[Closed] Rach not racing at Leogang

Dont know if it's a good or bad thing. She's not 100% after her injury last year so no point risking it but it does open the race up a bit more, if she was completely fit how many would honestly bet against her?

Not sure Tahnee's 100% either, who's the money on.

Is it just me who always reads "Leogang" as "Legoland"?

My money's 100% on Myriam Nicole. Been watching some Tracey Hannah footage from the last weeks and not impressed, she seems way stiffer and slower than usual.

Good on Rachel for not racing, that's the clever move. She has nothing to prove, even if she retired today I bet there would be no regrets whatsoever

I'd love to say Tracey but think it'll be between Myriam and Marine. If I was a betting man I think I'd put it on Marine

there's no U23 category bollox or anything is there?

If so, Vali Holl is my choice. Impressed at Crankworx this weekend, and Leogang gives her a bit of home field advantage too.

I forgot Vali had moved up this year that could be a good shout

Vali Holl. It's her's to loose I think

Marine,Myriam,Tahnee, but Vali just might upset that podium.

I think any of them could take it, which is pretty exciting. I got the impression from Rachel's interviews about the bike and bike park project that she was always using this as a year out and a chance to recover from injuries, do other stuff, etc. Wonder if she'll actually return- basically depends on whether after a break she's missing it or going "actually being retired would suit me" I think.

From what I've been told she's retired. She just hasn't announced it. I was told that over a month ago.

Hmmm.

I've been watching most of them training through winter, for purely sporting reasons of course.

Hannah, I don't think so, she's mostly been moaning and wearing 15 layers because it's only 20c, she really hates the cold. Spent months 'stuck' in Australia not riding much. The weather looks changeable to say the least in Leogang, Sunday look appalling with a 7c Average temp and snow forecast.

It might be cruel to say, but these days she's only really a contender if Seagrave, Nichole and Atherton are injured and I wouldn't be surprised if she's outclassed by the younger riders coming though.

Seagrave, it will all depend on how her injury has healed. She looks stronger than ever before and for the first time she looks like she's in complete charge of her bike and not being dragged about by it because she's so slight (relative to a pro MTBer) She's been back on her bike since May and spent most of the Summer in the Alps so it looks like she's race ready.

Nicole, I think she's the favourite for me. She's not injured, been riding, racing and winning races all summer, she looks strong and determined and she seems to be able to race and do really well when she's not 100%, she'll be on fire now.

Hoffman, not to be ignored! She's another one that's been riding, racing and winning all summer and she's arguably the strongest looking off the top women, which is important in a sport when there's such a gap between Male and Female riders.

Cabirou, spent most of the summer riding her Road bike and poking her tongue out. Beat Hannah racing already this year, but wasn't at Nicloe's pace.

Vali is the dark Horse, she beat Hannah by a second at Crankworks, but she was really the other top female rider racing that day. She's very fast, but I don't think she's got the strength and conditioning of the more established racers and I don't think she'll on the top step in her first year as Senior. But who really knows, Worlds is crazy and she is local.

Northwind

I think any of them could take it, which is pretty exciting. I got the impression from Rachel’s interviews about the bike and bike park project that she was always using this as a year out and a chance to recover from injuries, do other stuff, etc. Wonder if she’ll actually return- basically depends on whether after a break she’s missing it or going “actually being retired would suit me” I think.

She had a very interesting and insightful post the other day about her racing mindset, and what's needed to be 100%. She's experienced enough now to know when she can hit that pace and when she can't, so she's probably made a sensible decision not to push for something she knows she can't hit, and especially to risk another injury for just one race

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P-Jay

Vali is the dark Horse, she beat Hannah by a second at Crankworks, but she was really the other top female rider racing that day. She’s very fast, but I don’t think she’s got the strength and conditioning of the more established racers

Pinkbike pics today suggest she's been doing plenty of strength and conditioning

Pinkbike pics today suggest she’s been doing plenty of strength and conditioning

Oh Jesus...

I’m surprised she hasn’t retired given she has nothing to prove. I didn’t think she would race given she was still in the UK last week when everyone else was already in Austria.  I guess the bike brand needs someone at the pointy end of the results and that’s no longer gee so she needs to carry on for marketing reasons

Valli would be my shout too. She knows she has to explode onto the Elite podium fast due to the expectation that surrounds her. She stated it as a reason she didn't step up last year, she didn't think she was quite there in terms of physical prowess purely to being young. This year could actually be a good thing for her as it's given her time to properly focus on training and technique while others have been stuck out of the racing loop and possibly fallen back on their training. She's young, gifted and hungry for results so I wouldn't be surprised if she won it.

I’m surprised she hasn’t retired given she has nothing to prove.

I think she would have retired if it wasn’t the best bet to get an Atherton bike on the podium.

And vali for the win or at least a podium

I rarely ride at that limit anymore because I have had so many injuries but every now and then, the desire to win outweighs everything & I am willing & almost craving to risk myself to go as fast as I know I can go, without riding with the nagging voice in your head saying “what if you crash”
.
that feeling of being so free from fear is AMAZING, I felt so free of fear of injury, so free without the World Cup overall hanging round your neck, that I could ride without fear & it was probably one of the most fun race runs I’ve ever done, there’s been a few that I would class as near perfect from my own personal point of view and this was one of them!

Very different riders, at very different levels, but that's how I feel.

When I was young crashing never entered my mind, and why would it, I crashed now and again and it rarely meant more than a couple of days limping or worst case a week hobbling around my flat using a upright vacuum as a zimmer frame.

I've got a couple of life changing injuries now that mean I live in near constant pain, it's very mild pain and mostly I can ignore it, but they're a constant reminder that I've had all the luck going to get, and if I stack it badly again it could pretty easily be the end of MTB for me. Like Rachel says, now and again, the fear goes and I FLY (for me anyway) but I can't make myself feel that way, not for anything, no amount of Geeing up, persuasion or watching endless shredits will make it happen, in fact, thinking about it at all is surefire way of ramping the fear up.

Anyway, the point of this self-indulgent ramble is that, if that's in her head, she's going to struggle to enjoy racing a her own lofty level and if you don't enjoy it anymore, how can you bring yourself to do the training and take the risks needed, especially when you're racing people who are desperate for their first win, their first over-all or their first Worlds etc, when you've already got them all?

Gutted to hear this. I was really looking forward to seeing the battle and, to be honest, I was hoping that Rach would take another title and show the young upstarts how it's done 🙂

I hope she hasn't retired for my own selfish reasons, but understandable to not want to put yourself through it all again - especially when she blamed course designers for her achilles.

Out of the others, I'm not sure the crankworks result from Vali means too much - I wasn't personally counting on Tracey Hannah to be the one to hold her at bay.

Hoffman/Caribou/Nicole are going to be tougher to beat.

Did anything come of Neff asking if she could have a go at the downhill world chamionships?

Is it just me who always reads “Leogang” as “Legoland”?

I am the opposite, and that was worst weeks mountain biking I've ever had ...

Sportsmen/women need to know when to retire.

Early isn't a big deal (Nico Rosberg) but late is (how many boxers?).

I suspect Rachael is ready, for all the right reasons.

I was in that gym with Vali last month, she’s fit enough alright.

Those gym photos are a great way to fill your competitors with doubt!

Terrible timing for the Atherton bikes brand, only two world cup wins to its name, if Rachel comes back and doesnt podium it could affect sales, if she retires then the bike is not a proven winner, I can't see Gee, Charlie or Mille getting many podiums, but I can see Gee retiring soon along with sis.

Go Senderella!

I reckon retired after this coming winter snuggled up with her pet lamb/sheep in front of the fire.

Terrible timing for the Atherton bikes brand, only two world cup wins to its name, if Rachel comes back and doesnt podium it could affect sales, if she retires then the bike is not a proven winner, I can’t see Gee, Charlie or Mille getting many podiums, but I can see Gee retiring soon along with sis.

Short term I get it, but Atherton is one of the biggest names ever in riding your bike off road. They might need to start an Enduro team to complement it though.

They have Dyfi bike park, fox hunt and hardline; and I think Rach has the energy and knowledge be great in the commentary booth with Warner (probably have to tone down the language a bit though).

We saw last year that Gee has mastered the art of doing a course preview at near-race-pace while giving meaningful and insightful commentary, maybe Rachel will be the same.