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Well this should be interesting. Wonder how muddy it'll be. Thought there was going to be 5 Stages. No hope, no hully, no slab.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=748023658645414&id=496050647176051
Stages!
All stages are 2-3mins long and generally downhill.
Stage 1
"Snake" A lovely flowing start to the XC trails and our stage 1. Blue grade trail starting right by the car park. Limited spectator points. Please stick to the trail for the stage if you see a shortcut we haven't taped it still stick to the trail (Other stages normal line choice will be available).
To session S1 - turn left at the end follow the fire roads back to the start.
Stage 2
"LoaMUDaeddon A 100% off piste and fresh cut line, running on the same hillside as Circle and Rocky road its easy to ride back round for another go. You'll be pumping your way through lovely loam, and the stage is well drained but it will be much trickier if its a wet weekend and 300+ people practising and racing it. Steepest bit is the final section to keep you concentrating to the end.
To session S2 - on your way to stage 3 you will pass the start of stage 2 start if you want to get an additional practice run in.
Stage 3
"Home baked" Tight and twisty descent on the red grade XC loop, the first volunteer built section and still a firm favourite among riders. We have added a fresh cut section that starts a couple of corners before "the staircase" and rejoins before the fire road. You'll dive off the fire road back into the woods for the short section of natural trail we have used before.
To session S3 - follow the fire roads back past S2 start, and then join the normal transition.
Stage 4
"Gas to Flat" A route down through the downhill lines. All above the fire road is different from previous stages, your missing drop #1 but hitting drops #2 & #3 (alternative line marked) then turning a sharp right onto some new bits before a tight left to switch between lines. The lower 2/3rds is similar to previously used descending through the lower woods all the way to the stream.
To session S4 - follow the normal transition from the bottom of the stage.
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I'm not that keen on the snake, looking forward to the other 3 stages though 🙂
Looks more XC than enduro IMO, hardtail fun.
Edit. Apart from the last bit of course.
Looking forward to it... Going up Saturday AM to get a bit of practice in and then Sunday morning for a quick ride around before retiring to the van for cups of tea and biscuits before the racing starts 🙂
I can't help but feel a little hard done by, by virtue of the fact loads of riders will have practised the stages to death come Sunday. Makes it slightly unfair for people like me whom will be arriving solely on race day. I know it's an 'open forest' so makes it's next to impossible to fence off sections, but I just fancied having a moan about it!!! (I'm british after all!!) still looking forward to it, biggest class of the day tho!!!
I can't help but feel a little hard done by, by virtue of the fact loads of riders will have practised the stages to death come Sunday. Makes it slightly unfair for people like me whom will be arriving solely on race day. I know it's an 'open forest' so makes it's next to impossible to fence off sections, but I just fancied having a moan about it!!! (I'm british after all!!) still looking forward to it, biggest class of the day tho!!!
I could go and practice but im saving my legs. Looks like a lot of pedalling to me.
If you've riden Gisburn before then really you don't need more than the one or two practices on Sunday morning.
I moaned about this on FB but to be honest, having done a few of the races last year, a mornings practice (if you get there early) is enough. I'm only going up Saturday to have a ride through everything once and have a bit of a play on the DH line which I've never done before before doing the same on Sunday.
And in reality, I suspect a majority of riders will be riding it for the first time on Sunday morning...
And in reality, I suspect a majority of riders will be [s]riding[/s] sliding it for the first time on Sunday morning
Going to leave my 2.4" front tyre on and hope I float over it all on stage 2 😯
Assuming it's not as flat as it looks in the video, stage 2 looks good fun.
Last weekend's Haigh Hall XC gloopfest should have sharpened up my mud skillz.
Not a fan of the snake stage if I'm honest, just find it really difficult to get and keep speed. Reserving judgement on the second stage, looking forward to 3 and 4 though!
Really glad I spent half a day practicing the hope line 😕
Not a bad line up really thinking the fresh cut stuff will be pretty slippy but that'll add to the fun. Loved the Home baked stage last year so that'll be good again. Just sunday morning practice for me too.
I did a good few hope line last weekend as well Tom, good fun anyway.
ive had a little practice. racing the snake out of the stone circle trail head was hard work, pretty pedally! although i tried to give it full welly all the way to the dam but thankfully the stage is only as far as the fire road. stage 2 i didnt do but stage three is the same as Homebaked last year, with the little bit through the woods at the bottom. total slopfest in there! stage 4 is the DH line, i had a couple of goes taking different lines as i couldnt be sure which they would use, very boggy in the woods and the bottom part of stage 4 after crossing the fire road is the same as last years too which is probably my fave bit. Hope line didnt really seem in very good nic so not surprised its out, plus this means theres two fewer climbs up hamburger hill which suits me!
Yeah I tweeted to Hope about their sponsored line just the other day. Third slab after the drops is in a serious need of repair and fill.
That stage 4 will be a demanding way to finish the day. Stage 2 looks like it will be fun. Isn't that stage 3 the same stage as the last PMBA race at Gisburn that was fairly easy.
Alas I wont be able racing this weekend 🙁 work commitments.
Stage 3 this year was stage 2 last year.
Snake as stage 1 is supposed to be a technically easy start to the whole grass roots series, and yes the second half is a pedal. However overall the stage is about flow and carrying speed.
Stage 2 has an average gradient of 8% according to Strava, biggest thing here is pumping over the whoops and winding between the trees.
https://www.strava.com/segments/8952987?filter=overall
Stage 3 is different from previously used, with a new fresh cut section (on the video) before the fire road crossing into the previously used natural section.
Stage 4 is different again from used before, missing drop 1 and 4, doing 2 and 3 with a couple of tight turns to swap between the left and middle line to avoid drop 4.
Have to mix it up to what was used before, stages 1 and 2 have never been used for enduro. If it was the same as last April that wouldnt be good variety.
Got more plans for keeping it different again for the final in October 🙂
Overall its a mixed bag of trail/off piste / pedal / pump / jump / drop /hop. Something for everyone 🙂