Jump to content

What a World Champs XCO course SHOULD look like


nigelhicks

Recommended Posts

Hey it is mountain biking after all. A bit of skill should count for something. I dont mean 6 foot drops to flat but if a rider can gain time by riding a section that others are walking down then that seems the right way to go. Its not road cycling after all. . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 39
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I guess you need to draw the line somewhere - for me it's air. DH should have it - XC should probably not. Normal drop offs can be ridden relatively safely by rolling slowly over the edge - gap drops/jumps require speed. Personally I think it detracts from XC - maybe it's just me but the adrenalin in XC comes from bumping elbows, trying to over take riders to get into the next single track section first, 90 minutes of flat out racing.

 

Fireroads = fast but low risk.

Rock gardens - slow but medium/high risk.

Gaps = fast and high risk - one step too far I reckon.

 

If XC is going to become an adrenalin sport why not just do away with DH entirely and leave XC and 4x?

 

World mtb already has 4x and DH as extreme sports - why remove a portion of the xc racers by making it too technical? It's not in the spirit of xc.

 

All my opinions of course :D

 

 

This particular jump ( i prefer to call it a ski jump but what the hell....)

requires BB's and is mostly in the mind....

 

I dont mind if you try it...

 

The difference with XC and DH is that you have a whole train of guys following each other over it if one guy falls...

Check this U tube link about 20 seconds and 5'50 in shows the jump

 

Edited by SwissVan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Omega Man

 

 

World mtb already has 4x and DH as extreme sports - why remove a portion of the xc racers by making it too technical? It's not in the spirit of xc.

 

All my opinions of course :D

 

Edit: if the question needs to be asked if an XC bike can handle it then it's too technical! Horses for courses...

 

I agree with you. Sort of. You need to remember tho that the district road xc racing that we are used to here isn't real xc racing and I also think that if the rider has the onions to make up 5 seconds by hitting a sender like that then good luck to him/her.

 

Remember. It's worlds. You got to work for them rainbows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with you. Sort of. You need to remember tho that the district road xc racing that we are used to here isn't real xc racing and I also think that if the rider has the onions to make up 5 seconds by hitting a sender like that then good luck to him/her.

 

Remember. It's worlds. You got to work for them rainbows.

 

Agreed entriely - the district road and xc in sa is designed for Mr. Joe Average weekend rider.

 

Have you done any of the MTN XC courses? I loved them - technical, te and fast - awesome.

 

My distinction is:

XC should make you go WHEEEEEEEEE!

DH should make you go SHEEEEEEEET!

 

Like I said before if you wonder if your bike will make the XC course then the course designers are doing something wrong.

 

Likewise if you have DHers going "thats cool" then the course designers are doing something wrong.

 

XC should demand lungs and skill not brass balls - thats not what its all about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Omega Man

 

Like I said before if you wonder if your bike will make the XC course then the course designers are doing something wrong.

 

Likewise if you have DHers going "thats cool" then the course designers are doing something wrong.

 

 

Very well put.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The difference with XC and DH is that you have a whole train of guys following each other over it if one guy falls...

Check this U tube link about 20 seconds and 5'50 in shows the jump

 

 

Hmmmm - the gap isn't that bad.

 

Gooo Burry :D

 

I still don't think it should be in a XC course though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

XC should make you go WHEEEEEEEEE!

DH should make you go SHEEEEEEEET!

 

 

interesting...so where would you place our "official" XC course at cascades in that distinction - most of it makes me go WHEEEEEE but two of the rock gardens dont even make me go SHEEEEEEET, they make me go WHOOOAAA!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmm - the gap isn't that bad.

 

Gooo Burry :D

 

I still don't think it should be in a XC course though.

Watching that video .. the drop isnt bad at all!! The forst dude tosses it cus hes not clipped in when he tries to send it - look at how smooth the Specialized boys hit it ... its similar to some of the steps we had in our course this year at the amphitheatre ... just a bit bigger ...

 

Id say its fine for XC ... rewards ballsy riding! and shows who has overall MTB talent (remember that Burry was a previous DH national champ before he went to XC) - so they should be able to handle stuff like this at World level

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found this on FB ... this is ONE of the lines on the Worlds XC course this weekend in Champery Switzerland ...

 

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

 

NOW we are talking ... wonder if any of the XCO guys will be running dropper posts to make the descents easier?

 

INSANE :w00t:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmm - the gap isn't that bad.

 

Gooo Burry :D

 

I still don't think it should be in a XC course though.

 

You have no doubt experienced the phenomena were TV or photo's make hills look less steep etc...?

 

Trust me this particular case is a real good example of such.

 

Standing there last year watching it and even now thinking about it I get goose bumps ........ big cold ones.

 

It definetly would not be fitting on a regional or lower level type of XC course, but is well suited for a World Champs level.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad they're putting stuff like this into XC courses, especially World Champs level courses, it's not balls that are required for that, it's just plain old fashioned skill with a dash of momentum.

Also remember that none of the guys are riding this blind, they've got a few days to hang about and practice this section so that come race day the line is dialled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's a collection photos of "The Hell Zone" from last years event

 

Side view of the downhill portion, the uphill climb to the hell zone entry was just as steep but jeep track

 

post-182-0-02497300-1314814493.jpg

 

 

The climb up

 

post-182-0-32334000-1314814584.jpg

 

Name the Saffa on bike # 169??

 

post-182-0-73474600-1314814635.jpg

post-182-0-68852700-1314814548.jpg

Edited by SwissVan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saffa # 169 entering the hell zone

 

post-182-0-12359600-1314815080.jpg

 

This corner halfway down got a bit crowded on the first few laps

 

post-182-0-95724400-1314815142.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks much better then the tarred course of the Olympics next year.

 

http://www.bikerumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2012-london-olympic-mountain-bike-course-hadleigh-park.jpg

 

http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2011/03/23/2/photo4_600.jpg

 

http://www.bicycling.co.za/files/touchline/bicycling/imagecache/node_preview/node-files/22/article/2012MTBOlympicCourse.jpg

This really looks stupid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout