We would need a location with the infrastructure to host a World Cup. Oh wait a minute we have all that from the 1980 Winter Olympics and the 5 World Cup Events Whiteface does each winter. Just a matter of time.
World Cup #2 - La Bresse, France
- Thread starter - seb
- Start date
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seespotendo
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I remember that race, I was like 7ish when my dad took me. It was an awesome race in my book at that time. haha.
The track in Labrisse looks like it could be super fun to watch certain sections of (grassy off-camber corners) but for the entire track to be like that is a little discerning! The riders want to be challenged and the public want something inspiring to watch. This is not that. (This is all assuming that the helmet cam is indeed the track we will see the race on). I'm actually hoping it rains, a lot. Should make it more interesting and remind me of the wet French race from the '99 '00 WC season (somewhere around there)
think this track isnt very interesting?
wait for andorra
snow world cups!
wait for andorra
Can I steal this for a Transcend update?think this track isnt very interesting?
wait for andorra
snow world cups!
if you want
Well, if we all spend Thursday drinking at Podium and then all walk the course and try and write out names in the snow...
weather is getting better this week so enough should be melted to provide a full track, not going to be nice sitting around taking photos though ha
Thanks Ronan. I leave in an hour for the airport. What is the weather like temperature wise? Do I need to pack warm gloves/jacket etc as well?
weather will be ok tomorrow i think, pretty cloudy today
its probably safer to bring a jacket and maybe some gloves as of the altitude and it can be cold in the mornings if the sun doesn't come out (if you were there last year im sure you know what its like)
also, i never took the photo, so i feel bad that im taking credit for it on the website! it was just sent to me via e-mail
theres a foot of snow on the mountain. bring shorts
think this track isnt very interesting?
wait for andorra
snow world cups!
Oh man, anyone else here remember Big Bear '98. several feet of snow pack up top and 2 feet of snow first day of practice. the hand shoveled the entire track over night and it was hog wild. up top it was like slot car racing on bikes with 4 foot vert walls of snow inches away from your handlebars and by race day it was an absolute muddy mess at the bottom; people were losing shoes. glad I did it once, but wouldn't look forward to it the second time.
oh yea, and going snow-blind in the open slopes meant a few second of no vision when the track dropped back into black mud in the woods.
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Big Bear circa 1998:
Palmer
Palmer
I remember the big bear race in one of the movies from that year. I sure was fun to watch.
Im arriving CDG Paris 7am Thursday. Before i begin to surf the french SNCF rail and TGV sites just checking to see if anyone driving from Paris to Labresse same day. Or if someone has plotted this out already let me know. cheers
Is there the possibility UCI cancel that race??think this track isnt very interesting?
wait for andorra
snow world cups!
Got nothing on the '95 NORBA @ Mammoth (pretty much a World Cup with all the players in town for the Big Bear WC the following week). There were like 10' walls lining much of the lower course (Kamikaze course). They had some crazy groomer/snow cutter machine cut the path down the course. I felt like I was in Star Wars or Tron going down it. We were going up the lift with skiers and some skiers were even gapping over the course.
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So stoked on a real track. Yeah!
Oh, and the weather here in france is completely overcast and rain is being forecast for the weekend. Nice on Thursday.
But according to the internets the course is lame and pedally (even though the guys in the crappy helmet cam vid are almost always coasting)
I done saw it wit my own eyes...everyone will be in for a big surprise if they thought it had a lot of pedaling!But according to the internets the course is lame and pedally (even though the guys in the crappy helmet cam vid are almost always coasting)
Short and open enough for some cool freecaster coverage...I don't think anyone will be upset waking up early to watch this one.
irate2:..and with the ground saturated the course is going to get ridiculous....
in fairness, the first impression people are getting (from the video) is a 300 meter (approx.) nearly straight grass sprint.....but the rest of the course looks like it is going to chop up nice....
Found on farkin.net forum:
"Just got word from Rhys and the guys had a chance to ride the track before they shut it down to prepare it for racing. Rhys said that it's a really steep, fast track. Laurie, Tamryn and Rhys are really looking forward to racing this track. I guess the helmet cam doesn't show how steep the track really is. "
Rhys is a fast young dh rider from AUS.
"Just got word from Rhys and the guys had a chance to ride the track before they shut it down to prepare it for racing. Rhys said that it's a really steep, fast track. Laurie, Tamryn and Rhys are really looking forward to racing this track. I guess the helmet cam doesn't show how steep the track really is. "
Rhys is a fast young dh rider from AUS.
Now lets hope there are some more cameras than in South Africa.
I remember some epic racing in 90s on super muddy WC tracks with some great crashes and the top guys showing proving that mud is not a problem.
I remember some epic racing in 90s on super muddy WC tracks with some great crashes and the top guys showing proving that mud is not a problem.
Will be interesting to see what happens if it rains, might see some better results from guys like Gracia, Pascal and a few of the others who always seem to get along well with the mud.
And of course there's that other guy who rode the last steep muddy wc track faster than everyone else did in the dry . . . .
And of course there's that other guy who rode the last steep muddy wc track faster than everyone else did in the dry . . . .
I got a message from a fried who is on site now. Apparently the track is steep and mega technical, with lots of grassy off camber (for now). He says it will be an absolute mess in the rain. I cannot wait, woo woo!
LitterOTB is open for La Bresse:
http://www.littermag.com/2009/LitterOTB/2009-La-Bresse-World-Cup/labressewebcast.htm
CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!!!
http://www.littermag.com/2009/LitterOTB/2009-La-Bresse-World-Cup/labressewebcast.htm
CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!!!
and still didnt win
But he made history. Maybe even more than the winner did.
yeah he was stupid fast, but who remembers who came in 3rd in the Daytona 500?...can you "make history" by not winning?
Heck, I don't know who came in first in the Daytona 500!
But I think most folks that follow WC dh are aware of and will remember the smackdown Sam pulled at Champery.
dont you watch the ESPN?
Cole Trickle won.
Mention Champery and the name that comes to mind won't be Matti Lehikoinen.
And to answer your second question, yes. Two of the greatest displays of bike riding ever were Hill's runs at Champery and Val de Sol. It's only a matter of time before he pulls off a ride like that and wins. Probably the only guy with a chance to beat Kovarik's winning margin at Ft. William '02
Back on topic a bit, that track looks like it might suit a lot of the British riders quite nicely. Especially if it's wet
Oh it WILL be wet. Only sun in forecast is thursday.
