Danger Dassie

It feels like you guys have just described Menlyn in Pretoria, anywhere bordering Centurion/Midrand or the whole Fourways/Lonehill/Sunninghill Jhb area .... my cchhiiinnnnaa. BYRON, HOWZEIT!

Link to livestream

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/i-slept-in-a-horse-barn-meet-the-track-cyclist-who-funded-his-own-way-to-the-paris-olympics?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow&fbclid=IwY2xjawEe7IRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHYHocGqx8T0tYvg_GdnEM8q1bFcjI94yfEQ9bchpCnGRAJTx-NXhzapWhg_aem_7MMi-sxjL7sHVNF__ZIeRA

Thanks for this, still processing since the news last week and searching for flights down to CT for the memorial. When first starting out on cycling media while still holding down a full time job Tim was one of the first people I came into touch with via the PPA. Always a mentor and over the better part of twenty years a friendship trading puns, dad jokes and some obscure humour. Always a friend to reconnect at events as we’d go over online messages and banter. A love for cycling and all things good from cycling with a dash of petrolhead appreciation. One of our last conversations we chatted about Barry (Tumbles) … two people who were incredible writers and exceptional people in their own way. One slightly more upright on their bike, most of the time.

It's on FoSBR with a fire map/graphic - https://www.facebook.com/suikerbosrand.friends

Didn’t think it was that bad, there were a few features besides the rock gardens, would guess that one needs to more cautious with cornering on some of the gravel sections as well as the fact you’re carrying more speed into those features. Actually Nick had a hand in the design but not the construction as these were two separate contracts. I’m sure there’s alway room to do better, given Nick’s experience across numerous Olympic, World Cup and World Champs courses. But there’s a lot of other factors and bureaucracy at play. It’s worth mentioning that crashes and mechanicals took out at least two medal contenders tin todays race. edit; this interview with Nick provides a better understanding; https://witness.co.za/news/kzn/2024/07/27/pietermaritzburg-mtb-designers-olympic-feat/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3FVr8sD-KoKO-We5xuLlZAFjMpKeQUiSIU8oFMikQWhl79K1NpeKTkmuE_aem_TSqFLtwloP7Gq5E7411XhA

Likely a concussion (“head injury”) and a jaw injury for Lecomte. Hopefully nothing too serious and she has a healthy return, that was a bloody hard fall. Props to the broadcasters not going into overt replays. https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/loana-lecomte-suffers-head-trauma-and-jaw-injury-after-shocking-crash-in-paris-2024-olympic-mountain-bike-xco-race-440258 https://www.sportbible.com/other/olympics-2024-loana-lecomte-mountain-bike-crash-766633-20240728

What a race, still suitably impressed by Candice. A spectacular mechanical, with a run to the tech zone and didn’t give up. Finishing 20th at +9:31. Not the result wanted sure, but an impressive performance all considered. Hope le Comte is ok, that crash didn’t look good at all when she went down!

With respect, this is a baseless comparison that doesn't add to the discussion. Of the numerous posts and quotes here from articles and podcast discussions outlining the issues at hand. In particular the lack of proactive response to a number of queries over the years that were raised about the policy criteria at hand, including a lack of actual knowledge of how the discipline works. What speaks to this is the fact that people within the sport, including administrators, from within the discipline who do have an understanding. Wyn Masters, Andrew Neethling, Greg Minnaar etc ... yet nobody seems to have paid attention, until it was pushed into the open.

Lots of crossover in the gravity disciplines between DH, free ride, enduro etc … obviously athletes need to focus in an area, that also balances out with meeting sponsorship obligations and what not in order to fund a season.

Delta Park in Joburg has a good jump and flow line that's worth a couple hours of play time.

Popped past a bike shop nearby me today, Linden Cycles, and happened to see one of the new Titan Valerian alloy models. A very neat alloy frame, carbon fork, full 105 and DT Swiss wheelset for 28k. Nearly made me road curious!

Regardless of each other’s respective opinion and the bickering aside. Perhaps we can best channel our efforts into giving this the exposure it needs and share among our networks? @Matt perhaps a mention on the content side?

Thanks Sally, makes it all the more difficult as there’s also no elite rider presence to mentor/bond with. Will make a contribution as soon as and share around! All the best.

“ What we would like to see is CSA focus more on what’s best for the riders, especially since CSA have no funds. Comparing themselves to international standards of other cycling federations when they don’t have government funding to the same extent as those federations, makes no sense. CSA has different challenges and should focus on what’s best for South African Athletes. It is the position of WC DH, that allowing a bigger quota of riders to represent the country allows these riders to attract sponsors. Since these riders pay for everything themselves (it costs CSA or the country nothing) they should not be stopped by CSA from participating. Most of the riders that should be included in the team, are in Europe already, where the World Championships will take place. There has to be limits to who can compete and we believe whilst the selection criteria hasn’t served the talent of riders we have, it merely needs some slight adjustments, to make it a fair criteria for the racers. Currently, due to financial reasons, this new selection criteria makes it incredibly difficult or almost impossible for riders to gain international experience andmeet the demands of the selection policy. For riders to travel all over South Africa and then expected to travel all over the world to get experience without backing from CSA, shows that CSA don’t see this from a rider’s point of view. “

It is yes, opens at 07:00 in winter. Afaik only the main gate is the access point. We normally check on the Friends Of Suikerbosrand FB page for updates, although they’ve not posted since March this year. https://www.facebook.com/share/LGXY3xAUWULdecUg/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

It isn’t a free for all, it’s as far from anything like it. The only thing gatekeeping accomplishes is to deny taking advantage of the opportunities available. That has ramifications for future riders and the discipline. An administration can only ride the coattails of a single athlete’s success for so long with such a dogmatic approach.

You are twisting words. “Butthurt” and “Also rans” etc … are by their nature snide when used. Further to that, take the time to read and absorb objectively the WCDH statement as well as some of the points raised by not only the riders, but also people who do actually have the knowledge and experience of the sport at hand, for example Myles Kelsey, Andrew Neething etc

Chris, this is a patently dishonest characterisation of the topic raised and people involved, and only speaks to the lowest denominator of the discussion. The underpinning issue at hand is a policy that raises concerns. The governing body claim it was acknowledged and adopted without protest. This is untrue, as we see in the statement from WC Downhill, the provincial body. People who do actually have fundamental knowledge of DHI have reached out numerous times to assist, and get rejected. Regardless of what people thinks of the riders and the snide remarks about their character and potential, the sport deserves a better level of cooperation. It’s been encouraging to see Minnaar call out similar behaviour from people creating fake accounts.

https://bikenetwork.co.za/csa-dont-see-this-from-a-riders-point-of-view/ “In response to the comments in the media by CyclingSA on the article we published on the Unusually small SA Team announced for UCI DH World Championships, the Chairperson of Western Cape Downhill has issued us with this statement. Western Cape Downhill is administered by a voluntary group of people, like it is across all cycling disciplines in CSA — in other words, we have normal day jobs and do this for the love of the sport. We represent the largest number of Downhill Racers in South Africa, but in relation to the other cycling disciplines, Downhill has a smaller contingent of participants. We only became aware of the changes to the selection criteria for the South African Team (for the 2024 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships) in March 2024…..”

Comparisons were made even before then, as you say it shouldn't be us/them, so no need to compound it by commenting about specific sacrifices from athletes. Plus your own posts, despite denying it were loaded with spiteful/snide comments, like now even about penalties. There's no place for any of it. It would be better for HS to say what the challenges are, although I could believe DH has bigger challenges by default due to the small scene here and limited entry points to the sport. Which means far fewer sponsorship opportunities to enable riders to breakthrough. Along the 'process of discussion,' it has actually been unpacked through a number of posts here and online. The CSA criteria does seem questionable overall, I mean those top tier placing requirements alone would exclude most riders even from the top nations. Which begs the question, while these high level expectations are set for the riders. Who sets those? Do they have the prerequisite institutional experience to say these are the criteria? Arguably not. This leaves us in an embarrassing stalemate that doesn't serve anyone and is actually a failure in many respects. Objectively; there isn't really a fundamental reason to field at least two more riders in the elite field. SA Champ and one other. This would also mean we have an elite presence/mentors on site for our juniors. I get that having slots "isn't a guarantee" but it makes no sense to discourage participation, by it's it's very nature participation will generate a more competitive/higher performing field. IMHO CSA have over the last few years been making a concerted effort with their own challenges and this shouldn't overshadow that or the team representing SA. But this needs to be dealt with openly and honestly between the riders and CSA, not opaque side stepping.

Someone else's sacrifices has nothing to do with another, stop drawing false equivocations. All the riders are generally supportive of one another across disciplines.

Exactly, it's incredibly disingenuous commentary for people to be making.