Took a wrong turn I don't. I was heading for pics of my day....Yes but this is the racing thread. It's not all about you Binners, you know.
DH World Cup thread
- Thread starter R120
- Start date
Mcharza
E*POWAH BOSS
Well huh, for a while I already thought that DH has moved to electric bikes
Going downhill it doesn't matter what it is . Getting to the top is the big problem.Well huh, for a while I already thought that DH has moved to electric bikes
Husky430
E*POWAH Master
Just to do my own bit of name dropping, I took along a Rob Warner "LOOK AT THE TIME!!!!" t-shirt to Hardline Tassie with me hoping to see him and get him to sign it, even came prepared with a brand new permanent marker.
First day there, which was the Wednesday, they must have finished unofficial practice in the early afternoon and who's the first bloke I clock walking down from the track, none other than the man himself, Rob. He couldn't have been any friendlier and was stoked that I'd gone to the trouble to drag one of his shirts along.
Within the next couple of hours I'd managed to get the shirt signed by Tahnee Seagrave, Jackson Goldstone, Laurie Greenland, Elliot Jackson, Wyn and Ed Masters, Jack Moir, Dean Lucas and Gracey Hemstreet who ended up justifyingly the 'Rider of the Week".
All of them were just normal people, happy to interact with punters like myself.
I watched a vodcast after I got back with Sven Martin the world cup photographer and he said how it was really like a world cup of old, GRASSROOTS I think was the term he kept using to describe the event with the riders all relaxed, helping each other sort out the features, camping in tents and generally enjoying themselves.
It was an awesome time and glad the mate and I went for the 5 days and were there to feel the whole event build towards the fantastic final. Can't wait for next year.
First day there, which was the Wednesday, they must have finished unofficial practice in the early afternoon and who's the first bloke I clock walking down from the track, none other than the man himself, Rob. He couldn't have been any friendlier and was stoked that I'd gone to the trouble to drag one of his shirts along.
Within the next couple of hours I'd managed to get the shirt signed by Tahnee Seagrave, Jackson Goldstone, Laurie Greenland, Elliot Jackson, Wyn and Ed Masters, Jack Moir, Dean Lucas and Gracey Hemstreet who ended up justifyingly the 'Rider of the Week".
All of them were just normal people, happy to interact with punters like myself.
I watched a vodcast after I got back with Sven Martin the world cup photographer and he said how it was really like a world cup of old, GRASSROOTS I think was the term he kept using to describe the event with the riders all relaxed, helping each other sort out the features, camping in tents and generally enjoying themselves.
It was an awesome time and glad the mate and I went for the 5 days and were there to feel the whole event build towards the fantastic final. Can't wait for next year.
I went to the first Fort William downhill race a long time ago I can't remember the year . He was still up there with the best of them then .
Last year my boy raced Fort William DH with these guys, in the lift and queue with Minaar, Bruni, Coulanges etc etc.. Doing track-walks with Charlie Hatton. His favourite moment was being at the start gate for practice run 2 and Minaar being behind him. He looks back and says "Errrrm you want to go first", only to be told "no it's OK kid, you look fine"
There was a particular jump at Fort William which he was properly daunted by. As he was coming down he was going to take the chicken line and Bruni and Daprela were standing by the jump "hit it kid, hit it" they shouted.
2023-05-08_07-10-53 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr
2023-05-06_09-33-18 by Steve Weeks, on FlickrWhen we went to Leg Gets for the world champ, he got just about every signature on his DH race jersey from every Pro he wanted apart from Bruni, it's framed and on his wall. (There's a lot more than that, that was day1)
2022-08-27_06-50-55 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr
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Love this sport for so many reasons. The tale above is right to the heart of it. Can't think of any other top level sport where we get to mix with the top guys, like playing football down the park & bumping into Messi. Can you imagine anything like this in F1? Or even road cycling. Ok, road cycling is a bad example, the fans there are mental.
Ridden the other tracks at ft William a few times not even tempted by the main downhill . Never been a jumper to be honest. Les Gets haha I had a activity holiday there many moons ago hired a kona stab downhill bike fantastic area. EnjoyLast year my boy raced Fort William DH with these guys, in the lift and queue with Minaar, Bruni, Coulanges etc etc.. Doing track-walks with Charlie Hatton. His favourite moment was being at the start gate for practice run 2 and Minaar being behind him. He looks back and says "Errrrm you want to go first", only to be told "no it's OK kid, you look fine"
There was a particular jump at Fort William which he was properly daunted by. As he was coming down he was going to take the chicken line and Bruni and Daprela were standing by the jump "hit it kid, hit it" they shouted.
When we went to Leg Gets for the world champ, he got just about every signature on his DH race jersey from every Pro he wanted apart from Bruni, it's framed and on his wall. (There's a lot more than that, that was day1)
The DH is easier than the other option Top Chief
I track walked it with the lad, we went up in Gondola the night before first practice. It was hysterical to see it. Given enough time i could ride 70% of the track... but the other 30% would finish me.
When we were doing the walk we were chatting with Hatton about a particular section
"so we pull off this rock and land there" pointing to a 6" gap between 2 rocks. "what, in that gap there"... "yeah pretty much"
These guys just see things differently to humans. When i do DH tracks with my lad i'll come to a particularly rooty section which is a nightmare, chatting to him about it, "Oh, you don't bother with that, just pop of the first root and you miss them all".. it's so easy in their mind, you just ignore the bad bits and fly over them
Different mindset. I walked up the downhill at Glencoe that looked horrible. When you see it on video it looks a lot tamer. Not for me never was .I track walked it with the lad, we went up in Gondola the night before first practice. It was hysterical to see it. Given enough time i could ride 70% of the track... but the other 30% would finish me.
When we were doing the walk we were chatting with Hatton about a particular section
"so we pull off this rock and land there" pointing to a 6" gap between 2 rocks. "what, in that gap there"... "yeah pretty much"
These guys just see things differently to humans. When i do DH tracks with my lad i'll come to a particularly rooty section which is a nightmare, chatting to him about it, "Oh, you don't bother with that, just pop of the first root and you miss them all".. it's so easy in their mind, you just ignore the bad bits and fly over them
That place scared me enough not even to arrange a ride there.
Up the road a wee bit you can do the Devils staircase and down to Kinlochleven. Not done that for 20 years at least.
I'd love to have more time this year to explore stuff like that, but we're coming back on Monday to Berkshire and heading to Champery on Tues... Going to be a long week that !!! Although we're staying in Morzine for 10 days to help break it up a bit.
Yes great memories of Morzine area biking using chairlifts. Had a Crystal active holiday staying at Les Gets free bike from them and did some Via Ferrata with wife , she went rafting and i went canyoning plenty on offer there and not too costly then Nowadays it would be a fortune . I fancy an Alpine holiday in next couple of years while I am still able. Your a long time dead . Rant over . I got my bike from Berkshire cycles some service I've had from them great shop.
CarolinaCrawler
Active member
My oldest boy and I went to Snowshoe on a whim last year to watch the race. Had the time of our lives. We enjoyed it way more than I ever thought we would. So much so that the entire family are going to MSA this year. It'll be the biggest trip we've ever made as a family, over 1200 miles one way.
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You'll be driving there
CarolinaCrawler
Active member
Yes. We will be driving up for a week. All 6 of us. Its around a 20 hour trip one way. At Snowshoe we went last minute and camped out of the vehicle but this year we got an airbnb. Went ahead and reserved it so it wouldn't get booked.
Yes you don't mind a long drive in USA . Uk traffic is horrendous well i thinkso anyway . Enjoy
JP-NZ
E*POWAH Elite
Stoked to see Pinkbike have restarted their fantasy league!!
Okey dokey, Bernard definitely didn't crash in that race.
Husky430
E*POWAH Master
With only a matter of weeks to go has anyone in Australia worked out the best way to watch it live that doesn't mean subscribing to Fox Sports?
JP-NZ
E*POWAH Elite
Ive been chasing my tail from IMG to UCI who have now told me to contact warner brothers/discovery. Still no idea how we can watch it in NZ. She did say more viewing options will be released this week. I'm happy to pay something!
Not even fox /. Kayo is confirmed yet.
I'm looking squarely at the pirate streams to save our convict arses !
JP-NZ
E*POWAH Elite
Flow covers off Australia's lack of options. Doesn't look like Kayo will get itNot even fox /. Kayo is confirmed yet.
I'm looking squarely at the pirate streams to save our convict arses !
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I was there from Thursday to Monday and camping near the riders, chatted to a lot of them. All friendly and having fun, some not so happy about a couple of logistics with the camping but generally were having fun, ended up in the riders marque for the first after party, they were letting loose and may tables paid the price. Was a brilliant event, I also rode for the 4 days also and it was a awesome trip. recommend for next year.
Some of the first hardline riders were a bit blown away by the scale of the features and thought the top tech was knarley and the highway was apparently the most fun trail ever ridden
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