World Champs Thread
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Yeah, not that some of them ever wear that much for pads anyway! Could've been a big bummer if Hill went down and took knee out considering the WC finals are in two weeks. So many great things about this years racing. 8 WC races, Peaty wins the World Champs, and a close points battle coming into the finals.when will the kids start ditching their pads at the local races to "put it all on the line"
haha great race
ie
Barel didnt even have on his knee brace...
23 photos and audio from World Champ Finals! EPIC! what an amazing weekend. wow!
http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/2009-UCI-World-Championships-of-Mountain-Biking,43
http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/2009-UCI-World-Championships-of-Mountain-Biking,43
Great stuff and behind the race pictures.
Isn't it true that he arrived at the start rocking a sleeveless shirt and they made him put on something with sleeves?
He raced in white underarmour long sleeves and a french team vest. Peculiar outfit to say the least.
He is french, style is but a word
Hill didn't wear knee pads for his final runs in '06 or '07 either, on what can both be considered pedaly courses (by normal dh standards at least).
I bet he was glad he wore kneepads last year...
While they will push the limits of clothing tightness, it still looks way better than a skinsuit...
I'm surprised it's allowed!
Compared the the trek carbon fairings?
Barel's helmet peak looks almost non existant too..
Boy, I sure am glad they banned skinsuits, because they don't look cool.
Take his helmet off, and he is dressed like that 70 year old man who still jogs.
Barel still rules though.
I would also like to point out that the top 6 guys at this race are the same guys who are always up there on any course. The cream rises to the top.
I do think the extra fitness that Hill gained in preparations for this race is just gonna make him kill it that much more on the "real" tracks though.
I heard one commentary say he drilled out every bit of "excess" material in his pedals??? I wanna see that nutty decision in pics!
www.vitalmtb.com Its in there
You are aware that all that fitness hill gained (do you have anything to justify this with by the way? I suspect he trains pretty fuggin hard every year, and its not like he's never won a pedally course) has won him exactly 1/7 of this years "real" world cup tracks? Or 1/6 if you don't want to count SA. I'd say the brest, andorra, MSA, Ft. Bill, Maribor, and Bromont all count as "real" DH tracks.
And everybody who is not wearing their ass for a hat is aware that Hill worked really hard on his fitness and pedaling after doing so poorly on this course last year. He said it himself in interviews. So, for him to improve to
5th place this year from last year's ass kicking he got on this course is the justification.
Adjust your hat.
I am just saying Hill increasing his overall fitness is better for him in the long run on all courses.
such as? The guys a beast in his element, but his glaring weakness (possibly by no fault of his own) is that he's a bit smaller in stature than the physically huge guys. The extra weight they carry, the extra leverage they have in their legs, etc. can all be used as arguements to say that they have more mass and power to best him on these courses.
But that argument may be out the window because Lopes weighs next to nothing yet had a crazy fast sprint and Kovarik has the most massive legs but one of the weakest power outputs on the Aussie squad. If Hill wants to be best all time, he's going to have to find a way to get that time back. Since apparently his power output is similar now to what it was last year...maybe clipping in?
Between the top ten guys, the difference is purely mental.
Pull your panties out of a bunch. I'm sure he worked harder on it this year, but I bet he trains pretty hard normally. He's proven he has what it takes on long pedally courses. 4th at SA. 1st at MSA. 1st at WORLDS at ft Bill. Plenty of others. The dude is fast on any course. He didn't do well at worlds. He hasn't done well (for him) this year, despite being in first place overall, he's only won 1/7 races. (1/8 if you count worlds). I think next year him being hungry for a win and willing to push it will be bigger then fitness.
He lost the world cup last year and lost the world championships...thats a hungry guy then in 2010.
such as? The guys a beast in his element, but his glaring weakness (possibly by no fault of his own) is that he's a bit smaller in stature than the physically huge guys. The extra weight they carry, the extra leverage they have in their legs, etc. can all be used as arguements to say that they have more mass and power to best him on these courses.
But that argument may be out the window because Lopes weighs next to nothing yet had a crazy fast sprint and Kovarik has the most massive legs but one of the weakest power outputs on the Aussie squad. If Hill wants to be best all time, he's going to have to find a way to get that time back. Since apparently his power output is similar now to what it was last year...maybe clipping in?
Roturua, NZ
MSA, the bottom 1:30 is a series of flat traverses, has a bit of an uphill, and a 200yd drag to the finish line. a bit less so this year but he's won there before and finished 2nd/3rd several times.
Ft. William
If you're on the podium at a WC you're super fit. Can he pedal as hard as Minnaar, Hannah, or Barel? Nope, few people can. Can he pedal harder than the vast majority of the rest of the field (and on flat pedals no less)? Yup.
Given his results the past few years, calling him out for 'not being able to pedal' is like calling Peaty out for not being able to corner. It's his weakness, everybody has one, but he certainly isn't deficient in the fitness/pedaling department.
would love to see a complete list of split 2-->finish times just to see who he beat.
Hill seems to have the same problem Vouilloz had for a while; everyone expects him to win so even getting 2nd turns into negative press.
Hope this right......didn't check it closely....
Top 10 speed trap
Speed L_Name PLace
----------------------
49.435 ATKINSON 11
48.735 HANNAH 3
48.735 PEAT 1
48.507 MINNAAR 2
48.28 HILL 5
47.612 LOPES 18
47.612 VAZQUEZ 25
47.394 KOVARIK 9
47.394 RANKIN 37
47.178 DELFS 27
Top 10 to split 1
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
74.14 PEAT 1
75.06 BAREL 4
75.15 HILL 5
75.29 MINNAAR 2
75.59 HANNAH 3
76.14 ATHERTON 6
76.38 ATKINSON 11
76.83 KOVARIK 9
76.85 RENNIE 7
77.46 GIORDANENGO 14
Top 10 to Split2
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
112.46 PEAT 1
113.68 MINNAAR 2
113.92 HANNAH 3
113.96 BAREL 4
114.06 HILL 5
115.04 ATHERTON 6
115.56 ATKINSON 11
116.01 KOVARIK 9
116.35 RENNIE 7
116.45 SMITH 10
Top 10 split2 - split1
Secs L_Name Place
-----------------------------
38.32 PEAT 1
38.33 HANNAH 3
38.39 MINNAAR 2
38.49 SMITH 10
38.9 ATHERTON 6
38.9 BAREL 4
38.91 HILL 5
38.93 BLENKINSOP 17
39.05 WARREN 13
39.07 GIORDANENGO 14
Top 20 Final - split2
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
36.7 MINNAAR 2
36.98 LOPES 18
37.1 HANNAH 3
37.21 BAREL 4
37.46 LEOV 8
37.57 GRAVES 12
37.77 GUTIERREZ 20
37.87 PEAT 1
37.88 VAZQUEZ 25
37.96 RENNIE 7
38.05 SMITH 10
38.14 WARREN 13
38.34 KOVARIK 9
38.78 POLC 19
38.8 RANDO 16
38.98 HILL 5
39.21 SALADINI 38
39.21 ATHERTON 6
39.29 STRAIT 15
39.44 GIORDANENGO 14
Top 10 Final-split1
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
75.09 MINNAAR 2
75.43 HANNAH 3
76.11 BAREL 4
76.19 PEAT 1
76.54 SMITH 10
76.57 LOPES 18
76.73 LEOV 8
77.19 WARREN 13
77.39 GRAVES 12
77.46 RENNIE 7
Top 10 Top+Bottom
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
111.99 MINNAAR 2
112.01 PEAT 1
112.27 BAREL 4
112.69 HANNAH 3
114.13 HILL 5
114.81 RENNIE 7
115.05 LEOV 8
115.17 KOVARIK 9
115.35 ATHERTON 6
115.49 GRAVES 12
Top 10 speed trap
Speed L_Name PLace
----------------------
49.435 ATKINSON 11
48.735 HANNAH 3
48.735 PEAT 1
48.507 MINNAAR 2
48.28 HILL 5
47.612 LOPES 18
47.612 VAZQUEZ 25
47.394 KOVARIK 9
47.394 RANKIN 37
47.178 DELFS 27
Top 10 to split 1
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
74.14 PEAT 1
75.06 BAREL 4
75.15 HILL 5
75.29 MINNAAR 2
75.59 HANNAH 3
76.14 ATHERTON 6
76.38 ATKINSON 11
76.83 KOVARIK 9
76.85 RENNIE 7
77.46 GIORDANENGO 14
Top 10 to Split2
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
112.46 PEAT 1
113.68 MINNAAR 2
113.92 HANNAH 3
113.96 BAREL 4
114.06 HILL 5
115.04 ATHERTON 6
115.56 ATKINSON 11
116.01 KOVARIK 9
116.35 RENNIE 7
116.45 SMITH 10
Top 10 split2 - split1
Secs L_Name Place
-----------------------------
38.32 PEAT 1
38.33 HANNAH 3
38.39 MINNAAR 2
38.49 SMITH 10
38.9 ATHERTON 6
38.9 BAREL 4
38.91 HILL 5
38.93 BLENKINSOP 17
39.05 WARREN 13
39.07 GIORDANENGO 14
Top 20 Final - split2
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
36.7 MINNAAR 2
36.98 LOPES 18
37.1 HANNAH 3
37.21 BAREL 4
37.46 LEOV 8
37.57 GRAVES 12
37.77 GUTIERREZ 20
37.87 PEAT 1
37.88 VAZQUEZ 25
37.96 RENNIE 7
38.05 SMITH 10
38.14 WARREN 13
38.34 KOVARIK 9
38.78 POLC 19
38.8 RANDO 16
38.98 HILL 5
39.21 SALADINI 38
39.21 ATHERTON 6
39.29 STRAIT 15
39.44 GIORDANENGO 14
Top 10 Final-split1
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
75.09 MINNAAR 2
75.43 HANNAH 3
76.11 BAREL 4
76.19 PEAT 1
76.54 SMITH 10
76.57 LOPES 18
76.73 LEOV 8
77.19 WARREN 13
77.39 GRAVES 12
77.46 RENNIE 7
Top 10 Top+Bottom
Secs L_Name Place
------------------------------
111.99 MINNAAR 2
112.01 PEAT 1
112.27 BAREL 4
112.69 HANNAH 3
114.13 HILL 5
114.81 RENNIE 7
115.05 LEOV 8
115.17 KOVARIK 9
115.35 ATHERTON 6
115.49 GRAVES 12
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Wow you guys get so angry with each other... E-road rage?
Fitness is not one thing. There is an appropriate fitness for each sport, or sometimes multiple fitness types appropriate for each sport. DH is unique in that there are a variety of tracks that will suit different body types and fitness preparation techniques.
I think it's pretty apparent that Minaarr is the best example of rounded fitness for DH at the moment. He does it by keeping a really high strength to weight ratio. The guy is like 6'3" and 160 pounds of dense ropey pedal his ass of for no more than 10 minutes kinda muscle.
I like Greg's riding style, and I think he is a true professional in his approach to the sport.
That said, I think if Sam trained like Greg for 2 solid seasons we would see a new level in the sport emerge. Sam is not fit to the level of Minnaar, or Gee, or Fabian. Period. Look at 1 picture of Gee or Greg shirt off, nearly skeletal, next to Sam's baby fat belly... No Sam is not a model of fitness for any sport.
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maybe Sam is clean
At first I liked how your post was measured adn level headed with some good points.....but then you said that Sam Hill has a baby belly adn is what chubby or "soft" or what, maybe you haven't seen Sam latley but he aint got 1 gram of anything that aint muslcle or useful body composition. I guarentee you that. But as you said, Sam just aint built to the same Ayran standards of Greg Minnaar...he is however fitter and stronger (in terms of power to weight) then Gee I think.
You don't have to defend him. I'm just implying that either he's decided that the only way to beat people on big masher courses is with the training he does now or he's decided to buy into the hive's mentality that he is an inferior sprinter and just accept it. We are talking about a guy who wears poofy parachute pants on a 6 minute long MSA course like they won't slow him down and then bare knees on a 1 shot, winner take all course. None of it makes sense to me but I could care less as long as I get to watch the kid ride.
Look at it this way. If he were in a video game and you got to pick your rider, your bike and equipment, what would you do? If you pick Sam Hill and had the option to clip him in at Canberra, wouldn't you?
At Sugar Mountain, the section we cut up top had most pros scratching their heads and he treated it like it was a dirt road. Dude's got skillz!
Does this split mean Hill wasn't out of the top ten from the first split to very bottom and that Cody Warren was in? If so, that's a sick stat for Cody.
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Greg is over 85 kgs or 187lbs, which is a healthy weight for a 6ft 3 man, he is in no way skeletal.
Its impossible to compare fitness levels just by looking at slight differences in bodyfat. And even at that sam looks pretty lean to me, check the photos of him in the skinsuit at last years worlds, hes certainly not fat.
The way i see it the fact that he got 5th against guys way bigger than him on such a pedally course, and the fact that he has won at Fort bill and MSA is testament to just how fit he actually is.
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rainbows, men crying, guys with shirts off....
This thread has gone off the rails.
This thread has gone off the rails.
I think this whole fitness thing is being overlooked a bit. Visually looking at someone tells very little about how fit they are at the level those guys are riding, and the obvious shape they already in. Genetics plays a huge role in your maximum output, your vo2, and your endurance. The horsepower guys like Lopes have can be obtained to a certain point with training, but once again genetics plays a role. If Hill and Lopes were to have a sprint contest, and both were trained to the optimum level for sprinting, Lopes would still win the sprint. Natural srength and fitness still plays a huge role in sports although we have come a long way in training, and stregnthing ones weaknesses.
All it needs is some moose knuckle. damn skinsuit banrainbows, men crying, guys with shirts off....
This thread has gone off the rails.
Yes......Cody Warren has had some great splits this year in spots. Just hasn't put together a full run....Does this split mean Hill wasn't out of the top ten from the first split to very bottom and that Cody Warren was in? If so, that's a sick stat for Cody.
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