[Closed] Is Sam the new Claudio?

I doubt it - it wasnt finished - nor was it following another rider - can't see Sams being used for the official course preview - other than early access...and come on - it was as e-dh-bike - so no - its not even allowed? is it? 😉

I think he was ok

Course look amazing, can't wait to see Claudio's preview.

Course looks like its still being built, looks prety savage though. Didnt like the urban stuf at the end mind.

Yep not sure the urban section adds anything... But the rest of the course looks fun.

Be interesting to see what the riders who can say what they think make of it. Has a WC DH ever had an urban section before? I cant think of one.

Look beautiful either way.

Epic. Insane. Insane...errr...

Only nearly killed two hapless villagers, too.

Course looks great though.

Looks nice and rocky but I agree the alleyway bit is bizarre.

Maybe they're going to cover that in rocks as well though.

Course does nothing for me, thought it looks a samey. don't like the urban bit either and Sam on an ebike makes my teeth hurt.   Good times!

quote Only nearly killed two hapless villagers, too. quote

Yes his videos have form for arsing around near pedestrians unfortunately.

Re. the urban section. Whats the health and safety implications I wonder, going warp speep between two vertical concrete walls, hard to marshall and get to rider if an issue I imagine.

Re. the urban section. Whats the health and safety implications I wonder, going warp speep between two vertical concrete walls, hard to marshall and get to rider if an issue I imagine

Check out the Taxco Urban DH. There's a whole series of stuff like this. When stuff goes wrong, it goes wrong big,  amazing to watch though. Some of Metailler's POV runs are frankly terrifying.

Health and safety -- downhill racing, what??

Not impressed by this video, does nothing for Sam's image, riding is poor, track is very poor all I can think about the urban section is that they'll fill it with man made gap jumps etc.

Ditch the E bike and get back to what you're rightly famous for Sam.

Rocky!!

Health and safety — downhill racing, what??

THats what they'd have you believe, but all those guys with whistles and flags trackside, kind of hard to place them in an alleyway. I'd much rather crash and slide on mud and rocks than be straight into a concrete wall!

I believe other races held at the venue finish at the marina as indicated here by Mr Pilgrim.. but yet the Spec Gravity team recently did pre season work there and Loic mentioned it being "only a 2 minute track" (its on a video interview) with no reference to any urban sections. That would by my reckoning see a finish area BEFORE the street section, somewhere around the first car park area Sam comes across.

Has the track layout been officially released by the UCI? people seem to be quick to complain about an apparent street section and i suspect if that was the case with the opening round at a brand new unproven track..we would have heard about this a LONG time ago.

Not sure crashing in the urban section is really worse than crashing in the narrow rocky section with the dry stane dyke down the side? A wall's a wall, just one is smoother than the other.

I like it, it's really different- there were a few bits where I was just thinking "what an odd track", which I reckon is actually pretty good, odd means interesting. Certainly adds a lot of variety to the dh circuit, even if it doesn't include the urban bit. Not sold on Sam's commentary, it's nice to have more of an outsider though. (The adventure show sent one of their presenters down fort william and he spent the entire descent looking like death was inevitable, it was ace)

I don't have much positive to say about that track, Sam's riding or the bike. On the upside though, the views and marina looked ace. Be an awesome place for holiday by the looks of it.

Haibike are out there doing some photo shoots I believe so Sam is just there for that would be my guess.

I think the course looks terrible: The rocky bit up top was good but it just peters out to nothing. The urban bit at the end has only been tacked on to ensure the course is long enough. As it is, I think I'm right in saying it's the shortest track on the WC circuit.

I'm certainly not adverse to having urban parts on a DH course: In fact, I love the urban DH races, but they have to offer something of interest, rather than 30-40 seconds of flat pedalling.

And Sam is certain no Claudio.

riding is poor

I'm sure he'd appreciate some riding tips in the comments from the stw riding gods

Looks tough course - 60 seconds of arm pump followed by an uphill and a flat sprint.  I hope the racers have been training hard.

My money is on a high pivot bike for the win.

Riding tip for Sam;

Don't do anymore course previews, stick to what you're good at!

How's  that?

Not really.  Ranieri won the league but Allardice will be lucky to stay up this year.

I like it, it’s really different- there were a few bits where I was just thinking “what an odd track”, which I reckon is actually pretty good, odd means interesting.

I thought the same, the urban bit could have done with a few more features jumps/steps etc but it makes a nice change from the usual tracks.