UCI cancels 4x for 2011 race schedule

[Capricorn]

craig 'stikman' glaspell from Intense Cycles tweeted that 4x has been cancelled. Apparently, it's too expensive (tracks costs more than DH and XC combined),and that UCI Gravity report (click) did not cast 4x in a good light.

Will we see the return of dual slalom? hotdamn, i wish cape town had a DS track. Honestly.

I am a bit conflicted however, as I thoroughly njoi'd watching the 4x action on sat night prior to the sunday DH. Lotsa thrills and spills. Given just how absolutely sh1tty DH TV coverage is, i'm surprised just how much more 4x can be televised didnt save it's bacon so to speak.

this must suck for Jared Graves, but at least he can go back to DH, or more likely, switch over to BMX as it is an Olympic event.

However, Dan Atherton must be completely gutted as now he can't prove himself on the 4x circuit, especially if the news is true, and the UCI cancels it from the official race calender for the next few years.

[Bos]

I felt the same way when DS cot canned back in the day in SA. I couldnt afford a DH bike then but I could jump and pump as good as any of the okes, but we often ended up racing down a grassy hill with one or two speedbumps thrown in..

 

Pitty that. Wonder if one of the big sponsors pulled out ?

 

 

[Capricorn]

not really sure if it was a sponsor thing, as opposed to a consolidation effort on behalf of the UCI to better service the needs of the MTB world. If u think about it, 4x is BMX for Mountainbikers. There isnt really a grassroots platform for 4x. BMX will continue to thrive, no thanks to the Olympic status.

 

But DH needs more funding: better cameras, better facilities, track maintenance, development program funding. Apparenly setting up a 4x track, which is an exercise in earthmoving, costs over $100k! If it's the loss leader, then it deserves to get tossed. Pity though. I quite liked watching it, and suffered thru the XCO events due to the pedantic pace.

 

This is big news, and the UCI has yet to officially confirm it albeit rumors have been swirling around since last month already. Someting about smoke and a fire..

[patches]

aaah man! this is not good!

 

saw some clips of the 4x at PMB and was amazed... now they're taking it away... darn!

[rock]

not a bad idea, I never really liked it, either old skool slalom or niks........those east european gypsies must go back to racing bmx's against Sifiso......

[losttheplot]

Don't worry I'm sure the Americans will hold a world 4X champ and invite only Americans

[rock]

Don't worry I'm sure the Americans will hold a world 4X champ and invite only Americans

 

wasnt that what they kinda did with the Jeep series they had a while back, invite only type series......was it dual though?

 

but can imagine a world series of 4X in the states, either way its getting close to olympics so the bmx'ers will want to get back to 20" wheels like Buchanen and some will go back to a DH focus like that lady on Transition bikes - whats her name?

[Capricorn]

turns out, americans not that hot into 4x, while the europeans are crazy about it, with many established bike parks featuring dedicated 4x tracks. If you look at the 4x team compositions, it becomes pretty obvious americans are on the losing side of that argument. Suggestions are being made to have the 4x comps to only run in europe at venues with dedicated 4x tracks.

DS is the middle ground here.

 

oh, and the rumor mill says UCI might have backed out of their unspoken decision to pull 4x from 2011's calendar.