Quantcast

Val di Sole 2012 - Official Thread?

G

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
thad said:
I was referring to you, actually.
Click to expand...
Oh, I'm a total noob. Barely pay attention to racing at all, mostly just count grams and measure my head angle.

thad said:
Ummm, have you been paying attention to racing the last few years? There was a period where Sam was THE fastest rider on the planet, hands down, smoking everyone by 7-10secs. His World Champs run at Val Di Sol, and his Champery run in the rain were flat out amazing.
Then Gee and Greg figured out how to go Sam speed. Then Sam got injured. Then Gwinny came on the scene, and it was like a new "Sam Hill", where everyone is scrambling to figure out how to go that fast. . .
Click to expand...
But since you asked here's what I picked up. Sam dominated '07 like no one else since Nico, then almost won the WC overall in '08 despite a terrible performance in Canberra. Moved to Specialized in '09, put on a clinic in the finals at Andorra even after crashing and won qualies w/out a chain, smoked everyone at Ste. Anne and Schladming and won the WC overall again (and embarrassed Gee and a few others with his result and Canbera Worlds). Started '10 fresh off a torn ACL, won Maribor qualies and then crashed off course and still managed to make the podium in the final. . . no one yet seemed to have reached Sam Hill speed, at least not sam-stays-on-his-bike speed. Wrecks shoulder at Ft. William, comes back and wins World Champs. Comes into '11 off pace for sure but only missed podium in RSA by about .6 seconds so not a total embarrassment. For sure gets a wake up call in Ft. William with a poor showing but does make the podium in Leogang the following weekend. Goes home gets hurt. . . . gets 7th or 8th at Champery after a few days back on the bike. Goes 1-2 with Brosnan all off season in Australia.

My take, he's a wild card. No real proof to say he's washed up or past his prime, but a lot of questions about where he's at given his lack of race presence the past 2 seasons. I don't think for a second any of his competition has written him off like some of the forum jockeys have.

Certainly adds an element of unpredictability to this weekend. Two thumbs up t that!
 
Last edited:
G

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
richgardiner said:
judging by the chest cam on tri ride, have they slightly skipped out some of that wild shoot in the woods that spits you out into the finish area? doesnt seem to look as rough as last year around that bit! looks sick all in all mind. i really hope hill pulls off something unbelievable, would be awesome to see!
Click to expand...
The ski jump got reworked last year to be a bit more tame (a shame from a spectator standpoint but much safer for riders barely holding on at that point in their race runs). The course in the video looks like it goes farther to rider's left in the first woods section (??), and from what I can decipher from the Triride translation it sounds like the top of the track and a few other spots are going to be new for this year. Some of the old bits looked pretty ragged last year.

http://www.triridemtb.com/en/val-di-sole-world-cup-intervista-a-pippo-marani/


Also, looks like the Triride guys finally got a bit of recognition for their efforts the past few years and are putting out the official videos for Trek World Racing this season.
 
Last edited:
Mo(n)arch

Mo(n)arch

Turbo Monkey
Dec 27, 2010
4,471
1,469
Italy/south Tyrol
stiksandstones said:
7th, well 8th, with 4 days of riding under his belt, recovering from shoulder injury.
Click to expand...
I think he's still one of the fastest guys out there. And he's definitely capable to blow everyone else out of the water. But the competition gets tighter and the young guns are also fast.
I definitely think he will be a contender on this and the next tracks. Maybe he needs a season to speed up, but I think he's hungry and motivated.
 
T

thad

Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
388
21
General Lee said:
But since you asked here's what I picked up. Sam dominated '07 like no one else since Nico, then almost won the WC overall in '08 despite a terrible performance in Canberra. Moved to Specialized in '09, put on a clinic in the finals at Andorra even after crashing and won qualies w/out a chain, smoked everyone at Ste. Anne and Schladming and won the WC overall again (and embarrassed Gee and a few others with his result and Canbera Worlds). Started '10 fresh off a torn ACL, won Maribor qualies and then crashed off course and still managed to make the podium in the final. . . no one yet seemed to have reached Sam Hill speed, at least not sam-stays-on-his-bike speed. Wrecks shoulder at Ft. William, comes back and wins World Champs. Comes into '11 off pace for sure but only missed podium in RSA by about .6 seconds so not a total embarrassment. For sure gets a wake up call in Ft. William with a poor showing but does make the podium in Leogang the following weekend. Goes home gets hurt. . . . gets 7th or 8th at Champery after a few days back on the bike. Goes 1-2 with Brosnan all off season in Australia.

My take, he's a wild card. No real proof to say he's washed up or past his prime, but a lot of questions about where he's at given his lack of race presence the past 2 seasons. I don't think for a second any of his competition has written him off like some of the forum jockeys have.

Certainly adds an element of unpredictability to this weekend. Two thumbs up t that!
Click to expand...
07, 08 Hill dominated. Everyone else was racing for second. 09 was close, all season. Came down to the very last race. If either Gee or Greg had won the last race, they would have taken the title. Sam took it, but Gee and Greg were racing for the win all season.

I forgot about Sam taking world champs in 10. That was a sick race, was hoping Stevie would take it on Canadian soil. That pinball ball ride he had down the last steep rock section was awesome.

'11 was not a good season for Hill, anyway you look at it. 5th was his best result... good for most, but a disappointment for Hill, who you used to count on to win by 5+ if he kept it clean, podium with a crash.

'11 was Gwin's season. Most WC wins ever, wrapped up the overall earliest. Flat out speed and consistency. A strong argument can be made that his season last year was more dominant than any of Nico or Hill's.... I prefer watching Hill, Stevie, Hart, Brendawg, but it's hard to bet against Gwin. High speed, wide, rough, he is the man, right now. Wet roots, mud, tighter tracks seem to be his only weakness right now.

Brosnan won 3 of the Aussie DH, to Hill 1. Brosnan has not yet won a WC. 2nd fastest time of day at World Champs last year is his best result. Bummed he is hurt for this race. Troy is going to win one soon, this track seems perfect for him.
Hart took second here last year, and coming off his legendary run at Champery champs last year, he could put time into the rest of the field if he can hold it together.
Stevie qualied 2nd here last year, ahead of Hart, but got injured in practice and didn't race. He just beat Gwin at the Pro GRT in P.A., and seems more confident and professional all the time.
I still think it's gonna be Gwin, Hart, Stevie top 3. Racing is going to be sick this year!
 
G

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
thad said:
A strong argument can be made that his season last year was more dominant than any of Nico or Hill's.... High speed, wide, rough, he is the man, right now. Wet roots, mud, tighter tracks seem to be his only weakness right now.
Click to expand...
Do you just make stuff up?

Only guy to come close to Hart's crazy split at Champery and won in Leogang in the wet roots/mud. Won at Windham, the tightest track on the circuit.

I give up:banghead:
 
T

thad

Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
388
21
Dood, Gwin said at Port Angeles, that tight, muddy, roots are his weakness and what he needs to improve on. It seems like he has been most dominant on wide open, high speed, rough tracks. Champery was his worst result in recent memory.
 
T

trib

not worthy of a Rux.
Jun 22, 2009
1,693
714
I've still got my fingers crossed for a return to form and a first place for Rennie, with Kovarik in second.

It's an outside bet, but if anyone can say they don'y enjoy seeing berms get smashed into tiny pieces by either of the aforementioned men they are wrong.

On a slightly more serious note, does anyone have a breakdown of how many different riders actually made it into the top 10 and top 5 last year?
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,516
1,738
Warsaw :/
thad said:
07, 08 Hill dominated. Everyone else was racing for second. 09 was close, all season. Came down to the very last race. If either Gee or Greg had won the last race, they would have taken the title. Sam took it, but Gee and Greg were racing for the win all season.

I forgot about Sam taking world champs in 10. That was a sick race, was hoping Stevie would take it on Canadian soil. That pinball ball ride he had down the last steep rock section was awesome.

'11 was not a good season for Hill, anyway you look at it. 5th was his best result... good for most, but a disappointment for Hill, who you used to count on to win by 5+ if he kept it clean, podium with a crash.

'11 was Gwin's season. Most WC wins ever, wrapped up the overall earliest. Flat out speed and consistency. A strong argument can be made that his season last year was more dominant than any of Nico or Hill's.... I prefer watching Hill, Stevie, Hart, Brendawg, but it's hard to bet against Gwin. High speed, wide, rough, he is the man, right now. Wet roots, mud, tighter tracks seem to be his only weakness right now.

Brosnan won 3 of the Aussie DH, to Hill 1. Brosnan has not yet won a WC. 2nd fastest time of day at World Champs last year is his best result. Bummed he is hurt for this race. Troy is going to win one soon, this track seems perfect for him.
Hart took second here last year, and coming off his legendary run at Champery champs last year, he could put time into the rest of the field if he can hold it together.
Stevie qualied 2nd here last year, ahead of Hart, but got injured in practice and didn't race. He just beat Gwin at the Pro GRT in P.A., and seems more confident and professional all the time.
I still think it's gonna be Gwin, Hart, Stevie top 3. Racing is going to be sick this year!
Click to expand...

Do you watch the races or just read results on the web?
 
'size

'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
trib said:
On a slightly more serious note, does anyone have a breakdown of how many different riders actually made it into the top 10 and top 5 last year?
Click to expand...
top 5:

atherton x 5
barel x 2
brosnan x 1
bryceland x 1
cole x 3
gwin x 7
hart x 3
hill x 1
macdonald x 3
minnaar x 4
neethling x 1
peat x 2
smith x 2
 
T

thad

Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
388
21
Going back last 10 big races; '10 World Champs, '11 WC 1-7, '11 World Champs, '12 WC 1.

Hill: 1, 5
Smith: 2, 4, 4, 5
Minnaar: 3, 2, 1, 3, 1, 1
Gwin: 4, 1, 5, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1, 2. Podium 9 of 10.
Gee: 5, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4
Barel: 4, 4
Peat: 5, 2
Hart: 2, 4, 2, 1
MacDonald: 3, 3, 5
Bryceland 2
Cole: 5, 5, 5
Needles: 3
Brosnan 4, 2
Spagnolo 3
Blenki: 4
Fairclough: 5
Mick: 3
 
stiksandstones

stiksandstones

Turbo Monkey
May 21, 2002
5,078
25
Orange, Ca
All of this doesn't matter, because according to the internet, Rob Warners 'dirty business' has halted all progress of DH MTBing becoming..."MAIN STREAM".
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,516
1,738
Warsaw :/
stiksandstones said:
All of this doesn't matter, because according to the internet, Rob Warners 'dirty business' has halted all progress of DH MTBing becoming..."MAIN STREAM".
Click to expand...
I've seen the comments and replied to it. I don't understand the notion that in order for DH to become mainstream we must ban having fun
 
G

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
stiksandstones said:
All of this doesn't matter, because according to the internet, Rob Warners 'dirty business' has halted all progress of DH MTBing becoming..."MAIN STREAM".
Click to expand...
Amen. . . and these same critics are the ones who line up to post the same old crude comments every time they see a picture of a girl on pinkbike.

DH isn't mainstream because the general public doesn't watch DH racing.
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,516
1,738
Warsaw :/
General Lee said:
Amen. . . and these same critics are the ones who line up to post the same old crude comments every time they see a picture of a girl on pinkbike.

DH isn't mainstream because the general public doesn't watch DH racing.
Click to expand...
The funny thing is Snowboarding for a long time gave the middle finger to the mainstream and it ended up pretty well. Not to mention yeah. DH racing is a niche sport. Slopestyle may go big but dh? Forget about it. As much as it may sting some people I think it also lacks a mainstream cool factor that doing hucks on bikes and boards has.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom