[scottishmark]

It replaced flatter jumps that were slightly further to the left (when pointing dh), the bottom section has always been the motorway. The top is, er........ the top section

EDIT: go here http://dirt.mpora.com/news/dirttv-halo-bds-fort-william-stanny-talkie-cam.html and ff the video to 5mins and you'll see where it starts

 

[kidwoo]

Oh yeah......that part.

Thanks!

 

[IH8Rice]

Cool VIDEO.


http://dirt.mpora.com/news/dirttv-val-di-sole-wc-finals-2012.html

minaar's comment at the end sounded a bit of a let down. sure i can understand not wanting to get hurt on something you might not be comfortable on, but how could you go out on your race run and not want to win?

 

[slyfink]

All talk of Connor Fearon seems to have died off here, but from what I can gather he was 3rd junior (in 45th position). I'm too lazy to check how far back he was from Bruni and Rude... anyone know? was it close (ish)?

 

[CBJ]

minaar's comment at the end sounded a bit of a let down. sure i can understand not wanting to get hurt on something you might not be comfortable on, but how could you go out on your race run and not want to win?

You have to say something when you loose with 8 seconds.

Rice not related to your post but a lot of hate in this thread. People need to lighten up.

 

[jonKranked]

Rice not related to your post but a lot of hate in this thread. People need to lighten up.

his nickname is "angry steve". Hope that clears things up.

 

[IH8Rice]

You have to say something when you loose with 8 seconds.

i guess, but when i hear comments like that i think of what Senna said about auto racing: "If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you no longer a racing driver.' i know its not exactly the same, but as a top pro, how could you not go out at every race and not want to win?

his nickname is "angry steve". Hope that clears things up.

re-read what he said

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

i guess, but when i hear comments like that i think of what Senna said about auto racing: "If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you no longer a racing driver.' i know its not exactly the same, but as a top pro, how could you not go out at every race and not want to win?

I see where you're going with this, but Minaar's never been one of those guys IMO. He's quick, and calculated, but reserved and sportsmanlike in all the interviews I've ever seen/read.

Gee, on the other hand........

 

[jonKranked]

re-read what he said

my point still stands

 

['size]

All talk of Connor Fearon seems to have died off here, but from what I can gather he was 3rd junior (in 45th position). I'm too lazy to check how far back he was from Bruni and Rude... anyone know? was it close (ish)?

fearon was 4.6 back from rude.

 

[General Lee]

minaar's comment at the end sounded a bit of a let down. sure i can understand not wanting to get hurt on something you might not be comfortable on, but how could you go out on your race run and not want to win?

I think there's a difference between not wanting to win, and knowing your strengths/limits for a particular track. Did Minnaar want to win? I'm sure he did, but he's smart enough to know when someone else is setting a pace he can't reasonably (safely?) match. That's how he's become easily the most consistent racer on any type of course for the better part of 5+ years.

-6 seconds off his quali wasn't exactly phoning it in

 

[FlipFantasia]

I think there's a difference between not wanting to win, and knowing your strengths/limits for a particular track. Did Minnaar want to win? I'm sure he did, but he's smart enough to know when someone else is setting a pace he can't reasonably (safely?) match. That's how he's become easily the most consistent racer on any type of course for the better part of 5+ years.

-6 seconds off his quali wasn't exactly phoning it in

bingo

 

[IH8Rice]

I'm sure he did, but he's smart enough to know when someone else is setting a pace he can't reasonably (safely?) match.

its not like he knew he was going to be nearly 8seconds off Gwin's pace.

 

[norbar]

Also Val Di Sole is one of Gwins favorite tracks. Everyone knows it and from Gregs interview he kinda didn't expect to beat Gwin there. It's only smart of him to play it safe instead of risking an injury and loosing by 2s instead.

To be honest what surprises me is that none of the fast guns really went for it. I expected more guys to go faster than Greg. The track rewards crazy riders and it seems most of them didn't go crazy enough. I understand Hill. He commented he still has to find confidence to hit all his lines but the rest?

 

[wood booger]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Minaar has never had a flat or significant wreck in a WC race run.

And it looks to be tighter this year (between Greg and Gwin). If Gwin does wreck again (as he did last year), and does not get on the top step for a race, Greg could take the overall w/ 2nd places all season long.

Gwin is a step above all, but no one beats Minaar's consistency. Quoting a race car driver who died driving kinda proves the point that consistency can best pure speed. No disrespect for Senna, he is a legend.

 

[William42]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Minaar has never had a flat or significant wreck in a WC race run.

And it looks to be tighter this year (between Greg and Gwin). If Gwin does wreck again (as he did last year), and does not get on the top step for a race, Greg could take the overall w/ 2nd places all season long.

Gwin is a step above all, but no one beats Minaar's consistency. Quoting a race car driver who died driving kinda proves the point that consistency can best pure speed. No disrespect for Senna, he is a legend.

He's had flats, wrecks, and mechs. MSA last year comes to mind, only one close to gwins time and then he wrecked (he might even have been up).

Anyway, lets give minnaar some credit: the big guns fuggin went for it and attacked the sh1t out of it. Its a WC race, and nobody is in it do poorly. Minnaar just went faster then all of them (except the Amerigwin guy) and stepped it up on the tech track compared to his normal.

 

['size]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Minaar has never had a flat or significant wreck in a WC race run.

And it looks to be tighter this year (between Greg and Gwin). If Gwin does wreck again (as he did last year), and does not get on the top step for a race, Greg could take the overall w/ 2nd places all season long.

Gwin is a step above all, but no one beats Minaar's consistency. Quoting a race car driver who died driving kinda proves the point that consistency can best pure speed. No disrespect for Senna, he is a legend.

not sure how you define significant but just off the top of my head, he quali'd first in MSA last year and had a decent wreck in the finals putting him in 18th.

how is greg going to take the overall with 2nd's all season based on gwin maybe crashing in one race out of 7? that logic and thinking makes no sense.

didn't gwin beat minnaar's consistency last year?

 

[thad]

Greg is human. He crashed at Mt Saint Anne last year. Qualied 2nd, finished 18 with a crash. Crashes and mechanicals are reare from him

 

[intensified]

Greg is human. He crashed at Mt Saint Anne last year. Qualied 2nd, finished 18 with a crash. Crashes and mechanicals are reare from him

at ft william he hit a cooler at high speed i believe back 2002?

 

[thad]

Attached is SS of the last 11 big races going back to 2010 World Champs.

Gwin has won 6 of 11 races and gotten podium at 10.
Greg has won 3, podium 7, top ten at 9
Gee has podiumed 8 times.
Hart has won one, podium 4x, top 10 8x.
Hill won one, podium twice, top 10 6x.

 

[Bronco!]

Imo, After what I've seen at Val di sole this weekend, Hill is out of the game. Hart was slow, but maybe he just wanted to get protected for next races.

My bet is on Gwin gwinning fort bill. Hart or Greg might steal the lead if things turn wrong for Gwin.

 

[epic]

Hart or Greg might steal the lead if things turn wrong for Gwin.

Hart? Great rider, but he's kind of nowhere in the WC rankings right now isn't he? With such a short season, he'd better make his move soon if he's going to win.

 

[IH8Rice]

Imo, After what I've seen at Val di sole this weekend, Hill is out of the game.

to me he looked like his old self, fast and on the brink of losing it every where

 

[Santa Maria]

to me he looked like his old self, fast and on the brink of losing it every where

totally agree - to call Sam slow and out of the game is a joke......however there are more guys now that can ride on the edge or even above........

 

[norbar]

Imo, After what I've seen at Val di sole this weekend, Hill is out of the game. Hart was slow, but maybe he just wanted to get protected for next races.

My bet is on Gwin gwinning fort bill. Hart or Greg might steal the lead if things turn wrong for Gwin.

I love e-speculation based only on one race (because he did exceptionally well for him in pmb). Look up an interview with him. He claims he is still not riding at his full speed and needs to get his confidence back.

Though for all "he's out of the game " dweebs I suggest looking up Michael Pascal's result in Champery last year.

 

[Mo(n)arch]

Gwin is and will be one of the most consistent and fastest riders (Atherton and Minnaar) in the wc for a long time.

For all the dudes claiming that Hill is out of game:
He was out of buisness for almost two years. Coming back after such a long time and being in the top ten on a track that rough isn't exactly "out of game" for me.

 

[General Lee]

I love e-speculation based only on one race (because he did exceptionally well for him in pmb). Look up an interview with him. He claims he is still not riding at his full speed and needs to get his confidence back.

Though for all "he's out of the game " dweebs I suggest looking up Michael Pascal's result in Champery last year.

But, but. . . . look at the spreadsheet!!!!

 

[norbar]

But, but. . . . look at the spreadsheet!!!!

Naah you have to beat everyone by 20s every race. If you don't you are done. Well unless you do that for one race. Than again you will beat everyone and everyone should name their babies after you and tattoo your face on their manboobs. Though then you loose again, obviously on purpose or because you didn't like your new bike . Now the fanboys have to choose between getting new gear or having a laser surgery. Man life is a roller coaster.

 

[wood booger]

Gwin is and will be one of the most consistent and fastest riders (Atherton and Minnaar) in the wc for a long time.

For all the dudes claiming that Hill is out of game:
He was out of buisness for almost two years. Coming back after such a long time and being in the top ten on a track that rough isn't exactly "out of game" for me.

Yeah, it's funny that people forget Hill's WC overall (2009) and World Champs rainbow (2010).

2011 was the only year w/ nothing "special" to show for it due to be sidelined w/ injuries, yet he still made the top ten (and one podium) in all 4 WC's he attended.

I hope he comes out smashing this weekend.

 

[jackalope]

^^
Sorry, it's curtains for Mr. Hill. He is just fat and slow thesedays...

Actually, I am glad to see him back in the mix, and anxious to see how he fares at Bill, especially given his notable successes versus his unpleasant experience the last time he was there.

 

[Jim Mac]

Mmmmmm. Basking shark.

 

[rockofullr]

I've thought for a long time when looking at DH training: "What the hell are these guys doing?"

I understand that there are a lot of variables at play, mental focus, confidence, strength, fitness, bike, bike setup, etc...

That said, when Gwin started showing up in pre-season vids 2011 looking like 15+ pounds muscle heavier... I thought to myself "finally somebody is getting it."

Riding hours and hours on road bikes and XC bikes and motocross bikes will give someone great fitness, no doubt. But, in a sport that requires one 3 to 6 minute burst of full body power, it makes good sense to me to train for 3 to 6 minute bursts.

Watching BMXers train for the Olympics is to watch people train properly for their sport. There is NO effort wasted on innefficient or counter productive body conditioning. It's: wake up & eat, stretch/yoga, gym (explosive lifting/plyo), eat, nap, light spin & stretch, BMX track practice (gate starts & 100% race runs, followed each time by rest and close monitoring of heart rate). The result? A body 100% prepared to race BMX.

When GM showed up this season looking minus 15 pounds, my first thought was "Man I hope he plans eating like hippo and lifting for a couple months after PMB, 'cause twiggy ain't the body type for most of the other tracks this season..."

From my admittedly humble perspective, Gwin is properly trained for DH, and none of the guys who are close to him in the results are to the same degree. I don't believe this is the only factor in his success, but it is a big one.

I was wondering about this too. The commentators even talked about guys trying to loose weight so they have smaller arms and avoid arm pump(or something along those lines). I know Graves lost weight now that he is a DH rider again.

What do you guys think about optimal muscle mass for DH?

BTW Gwin looked like a freaking rock when I saw him at the otter.

 

[wood booger]

But what about folks like Troy? He rips the rough tracks, but has pencil arms and can't weigh over 145 lbs.

Just so light he floats over the rough? Maybe that is what Minaar was going for, more float less plow.

 

[Wa-Aw]

But what about folks like Troy? He rips the rough tracks, but has pencil arms and can't weigh over 145 lbs.

Just so light he floats over the rough? Maybe that is what Minaar was going for, more float less plow.

My friends saw him and said he had arms like an ape. Skinny kid and small body but relatively huge forearms and hands.

 

[General Lee]

Pretty much every variation of an athletic body type has won a WC dh race several time over. Me thinks you're over thinking it.

Especially when so much of the difference between 1st and 20th is above the shoulders.

 

[aaronjb]

Especially when so much of the difference between 1st and 20th is above the shoulders.

Hairstyles win races, confirmed.

 

[scottishmark]

True. Danny's hair has now gone below the shoulders so he's not doing as well.


Also feel I may have to to start my "please make Danny shave" appeal again

 

[Pegboy]

When ever these conversations come up regarding Gwin and the rest of the field, it always seems to go to who has to do what to catch up and where Sam Hill is going to be blah, blah etc. etc.

What makes people think that Gwin has peaked? I'm not saying he has or hasn't, but I do know that he (in comparison) has not been racing that long...Hell between Junior and Elite's I think Hill may have more titles than Gwin has raced (# of years)!

 

[toodles]

What makes people think that Gwin has peaked? I'm not saying he has or hasn't, but I do know that he (in comparison) has not been racing that long.

Good point, but in my experience of dominating World Cup seasons (ie - no experience whatsoever) to me it seems that the 2nd and 3rd placegetters have the added benefit of that little bit of hunger to drive them. Some wanky t-shirt manufacturer used to have a slogan that said "to stay number 1, you've got to train like you're number 2". Toilet jokes aside, that to me kinda sums up how much of a difference a bit of hunger makes.

You look at a couple of years ago when Sam was killing it, the following season most of the other top riders obviously spent the off-season doing endless cutties or whatever just to get up to that level.

 

[kidwoo]

"to stay number 1, you've got to train like you're number 2". Toilet jokes aside,

Hey now..........not so fast