nigelhicks

Duane - stop being like a 14 year old pinkbike columnist and think about it for a second. ... YES it would be great to have all the events at ski-assisted bike parks etc. Everyone would love it. But this is not the reality. Can you explain why Val di Sole, Maribor and Schladming are not on the UCI calendar but are hosting IXS races? ... NO? ... Ok i will explain (like i have done to all the pinkbike complainers) All events go out to tender with the initial upfront fee payable to bid for an event being in the (i think) 300 000 EURO range ... As most events that are hosted at Ski Resorts are NOT funded by local government (as PMB and i believe Cairns were) it is expensive for the resort to pay for the hosting rights. On top of this the organisers need to cover the TV costs infrastructure costs and other UCI costs that will be incurred. As this is a Global Tour. Needless to say venues like Val Di Sole, Schladming and Windham have all in the past stated to the UCI at one point or another that they dont have the cash to host the events. So then who has the cash to bid? So who then Bids? If you dont bid how can the UCI choose you? SO ..... Your complaint is invalid for a number of reasons. 1. the shuttle access at Cairns was faster than most of the skilift assisted access events 2. in some instances even PMB is on a par with Fort Bill's access dependant on the queue for the lift system. 3. In the past there have been a number of shuttle assisted venues - Canberra, La Bresse to name 2. 4. Many of the bike parks with ski lifts are exactly that - bike parks - which the UCI want to try and avoid as they are looking for less groomed tracks 5. (and this is the main one) the UCI are limited to choosing from those venues that bid for an event. No bid = you cant have an event. The UCI cant just say to Threadbo "we have an event coming to AUZ - here you organise it" ... it just doesnt work that way! So then before you say "Yes but look at the IXS and how good their venues are" ... remember that the IXS is a Euro Cup (the equivalent of which is our African Continental Champs) ... So there is far less infrastructure that is required to host these events. So therefore the series can utilise venues that may not have the funds to host a World Level event. SO before trying to make up your own rules for the UCI think of the issues that they face first. There are big issues that no one bids ... so what can they do?

http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/13/139190/3263454-impliedfacepalm.jpg

Hey guys - the rules changed at PMB for this year ... last year and before the rule was that if you leave the track you cannot be deemed to have gained any advantage. However this leads to speculation as what is an "advantage". So at PMB the rule was changed at the Managers meeting to the following - "If you leave the tape you need to rejoin where you exited the track" ...... NO 2 ways around .... The rule change was mentioned to all team managers and communicated by official communique. So it was Gregs fault. The new rules were obviously not communicated to Rob Warner and the TV guys who still thought the old rules stand. In Gregs instance he left the tape and missed a pole. If you look at the video he breaks the tape going out but then picks the tape up over his head to rejoin as it was still connected to the pole. So therefore he came in below where he left. So thats it DSQ.

http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/WEB_NEWS_CAIRNS_WC_THUR_DH_DB-2.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-ThursdayDHpractice-38.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-ThursdayDHpractice-15.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-ThursdayDHpractice-23.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-ThursdayDHpractice-35.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/post-all/tropic-thunder-mother-nature-aint-nobodys-friend-today/

http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-XCE-14-1.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-XCE-24.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-XCE-12.jpg http://flowmountainbike.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Cairns2014-XCE-2-1.jpg

SOme XCE Goodness http://flowmountainbike.com/post-all/cairns-2014-xce-horsepower-and-traction-control/

http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb10868127/p5pb10868127.jpg http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb10867974/p5pb10867974.jpg http://ep1.pinkbike.org/p5pb10868092/p5pb10868092.jpg CARNAGE

look at some of those sections where they trying to pedal through the gloop and they just not going anywhere Thats horrible. Cant believe they are running 1 minute slower than they should in the dry. EISH

Quali's video

So from the interwebs i have gleened ...... Hill is on his Pulse Brendog is on his Gambler so it seems from the Woodchip media vid Brosnan on the 175mm EVO (so i would presume that Gwin is too)

That just looks CRAPPY ... i am glad im not racing in that

hmmm - not so sure about that speed trap - unless RAchel was HAULING she was clocked at 75km/h - whereas the rest of the girls were in the 50's Also the variation in the guys is immense Remember that the speed trap is actually done by some dude pressing a button (not sure how that works) but also the riders have to be on the ground for 20m - the longer the spacing between the 2 transponders the more accurate the reading - so maybe the dude pressing the button was too worried about being eaten by snakes and spiders to do his job - the timing guys are German and Swiss - so maybe ...

WOW! hows that speed!!! Thats NUTS - I thought the Gully was fast - obviously not!

Ok i agree with you for the Elite and Junior ranks at Provincial level - but for the youngsters and ballies - we need those alternative lines to encourage new people into racing. So if you think about it as it stands - overall - everyone in the top 10 will be taking the A-line no matter what as it is faster .... but in Sub-vet - maybe 2 riders will take it as its too daunting for most of the guys so then your podium is made up of guys who take the b-lines - and in this instance to have close racing is better IMO ... So it also comes down to your age and category

Slip n slide is the word for sure! ... that mud is similar clay to PMB - so its just a grease-fest ... with 80% humidity! ... NICE

Or scream at them when they not doing well! - remember one XCO race the one little girl came over the line in tears and was just getting an ear bashing from dad ... I was like WTF! ... am I at a Motocross race?

@ Goya-Goya HMMM interesting comments and views - Rebuttal! Technical Skills... some people need them to make up for the fact that they are not a true athlete... for someone to take 5 seconds on anyone in less than 200metres of non-technical racing means they weren't in it to start with! - I think you are forgetting the fact of the matter that XCO (the topic of discussion here - NOT XCM) is designed to test BOTH technical as well as physical ability. Your comment basically says that unless you can cut it in a flat out road sprint against Lance on steroids ... you are not an athlete - so therefore you are saying that as Minnaar and clan only race downhill they are not athletes ... HMMMM ... did you see his Cape Epic and Sani2 C results in years past??? Hiding behind the fact that you can do "technical" stuff because you are not proficient enough to compete does not make you podium worthy. .... :eek: ... OK ... again I think these comments are a bit miss leading ... You say that many XC riders hide behind the fact that they are good in technical and suck at fitness - however in almost ALL XCO events technical sections make up only 20% of the track with lung busting climbs comprising 50% of the track ... OK .. that technical stuff really makes a difference so you dont need to be fit for the remaining 80% .. Roadies are real athletes... they don't hide behind anything... its just you and your body... not "technical" sections to rest... just hardcore nuts-against-the-glass... nowhere to hide! ... No where to hide??? Im sorry .. but you dont see any rider in ANY road race sitting on the front of the pack pulling the pelaton for 200km straight ... The ONLY instance a Roadie is "Not hiding behind anything" is in an individual time trial event. So if you think about it - the Individual timetrial for this years Tour De France is 54km - but the entire race is 3656Km (before ratifiaction - but close enough) ... so that means that the "NO WHERE TO HIDE" part of this epic road race is actually 1.5% (rounded up) of the race ... The rest of the time the riders can rest nicely in the peleton with their teams helping them during attacks etc and getting a nice draft from the rider in front ... HMMMM ... not saying they not immensely fit (and sometimes on juice) ... but HMMMM .... hahahaha Just pulling the piss dude - any world level pro demands respect - but at the level we are talking of and the discipline - my previous post stands true

Firstly welcome to the Hub ... hope you enjoy the banter. Firstly let me just argue with Nolipoli quickly .... then i will discuss what we do at World Cups vs Nationals and then Provincials here in KZN. What the vision is and why its done. I disagree - especially at a Provincial level - this is your base for new riders to progress so the time penalties need to be just great enough to penalise a rider to the point that they loose a bit but do not feel the absolute need to take the A-line to save time - If this is the case then you fall into a situation like at Masters Worlds XC last year when okes were ending themselves over something that was reserved for proper skilled riders - also it needs to be said that this is also a South African rider EGO issue - and we ALL need to stop thinking we are better than we are and know our limits - but the crux is ......... a B - or C line at Provincial or even National should not put you out of contention for a podium! (a win maybe - but a podium .. NO) -------------------------------- Right on to what we do. There are a number of issues to keep in mind 1. Level of event - Regional vs Nationals vs International Regional - at a regional event this is the breading ground for new riders to test their wits and skills on XCO and DH courses - you need to have the tracks testing enough, but not too harsh - so that it can cater for all riders skill and strengths - In this regard B - and C- lines are a MUST - In XC - Nick Floros' magic number is about 10 seconds for a B -line and 15 sec for a C- line if necessary. In DH - I use (dependant on track length) a 2 to 3 second penalty for a B-line. Basically in both instances this means that you loose a bit - but if you are good elsewhere on the track you can still be in the game - also it helps froma safety aspect with new riders not being pushed to try stuff that is out of their league. Also it opens the books a bit more whereby a rider can take one section fast cant just do that every lap etc and win because of it ... you need to be strong over the entire track. NATIONALS At this level you have generally raced for a bit and have some knowledge of whats happening. HOWEVER - B- and C-lines are still necessary as the tracks intensity has increased at this level with either more technical sections or jumps or whatever - in this instance alternate lines need to be added for riders suce as the Ladies and sprogs and sub-vets, vets and masters, some of whom may not be comfortable taking some of the harder lines. Again - there is NO SHAME in taking a b-line ... The time gaps at this level are also set similar to that of the provincials with 10 to 15 sec on XC and 3 to 5 sec on DH ... But again it is a safety aspect through and through. INTERNATIONAL Even at this level you need alternative lines. We saw at the world cup this year - some of the ladies in both the XC and DH utilising B-lines around the Treehouse rock garden in the XC and Dr Evil and Jugs Big one on the DH ... So even at a level where you have riders who have gained enough points to enter a World Cup - some may not be comfortable with a section. Also B- and C-lines assist in XC when if there has been a crash in one line then riders can use other lines to pass. Also in the wet A-lines through rock gardens may be trecherous and therefore the UCI actually insist on the insertion of alternative lines in case of weather issues. Hope this makes it clear. REMEMBER THERE IS NO SHAME IN TAKING A B-LINE - it will be faster than crashing on something on the A-Line that you are not comfortable with. Cheers Nige

Yeah i saw that too.... I spoke to the UCI Tech Delegate about it during our world cup ... and he says its very similar - just more closed in in the jungle ... Lots of high speed - but also lots of roots down below ... What im interested in is the Riders feedback on the shuttle system as they have to use 4x4's to get up the hill.. Also I though they were going to go from the top of the mountain near the cable car - but they actually start on the lower peak at 360m above sea level - with the finish at 33m so less elevation drop than PMB. I would think the track is like 2km long like Claudio says - so it definitely has sustained gradient ... Will be interesting to see what the riders think. I for one think its cool - nice mix of everything. I can see Warner absolutely CR@PPING himself all week - he is such a scaredy cat ... here he was convinced there were black mambas under every leaf next to the track hahaha. So there he wont want to come out of his room. hahahaha

Just worked out Claudios course time - 4:27 ... WOW thats a LONG track time Look at that vs Micks time in the dry - 3:32 ... EISH - thats going to be tough in the mud

and so the hating on Pink Bike begins ... Downhillers are such Dic.s rideRB (2 mins ago) Seems even less proper DH track compared to Pietermaritzburg. I expect many enduro bikes.

hmmm... Micks run in the dry was fast - in the wet that tracks going to be a challenge ... 2 x 10 second uphill sprints ... Then a 30 second flat sprint to the end ... (at Claudio's pace) . .. Rocks look cool as does the Cyclone ... Bottom section ... not so sure doesnt seem to have too much gradient - but then again videos NEVER do it justice as i know ALL to well.

http://www.redbull.com/za/en/bike/stories/1331646985005/cairns-pov-claudio

its called a "dirt nap"

DH Track route for Sunday very trail-bike friendly