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Mont-Sainte-Frenchie 2022

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,188
19,155
Canaderp
Wooo Finn, fingers crossed for ya bud.

Also Greg, he just keeps going. A podium would be cool.

And Bernard. Though I am still really just rooting for Finn.

ALSO Blenki in 13th, heck!

Cathro in again :)

Wonder what happened to Neko? He wasn't doing too bad at the first split..
 

shirk007

Monkey
Apr 14, 2009
499
354
For what it’s worth, I read that on Pinkbike.

Jackson rear tire flatted and peeled the tire off the rim somewhere after the Split 4 section. He was up at Split 4.
That's me you're quoting from PB.

His uncle is a friend and there watching the race and posted an IG story of him coming across the line with the rear tire off the rim. You can see on the live timing data he was up at Split 4. So somewhere after that he must have flatted.
 

Avy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2006
1,119
373
I like to Thank All of you for the support of Gwin,it has been rough,but we go on. Sooo much Love here,it’s nice to see. Now listen,only 9 seconds back,no problem. Could be worse,could be Bruni with a Shoulder that will Never heal due to coming back to soon. Snap,Crackle,Pop! Keep you’re Head Up Kid’s.

Avy
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Yo Canada, please stop breaking riders.
It is OK, "that is racing", "dangerous sport", "courses are fine"...(check Snowshoe thread for more of this). ;)
I think the course is awesome, true downhill. No slowly bouncing through rock gardens. Too bad that injuries and crashes decide the season and not clean racing runs. But as I was told by the majority of you last week: "that is racing". :think:
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
It is OK, "that is racing", "dangerous sport", "courses are fine"...(check Snowshoe thread for more of this). ;)
I think the course is awesome, true downhill. No slowly bouncing through rock gardens. Too bad that injuries and crashes decide the season and not clean racing runs. But as I was told by the majority of you last week: "that is racing". :think:
Tbh. Quite a few people in interviews with either Eliot or Wyn last week said that they liked snowshoe because it was slower and therefore safer as compared to super fast tracks where crashing has worse consequences. Camille has said it for sure. Quite a few people also have said they are happy the warp speed long straight was also gone from MSA.

I think generallywe should limit super fast tracks as 2022 skills and bikes allow you to go much much faster on them than in the past so more techy, multiple line things kinda make more sense for rider safety. Defo better to crash at 20-40kph than at 50-70.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Tbh. Quite a few people in interviews with either Eliot or Wyn last week said that they liked snowshoe because it was slower and therefore safer as compared to super fast tracks where crashing has worse consequences. Camille has said it for sure. Quite a few people also have said they are happy the warp speed long straight was also gone from MSA.

I think generallywe should limit super fast tracks as 2022 skills and bikes allow you to go much much faster on them than in the past so more techy, multiple line things kinda make more sense for rider safety. Defo better to crash at 20-40kph than at 50-70.
FWIW: There were also a bunch of riders that said they were afraid/terrified of the Snowshoe track. From what I gathered, it doesn't sound like any of the injured riders crashed in the fast sections.
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,188
19,155
Canaderp
If those who were truly scared of the trail still raced it, thats on them. They all have the option to not race.

This is downhill, none of it is "safe". Shit happens, weather is bad sometimes and yeah sometimes things get real. But we aren't delicate flowers so we deal with it. Lawn bowling is a safer alternative.

The world cup course at MSA is just another trail, after the weekend anyone with a bike and helmet can go ride it. Or go ride the other trails beside it, some of which have even more technical moves on them.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
If those who were truly scared of the trail still raced it, thats on them. They all have the option to not race.
That is why Manon Carpenter stopped racing from what I read.

This is downhill, none of it is "safe". Shit happens, weather is bad sometimes and yeah sometimes things get real. But we aren't delicate flowers so we deal with it. Lawn bowling is a safer alternative.

The world cup course at MSA is just another trail, after the weekend anyone with a bike and helmet can go ride it. Or go ride the other trails beside it, some of which have even more technical moves on them.
There is some difference between you doing stupid shit on your own time or a "workplace" with regards to safety. I can go on the sketchiest ladder and fix my roof, a carpenter cannot. My point is, the race organizers and the UCI should get a better safety culture going if we see so many crashes. Some things to think of, for example: what about rules on continuing your run after a flat? That is what got Loic. In F1 you would fined if you continued with a severely damaged vehicle.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,535
5,470
UK
I think generally we should limit super fast tracks as 2022 skills and bikes allow you to go much much faster on them than in the past so more techy, multiple line things kinda make more sense for rider safety. Defo better to crash at 20-40kph than at 50-70.
Yeah. There's definitely something in that.

The original Ft William DH track (used for nationalsfrom the early 90s) was around half the length it is now and a push up to the start. (Nr where Sam Hill ended himself in 2010, or if you're new skool where the new rockgarden/woods meet the old track). and back then Nevisrange allowed no gondola access for bikes for environmental reasons as the top section was back then a boggy walkers track. Anyway. Around the end of the 90s friends of mine began planning to extend the track to near the top with a view to holding a big european race (avalanche cup) as the stepping stone to eventually holding a WC in Scotland. The track was extended and eventually gondola accessed by bike with the OG start being a short downhill walk from the gondola (due to that part of the access path being shared by walkers and environmental worries) The start situated around 500mtrs above where the last boardwalk before the gnar starts now. Out the gate the first maybe 30 seconds of track was a sprint then hold on/don't brake long wide rocky fairly straight(ish) section with obvious consequences if you fucked up. The UCI were invited over to evaluate the track in 1999 and deemed it far too dangerous. and that's why the OG bus stops (and pinball) sections were created. Over the years Ft william has evolved and had rock helicoptered in year on year, mud removed and has little resemblance to the OG much slower but arguably more technical version.

If you're going to start a campaign for a slower techier DH WC series. Please also campaign for it to be 26 inch wheel and baggy pants only.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,535
5,470
UK
Jackson basically put around a second into Jordan on every split!

Hungry. Much?

What a ripper! A lot of Elites had better up their game come the off season.
 

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,346
1,587
Warsaw :/
That is why Manon Carpenter stopped racing from what I read.



There is some difference between you doing stupid shit on your own time or a "workplace" with regards to safety. I can go on the sketchiest ladder and fix my roof, a carpenter cannot. My point is, the race organizers and the UCI should get a better safety culture going if we see so many crashes. Some things to think of, for example: what about rules on continuing your run after a flat? That is what got Loic. In F1 you would fined if you continued with a severely damaged vehicle.
1. Re Manon - it wasn't clear if it was being scared or the constant pressure. Being an athlete at this level is hard AF. The top guys are crazy fit. Wyn just did a casual TDF stage between the races and there are stronger dudes out him on the series.

2. Re Tracks. People will get injured on every track. This is unavoidable but maybe the union could press for specific track changes. I know in Andora riders pressed for some parts of the track to slow down. Now they are happy the super fast part of MSA is gone.

The main problem isn't just the speed but tracks that basically have one line. I think it was Laurie that mentioned it basically meant everyone was going faster and faster on them until someone crashed and then people slowed down from that speed. This is the way people always judged what is the max speed. Steve Peat mentioned it on good old "Dirt Fundamentals" (anyone remembers) but back then the tracks were slower.

I know it sounds like me being a fanboy but it seemed like the best mix of not so techy everyone dies and not so fast and 1 line that if you crash your body explodes were the tracks that Sam Hill liked. The Schladmings, Pilas, Maribors and such.

Yeah. There's definitely something in that.

The original Ft William DH track (used for nationalsfrom the early 90s) was around half the length it is now and a push up to the start. (Nr where Sam Hill ended himself in 2010, or if you're new skool where the new rockgarden/woods meet the old track). and back then Nevisrange allowed no gondola access for bikes for environmental reasons as the top section was back then a boggy walkers track. Anyway. Around the end of the 90s friends of mine began planning to extend the track to near the top with a view to holding a big european race (avalanche cup) as the stepping stone to eventually holding a WC in Scotland. The track was extended and eventually gondola accessed by bike with the OG start being a short downhill walk from the gondola (due to that part of the access path being shared by walkers and environmental worries) The start situated around 500mtrs above where the last boardwalk before the gnar starts now. Out the gate the first maybe 30 seconds of track was a sprint then hold on/don't brake long wide rocky fairly straight(ish) section with obvious consequences if you fucked up. The UCI were invited over to evaluate the track in 1999 and deemed it far too dangerous. and that's why the OG bus stops (and pinball) sections were created. Over the years Ft william has evolved and had rock helicoptered in year on year, mud removed and has little resemblance to the OG much slower but arguably more technical version.

If you're going to start a campaign for a slower techier DH WC series. Please also campaign for it to be 26 inch wheel and baggy pants only.
Weirdly I remember there was a talk on RM a few years ago about the trend of WC tracks going more for speed and 1 line over line choice. I get that a large part of it is that some WC tracks are also regular tracks in a bike park but the issue is tracks that are fun to ride fast by normal joe fast standards are often bad for racing since they are not designed for those speeds. Hell there is a reason why Leogang has an extra wooden kicker for the world cup because the jumps are too small (some are too small for regular Joes as if you don't squash that bridge you can easly overjump it).
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,535
5,470
UK
1. Re Manon - it wasn't clear if it was being scared or the constant pressure. Being an athlete at this level is hard AF. The top guys are crazy fit. Wyn just did a casual TDF stage between the races and there are stronger dudes out him on the series.
Controversial view here: But I genuinely believe holding Women's and Elite Men's competition at world level on the same tracks could be re-thunk. Especially if they're reducing the fields as has been rumoured.
There's a full minute between the tenth male and tenth Female on some tracks. and tracks have to be designed/built to suit an absolutely massive gap in talent/speed/ability/strength. You'd need to be blind not to realise this means catering towards slower less experienced Women has to hold back track progression for the top men while the flipside is the features the top men need are going to be seriously intimidating to slower less experienced women. Or even very experienced Women just not feeling it.
It's one of the few sports I can think of where there is such an issue. And it only becomes apparent at the top level. BMX has Pro-lines that are closed off to the women in some events and we have chicken/B-lines on certain features in DH but I don't think that's enough really. Look at Hardline. If they were to introduce a Women's category there. How many Elite women would race?
Rampage now has a womens only event so I can see how it could work but I can't see it ever happening as I'm sure any such decision would be seen as sexism or discrimination despite Men and Women being at vastly different levels. Independently run male and Female race series' would by natural selection sort out any pay/prize money gap more fairly too.

Try not to lose your shit now! I believe there's some racing to watch starting soon! ;)

Ps. A casual one off Tour de france stage might seem huge to a non roadie but genuinely isn't really all that huge of an achievement. Plenty amateur riders follow the entire tour route casually each year
 
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Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,535
5,470
UK
I just mistook Myriams turbo for the start of a metal riff..

isn't Beer wonderful?
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,155
355
Roanoke, VA
Anyone else been listening to the post race podcast that Cami and Emi Siegenthaler have been doing this season, In and Out?

As a fan of Women’s WC downhill since ‘91, it’s great to hear current voices from the top, unfiltered.

Even if you hate ladies racing as much as Gary, do listen to their most recent episode with Ms Giove to hear some fantastic insights on contracts bitd V now.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,825
13,054
Anyone else been listening to the post race podcast that Cami and Emi Siegenthaler have been doing this season, In and Out?

As a fan of Women’s WC downhill since ‘91, it’s great to hear current voices from the top, unfiltered.

Even if you hate ladies racing as much as Gary, do listen to their most recent episode with Ms Giove to hear some fantastic insights on contracts bitd V now.
Need to tell my wife's about this, thanks.

That puncture ruined my fantasy results, but waiting to see how the overall looks.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,535
5,470
UK
Even if you hate ladies racing as much as Gary, do listen to their most recent episode with Ms Giove to hear some fantastic insights on contracts bitd V now.
I will.
I love Missy.

I'm absolutely ok with women's racing. it's just not as watchable as mens.
Just as amateur sport level mens racing isn't.

Linky to podcasty pretty please?
 
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