[jonKranked]

My memory tells me Gary Houseman back in 2003 at Grouse. But to be clear, Gary was not playing the "rain game", it just happened pretty much like what happened yesterday. He got a clean run and then the bottom dropped out, making it impossible for the usual podium suspects to make a real go at it. Could be wrong, but I believe that was an outlier for Gary and he was never a real threat to compete with the big guns in "normal conditions". And then of course he got suspended for smoking weed and was stripped of his win. Hopefully Fayolle stays/stayed away from Le Bong Shed.

@slimshady and @Flo33 , sorry I didn't get a chance to fire off a pre-race manifesto, but I was busy treating my bike like a rented red headed step mule in the mountains. It seems I have enough time to put something together since the next race is over a (fucking) month away

it rained because you failed to post your predictions. this is all your fault. i'm telling Gwin.

 

[Sandro]

Matti Lehikoinen in Champery? According to him he slowed down during his qualifying run intentionally to get an early finals run. He was hardly an unknown quantitiy though and would have been a regular top ten contender barring is horrible luck with injuries.

 

[jonKranked]

Matti Lehikoinen in Champery? According to him he slowed down during his qualifying run intentionally to get an early finals run. He was hardly and unknown quantitiy though and would have been a regular top ten contender barring is horrible luck with injuries.

sam hill did applied this strategy before.

 

[aaronjb]

sam hill did applied this strategy before.

Vouilloz used to do this, and not always for weather-related reasons. Mind games.

 

[jonKranked]

Vouilloz used to do this, and not always for weather-related reasons. Mind games.

I seem to recall hill doing it because he was coming off injury and people suspected he was doing it for exposure

 

[jstuhlman]

@slimshady and @Flo33 , sorry I didn't get a chance to fire off a pre-race manifesto, but I was busy treating my bike like a rented red headed step mule in the mountains. It seems I have enough time to put something together since the next race is over a (fucking) month away

pisgah proper? wilsons? somewhere even moar awesomer? jelly.

was watching the replay last night . . . Brooke Mac's save going around that rock (the one some people jumped) was pretty damn spectacular. Fearon also looked super fast but maybe he was just really loose.

 

[6thElement]

pisgah proper? wilsons? somewhere even moar awesomer? jelly.

was watching the replay last night . . . Brooke Mac's save going around that rock (the one some people jumped) was pretty damn spectacular.

Still not sure how he didn't eat dirt there.

 

[jackalope]

pisgah proper? wilsons? somewhere even moar awesomer? jelly.

Proper Pizz. Kitsuma, Bennett, Black & Sycamore. And then of course a host of post-ride libations to celebrate the depraved abuse we dished out to our bikes. We even managed an alcohol fueled late night hike up a nearby mini-mountain (sans lights) and a return stumble in the rain. The only thing we were missing was a fire large enough to see from space.

 

[jonKranked]

The only thing we were missing was a fire large enough to see from space.

sometimes you are a major disappointment.

 

[jackalope]

sometimes you are a major disappointment.

Space challenge accepted.

 

[schwaaa31]

Yowza. Somebody's a bit pissed. Throwing his own sponsor under the bus.

 

[jackalope]

View attachment 125275 Yowza. Somebody's a bit pissed. Throwing his own sponsor under the bus.

 

[canadmos]

What does he expect them to do? Has a WC race ever been rescheduled?

 

[ZHendo]

Loic has been a bit whiny this year. Between his anti-29er rant and this, he seems to be hunting for things to complain about. There's a whole ton of instances in the past where races have been extra shitty for the last riders down the hill. Plenty of guys have risen to the challenge, Loic's approach appears to be media-blasting his sponsor.

 

[Gary]

I admire his honesty.

 

[Gary]

it rained because you failed to post your predictions. this is all your fault. i'm telling Gwin LOiC.

 

[Gary]

Vouilloz used to do this, and not always for weather-related reasons. Mind games.

Mind games? Paah... I watched Peaty puncture near the top of the track in qualifying at a UK national. roll down the next section of woods to meet Andy Kyfin (his long time mechanic) and sit with Andy in a deckchair drinki a can of Stella then ride down to the finish 20 mins later to post a qually time ensuring he'd be first off in the finals.

 

[jezso]

Anyone noticed?
When did a rux win a world cup before? Or anything? Sales will hit the roof now!

 

[jonKranked]

Anyone noticed?
When did a rux win a world cup before? Or anything? Sales will hit the roof now!

more interestingly....... that rear shock that was previously mentioned, turns out its a full on custom build with remote lockout.

http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/WINNING-BIKE-Alexandre-Fayolles-Polygon-DH9,1759

 

[iRider]

Anyone noticed?
When did a rux win a world cup before? Or anything? Sales will hit the roof now!

You mean something like Rampage? Sorge on Polygon and Rux. Seems to be a winning combination

 

[epic]

What does he expect them to do? Has a WC race ever been rescheduled?

Yes, or at least practices have been moved. I definitely remember being at St Anne and having the schedule change for weather.

 

[canadmos]

Yes, or at least practices have been moved. I definitely remember being at St Anne and having the schedule change for weather.

I can see practices being moved, as there isn't TV and whatnot for those. But I can't think of finals being moved in recent memory. I guess the St Anne race is usually on a 3 day weekend, or was, and so has the benefit of moving from Saturday to Sunday if needed?

Speaking of which.......wasn't this one/won after it rained on a portion of the racers?

 

[slyfink]

Loic has been a bit whiny this year. Between his anti-29er rant and this, he seems to be hunting for things to complain about. There's a whole ton of instances in the past where races have been extra shitty for the last riders down the hill. Plenty of guys have risen to the challenge, Loic's approach appears to be media-blasting his sponsor.

I admire his honesty.

I'm with ZHendo on this one. seems kinda whiny so far this year. honest or not.

is that a real, verified account? Caus' wouldn't scheduling be up to the UCI rather than Redbull?

 

[roflbox]

I'm with ZHendo on this one. seems kinda whiny so far this year. honest or not.

is that a real, verified account? Caus' wouldn't scheduling be up to the UCI rather than Redbull?

That is his verified account, came from his instgram

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTjmscZDA69/?taken-by=loicbruni29&hl=en

Though since posting the picture above, loic has edited it, just removing the mention to redbullbike

 

[IH8Rice]

Caus' wouldn't scheduling be up to the UCI rather than Redbull?

Dirt had this in their article:

As it stands, the UCI rule on bad weather is that: “In the event of bad weather the president of the commissaires’ panel may decide to cancel the event after consulting the organiser and, where appointed, the UCI technical delegate.” So, at the moment there is only the option of cancellation or going ahead, not moving the race.

https://dirtmountainbike.com/news/loic-bruni-accuses-uci-ruining-race.html

 

[Tom Ritchey's Moustache]

Caus' wouldn't scheduling be up to the UCI rather than Redbull?

Personally, put me in the "that's racing" camp.

But if one wants to place blame, I think it's safe to go ahead and blame the UCI for this.

Redbull has shown that they're not against postponing events.

 

[Nick]

Personally, put me in the "that's racing" camp.

But if one wants to place blame, I think it's safe to go ahead and blame the UCI for this.

Redbull has shown that they're not against postponing events.

^^^ that

 

[dump]

awww... a wittle wain got you all wet?

 

[schwaaa31]

Only 7 (fucking) rounds is the problem.

 

[aenema]

Sure, but all the top guys had the same weather so this affects nothing,... probably. I chalk it up to 'that's racing' as well and slamming sponsors is never the smart move.

 

[Muddy]

Sure, but all the top guys had the same weather so this affects nothing,... probably. I chalk it up to 'that's racing' as well and slamming sponsors is never the smart move.

Loic does have a relationship with them and, perhaps postponing the race was a decision on their end and instead ran the race in micro-burst conditions.

 

[weedkilla]

Loic is being whiney and entitled.
The logic that it was easy to know it would rain at 4pm and the race could have started an hour early is suspect.
There is a massive difference in being that guy who says "I bet it will rain half way through finals" and actually changing a race schedule. This isn't a club race where you can shout at 200 people with a megaphone.
Even if they had done that - what if there was an accident and a course stoppage? Bam, the hour is gone.

At what point was the timing of the storm obvious? It would have to be 24 hours beforehand to even think about changing the schedule (even if it was in the uci rules to do so).
Think about race day, it's flat out from 8am with practices and racing. It's possible to steal 20minutes here and there and make the hour they needed, but it isn't something you can decide to do at midday on race day. Once you can actually see a storm on the radar and have some idea of when rain will occur it's too late to do anything except delay the start.

Also, if I read another social media comment about there being no racing for an hour or that protected riders could qualify badly to beat the weather I may scream.

 

[epic]

In ski racing they will cancel a race, but not that big a deal since there are like 40 races. Also, they can end a race half way through and is still counts! Happened with the Hannenkahm in 2016. How pissed would the riders be if half of them didn't even get to ride and it still counted? Of course they run the fastest skiers first.

 

[jonKranked]

I admire his honesty.

Thank the fsm a downhiller not giving a scripted interview kissing their sponsors asses like supercross

 

[Muddy]

Thank the fsm a downhiller not giving a scripted interview kissing their sponsors asses like supercross

What DH rider signed with Supercross this year?!?? Certain the Supercross team was purely BMX the last few seasons.

But in any even Lourdes France was nasty weather and, there were tree limbs bent over 90deg to the starting hill. Since everyone (or almost) just has to compare this sporting event to Formula One (jonkranked - 'sup) here's a thought:

Caution / Course Hold waiver. Happens in all motorsport when the track conditions place competitors at sustained, elevated risk.

Makes any future compare / contrast to the F1 circuits null and void.

...and, thank you jonkranked for kissing your own Ass with setting the record straight in regards to DH MTB and Tour d' France being even older. Gasp! Sorry Broseph.

 

[jonKranked]

What DH rider signed with Supercross this year?!?? Certain the Supercross team was purely BMX the last few seasons.

Once again you're taking my comments far too literally. Do you really not get the fucking joke?

 

[TrumbullHucker]

holy shit that race was piss!!

i am in the "that's racing" boat, (but i am incredibly entertained that he said that to redbull haha)
congrats to the winner and his boss mechanic with the homemade shock DROOL.GIF



and am i the only one concerned about that high wind? i forget who it was ( last 5 guys ) but he landed a good 2 feet to his right because of the wind. imagine hitting a gap like that or a rock garden like "the wall" and having something shove you off balance.


maybe if that shit weather came earlier, they would have shut her down

 

[schwaaa31]

maybe if that shit weather came earlier, they would have shut her down

Possibly. I'm thinking if it was anywhere with a chairlift to get to the top, they would have had to at least put a hold until the wind died down a bit. It looked to be howling at the top.

 

[jstuhlman]

imagine hitting a gap like that or a rock garden like "the wall" and having something shove you off balance!

I know that feels . . . but it's due my own ineptitude and utter lack of skills, not mother nature!

 

[Mo(n)arch]

In ski racing they will cancel a race, but not that big a deal since there are like 40 races. Also, they can end a race half way through and is still counts! Happened with the Hannenkahm in 2016. How pissed would the riders be if half of them didn't even get to ride and it still counted? Of course they run the fastest skiers first.

I hate the FIS (snowboarder forever), but they really got it dialed.
That's why I think the EWS is the better race series, even though the format isn't cool as DH. Races all over the world and more then 10 aswell.

I posted the below already in the EWS thread, but I think it fits in here aswell:

The EWS should change their name to MTBWS and host 20 races

• 10 DH races with courses all over the world on natural terrain. Things like the natural terrain in La Thuile, Switzerland, South America. Stream it live.
• 10 enduro races with two day-multiple stage races. Courses also all over the place. Maybe with a timed XC loop in it. Don't stream it live, but make good highlight videos
• The serie should start in March and end in October. Half a year of racing, half a year offseason.
• Whoever is the best guy in all of these races is the MTBWS - champion. And there should be a specialist serie for Enduro and DH, similar to the alpine skiing layout.
• Bring Rob Warner into it to comment it.
• Fvck UCI
• Change the rainbow jersey to something like this:
• Profit!

Oh and congrats to Sam Hill. Did he win on flatpedals?

Edit: After rereading this post, I should add, that maybe 4X, Dual slalom and XC should be added aswell. 4 different disciplines with an overall ranking. I am no alpine skiing fan by no means, but the format they have is pretty damn dialed.