Cairns World Cup #2

[NotSoBigBen]

Chapeau Julien!

[Stretch]

Yo just hit a tree in my run, spectators were awesome couldn't thank them enough. The guy who took my bike down was a good man, no idea why he hit the whoops but I don't blame him they were sick. I think he's ok though, he was in my ambulance on a spine board and was pretty KO-d but that's all I know... I'm going to pop down to the hospital tomorrow and see how he's doing - Adam Brayton

[Stretch]

another one

 

I decided I really need flats so I have a look through my really limited clothes bag and only have these really thin black Vans I use for a night on the town. Tried to do a run coming down in them and they were awful so stopped half way down the course and I was literally calling people out of the crowd checking their foot sizes! Found some dude with the same size feet and some Five Tens on willing to swap shoes with me! Stoked. Gotta go find him now and give them back! Gee Atherton - Atherton Racing

[Capricorn]

another one

 

I decided I really need flats so I have a look through my really limited clothes bag and only have these really thin black Vans I use for a night on the town. Tried to do a run coming down in them and they were awful so stopped half way down the course and I was literally calling people out of the crowd checking their foot sizes! Found some dude with the same size feet and some Five Tens on willing to swap shoes with me! Stoked. Gotta go find him now and give them back! Gee Atherton - Atherton Racing

 

in the post race interview, gee said he had to find the guy and give him back his shoes, with a definite high five. So Warner/Sven goes: surely half the the race fee as well. Gee just giggles and says: definitely the high five!

Edited April 27, 2014 by Capricorn

[nigelhicks]

So did Rachel Atherton at the 2012 Windham World Cup, which she went on to win. There is a rule interpretation fail here.

thats a bit rude that GM got a dsq...he hardly gained an advantage..rules really up for interpreation..they even commented on it during the commentary

 

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.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Shot for the explanation, Nige!!!

[Stretch]

Thanks for the explanation.... But still very disappointing

[Jaco-fiets]

So what is up with Kulhavy? Is his superior form now something of the past?

[Guest Omega Man]

I apologize to Nigel in advance.

 

I Really Really Really think that World World Cup DH races should not involve shuttles and trailers. It's the pinnacle of the sport FFS.

 

There's PLENTY of ski lift infrastructure in the world. Even in the Southern Hemisphere. The UCI should have a no lift no race rule for DH. Yes I know that would rule out PMB.

 

Why was the race not held at Thredbo? There's an existing bike park there. With a Ski lift. I just don't get it. Maybe I've romanticized lift access mountain biking too much but really. 4x4's in the jungle??? It's just stupid. And I'll bet you 99% of World Cup Pro's would agree.

Edited April 28, 2014 by Omega Man

[Matt Lochner]

I sought of agree, but it would rule out a lot of developing bike parks and ja, I agree that if this was an american/canadian/europian forum everyone would agree.

[Sidewinder.]

I think it's cool when you have world cups in places that dont all look the same, the exotic rain forest changes it up-and if conditions were better I think it would've made for a really watchable world cup.

 

I don't understand your reasons dude, don't you want a local world cup?

[Guest Omega Man]

I don't understand your reasons dude, don't you want a local world cup?

I do. Totally.

 

But I also want the best athletes in the sport to do their thing on tracks that drop 1000m in 4km in the best possible locations. And not load their bikes onto trailers to be carted up a jeep track when there are better locations with infrastructure that's 1000 times better.

 

To me it's got to be aspirational. How many people watched the Cairns World Cup and said I WANT TO RIDE THERE?

 

I also think it's stupid to drive F1 cars round street circuits when there are many amazing real tracks all over the world. (Monaco Excluded)

Edited April 28, 2014 by Omega Man

[Guest Omega Man]

but it would rule out a lot of developing bike parks and ja,

No You're wrong. Les Gets, Champery, Pila, Val di Sole, Hafjel and Valnord were all once virtually unkown and used the hosting of World Cups as marketing opportunities to grow their parks.

[Sidewinder.]

 

I do. Totally.

 

But I also want the best athletes in the sport to do their thing on tracks that drop 1000m in 4km in the best possible locations. And not load their bikes onto trailers to be carted up a jeep track when there are better locations with infrastructure that's 1000 times better.

 

To me it's got to be aspirational. How many people watched the Cairns World Cup and said I WANT TO RIDE THERE?

 

Is there anywhere in SA with that kind of drop? Including Lesotho or tiffendal?

 

There's also something to be said for having the event coming to your town and seeing that for the first time, that's pretty inspiring-and good for the sport. Unless you're already into it, you're not gonna shell out a ticket to France to watch a world cup. Just my 2c.

[Stretch]

So what is up with Kulhavy? Is his superior form now something of the past?

 

he cracked his knee on the ice and could not train..he apparently even tried keeping fit doing hand cycling

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

No You're wrong. Les Gets, Champery, Pila, Val di Sole, Hafjel and Valnord were all once virtually unkown and used the hosting of World Cups as marketing opportunities to grow their parks.

 

Yeah, but by your own reasoning you're saying that it should only go to places with infrastructure that is ALREADY THERE. So that would have excluded all those places, if they hadn't had all the ski infrastructure there in the first place.

 

This is starting to sound rather familiar. It's becoming clearer.... oh, yeah! Here it is!