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XC mountain biking at the 2022 Commonwealth Games is happening today. The men’s race is at 11:30am. The women’s race is at 2:30pm.
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By ben_haworth
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Well I live 5 minutes from the Chase and you seem to have more info on the route and spectator areas than I've managed to get - thanks for posting.
I wonder if it'll be like the SSUK 2013 (also held at Cannock) whereby they have a boozy drink and pork scrtchings every lap???
DrP
It's a shame they didn't make it clear from when tickets were first applied for it was only for the start/finish area the rest of the course was free
Wonder how many people failed at in the ballot so made other plans
8 women racers?! Might as well get a load of handy youth and juniors in there for the experience, and maybe a shot at bronze.
Men's race only has 26 listed starters too.... pah.
Anyway... Richards and Gaze.
8 women racers?! Might as well get a load of handy youth and juniors in there for the experience, and maybe a shot at bronze.
Men’s race only has 26 listed starters too…. pah.
Anyway… Richards and Gaze.
So 25% of the woman's field (2 out of 8) comes from the mtb mecca of Jersey - an island of 100K people. England (56 million), have one. Remind me again why the commonwealth games have any sporting relevance? Sack it off imo.
Evie Richards is making a comeback from injury.
her, Isla Short, Sam Gaze and Dan McConnell are the only 4* I recognise as being consistent World cup performers... but why have they not gone to Snowshoe and MSA?
*and Anton Cooper too, but he has covid and wont be starting.
Shame Bec McConnell has (understandably) bigger fish to fry.
Thought it was going to be live on bbc ? red button etc nothing found yet ?
On the iplayer.
It's definitely on the iPlayer as I'm currently watching it.
got it , i thought i could get it on the pc through the site nill results.
It’s definitely on the iPlayer as I’m currently watching it.
Me too...and I just want to know what bikes they are riding 😉
Fair play to the organisers of the race for managing to make Cathkin Braes look challenging
Hopefully they'll keep the extra rock features they've added for the games.
I can't go today as I'm looking after a grandson with a temperature but if I was there I'd be at the bit of the course that crosses BigJohn's.
Rear suspension on most of those bikes appears remarkably ineffective for some reason... 😉
I remember reading that Canada didn't bother sending any MTB-ers, but did send road/track cyclists. Same for Wales, though I dont know of any decent Welsh XC racers.
I also suspect Evie would normally be riding the World Cups, but as she's coming back from injury and illness, this is probably a better fit for her future programme. I think Sam Gaze is in a similar situation.
And don't start me on Rochelle Gilmore as the expert summariser; can't the BBC find any MTB experts?
And don’t start me on Rochelle Gilmore as the expert summariser;
"She's such a strong rider" x 47 being kept in the bag for the women's race
“She’s such a strong rider” x 47 being kept in the bag for the women’s race
Well, with only 8 riders in the race, at least she will have 39 left to use on future occasions.
Well, with only 8 riders in the race, at least she will have 39 left to use on future occasions.
I had no idea that there were only 8 riders in the women's race, that pretty disappointing. Don't worry though Rochelle managed about 20 "She's such a strong rider" each for Jolanda Neff and Pauline Prevot at the Olympics
Hopefully they’ll keep the extra rock features they’ve added for the games.
Apparently not... Chase Trails have said they're not in the right place to keep them safely.
Wow. Remove those rocks and it would barely be worth having a gravel bike for the track they’re on.
Looks like a pretty old school XC course, I'm surprised they haven't been able to make it a bit more technical considering what some of the World Cup stages are like nowadays.
Not a patch on the last Commonwealth Games track
Decent race for bronze
Or the Olympic one at oh-so-hilly Essex.
Wow. Remove those rocks and it would barely be worth having a gravel bike for the track they’re on.
The braking bumps will sort out the elite riders, though.
Bronze was an incredible race.
With so much of cannock to choose from, I am quite suprised with how simple the course was.
What I'm more disappointed by is how few people they had in the arena. I know I was in the 'lottery' for tickets and didn't get any - there were more folks when I went to Peaty's DH!!
There does seem to be a lot of space
The braking bumps will sort out the elite riders, though.
Pah, never mind the braking bumps, remember the PEBBLES!
It's a miracle they all survived.
Shame it’s dry and not slightly damp so they’d have to contend with the pebbles of doom
Shame half the women's field is missing in the US.
GO ISLA!
Not much of a "race" really is it. What a hard thing to commentate on. Even Warner couldn't make this exciting!
Rear suspension on most of those bikes appears remarkably ineffective for some reason… 😉
I was thinking that. Surely a lighter hardtail is more efficient on a mild course like that.
The arena was a bit of a disappointment but around the course it was packed.
Just come away from there before the rush after watching bits and riding. Not seen any tv yet but it certainly didn’t look too tame 10 foot from the trails.
Those from lesser know mtb countries were struggling in places and a few fell off going over the stegosaurus rocks (taken the wrong way so downhill slightly).
Spose it’s all relative as the riders were mostly on the edge of exhaustion all the time. Of course they’re trained for it etc but it must make obstacles a bit harder than most riders out cruising on a 150mm+ gnar machine.
Even Warner couldn’t make this exciting!
They're even having to keep showing replays of dropper posts!
And don’t start me on Rochelle Gilmore as the expert summariser; can’t the BBC find any MTB experts?
apparently the BBC haven’t used their own commentators but are just using the world feed, Ned Boulting has been commenting on other sports for the world feed as well. He seemed quite surprised as to why the BBC was using him on his podcast.
They’re even having to keep showing replays of dropper posts!
A what post?! 😆
Some good tunes playing
Those from lesser know mtb countries were struggling in places and a few fell off going over the stegosaurus rocks (taken the wrong way so downhill slightly).
Spose it’s all relative as the riders were mostly on the edge of exhaustion all the time. Of course they’re trained for it etc but it must make obstacles a bit harder than most riders out cruising on a 150mm+ gnar machine.
The fact they are racing obviously adds to the level of technical difficulty but I think the Commonwealth games courses are deliberately less technical than the Olympics or World Cup because the level of ability of the riders is a bit more varied.
Yep to the above. A few of the mens bikes were very old school looking geometry wise and seemed to be very twitchy over anything slightly rough.
Didn’t get close enough to see what they actually were but, the leaders were lightning quick and composed by comparison.
A good watch for the bits I saw.
Saw a post race interview with Evie, and she hoped it would inspire more to take up MTB-ing, as it's a 'cool sport'. Even with World & Olympic champions, there's not a lot of riders coming through in the sport.
Been over the Chase most of the day.
Some good racing.
Watched the replay and surprised to hear the commentator saying the course designers have made it less technical so you (the public) can ride the course after the games - going to be some disappointed people turning up at Cannock.
Was really looking forward to watching the race on the iPlayer. I’ve never been to Cannock Chase, but I’m afraid that watching this wouldn’t make me hurry to get there. It must be hard work for the commentators to make it sound more exciting.
At least there’s plenty of spectators.
Bit of a naive question but did the men and women race the same course over the same number of laps? Asking because Evie beat the men if they did.
I, for one, am amazed that no one has threatened to cancel their STW subscriptions as a result of STW having an article about riders whose bikes cost more than £199 and whose shoes hadn't been found in the back of a skip. If this sort of things goes unchecked, where will it end?
Bit of a naive question but did the men and women race the same course over the same number of laps? Asking because Evie beat the men if they did.
I think the Women's race was 8 laps and the Men's 9
Bit of a naive question but did the men and women race the same course over the same number of laps? Asking because Evie beat the men if they did.
same course but men did more laps. 10 vs 8 I think
Ahh well, I thought there was a good story there but I was wrong
@johnhe don't be put off by the fire road sections.
Cannock has a fair bit to offer if you're prepared to look for it.
Just don't expect to ride Deers leap.....
Blimey they don’t hang about!
Blimey they don’t hang about!
They're in competition with Thetford for the UK's lamest "Black" route. Thetford has the "Beast" which is quite possibly the most terrifying thing since super soft toilet paper.
Gutted! I was looking forward to riding it. Still saves me a trip to Cannock, so silver linings and all that.