[Gary]

Spent this sunny Scottish afternoon watching a bit of DH near here. Some young lad named Danny took the win. I think he might go on to do quite well in the sport

Danny Hart on Instagram: "Happy to take the win today at Innerleithen, it’s been 15 years since I last raced there, strange track to race with it being so tight through the trees. Thank you to @jjsps_barking_spider for keeping my bike going nicely all weekend. And @adbrayton and @danny_carne for the pure banta! @jwdtphotography"

5,314 likes, 30 comments - dannyhart1 on April 2, 2023: "Happy to take the win today at Innerleithen, it’s been 15 years since I last raced there, strange track to race with it being so tight ...".

www.instagram.com

Was good the see the SDA (Scottish DH Association - Our National DH Series organisers) doing well again with full entry numbers. Especially as they're mainly made up from a keen bunch of volunteers/parents etc. and run non-profit with very little in the way of help from British Cycling.

BC do support mtb. But just really XC and only because it's now an olympic discipline. They're a bunch of cunts really.

 

[toodles]

Hattie Harnden was saying in the break between the EWS rounds shes going to do some BDS events and maybe try to get a Worlds spot. Be good to see how she goes.

 

[jrewing]

At the WCs I've been to the French contingent is bonkers hey. The junior team at Stromlo had a massive busload of support staff, line spotters, track-side timing folks all kinds of stuff. Top tier support from their country's federation or whatever it is. Really awesome to see a country that supports cycling that much. I haven't been to a WC in years though so not sure if that is still the same or if other countries have caught up a bit.

So you’re saying ‘French Lines’ are taught! Well that changes things

 

[sethimus]

this threads title. it needs an update

 

[toodles]

this threads title. it needs an update

Pretty sure the whole forum just needs to be renamed Grumpy Old Men

 

[norbar]

Mtb racing is a priveleged kids sport. Not sure how that's not immediately apparent

I don't think that is the point here. More that some countries have better support structures and also teams tend to miss riders that are not from their neck of the woods so even if someone gets promising results often a slower local rider will get the chance. So the talk is about systemic differences between countries and less "is this a fair sport" which is what you seem to be commenting on.

Also seriously what is the UCI doing with all the money they are getting? Even corrupt Fifa has some development programs.

 

[sethimus]

Pretty sure the whole forum just needs to be renamed Grumpy Old Men

it’s not accurate anymore. it displeases my german genes.

 

[Gary]

I don't think that is the point here....
More that the talk is about systemic differences between countries and less "is this a fair sport" which is what you seem to be commenting on.

Nah. Mate I simply commented on the reality of the situation.
You "seem" to be suggesting every country should be funding participants of what is realistically a fairly small, fairly obscure, but quite expensive niche sport. Surely you must be able to see why that probably isn't exactly all that high a priority in many countries. Mine included.

When we still have decent hard working families relying on food bank donations to get through the week and a crumbling health service I'm honestly not sure I have all that many fucks to give about little Johnny's struggle to travel the world racing his expensive toys.

 

[toodles]

Slightly more on topic, if Yeti is paying podium bonuses then I don't expect their bikes to be more affordable after Tasmania. Their team manager must be stoked with that outcome.

 

[norbar]

Nah. Mate I simply commented on the reality of the situation.
You "seem" to be suggesting every country should be funding participants of what is realistically a fairly small, fairly obscure, but quite expensive niche sport. Surely you must be able to see why that probably isn't exactly all that high a priority in many countries. Mine included.

When we still have decent hard working families relying on food bank donations to get through the week and a crumbling health service I'm honestly not sure I have all that many fucks to give about little Johnny's struggle to travel the world racing his expensive toys.

No I didn't suggest that at all so yeah you did miss my point. What I am saying is there is a difference in sports funding between countries. You seem to be making a comment how this is a niche sport so overall it gets little support. So yeah Gary you are on topic. To reiterate. Your point is "smol funding for mtb overal" my point is "some countries spend more RELATIVE to their GDP on Sport and MTB in general". I'm not asking for football funding. I have simply commented on the fact some countries are better for you if you are in our sport.



Seriously you need to stop mixing criticism and analysis with complaining since you do seem to be against complaining in general and want to dunk on it no matter the argument.

 

[Gary]

With the exception of one race per year. DH isn't an international (country against country) competition. And infact for elite riders DH racing is a TEAM Sport. EVERY rider dressed in their national colours with a shot at a medal that ONE day each year is ALREADY a professional rider employed by a team. Which. if you think about it makes funding from their country rather fucking pointless.
I don't know if you've noticed we're discussing this in a thread about EWS.
Another Team sport but one which doesn't even have a proper international country Vs county event.
Junior riders do present a slightly different situation. but they still ultimately end up making a living out of racing mtb as a professional athlete because of being picked up and supported up by brands/teams rather than because of the funding they got for World champs. Not that a little extra cash spent there to help support them won't be useful.

But yeah. Of course "some" countries are better for "our sport". just like some countries are better for lawn bowls. IMO this is entirely down to the biking/Lawn bowls scene in that country. Not funding.

 

[toodles]

Another Team sport but one which doesn't even have a proper international country Vs county event.

They used to have that Trophy of Nations thing but that might be gone now they're EDR.

Actually now its a World Cup, I wonder if EDR will have a World Champs event with a rainbow jersey etc. I kinda like the new yellow jersey thingy they have happening for the series leaders.

 

[Gary]

They used to have that Trophy of Nations thing

Yeah. I already knew about that meaningless event. Hence stipulating "proper"

 

[Gary]

I wonder if EDR will have a World Champs event with a rainbow jersey etc.

pretty confident that would have been a goal when UCIing the franchise

 

[Flo33]

The first couple minutes alone are pure gold

 

[toodles]

The first couple minutes alone are pure gold

Tyre vibrator



Women's winner and mens bronze on flat pedals again giving hope to toodles inability to ride clipped in.

 

[Flo33]

Tyre vibrator



Women's winner and mens bronze on flat pedals again giving hope to toodles inability to ride clipped in.

Had me laughing pretty hard

Joachim had not the best of days unfortunately. But really cool to see PartyBoi have a banger.

 

[Gary]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/final-results-from-the-leogang-enduro-world-cup-2023.html

What an absolute chore following Enduro must be? But I suppose it's maybe not all that bad if you love spending your whole day climbing in a Full face helmet

 

[canadmos]

There was an EWS race today?

 

[canadmos]

What happened with Cecile Ravanel? She used to win all sorts of races and then just disappeared. Injury?

 

[slyfink]

There was an EWS race today?

I clicked on a World Cup Course Preview vid, only to realize it was a World Cup Enduro Course Preview by mistake...

 

[Fool]

There was an EWS race today?

Highland Mtn has a Thursday night Enduro series, maybe that was it?

 

[sethimus]

enduro in a flowtrail bikepark, yawn

 

[Gary]

What happened with Cecile Ravanel? She used to win all sorts of races and then just disappeared. Injury?

Yeah. A Bad injury. She now coaches younger talent along with her husband.

 

[toodles]

What happened with Cecile Ravanel? She used to win all sorts of races and then just disappeared. Injury?

Broken back. Now coaching as Gary said. Fun fact - her coaching students got 5 World Champs jerseys in one year.

 

[Gary]

jerseys? She passed on her no handed wheelie skills to Pauline ferrand-prevot

 

[toodles]

jerseys? She passed on her no handed wheelie skills to Pauline ferrand-prevot

Ah whatever they win now. I'm still upset they stopped doing the giant glass trophies from the Earthed years.... Pretty confident that was the peak of the sport and anyone who argues otherwise is wrong.

PVP got like three world champs in 2022, plus Vali Holl. I think the other one was a junior? I can't remember - someone on Vital worked it out.

 

[6thElement]

PVP got like three world champs in 2022

I think PFP got 4 last year, XCC, XCO, XCM and GRVL

 

[toodles]

Still blows my mind how consistent they gotta be. Looking at the results, less than 30 seconds separates top 5 men (34 seconds for the women) after 25 minutes (28 for ladies).

 

[schwaaa31]

Am I the only one thinking enduros going to go the way of the dodo bird? There's almost zero coverage. It's a pain in the ass to follow. How much return are bike companies getting out of it? I know they're selling enduro bikes by the truckload, but do they need to spend all that money sending a team around the globe (Europe) to do that? It's been a good couple of weekends for Forbidden, I will say that. But the big companies that are already selling a ton of bikes? I wonder if it's worth it for them.

 

[Gary]

Dunno about any other venues but when the EWS was last here it attracted a ridiculous amount of people to the area to spectate and partake in various smaller events run over the week. No doubt including a shit load of perusing future product purchases both out on the hills and in the various trade/team areas.

But yeah. I agree. For spectators/fans it seems to be an absolute shit show of a sport to follow.

 

[toodles]

The whole combination with the other events made an already hard-to-follow event even worse. Running it on a Thursday doesn't help. I doubt its going to die out, but it seems the managing organisation has their hands full running the whole show now and its not getting the push it had previously. Pinkbike didn't even run a primer article for it, which I presume is spoon-fed to them by the organisers so god knows what happened there.

It has always been format that hasn't suited coverage anyway, more of a participation thing than anything. I'd guess if you were going as a spectator to watch the DH and XC and got there a few days early you might wander off to try and watch it live but sounds like they ran the Leogang EDR events quite away from the race village.

 

[Fool]

The only media outlet putting out worthwhile content about Enduro had to sit the race out because he was sick, so had a DH rider on his team record a POV run on the DH track, which was sick in a totally different way.

Matt Walker (the one with 2 working collarbones) is looking to pull off the dub by trying to qualify for DHI after pulling a 7th at the EDR.

Golly, Enduro sure got lost in the shuffle -- despite being the first major event of the triple-header weekend. Good job, ESO! Can't wait for more marble-mouthed DH commentary.

 

[toodles]

Can't wait for more marble-mouthed DH commentary.

With Ed Masters out injured they should give him a microphone and some sugar and put him on.

 

[jonKranked]

With Ed Masters out injured they should give him a microphone and some sugar and put him on.

I believe he's covering dh

 

[jonKranked]

Am I the only one thinking enduros going to go the way of the dodo bird? There's almost zero coverage. It's a pain in the ass to follow. How much return are bike companies getting out of it? I know they're selling enduro bikes by the truckload, but do they need to spend all that money sending a team around the globe (Europe) to do that? It's been a good couple of weekends for Forbidden, I will say that. But the big companies that are already selling a ton of bikes? I wonder if it's worth it for them.

Dunno about any other venues but when the EWS was last here it attracted a ridiculous amount of people to the area to spectate and partake in various smaller events run over the week. No doubt including a shit load of perusing future product purchases both out on the hills and in the various trade/team areas.

But yeah. I agree. For spectators/fans it seems to be an absolute shit show of a sport to follow.

The whole combination with the other events made an already hard-to-follow event even worse. Running it on a Thursday doesn't help. I doubt its going to die out, but it seems the managing organisation has their hands full running the whole show now and its not getting the push it had previously. Pinkbike didn't even run a primer article for it, which I presume is spoon-fed to them by the organisers so god knows what happened there.

It has always been format that hasn't suited coverage anyway, more of a participation thing than anything. I'd guess if you were going as a spectator to watch the DH and XC and got there a few days early you might wander off to try and watch it live but sounds like they ran the Leogang EDR events quite away from the race village.

Chatter over on vital is that because it's combined with dh xcc and xco, most of the race was held in another valley. By the time the final stage occurred (finishing in the central area) all the spectators had cleared out for the day while media didn't make it back in time so see the finish.

 

[vivisectxi]

With Ed Masters out injured they should give him a microphone and some sugar and put him on.

eddy's been doing a bang up job filling in for his smashed up bro; i second this motion.

 

[toodles]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/enduro-world-cup-bike-weigh-in-courtesy-of-edbull-media-house.html

Eddie punching out more interesting and novel coverage than the pro reporters haha. Dude needs to be hired for a Discovery or website journo role as soon as he hangs up the race plate.

 

[toodles]

Results from Val di Fassa are up.

Chuffed to see the mens winner get it done. Afterparty will be loud. Flat pedals in silver place Mens and Womens still holding the torch for squids like me who never got good at clipping in.

 

[Redwood Mulch Chucker]

Waxxer for the win!
Good guy, glad to see him on the top step. EdBull Media needs to be rolling at that party!

BK taking the Crankworx DH win also, solid weekend for Pivot Factory Racing.