You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Can we have a thread for those of us who follow the world cup?
Come here to post predictions, gossip, conspiracy theories, let the riders know how you'd ride it given your years of experience, then post loads of 'oof' and 'arghhh' during the live feed.
Track walk was today. Training starts tomorrow. It's been a long wait...
The weather looks suspiciously nice. The limestone track really doesn't hold up when it's wet and last time (2017 I think) it started peeing down in the middle of the race.
Eagerly awaiting Cathro's in depth analysis.
I'm eager to see how Laurie does on his first race on the Santa Cruz. Also looking forward to see how Reece Wilson does this season.
I would absolutely love to see Tahnee Seagrave have a great season, I feel like she was on fire a few seasons back but hasn't been able to capitalise on Rachel being away. The women's DH seems to be hard to be call at the moment. Will Rachel come back?
Hope that Reece Wilson can string some results together. He can go as fast (faster?) as the best so hoping he’s on form.
I'm sure I read somewhere it was forecast to rain during the elite finals but it's a forecast so who knows.
Would love to see Greg get another race win.
As for predictions I'll go with Loic and Myriam for the wins this weekend and go as far to say the overalls as well!
I'm away with work so will have to watch highlights later.
I've just realised now that I'm Instagram free (6 months clean) I have no idea what all the individual riders are up to. I thought Rachel was racing but I haven't heard anything yet. Is she even there?
I'd love to see Tahnee Seagrave have a good season but she always seems to be fighting a real mental battle. It's like she hates racing and can't just chill out and enjoy it.
Can't wait to see Pierron back at it, fully fit and healthy. I think he's the fastest there is when he's on fire even if Bruni is better at winning races.
My money is on
1-Pompon
2- vali
3- thanee
1-Pierron
2- Reece
3 - loris
Although TBF there are about another 6 names I’d happily swap into the mens top 3
Find it hard to argue with ^.
Daprela will surely be up there though. I'm really hoping Laurie has a good season too.
In fact, I genuinely do not care who wins. I just love watching them hammer down them there hills. And I'm off to Fort Bill for the second time this year!
@sharkattack Rachel isn't on the start list:
https://www.scribd.com/document/566407312/Lourdes-2022-Entry-List
Which is a shame.
Will Rachel be able to race this year? Does she not need point to enter from other events? Unless she has so many and you only loose X amount a year.
More nerdy bike chat
Track walk
Hopefully some Vital Raw by this time tomorrow.
Really looking forward to this season. The number of potential race winners in both classes is as high as I can recall.
I would like to see Vali go well. I think with a bit of confidence she has the ability to take that women's field to a new level.
I think Reece and Laurie will be in the mix, but an on form Amaury is a step above. Finn is my dark horse for this year, he's never fulfilled his potential but one good result could see him get on a roll.
I will also be keeping an eye out for Dom Platt. First year junior who dominated domestically last year, regularly putting in top 10 overalls at national races as an under 16
1 Vali
2 Pom Pom
3 Tahnee
1 Amaury
2 Finn
3 Loris
Really looking forward to this season. The number of potential race winners in both classes is as high as I can recall.
Can't disagree, but I think it's the Frenchies to loose in the men's isn't it? Maybe Vali in the women's perhaps, but with proper team support Hoffman might do well? Like others really excited to see if Reece can string a series of results together without exploding tyres, excited to see what Laurie can do.
Going to be an ace season, I can feel it in me bones
Can’t disagree, but I think it’s the Frenchies to loose in the men’s isn’t it
But which Frenchie...
Young pheobe gale to take the junior women.
Thibault Daprela for me. Just as fast as Amuary, but occasionally looks more in control 🤣
Can't wait, it's the only sport i give a s**t about these days
The henry quinney pinkbike tech talk posted above is excellent
Between RedBull, cathro and Kerr's YouTube channels I've got more excellent content than I can handle
The other thing I can't do without is the race previews on downtime podcast with the Irish coach guy -who really knows his onions
I can't get my head around the last WC round here was in 2017, I thought there'd been loads of rounds there. It seems like a regular on the circuit
Is there a PB Fantasy Group this year?
3 locals riding in Lourdes, Rudy and Marine Cabirou, and Dylan Levesque. Hopefully some good results coming.
I'm going to go out on a limb and call an all French men's podium.
Bruni, Pierron, Vergier, Diprela, Coulanges, not necessarily in that order.
Between RedBull, cathro and Kerr’s YouTube channels I’ve got more excellent content than I can handle
It's quite a time commitment to follow it these days. During those double headers I lost about 5 days of my life to Youtube and RedBull TV! Don't complain though, it might be all we have next year when the main event gets paywalled by a company with zero interest in mountain biking.
Is there a PB Fantasy Group this year?
Who’s in?
https://m.pinkbike.com/contest/fantasy/dh/?joinleagueid=16866
password
sudocreme
+1 looking forward to seeing Pierron riding again
Yes I’m also really excited to see how Daprela gets on, he must be gutted at how last year panned out. Such a brute force style of riding. Hope he can hold it together a bit more this year.
So much 'content'. Give it to me baby
[url= https://i.postimg.cc/qBcB316y/EOs-M8-YGX0-AEI-Rb.pn g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/qBcB316y/EOs-M8-YGX0-AEI-Rb.pn g"/> [/img][/url]
First really good look at the track,
It actually looks like a fun ride at the minute. Sadly, there's rain in the forecast. It could turn into a nightmare.
The vital day 1 footage is bloody great . Wall section carnage, and pierron looking fast
That track looks brutal in places. Sounds brutal too! And nicely evidenced by some tyreless wheels!
That step-down, followed by the whoops, then that right-hander. Very impressive braking skills on display.
Oh, and Laurie's course preview is a bit different to (from?) Cathro's:
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/video-laurie-greenlands-lourdes-course-preview.html
Cannot wait.. track looks great, just hope the rain stays away!
Cathro is out. Doesn't look like a crash but an old injury holding him back.
https://m.pinkbike.com/news/ben-cathro-to-miss-lourdes-dh-world-cup-witth-a-shoulder-injury.html
I'm having trouble telling who anyone is in the footage! It always takes a while to figure out everyone's new look but with so many riders riding identical bikes in matching kit (Trek, Propain, multiple Commencal teams) it's a nightmare.
Half an hour until the women's broadcast starts.. any updates on the weather?
Inside The Tape for some last-minute line choice cramming:
Anyone just getting a holding screen on red bull TV?
Accuweather says 0% chance of rain.
My enthusiasm has been a little dented because I've been up with a poorly baby all night. Waiting for the women to start now.
Anyone just getting a holding screen on red bull TV?
Fine for me (Samsung TV).
Atmosphere is amazing!
Anyone know if Rachel Atherton is racing? I've got her in my Pinkbike fantasy team but she doesn't seem to be anywhere to be found. Also is there an STW fantasy league this year?
That run by Balanche looked fast, I know sometimes that doesn't count for much but she looked really smooth down there.
Anyone know if Rachel Atherton is racing?
No.
Both questions answered above.
The track is looking fast, thankfully looks perfect conditions. Pom-poms run was ragged af, Vali looked knackered by the end. Bring on the mens, going to be brutal.
Has Gee retired or is he still recovering from his crash last year?
SO far so good with my fantasy team...Parton in 11th and Tahnee 3rd. Some decent points!
The track is looking fast, thankfully looks perfect conditions.
Fast, but loose.. the women barely going faster than qualies (if at all).
Pom-poms run was ragged af
Contrasting runs from Cami and Pompon - the latter did well to hold on for 2nd after her 'moment'. Great start to the season for Tahnee!
Is there a gap in the coverage? Mine dropped after the women's finals, there is a link to live coverage but comes up "not available"?
Gee is listed on the Atherton Team, and I think he is planning on racing. I presume he's not quite there physically yet. That crash was possibly one the most terrifying I've seen him have, and he's had some terrifying crashes!
The women's and men's races are separate broadcasts so it stops after the women then restarts for the men. Warner does both but has different pundits alongside him.
Also, that was some great racing. What a start to the season. I cannot believe that save from Pom Pom. Neville Southall would have been proud of that!
Yeah there's a gap for some reason, mens finals are live but n..
Now started.
Broadcast is starting for the men's.
Lourdes looks like a really nice town but I can't help but think the after party must be really weird.
I just end up picturing Rob Warner and Steve Peat partying with a bunch of nuns.
Someone needs a chainsaw put somewhere uncomfortable. Several people actually.
Here comes Minnaar
Someone needs a chainsaw put somewhere uncomfortable. Several people actually.
Yep, it sounds super loud 🙁
I had to disembark the banter bus due to mass illness in the Sharkattack house. I was lucky to get through the race with the volume down while everyone slept.
What an amazing race though. I love seeing Pierron on a charge, he's an absolute freight train. I never understand how the times keep tumbling throughout the top 10 after someone puts down what looks like a winning run. The top riders are on another level.
I wish I could be at the world champs in August.
Wwll my fantasy team is bobbins
Is this the last season for the likes of Gee, Bernard and Brendan ?
The run by Finn looked insane, Aumery's was obviously better and more planted (that save!) but Finn was like a rocket powered pinball!
I was lucky to get through the race with the volume down while everyone slept.
Lucky indeed. Though I can only assume the chainsaw ****ers ran out of juice for their noise boxes towards the end. Just ruined the atmosphere for me tbh, one I could deal with but it was all the way down the course and sounded like a lumberjack convention.
All sorts of issue with the live feed of the men's race (womens was fine) - kept pausing for me. So much so I just left it paused for a while but then when I unpaused it only played from the current time. Ended up sacking it off and watching the replay.
Did I miss Gwin's run or did he not race?
Was great to see DH again, everyone got the same weather conditions too which made for some tighter racing. Top 10 guys are just incredible. Looking forward to Fort William. 🙂
Don't think Gwin raced, certainly don't remember him running.
Course was dry and you could see its taken a hammering. Bring on Ft Bill!
Gwin qualified 35th so he missed the live feed. There was a clip of him at the start. He finished 33rd.
A few years ago I thought he was guaranteed to go sailing past Minnaar's record for most wins. He's had a couple of rough years, I wonder if he can get back on top.
Gwin finished 33rd, he was way off in qualifying so wasn't shown on the live broadcast. He hasn't really been in contention since his shoulder injury
Thanks all. Let's hope with a bit more time on the bike, development etc he's back at the sharp end of things.
I cannot believe that save from Pom Pom
Not heard her nickname before, had to look it up to see who you were on about. My favourite guess was "Pom Pom Pierron". Bit disappointed, tbh.
It's "Pompon".
It’s Pompon is it not? Named after her horse I think?
just finished the replay, crazy atmosphere! some barnstorming rides and Pierron is a monster. And strong ride from Norton which shows the new intense isn't the soviet tank bag of bolts that has been reported. But might just be the rider...
bit weird to see Gee man as the man on the ground, wasn't expecting that
Wow, what a race as always!
What is it with the top riders that they just seem to go to another level on race day.
Real shame for Lori's as it looked like he was probably about to put down a winning run before he washed out.
It's so hard to predict the winners these days for both men and women's races.
Looking forward to Fort Bill now. Fingers crossed this could be Reece Wilson getting a home win!
Pompon
Oops! It certainly is! My apologies to Myriam. It was still a great save.
I was impressed with Kade's time. He seems to have made a fair bit of progress this season. He spent a decent amount of time in that hot seat.
I was impressed with Kade’s time. He seems to have made a fair bit of progress this season.
Yeah, me too. Amazing time, stood for ages.
So, how many people show up versus how many qualify to race?
It's a lot of work if you don't qualify huh...
Oh, and also, how come the lady counts down thirty seconds, then ten, but they go on 5?
Bit rude no? 😉
Oh, and also, how come the lady counts down thirty seconds, then ten, but they go on 5?
Bit rude no?
You can set off any time in that last 5 seconds of the countdown. The clock starts when you trigger the wobbly stick thing.
Any one of the top five guys could've ended up on top of the podium TBH, I was pleased that Daprela seemed Ok after trying to shoulder barge a tree out of the way, aso Fin Iles not crashing and edging Loic by two hundredths was a statement of intent. Good to see Reece and Laurie getting solid places as well, for all the talk of the Frenchies taking over, that was 4 Brits and 4 Frenchies in the top ten.
Just spotted this thread. George is doing a pair of articles for every round of the WC:
Great watch that. Some great skills on display as always. I didn’t have an issue with the feed but only remembered it was on after the men had started.
Was it just me who thought there was something a bit off with the coverage? There just wasn't any sense of speed or didn't show the technical difficulty for me, can't quite put my finger on it but thought they might not have got the camera placements right, even when the riding was on the edge it just all felt a bit tame.
Maybe it's just because it's the first round, but compared to the last few events their was really no feeling of tension or peril.
Top half looked steep and technical to me, and judging by the mid-race interview with Kade any faster would've been risky. Excellent first stage to the series.
There just wasn’t any sense of speed or didn’t show the technical difficulty for me
I though the coverage was pretty good (watching it on catch up, perhaps it as different?) i thought it was spectacular stuff frankly, thought all the top 10 were clearly going flat out!
Nice highlight reel here.
The winners are revealed in the clip if you've not watched it yet.
I would post the winning run pov but then that would be a blatant spoiler too.
Seek it out though. It is pure 😳
I think we can do spoilers in the thread aslong as the title of the thread itself isn't a spoiler!
Eight weeks 'till the next race though.
When is Rachel Atherton returning ?
Great result for Tahnee Seagrave - odly not much coverage for her
Little bit of info on a few things mentioned above…
I think Gee was just covering for Lauren who usually does the finish line interviews, not 💯 sure but think she had Covid. Gee’s not fully recovered yet.
Thibaut is fine. Disappointed, but fine.
Benoit’s run was wild. So wild that I messaged him about it as it didn’t look right compared to all the other riders. He said he was struggling as he chose the wrong settings on the rear shock so…
MSP
Full MemberWas it just me who thought there was something a bit off with the coverage? There just wasn’t any sense of speed or didn’t show the technical difficulty for me
Had plenty of both in my opinion. This isn't a Val Di Sole type track though, so if expecting that it would look and feel quite different.
Also, if you want it to look harder make sure to watch the earlier runners. That's where the hard looking crashes and sketchy moments tend to happen
Finn Iles and Camille Balanche both looked proper fast, I agree the speed gate really didn't seem to correlate with the footage though.
The speed gate, the "virtual straight", and the "key section" all seem to have little relation to who actually wins, so I think they are either located in idiotic places, or the technology doesnt work properly.