mo(n)arch]

PomPom did the same at the St. Maxime DH track.
Absolutely no offense, but 30 seconds on a 4 minute track is huge.

 

[b.utters]

Emma McNaughton who came second has spent 10 days on a downhill bike in the last 2 years. Pretty good effort I think.....................

 

[Mo(n)arch]

Indeed, that's impressive. Cool name too
I think the two girls didn't have a lot of competition in these races. And there are were few really consistent and fast ladys in the cirquit right now. Atherton, Pompom, Hannah, Ragot, Carpenter are those who shine out at the moment.

 

[shelteringsky]

Emma McNaughton who came second has spent 10 days on a downhill bike in the last 2 years. Pretty good effort I think.....................

Yeah, that is a good effort but still doesn't change the fact that the competition for elite women downhillers in Australia is pretty lacking. Just a quick look at the results and it would seem that at most of the national rounds, there are only 5 -8 female competitors in the elite category. Hence my original comment. Again, no offence intended.

 

[Jeremy R]

You gotta be kidding me.
Was there a shoe shop beside the track?

Post of the year material right here.