Looks like there's another International DH race this Thursday? That's going to be hardcore for everyone who raced Leogang, considering most, if not all of them crashed at least once at the weekend.
Anyway, conditions looks appalling based on riders Insta stories of snow covered roads heading there.
I've no idea when practice and Qualifying is, but they're racing Thursday AND Saturday for a double header, at least they get 11 days off then before another double header in the hopefully warmer Lousa Portugal.
Who do we think will happen then? Wilson do a double in (probably) similar conditions, half the field say "oh sod this" and DNS? Will Rachel Atherton turn up, or has she quit for good?
https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-slovenia
Looks like racing Friday and Sunday
Guessing at qualifying Thursday and Saturday, with practice Wednesday and track walk tomorrow?
Also guess that the course will be similar enough that they can do this, but hopefully a few different sections that means there will be a meaningful difference between the races
Last years race.
3 mins for the boys, 3.30 for the girls, so should see most of the runs if it isnt too wet. Seems like potential for different lines down in the woods should they wish.
Lots of roots and dirt but not as steep as Leogang
Any one know if this is going back to Red Bull TV for coverage, or are we going to have to put up with the BBC's utter dog egg coverage??
I watched the world champs on red bull the other day, I'm pretty sure I watched last year's world cup on red bull, this year's is scheduled on their site too... when did you have to watch on BBC?
This is all World Cup racing so will be the usual Redbull coverage.
The action is go!
Actually that's a pretty tame video but bring on Cathrovision, Wyn TV, Vital Raw... We've got it pretty good haven't we?
We’ve got it pretty good haven’t we?
Yeah can’t complain can we?
Looking at Insta Rachel Atherton is still playing with Her Dog back home in Wales so I guess she’s out for 2020.
bring on Cathrovision
Cathro's racing isn't he? Presumably we'll be getting PB Privateer content..
Is Cathro fixed yet?
Is Cathro fixed yet?
The suggestion was that he was, and was going to race, but a post on his FB in the last few minutes says they've decided it's too risky.
They're out in Maribor though, so hopefully we'll get a bit of classic Cathrovision-style coverage!
Nope, he was hoping to race, but he’s spoken to the Doctor and he’s out for the rest of the season.
I've just copied this off FB but it's a post available to all so hopefully I'm not being out of order just paste g this:
Bad news! After check-ups on my neck it has been decided that it would be too risky to race the upcoming world cups. If I was to have another crash on my head there would be a much higher chance of damaging my spinal cord which would potentially cause paralysis. Not a risk I or anyone else should be willing to take. A bit more time and I’ll be good to go! #WTT2021
I am out in Maribor with the dream team (@maxxrendall & @angushardie) and we’ve got some sick plans. We’ll be helping out Scottish privateers @jamie_edmondson and @mikaylaparton with pit space, wrenching and trackside line info while documenting their races.
Also, in a wild turn of events, racers @oliverzwar and @benzwar have lost their bikes on the flight over to Maribor so I’ve lent them my bike until their’s arrive. Will be so cool seeing George actually getting ridden at a World Cup!
We’ll be documenting it all for Walk The Talk as well as producing some @pinkbike RAW and Inside The Tape vids. #LetsGo!
Aaron Gwinn last in qualis...forecast to rain tomorrow.
Aaron Gwinn last in qualis…forecast to rain tomorrow.
timed training, not qualifying.
Looks like we've got a proper race on our hands. Let's hope the weather doesn't turn it into another embarrassing gong-show.
Just watched Gee Athertons track-ride. It's one of them tracks i actually think i could potentially even get down.... at about 1/4 of their speed 😀
Very unlikely it will turn into anything like Leogang - that was fresh cut.
This has been ridden for a year - some for much longer. You can see that it's coped with rain before and it's formed channels and run down like a stream. Very hard-packed dirt.
Greasy roots will be tricky though, but still absolutely nothing like last weekend.
It actually looks fun to ride. It reminds me of the Pleney. It's making me sad that I don't own a DH bike and I'm at least 10 months away from actually riding any DH tracks.
Looks awesome, would love to ride some of that (slowly and badly)
Just watched Gee Athertons track-ride. It’s one of them tracks i actually think i could potentially even get down…. at about 1/4 of their speed 😀
The huge high speed rock garden is IMO one of the most iconic features on the WC circuit, along with the upper straights of MSA and the Nissan jump at fort bill
I've always wanted to have a go at the rock garden and wondered if I'd just mince down it or get off the brakes, but its high consequence
Maribor looks like one of the most fun WC tracks to ride, cos of its undulations / pump track nature
yes the rockgarden is high consequence 🙂
I didn't really enjoy leogang, so am looking forward to some actual sense of speed this time
Just gone thru the pink bike practice photos
Brook McDonald with a head torch eh
Can't wait for this I can watch during a work day, cant say that's happened before
Redbull interface as ever is pish, trying to find this now, times etc.
Good job by the Brits in quali. Hope it carries through to the race!
Aye, superb again.
Danny harts pit area must be interesting....🙈
Qually
1st. Reece Wilson: 3:08.068
2nd. Thibaut Daprela: +2.841
3rd. Matt Walker: +5.046
4th. Loris Vergier: +5.325
5th. Remi Thirion: +5.663
What a photo!
Couple of big time gaps on a track like that. It'll be closer tomorrow!
Fairclough not bothering with World Cups this year then?
Liked Gees track preview. He really has to keep the Atherton bikes name going if Rachel does knock it on the head as far as DH goes.
This looks like a completely different track today. Speeds have gone down a lot. There's some very cautious riding in this video compared to the absolute ragging it we saw yesterday. Rain on hardpack with greasy mud being dragged over the roots and rocks.
I've got a bloody zoom meeting tomorrow that is going to start right around the top 20 riders!
You'll have to do the old change your zoom username to 'unable to connect'. You're in the clear! Unless you're hosting it obvs
A guy I know is out there at the race, his IG story showed appaling rain and mini streams running through the mud.
Should be good!
what time does it start? womens and mens please 🙂
Women's starts at 12.30, last women down 1.13
Men start at 1.30, top 20 starts at 2.30, last man down is 3.34pm
I'd imagine this is CET? But I've just checked and CET is same as GMT currently
I'm happy for Jamie Edmondson - 18th qualifying, just ahead of Gain, in his first ever elite men's race....
@fingerbang - don't forget we're still on BST not GMT, so we're an hour behind
Junior men already on track!
Top 3 junior men about to start
https://www.uci.org/mountain-bike/news/2020/live-mercedes-benz-uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-maribor-dhi-round-1
oooooh blimey - that was a tight fight in the end!
No sign of the Gold and Silver World Champ medallists on the Junior Women's start list 🙁
Coverage just started. Look at the state of Rob... do you think its a bit wet again!
massive crash for the norwegian. hells bells
Millie johnsets run is worth watching if you like rhythmic gymnastics.
ffs . see seagrave's start, then it cuts to 2 minutes later. feels almost pointless watching this
Tahnees case was fantastic. You've got to see it.
awesome nose manual
You can't not hit that gap jump and expect to win, the chicken line is massive.
Always good to watch women as they ride like mortals rather than those men superfreaks
Running wet screams on that rock garden makes me feel anxious
i find it kinda frustrating though that they do ride like mortals. marine cabirou was great to watch mind
I wish it would keep raining, the track is turning into a quagmire again. They can barely even roll over the finish line. It's going to be miserable for the fastest men if it keeps drying out.
I know, it'd be an amazing and tight dry race
That flat corner at the top looks treacherous but we can expect some good flat
turn technique from the guys
Sector 2 has no cameras at all as far as I can see and it's where Nicole and seagrave lost all their time
They seem to have pretty much the entire bottom half of the track covered with cameras though which is good after last weekend.
Yep, I think its going to reward pure brute power at this rate - which of the men have saved their energy over the past few days, are in good shape, and which are the proper big lads who can engage full beast mode, maybe one of the older guys, Gwin, Gee, Greg? (Is G a thing!)?
I can't see Gwin battling for the podium - not really his favourite conditions and I don't know if it's the bike he's struggling with or just struggling to put a full run together, but he's not really there any more, is he? Agree it might reward the experienced riders, though.
Agree that the women's race was a bit so-so as they looked so 'normal'. Something is missing from their field somehow, not just Rachel but after a few years where it was really closing up it seems to be getting more spread out and more about who is just having a good day on the bike. Hopefully it's just a symptom of so long without any racing this year.
Looking forward to the men's race though, really want Minnaar to grab a win and I think that's conditions and track play well for a level head, smooth style and experience.
Brilliant intro from Warner and Claudio 😂
I was hoping Minaar would do something in Leogang, and agree I'd like to see him up there.
Gwin, Gee, Greg? (Is G a thing!)?
I know what you're saying about the advantage of an experienced rider, but no offence to Gee, but he's not in that league anymore. He's not graced the podium at a WC in 5 years, he's not really a top 20-ish rider these days.
I'm not sure about that. I think it'll be another outing for the bad weather riders. The podium is going to be purely franco-brit. Wilson is on a roll, Daprela should he have a clean run is going to be on one of the steps. Bruni and Loris will be up there. Thirion and Walker, too. Moir and Trummer will be representing the Rest of the World in the top 10.
Yep, I think you're right ocrider
Reece out with a crash earlier this morning, big shame 🙁
Really gutting about Reece
Reece Wilson not running.
Gutted. That's pretty much killed my interest.
"What a bummer"
Great commentary.
Aw man that's a pity. I was pretty sure he was going to repeat his performance from the other day.
I'll have to rethink my podium. 100% français now and a second Aussie in the top dix.
I can see someone getting hurt here with a slide-grip-eject crash throwing them 8 feet up into a tree trunk...
**** me. Zabjek came close there ^^^^.
Gutted. That’s pretty much killed my interest.
It's ok they haven't cancelled the race. Plenty of other awesome riders to watch.
Injured in 'training', Shandro is saying he slid off a berm but I didn't think they were practising this morning, the junior women were on course pretty early
Shaw just put a cracker of a run down.
Warner just said rumour of Vergier on Trek next season. Interesting
Greg = GOAT.
Cracking run by Greg into hotseat! When will he lose it?!
A lovely controlled run for Greg there, good to watch.
Hell of a body slam against that tree for Finn, got to hurt!
