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UCI MTB World Cup, France: DH 1


jimmycool

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Wow that does look like some very natural lines.

However, is it just me? somehow it looks very easy apart from the very tech rock section at the top and then some of the big gap jumps near the middle. Otherwise the course looks very fast

 

I'm a blind believer in the man, but the more I look at this track, the more i see this as perfect for Sam Hill to own. The more raw and natural the track, the more it favors Mr Hill. His latest understudy could also feature. Both of them could in fact. I'm referring to Mike Jones and Troy Brosnan respectively. The impact Sam Hill has on his team mates is huge. Only increases my massive respect for him.

i'm fawning... let me go eat something... :P

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Wow that does look like some very natural lines.

However, is it just me? somehow it looks very easy apart from the very tech rock section at the top and then some of the big gap jumps near the middle. Otherwise the course looks very fast

Maybe after they put the candy tape in place it will not be so open and easy and fast looking!

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I'm a blind believer in the man, but the more I look at this track, the more i see this as perfect for Sam Hill to own. The more raw and natural the track, the more it favors Mr Hill. His latest understudy could also feature. Both of them could in fact. I'm referring to Mike Jones and Troy Brosnan respectively. The impact Sam Hill has on his team mates is huge. Only increases my massive respect for him.

i'm fawning... let me go eat something... :P

Ok, let me ask this. Compared to tokai! That first section until after the rock garden, what part of tokai DH line? 

I havent ridden much DH lines anywhere else except tygerberg, so for me tokai is the STD

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the thing is that it may look relatively easy, but to get that track dialled in and to be really fast on there, takes a LOT of skill and fitness. Especially on the more natural stuff... 

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Hence why I asked, cause those rock features look the business and also looks fairly rollable as well, then the few gaps and drops, the rest of it is pedally and that would take alot out of one

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Ok, let me ask this. Compared to tokai! That first section until after the rock garden, what part of tokai DH line? 

I havent ridden much DH lines anywhere else except tygerberg, so for me tokai is the STD

 

Hard to say: only seen videos of the Lourde track, and we all know how lidcam footage tends to dumbdown tracks.

But I'll hazard that for starters, Tokai doesn't have a comparable gradient to speak off. Those euro world cup tracks in general seem to be vrek steep. I remember Needles once saying about the western cape DH tracks, this after winning at Conters: they are not WC level, something I think Steilte in Helderberg is trying to address. It's all in the name really: steilte: that place has plenty of STEEP!

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aahaa, i see, hence why I noticed some local trails opting for a straight down line where the gradient is steepest

 

Hectic, stuff

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I see mention of 8% gradient, damn thats very steep and should fall in the cat1 to HC category where as tokai mainly has cat 4

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  • 0%: A flat road
  • 1-3%: Slightly uphill but not particularly challenging. A bit like riding into the wind.
  • 4-6%: A manageable gradient that can cause fatigue over long periods.
  • 7-9%: Starting to become uncomfortable for seasoned riders, and very challenging for new climbers.
  • 10%-15%: A painful gradient, especially if maintained for any length of time
  • 16%+: Very challenging for riders of all abilities. Maintaining this sort of incline for any length of time is very painful.

 

Categroy 4 would be around 4-6%

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as far as I see it there is very little pedal in that track...right now - i would say bryceland is as loose as Sam hill and i see it as a compo between those two on Sunday.....but...it all depends on how healed up he is. in a little vid he posted on instagram he looks pretty healed up and a lot of loose.

 

the other question is what has the chainsaw been up to because he's been dead quiet.....

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also just to add to 8% gradient

 

  • Longer than 10 miles
  • 8 – 10%+ average gradient
  • “very high (above 11,000 feet)” 

"the air up there"!!!!

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that for road riding i presume? i honestly think DH tracks are well above 16%.or should be rather. Schladming for instance, is cited as having an average descending gradient of 35%.

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that for road riding i presume? i honestly think DH tracks are well above 16%.or should be rather. Schladming for instance, is cited as having an average descending gradient of 35%.

that's what I was thinking... Those are road climb categories. Not descent....

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in that most recent video is that a massive drop off down to the finish?

 

that corner into that drop off is going to be crucial

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