2014 WCDH lounge

Anyone else think the race was won [HTML_REMOVED] lost in the rock garden near the top? Gwin, Ratboy [HTML_REMOVED] Brosnan all blew thru there, while some rode thru cautiously.

By watching the broadcast it would look like some were faster through there. To me Gwin didn't seem all that fast through the rock garden. The track is so long and we didn't get to see very much of it. A few people were definitely faster in the top section pretty much were the race was won by Gwin.

cairns preview c/o Claudio:

http://www.redbull.com/ca/en/bike/stories/1331646985005/cairns-pov-claudio

another not so tech track it seems. perhaps gwin will ride his enduro again.

though it does look a bit more interesting on the course walk:

http://flowmountainbike.com/post-all/cairns-2014-downhill-track-walk/

whoops should be interesting…

I was just looking over at PB and well looks like a few techy sections.

if you look closely in this pic, just to the left of the ones guys foot it looks as though there could be a rock a little larger than a pebble. lol.

Look pretty techy to me. Looks like its gonna be a good one. Wonder if special bikes will make an appearance for this race also.

The track ranges from fast hard packed dirt, to slick rocks, slimy roots and thick wet clay. Almost any tire choice will be a compromise here.

a quote i stole from PB

the vid looks like it misses some of the techy spots i don,t recall seeing that big rock section , and he did ride around a couple other sections , non the less it does not look like a Enduro course like many are calling it

Yeah, there's some interesting bits emerging. The rock garden is gnar and the goopy clay looks sketchtastic. Now if it rains… The pedal to the finish is pretty anticlimactic though; needs a finish monster huck to appease the crowds; seems to be lacking elevation however.

If it rains [HTML_REMOVED] it's a muck-fest I'd say Hart can take it. Only thing though is all the pedalling. He's not too good at that. What the heck…I'll say Hannah will win. He's still hot [HTML_REMOVED] he's familiar with the course.

WTF is with the metal poles across the track near the finish-line?

There is a vid of Mick Hannah's helmet cam - and while I thought that the track might not be up in the league of Val di Sole or Fort William, it definitely is a banger.

Huge jumps and lots of high-speed stuff. Throw rain into the mix, and well, definitely not as "lame" as some users on local boards over here have posted. Keyboard warriors, I'd say.

edit:

https://vimeo.com/85526731

watch full Screen and have a blast.

Oh, and I think I have to get up at 4 in the morning to catch the Action live, nine hour time difference, how much is it in BC?

Racing starts at 9pm Friday night in Vancouver. perfect!

6am here :/

So is Ratboy trying to win this year? He's always been good, but in the past has seemed more interested in having fun [HTML_REMOVED] tail-whipping.

6am here :/

That's what time it usually starts for us. Experience a WC DH race like you're on the west coast of North America!