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Lourdes Test Event

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
Apparently shimano tape killed the environment.
Poles and padded gates introduced to mark the track boundary with new orange tape outside of it to keep spectators safe/off the track.
 
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Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
Just seen the result on peaty's insta story. (podium pic).
No one you wouldn't expect to see on the box but interesting order.
 

sethimus

neu bizutch
Feb 5, 2006
4,881
2,132
not in Whistler anymore :/
Apparently shimano tape killed the environment.
Poles and padded gates introduced to mark the track boundary with new orange tape outside of it to keep spectators safe/off the track.
its just strange that there are areas taped like usual (woods section), areas with the orange tape and areas just with poles.
 

FlipSide

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,376
804
My understanding is that they are testing various course taping alternative to see what works and what doesn't...and get feedback from racers/teams.

The crappy taping will likely never be adopted for real WC, but I think it's pretty cool they are trying out stuff like that,.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
EWS already adopted partial taping, partial poles, partial nothing for course marking
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada

frenchies, what’s the story here? why the orange taping? what about the padded gates? please translate
from the rider and team manager comments, it seems it's taped wider, but then they have those foamy gates to create chicanes. he was asking the riders if it messes with their peripheral vision. Loic said yes, and someone else said the green colour is ok, but the red will take some getting used to.

It sounds like this is just testing out ideas, and to get feedback to see what works, and what doesn't. Apparently they also tested out mobile cameras - mounted to riders that would follow the racers. That would have to be really weird for a racer to all of a sudden have someone following them. But I guess that's the whole point of a test event!
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
fwiw, all the riders were saying that the conditions were atrocious, and they weren't going full-send, the risk-reward ratio was not worth pushing for since it's not an official race. It seems the teams were mostly there to get a sense of what the timing was like, how logistics would work etc., and for futher setup testing.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
EWS already adopted partial taping, partial poles, partial nothing for course marking
All that stuff is being pulled down and reused to as per the new organiser's policy. Not being chucked in the bin after the event. Labour intensive but nice touch.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
It wouldn't have been any more difficult to pull the old tape down and re-use or recycle it at the end of each event.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
It wouldn't have been any more difficult to pull the old tape down and re-use or recycle it at the end of each event.
Yeah no idea what the logic is, maybe easier to keep this stuff looking fresh and not ratty?
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,700
Champery, Switzerland
@buckoW : what's the word on the street regarding the pads?! some riders really seemed to be bothered by them... is it going to be an issue?
The riders seemed to be fine with it on race day but maybe the slippery rocks took all the attention.

One thing I thought is it will be a lot easier for the marshal on the side of the track in spots where the pole and tape gets ripped out on every 5th rider. It also seems like they will have a traveling course tape crew which could make for consistency.

It was a test on many fronts. We’ll have to wait and see what WBD decides to do in the end.

The reusable course tape needs to be slightly below axle level imo so you don’t tomahawk everyone who goes off track.
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
"iS It DOoMeD?!#$!" shame he can't just post a video without stupid click bait hyperbole title, and then just spend 8 minutes talking about how it was wet and people didn't want to push too hard, and then, the changes were minor and fine.
He is honest at least. The title is a reflection on all the non-informed chitchat that went on for the last few months, imho.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
What? A guy who dyes his hair a different colour each week to match his latest leapard print cat suit and handbag is an attention whore? Who'da thunk?

Yet again. If clickbait genuinely annoys you enough to post complaints about it online... :agree: Move along! Nothing to see here. If you really can't avoid the temptation there can only really be one person to blame.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
What? A guy who dyes his hair a different colour each week to match his latest leapard print cat suit and handbag is an attention whore? Who'da thunk?
you dress like a sack of potatoes* and you're an attention whore. i'm not sure what your point is.




*at least how that's I imagine you dressing
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,241
20,021
Sleazattle
What? A guy who dyes his hair a different colour each week to match his latest leapard print cat suit and handbag is an attention whore? Who'da thunk?

Yet again. If clickbait genuinely annoys you enough to post complaints about it online... :agree: Move along! Nothing to see here. If you really can't avoid the temptation there can only really be one person to blame.
The job of a professional athlete is to attract attention to their sponsors. Ideally through race results, but when that isn't realistic...
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,540
5,471
UK
I've no problem with "influencers". Even the most persistant are still pretty easy to ignore.

PPS. Mmmmmm... Potatoes
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
They should just tape the track with Fruit By The Foot snack. Course cleanup could be taken care of the spectators on their way back down.
Tape would be gone by the time the race started. I could down that solo.
 
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