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@munrobiker Great photos. That top one captures the atmosphere perfectly. The women clapping and the lads to the left looking on in admiration even though it looks like they don't know who they are were watching. Brilliant.
As evidenced by the complete absence of elite XC riders who have moved over from the road.
Because there's so many XC racers who take a break from the the XC circuit to go and pick up a couple of stages of the Giro and the Tour?
I'm not sure what it is I'm saying that is so controversial.
If we were talking about riders who quit road racing and then dedicated themselves 100% to riding mtb that would be one thing. That is not what is happening.
We are talking about riders who spend 90% of their time racing road or cyclocross who then turn up and are competitive with riders who are 100% committed to XC racing.
I don't think it's a good look for the sport. You guys all think it looks fine so I think we just have to agree to disagree.
We are talking about riders who spend 90% of their time racing road or cyclocross who then turn up and are competitive with riders who are 100% committed to XC racing.
You've just got it wrong. When Pidcock or MvDP rides in the XC and competes with the likes of Schurter et al, it's not an example of a typical road racer turning up and beating the XC guys, it's the other way round. They're primarily offroad guys who have moved to the road. They are a special case, the only road pros who can do it, because they have the experience gained from a lifetime of offroad racing.
The question you should be asking is how is it possible for offroad riders like Pidcock, MVdP and Wout to turn up at a road race and beat the pure road riders?
And I don't know why you think a cross rider shouldn't be able to ride XC. Cross is as - or more - difficult as mountain biking. When was the last time you bunnyhopped an 18 inch plank at 25mph in the mud on a road bike after riding at max heart rate for an hour?
If we were talking about riders who quit road racing and then dedicated themselves 100% to riding mtb that would be one thing. That is not what is happening.
There's no money in the MTB side - they go to road because (certainly up at the top end) there's a decent wage in it.
Very very few MTBers are making anything like the same amount of money as even a basic first year domestique on the road.
Very very few MTBers are making anything like the same amount of money as even a basic first year domestique on the road.
Well, yes, this is kind of my point. Anyone who is good enough doesn't stick around in XC racing.
And they are so much better than the people left behind that they can return to XC racing any time they want and be competitive, despite only spending a tiny percentage of their time on their mountain bikes.
However, I very much doubt any of these riders could pitch up at an EWS round and be anywhere near the front. I could be wrong about that, but I don't think I am.
XC racing is definitely going in the right direction. I remember in 2012 there were road riders who failed to make the cut for the Olympics who simply switched to XC. Mostly from African countries from what I remember, but it was definitely happening. I stopped paying attention by the time it got to Rio.
I'm not sure if it would even be possible to have a high enough skill threshold to make it impossible to enter an XC event without 100% dedication to the craft. Given that any XC race is going to be 80% uphill and dependent on power output.
Look, I'm not saying anyone else has to be put off by the fact Pidcock and VdP are in with a chance of gold despite spending a tiny percentage of their time on MTBs. I'm just saying I'm put off by it.
However, I very much doubt any of these riders could pitch up at an EWS round and be anywhere near the front. I could be wrong about that, but I don’t think I am.
Not sure why you keep comparing XC to enduro or DH. Enduro and Downhill are timetrials with highly specific equipment and courses and require an entirely different skillset. The only thing they have in common with XC is 29in wheels. Asking why an XC rider can't ride DH is like asking why a pro rugby player can't turn up and play premier league football.
Hadn't spotted the Vatican City's choice of bikes - someone clearly has a sense of humour! Great atmosphere out in the sticks; my wife and I ended up at opposite ends of the Crow Road, so we ended up with a decent selection of images, although I'm mildly butt hurt that some of hers are better than mine 😀
Not sure why you keep comparing XC to enduro or DH. Enduro and Downhill are timetrials with highly specific equipment and courses and require an entirely different skillset.
Because EWS and DH are sufficiently different to road racing that you can't make the switch without dedicating yourself 100%. EWS and DH riders are 100% without a doubt the best in the world at what they do.
You can't say the same about XC racing because the best in world are most likely doing something else because they can make more money that way.
Unless it's the World Champs or the Olympics. Then they might show up and win if they don't have something more important to prepare for.
I’m not sure what it is I’m saying that is so controversial.
That XC courses are too tame so that 'road riders' can just turn up and win on them.
And they are so much better than the people left behind that they can return to XC racing any time they want and be competitive, despite only spending a tiny percentage of their time on their mountain bikes.
Tiny percentage? Road off season goes from Sept to Jan/Feb if you do the TDU, etc., Mar/Apr if you wait for the classics. I suspect that riders with a love of XC will be spending a fair proportion of their time in this off season keeping fitness up but also riding CX/XC while the roads are all shitty.
Also - what % of the pure XC dedicated pros are genuinely full time and what does that really mean? It's not a job that you do 8 hrs a day for 5d/wk and of the sessions a dedicated XC pro does how much will be fitness and power and how much will be technique? With the background that TP, MvdP, etc., have in XC then it's not a requirement to put learning hours in, it's about making sure that they polish their long-held skills up. It might be a small % of their whole riding time but I bet it's not tiny, and I also bet it is not hugely different to a full time XC pro, most of which train extensively on the road if not actually compete.
You can’t say the same about XC racing because the best in world are most likely doing something else because they can make more money that way.
Yes but those riders like Pidcock and MVdP have earned their place at the top of the XC pile. They haven't just randomly turned up from the road circuit because they fancied a go at it, they've spent years racing off road so that they can do it. If they can't make enough money from XC then that's a different issue, but all it proves is that they can win in more than one discipline and it doesn't detract from either. I really don't know why you think it's a problem.
If you were going to rank CX, XC and road racing in terms of overall difficulty, road would be at the bottom with CX and XC level pegging (personally I think CX is the hardest but maybe that's just me). It should be no surprise that a pro who can win at XC and CX should also be competitive on the road. Probably the only only aspect of road racing that's harder is grand tours, which probably explains why the offroad guys like TP, MVDP and Wout don't win them.
She is not that interested in his results, mainly just the aesthetics.
I could be in trouble once my wife realises WvA is spending the week in the Hilton one town over from us, and is training on our local roads, he even rode through her parent's village this morning 😁
I race XC and couldn't turn my hand to DH racing at anything like the same level of success. In fact, when I have done it I've gone from near the top to near the bottom. I like to think I'm a handy technical rider, and I ride DH tracks a lot. If I turned myself to a gravel race or road race I'd do fine. Am I not a mountain biker?
I can't find it now, but there's a video of Pidcock riding a DH bike in Andorra from before he got signed to Ineos and he's a hell of a lot better than I am.
I really don’t know why you think it’s a problem.
Once again, I said it makes it difficult for me to get too excited about it. Nothing else. It's just that when I said that, people got offended and have been trying to tell me why I am wrong to feel this way.
I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that the talent pool in XC isn't as deep as road, money talks after all but on the technical ability aspect multiple world cup races have been won on the downhills in the last few years as the courses have got more demanding. The duels with Nino Shurter that shaped the latter part of Julien Absalons career were often decided in Shurters favour because of his greater downhill ability. Same goes for prime Yolanda Neff, she could pull out 15-20 seconds on every descent and forced the rest of the field to go and make technical ability a proper part of their training as even with some riders being superior climbers they couldn't close the gap multiple times over the race distance.
If it's been a while since you've watched a race maybe give it another look? Or don't, it's not that important in the grand scheme of stuff.
I race XC and couldn’t turn my hand to DH racing at anything like the same level of success. In fact, when I have done it I’ve gone from near the top to near the bottom. I like to think I’m a handy technical rider, and I ride DH tracks a lot. If I turned myself to a gravel race or road race I’d do fine. Am I not a mountain biker?
I prefer to think of myself as a person who rides mountain bikes rather than as a 'mountain biker' but everyone is free to identify themselves however they want and they should respect how others want to identify themselves.
So yes, i was wrong in that comment I made about 'not really mountain biking' and I apologise for it.
anyway, enough of that. Who's going to UCI Championship's and what are you seeing?
It’s just that when I said that, people got offended
No one was offended, they just disagreed with your statement that any road pro could turn up to an elite XC race and be competitive. They can't.
Anyway, I'd love to see one of the XC full-timers like Schurter in a road race like yesterday's. It'd be interesting to see how they'd get on.
The BMX park is on Eurosport at the min, looks a bit windy and some big names but think the eventual winner will be from Australia.
The BMX park is on Eurosport at the min,
It's on BBC too if you go to iPlayer - Tim Warwood commentating.
They can’t.
Except for the ones who can.
- I Anyway, I’d love to see one of the XC full-timers like Schurter in a road race like yesterday’s. It’d be interesting to see how they’d get on.
I suspect he’d do nothing on the road much like when he was a pro on a road team. I think he has benefited from being a big fish in a little pond in xc world but he can only beat whoever turns up.
XC racing is definitely going in the right direction.
This may be an unpopular opinion but I disagree with the idea that XC courses should be more technical. You've got downhill and enduro for that stuff. XC is just cross country and that's what it should be, just racing bikes off road. I feel the 'features' are just a spectacle for TV and I'd rather see less emphasis on them.
Racing bikes in most disciplines is primarily about physical fitness. XC requires an extra element of skill to compete but it doesn't have to define it.
To me, the essence of XC was yesterdays marathon- long, varied and tough. The heavily artificial short loops with artificial "features" interrupting a wide smooth path leave me cold. No matter how tricky they are, its just soulless to watch.
Such a shame that there's so little spectator interest- Glentress was empty yesterday despite it being free to watch.
Racing bikes in most disciplines is primarily about physical fitness. XC requires an extra element of skill to compete but it doesn’t have to define it.
The problem is that most people can ride bikes and (to them) it doesn't take much skill or fitness. Most people can hop on a bike and ride a couple of miles to the pub (even if most people don't actually do that because the roads are too dangerous!)
So since any idiot can ride a bike, watching other people ride bikes (especially on TV which flattens the angles) looks slow and boring and "well it's just riding a bike but a bit quicker".
So to make it good for TV, you have to put in more extreme stuff - bear in mind that the World Champs is partly about crowning a Champion but more about a shedload of money and advertising and TV rights and publicity. 😉
Bikes have got way better as well so there's a sort of arms race where a new-breed XC bike can ride [this] so you have to make [this] more extreme so the actual skills of the rider, not the skill-compensation of the bike comes to the fore.
anyway, enough of that. Who’s going to UCI Championship’s and what are you seeing?
Working on the Para Road / TT stuff in Dumfries from tomorrow.
The BMX park is on BBC too if you go to iPlayer
Jude Jones was IMMENSE. I loved the way he threw out not only his gloves but his shoes, and then when he gave his helmet to a young fan my heart nearly exploded, AWESOME
Brucewee. You are not going to like Puck Pieter's!!
cracking evening at the Pedal Power event in Platform in Glasgow last night. Ned Boulting did a good job running it, and David Millar and Pippa York, plus other guests were all pretty interesting. Combined with decent food and beer, all quite splendid !
Except for the ones who can.
We've already established there's only two riders in the pro peloton who can and they have a long history in riding elite off-road races so your point is not supported by the facts. And besides, you're conveniently ignoring the fact that Pidcock was beaten into 4th place last year by the supposedly inferior (and in Schurters case much older) full-timers.
We’ve already established there’s only two riders in the pro peloton who can and they have a long history in riding elite off-road races so your point is not supported by the facts.
Are dazh-facts a thing now?
You've established nothing except that you seem hell bent on not accepting that XC simply does not attract the same caliber of athlete that road racing does. And that road racers are able to dip into XC for the World Champs and Olympics and be in with a good chance of winning against people who do nothing but race XC year round.
For me, this makes XC less interesting than Enduro and DH where there is no one who can dip in just for one or two races a year and be in with a chance of winning. They are 100% without a doubt the best in the world at what they do. For you, this fact doesn't make XC any less interesting.
Both of these things are feelings and as such can't really be proved true one way or the other. I think that's OK. You obviously don't.
GB gold in the BMX freestyle!
I also liked the non-cycling part of BMX called "mopping the course up with towels".
Hats off to the volunteers for that one. 😉
Are dazh-facts a thing now?
So name some other pro peleton riders who regularly do xx races at the sharp end?
So name some other pro peleton riders who regularly do xx races at the sharp end?
I love how there being two riders who dip in and out of the absolute pinnacle of the sport is no big deal.
But yeah, most riders don't bother going back to MTB. Why would they? Egan Bernal started out mountain biking but I'd imagine the risk reward just wasn't worth it. I'm sure there are plenty others.
But anyway, for me two is too many. The fact that they can be competitive despite only doing the big races makes me less interested in XC in general. I'll still watch the World Champs though. If there are any people still just switching because they can't qualify for the road team then some of those features could be interesting.
If two is not too many for you that is absolutely fine as well.
After all these years I'm finally watching a Madison and understanding what going on.
Come on GB, were going so well before the stoppage
Egan Bernal started out mountain biking but I’d imagine the risk reward just wasn’t worth it.
That's quite funny really, although I am not sure we should be laughing at someone hitting a bus and breaking nearly every bone in his body
Enduro and DH where there is no one who can dip in just for one or two races a year and be in with a chance of winning.
Martin Maes? DH rider as a junior, switches to Enduro, at which he excels; rocks up for a handful of WC DH races and wins one of them.
Rachel atherton, destroyed Achilles, given birth, comes back and wins.
jack moir - team politics beyond his control force him to switch from DH to enduro. Almost immediately sees him on podiums.
Harriet harnden has managed national titles in all 4 main off road disciplines as well as EWS elite wins and WC xc u23 podiums.
some people are just good at bikes.
And that road racers are able to dip into XC for the World Champs and Olympics and be in with a good chance of winning against people who do nothing but race XC year round.
I agree and have thought the same for a long time. However when you say "road racers' you actually mean a couple of multi disciplined road racers that you could count on a hand or two with most already doing CX.
MVDP, Pidcock, Sagan and? WVA could no doubt do well but I don't think he has ever entered XC has he?
A lot of the top road racers who do grand tours would probably be useless at an XCO race as they don't have the skills or the different type of fitness required
Back on topic, Kieran Reilly won the BMX freestyle which was nice to see as I follow Tall Order on YouTube and have watched him progress over the last 5-10 years.
Martin Maes? DH rider as a junior, switches to Enduro, at which he excels; rocks up for a handful of WC DH races and wins one of them.
I think EWS used to be similar to XC racing in that it was seen as being a step below DH. It had a reputation as being a place where racers who were passed their prime and racers who couldn't quite hack it in DH ended up.
Martin Maes and others did a lot to raise both the profile and standard of Enduro and now it's close to being on a par with DH, if not entirely on par. Certainly there isn't the feeling that anyone in the top 10 in DH could cruise up to an Enduro and win easily like there used to be.
I think the two way street when it comes to DHers who have won in enduro and EWS riders who have won in DH means they are more or less on a par.
I can't think of any XC racers who have been able to dip into Road whilst staying primarily focused on XC. When Nino Schurter tried not only did he not make much impact on the road but his XC results suffered.
I'm not sure what would help this. Possibly more emphasis on natural technical terrain (which from the course preview of the WC course there at least seems to be some) rather than big but entirely artificial features?
It's not even that I don't want to see road riders pitch up and do well. It's more that I'd just like to see them be forced to give the race more respect by tweaking the format somehow so that constant work on technical skills was a requirement rather than a 'nice to have the time for'.
Let's face it, how much time do we reckon Pidcock and MvdP have spent on their mountain bikes in the last 6 weeks?
Anyway, again, this is what I don't really like. Nobody else is required to also not like it.
Possibly a daft question, but for the XC on Saturday, if I park up in Peebles and ride my bike to GT will I be able to keep it with me as I navigate around the spectator area? Or will I have to leave it in some bike storage area?
Also: the BMX park was pretty good up close, Kevin Perraza was flying, actually all the south Americans were on fire. Jude Jones stomping his 2nd run after taking a nasty slam and blowing his front tyre on the first trick of his first run was great. And all the kids that got helmets / shoes / gloves from the riders were STOKED.
Possibly a daft question, but for the XC on Saturday, if I park up in Peebles and ride my bike to GT will I be able to keep it with me as I navigate around the spectator area? Or will I have to leave it in some bike storage area?
Wouldn't think so. Will be a much more pleasant experience to park it in the bike storage anyway
I worry that the bike storage is a scrote magnet!
Will be a much more pleasant experience to park it in the bike storage anyway
Especially if it's still there when you get back
Especially if it’s still there when you get back
It's a book in/out situation, so would hope it would be fine.
Edit: you aren't getting a bike in anyway, so its storage or nothing: "Please note, no bikes are allowed on venue and should be left in the free-to-use, secure cycle parking. Please remember to bring a lock to secure your bike" from
The bike storage at the DH seemed quite secure, you were given a wrist band with a matching band for the bike, you had to show the stewards both before you could leave. We were amongst the first to leave so I'm not sure how thorough they were once it got busy, but I think it would be off-putting enough for a scrote, especially if you locked the bikes once in the compound.
It’s not even that I don’t want to see road riders pitch up and do well.
For the nth time, Pidcock and MVdP are not 'road riders', they're primarily off-road racers who do the road as a day job because it pays more. No other 'road riders' can pitch up and do well because it's not possible. You're basically just pissed off that the two of the best XC riders in the world are good enough to race on the road too. Why you want to limit them to one discipline when they're talented enough to do both is beyond me.
For the nth time, Pidcock and MVdP are not ‘road riders’, they’re primarily off-road racers who do the road as a day job because it pays more. No other ‘road riders’ can pitch up and do well because it’s not possible. You’re basically just pissed off that the two of the best XC riders in the world are good enough to race on the road too. Why you want to limit them to one discipline when they’re talented enough to do both is beyond me.
I think one of us is pissed off but it's not me.
I'm at the, 'can't we just agree to disagree' stage of this discussion, tbh.
While I do think that your assessment that MvdP and Pidcock's main focus is XC with the road stuff just being done to pay the bills is a bit off, I can't prove it one way or the other so can we just leave it at that?
You think their main focus is XC while I don't.
Bike parking at Fort William was grand, I had no qualms leaving our bikes in it and intend to use again at Glentress.
And as above you've no option anyway, no bikes in venue.
You think their main focus is XC while I don’t.
Just getting this straight, you are talking about Mathieu van der Poel here? The man who back in 2019 or so specifically turned down a contract for the big team so that he could stay at Corendon Circus and race CX for a couple more years, rather than concentrating on road work? And Tom Pidcock, who agreed to sign for Ineos ONLY if he would be allowed to continue racing off-road?
Yes, you're right, their main focus is NOT XC; because they get paid an awful lot of money to ride road races , though maybe not as much as they would if they went to teams where they were ONLY allowed to ride road races. It's a bit different to "road racers [who] can rock up and win MTB events" though
XC also requires a lot of structured road miles to gain the required fitness. Nobody will ever win an elite XC race from purely training off road - no matter how technically challenging you make the course. So a season with carefully chosen road races will both pay the bills and provide the quality miles to make you faster off road. Win win (literally) if you have the core off road skills already developed.
So back on topic, did anyone watch the bmx last night? Was it really only a small crowd, or were there more spectators behind the cameras? Seemed like it should have been an easily accessible evening event, popular with youngsters and should have been busy.
did anyone watch the bmx last night?
Yes I watched it on TV, I thought it was an excellent event and like you was surprised at the small crowd. It was rain delayed a couple of times though, perhaps the weather forecast put people off?
I just feel that enduro and DH are mountain biking while XC is far closer to road racing.
I think you could've legitimately made that comment maybe 5-8 years ago, but since then the courses have changed dramatically, there are drops, jumps some pretty severe sections that while on telly might not look all that on telly but in reality would have most folks getting off to have a look. bikes have steadily increased in travel to cope and some races they're on 120mm full suss bikes. The new SID range (for instance) is a chunky bit of kit these days.
I get that like road, XC is predominately an aerobic event, no one denies that, but the technicality that XC racers are faced with now means that you have to know what you're doing, frankly otherwise you'd hurt yourself.
I'd like to have seen Pidcock enter more races this year as a mountain biker, and I'll bet money some dedicated XC racers are probs now less than chuffed he's turning up for this, but them's the breaks I guess.
Re BMX Park - we along with plenty others were behind the cameras and there was another crowd on the opposite side of the course.
Still quite small despite being listed as sold out as far as I remember.
I think you could’ve legitimately made that comment maybe 5-8 years ago, but since then the courses have changed dramatically, there are drops, jumps some pretty severe sections that while on telly might not look all that on telly but in reality would have most folks getting off to have a look.
That's probably true, but I think at the same time we have to be careful conflating big features with technical features.
When I think of technical I tend to think of unpredictable surfaces and awkward entry/exits to features. Once you've got the technique for doing drops/jumps, scaling up is more a question of having the balls rather than having to use improved technique assuming the feature has a reasonably straightforward entry and exit.
I think the ability to ride big features is a skill that can be learned and will stay with you as it's slightly more of a 'procedure'. I think the ability to ride technical features is more instinctual and has to be constantly practiced to keep those skill sharp.
The technicality in DH courses often comes from the fact they are willing to string tape across fields, stump gardens and unprepared pistes and let the track evolve throughout the weekend. The days of helicoptered in boulders to create artificial rock gardens are mostly behind us.
Saying that, it is possible to get it very wrong with this approach. I remember Fort Bill a few years ago where the woods section was particularly flat and in the wet riders just couldn't get through it cleanly because it was impossible to maintain momentum. Whoever came through it having lost the least time was more a question of luck than skill and from that point of view it was a failure as a race course design.
From what I've seen of modern XC courses the priority is still to maintain the integrity of the course throughout the weekend which, imo makes it very difficult to challenge the riders technically without resorting to artificial technicality like man made rock gardens. I'm sure it can be done but if technicality comes from unpredictable and changing surfaces and if you aren't allowed to have a course with unpredictable and changing surfaces then it's going to be difficult to achieve.
To me, the WC track at Glentress looks like it has a lot of surfaces that aren't fully sealed that you would expect to change throughout the weekend but someone said it's now been 'finished' and looks very different from the preview video. I hope the surface remains as unprepared as possible as that will really give the riders who have spent most of their time on their mountain bikes in the lead up to this race an advantage.
Please - just get a room whilst you debate what the UCI technical requirements are for an XCO/C course.
Back on topic, we're heading down from my folks in Glasgow to Glentress on Saturday, but a little worried that at the moment two out of three park and ride areas are closed, leaving only the one in Innerleithen open. Hopefully the other ones will dry out in time. I'm now thinking that we'll take our 'pub/school bikes' and use those from wherever we end up parking to get to the race, rather than sweat the shuttle buses.
A mate is marshalling all week there, and has said that it's strictly 'no bikes' on site for any spectator (or marshal). No chainsaws either!
Please – just get a room whilst you debate what the UCI technical requirements are for an XCO/C course.
This. Very much this - start a thread, please!
Road Men's Elite TT on Friday - was thinking of spectating around Kippen or Thornhill; does this sound sensible @crazy-legs or anyone local-ish?
Its dry at the moment, and looks to be staying largely dry for the next few days, so hopefully the park and rides will be fine.
It'll be carnage if they don't though!
Road Men’s Elite TT on Friday – was thinking of spectating around Kippen or Thornhill; does this sound sensible @crazy-legs or anyone local-ish?
I'm down on the Para Road & TT in Dumfries now.
Back up in Glasgow on Sunday for the Women's RR.
You get about!
On Friday, Mrs SSS and I will come into Stirling from the East, and park on the eastern side of Stirling and walk/cycle into town to get to the Stirling Castle.
However looking at the route, i have considered standing at the 'Smiddy' tea rooms corner so can watch them coming round from Gargunnock. Be able to get some coffee and cafe while there too....
This. Very much this – start a thread, please!
There is a thread. I think it's perfectly reasonable for @BruceWee or anyone else to express their opinion about the current state of XC/Road riding and the individual racers that compete in it on a thread about XC racing on a Mountain Bike forum.
Road Men’s Elite TT on Friday – was thinking of spectating around Kippen or Thornhill; does this sound sensible @crazy-legs or anyone local-ish?
Kippen's probably good, course comes up the 'diagonal' climb from Arnprior to Kippen before heading down to the flats roundabout. Think that's the highest point of the course save for the finish. Rhubarb & Lime is a nice cafe a few mins walk from there.
Much appreciated @2tyred - a decent café makes all the difference as well!
There is a thread. I think it’s perfectly reasonable for @BruceWee or anyone else to express their opinion about the current state of XC/Road riding and the individual racers that compete in it on a thread about XC racing on a Mountain Bike forum.
This is a thread about the whole World Champs, not just their little argument that isn't showing any sign of coming to an end
No other ‘road riders’ can pitch up and do well because it’s not possible.
You best let Marianne Vos know that 😉
I’m down on the Para Road & TT in Dumfries now.
Back up in Glasgow on Sunday for the Women’s RR.
Are you driving the Doctor's car @crazy-legs?
That BMW did look a little cosy. Should have had the roof down 🤣
Where's the info about the closed park and rides please, for the XCO on Saturday
🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈
At least it looks like there is now a B-line - I think originally there were suggestions the gap was mandatory (although maybe that referred to the one in the woods).
The big rocky gap jump (that we are seeing in all the photos) now has a B line to riders left, lower down. Its the one across the ditch in the woods that I think was the one that prompted the 'mandatory' comments though.
Good... its the world bloody championships! Some good phots on the XCO_MTB instagram. Nino posted an absolute cracker too. I can't wait to watch, gutted I couldnt get to both the DH and the Xc but hopefully the tV coverage does more justice to the XC.
At least it looks like there is now a B-line – I think originally there were suggestions the gap was mandatory
That came from Scott Laughland's preview video, somehow he managed to not see the bloody obvious b-line right next to the gap!
Where’s the info about the closed park and rides please, for the XCO on Saturday
Latest update is that al Park and Rides will be open as normal.
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Where’s the info about the closed park and rides please, for the XCO on Saturday
I'd read it on the event website, but yes, just checked back now, and they've updated their advice too, to say that all three sites are open - phew!
https://www.cyclingworldchamps.com/visit/venues/glentress-forest/
That BMW did look a little cosy. Should have had the roof down 🤣
The brakes were dodgy apparently....
We went to see the Junior Women's road race on Saturday morning - some tough lassies in there
