Its got some Finale vibes about it.
DH World Cup thread
- Thread starter R120
- Start date
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
I do think the Hardline results from the Frameworx team put more than a few of the other teams on high alert for the DH season...
NOt really, Asa was and is always going to be fast. I don't think he'll win a race this year though
Yeah but you would say that wouldn't you. Realistically, Gwin ain't winning & nor is Alonso, Anna will be up against super stiff competition & Asa is a rookie. Undeniable talent in the team which itself also doesn't have anything like the resources of for example, the last team that sent a rookie to the top & it's a very long season. People should be wary of falling for their inbuilt biases.
I have biases ? Ummmm you've lost me.
With Jackson, Ronan, Pierron, Vergier, Bruni etc, then throwing in the Alran boys if we're looking at Juniors, then once you add in the other 15 who are stupid fast, i don't think Asa will get a win. He'll deffo get a top 5.... maybe a top 3....
Phew
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Well, he's been faster than the pros at numerous races. And Gwin's performance suggests that the bike might be getting dialed. I'm confident he'll win at least one or two.
CarolinaCrawler
Active member
Aaron Gwin is most definitely a smart man. He is also a very competitive man. I don't think he'd be racing if he didn't think he could win. I believe that he found himself 2 seconds off pace last season and he admitted to only giving 15-20%. He said multiple times that he ONLY rode the downhill bike for racing all last season. With him going to Frameworks that allows him to get back to being Aaron Gwin the racer and focus 100% on racing. He's been around a long time and has the formula worked out on how to get prepared. I wouldn't underestimate him this season. I truly don't believe he would be racing if he didn't think he could win. He has to many irons in the fire to dedicate this much time to racing for a fools errand.
Well, he's been faster than the pros, 5 hours and 200 runs more down the track before them. Plenty recently have come out of Juniors and into Elites on a high but they rarely set the world on fire as much as you'd think. It could be more bikes down the track, could be more pressure, not really sure. But it's rare they'll come out and be as quick in Elites as they were in juniors.
Even riders like Jordan Williams who came out of the blocks hard with a win, then struggled with injuries and form afterward.
I mean at the end of the day, Asa wasn't even the fastest junior lol. Why on earth anyone would think he'll just come in and beat the Elites is beyond me. I do think he'll go well though. But he's playing with the big boys now.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
He'll also be a good influence on the young guns, similar to the way Minnaar was.
That I agree with. However, I'd say Max Commencal will play the same role with Max Alran who will be the new guy to watch.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Max and Till have huge upside.
I think the Alran brothers are on the same page as Asa. It will be an exciting DH season
Great looking lineup for Crankworks DH in Christchurch NZ
It was a good watch though, and Bernie certainly recovered well from that slip in the house.
Roger certainly took his thump well. That looked painful, but he kept going.
Roger took both doubles high up & I reckon could have won if he'd only stayed upright. There is something that grates with BK, the whole brand building, yo, yo yo thing would be easier to swallow if he ever got somewhere with his actual job. I'm probably being harsh but I want the guy to win something first & show me his lifestyle second but mostly win something. He's got all the skills but that thing in the house is symptomatic, an unforced error no one else made.
I know what you mean with BK. I feel similarly about Matt Jones, but still enjoy their content and to be honest I feel like success might somehow ruin the spectacle.
well Kerr has won Crankworx, he's won Hardline and had podiums at World Cup level. I mean, that's pretty darn good IMO
He doesn't do a lot for me in terms of watchability and persona, but i can't fault his racing results.
To play devil's advocate, you can nuance his results. Crankworx is very much a second string series & his Hardline wins are arguably in the realms of the flat track bully when you look at the field. As I say, probably being a little harsh & I'm aware I'm the guy on the sidelines who con't get down a hill without ending up in A&E half the time.
To defend him more, you only have to look at some of the riders like Finn Iles who's massively struggled lately, Jordan Williams, Ethan Craik and even some of the massive riders like Vergier at times.To play devil's advocate, you can nuance his results. Crankworx is very much a second string series & his Hardline wins are arguably in the realms of the flat track bully when you look at the field. As I say, probably being a little harsh & I'm aware I'm the guy on the sidelines who con't get down a hill without ending up in A&E half the time.
The levels of FAST is just utterly insane nowdays where it's sooooooo hard to even qualify,
Well the wc qualy changes have certainly thrown a spotlight on more than a few riders but I can't disagree with much of that save to say none of those names are running around with a film crew in tow making themselves hostages to fortune which is the frustrating aprt for me.
I get you, but tend to see the other side of the coin that these media types in their own way are increasing the viewerbase within the world, bringing in other sponsors and getting a little bit more exposure for MTB. Even just by hitting the race yesterday, if a few more people tell a few more and a few more.... we have a growing sport. MTBing and DH for me is a really weird sport that LOTS of people cycle, but so so few are aware of it as a sport. Which means prize money is low, sponsorship outside the industry is low, meaning there's no money for anyone apart from a chosen few.
Out of all the social media specialists, i struggle with most of them personally and only really Brendog sort of appeals to me. But the riding of Kilian Bron for example is top of my list to watch.
Yes but Killian often wins. 
That's a fair point though, I remember being shocked to discover Amaury getting something like £2k for a world cup win. Hard to think of many global sports paying less at the elite level. On that side of it, you do actually have to credit BK who tried to form a union during the WBD takeover but gave up in the face of apathy from his colleagues. I do think the UCI exploit this. Young riders with little world experience & next to no interest in business, who would do it for free & half the time, do exactly that. While there evidently isn't huge money in it & most teams are in it for the marketing, I struggle to accept the reward structure is an accurate reflection of the funding.
That's a fair point though, I remember being shocked to discover Amaury getting something like £2k for a world cup win. Hard to think of many global sports paying less at the elite level. On that side of it, you do actually have to credit BK who tried to form a union during the WBD takeover but gave up in the face of apathy from his colleagues. I do think the UCI exploit this. Young riders with little world experience & next to no interest in business, who would do it for free & half the time, do exactly that. While there evidently isn't huge money in it & most teams are in it for the marketing, I struggle to accept the reward structure is an accurate reflection of the funding.I'm going to send you a VERY interesting PM, sadly it's things i can't say here...Yes but Killian often wins.
I agreed with @Weeksy, whether you like them or not, BK and Matt Jones are 2 of the biggest UK promoters of the sport and that is only a good thing in my eyes. They have both also managed to make a successful living from the sport by utilising and growing their following. And after they have both "retired" I'm sure they will continue to do so. Unfortunately, not many riders at the top of the game now will be able to do so.
They're both characters and loud, which will always grate on some people, but if they weren't they wouldn't have the following they have. I personally like them both, but dip in and out of their content. Otherwise it would be a bit much
They're both characters and loud, which will always grate on some people, but if they weren't they wouldn't have the following they have. I personally like them both, but dip in and out of their content. Otherwise it would be a bit much
Blimey!
I recall MJ saying he'd made ridiculous dollar out of Youtube, something like £500k from digging up his garden during lockdown. The slopestye/freeride guys definitely appeal to the legions of kids on Youtube. The racers are a more niche audience by definition but to clarify, I have nothing against BK other than the cuffs don't match the collar but that's my hang up, not his.
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