WORLD CUP DH #1 - Leogang

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Leogang, Austria
Downhill
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
sspomer
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sspomer
Edited Date/Time 6/16/2021 11:07am
Leogang is almost here! Can't freaking wait! Still early, but weather looks #fun

Who's gonna win? Who's gonna surprise?

Start spraying about it here!

Stoked that we have #USDH shredder, Dante Silva, taking over @vitalmtb Insta stories for trackwalk. Sven and crew are out there too! https://www.instagram.com/vitalmtb/






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metadave
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metadave 6/6/2021 1:13pm
6/6/2021 1:13pm
Finally, the season that makes the team rumors thread worth all the fuss
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smelly
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smelly 6/6/2021 6:33pm
6/6/2021 6:33pm
In a world full of change, one can always rely on Leogang to have a crappy course. Every year it looks like they've got this track that fights the landscape and meanders nowhere in particular. The tree section looks as bad in the dry as it was in the wet last year. Maybe after the race Sean Leader can scope it out and gussy up the track, or they can ask Les Gets how to make a sick course on a grassy hillside.

Nevertheless, psyched for the season to get underway. Leogang always produces tight racing, despite our gripes about the track.
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brash
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brash 6/6/2021 9:26pm
6/6/2021 9:26pm
Love this time of year, Looking forward to staying up till 3am Australian time yelling at the TV for Troy to go faster like it somehow works via the Redbull App.

My kids and wife sure do love it lol.
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Martin_Prophet 6/6/2021 10:51pm
6/6/2021 10:51pm
smelly wrote:
In a world full of change, one can always rely on Leogang to have a crappy course. Every year it looks like they've got this track...
In a world full of change, one can always rely on Leogang to have a crappy course. Every year it looks like they've got this track that fights the landscape and meanders nowhere in particular. The tree section looks as bad in the dry as it was in the wet last year. Maybe after the race Sean Leader can scope it out and gussy up the track, or they can ask Les Gets how to make a sick course on a grassy hillside.

Nevertheless, psyched for the season to get underway. Leogang always produces tight racing, despite our gripes about the track.
The course is great, the riders love the course and nobody who was in Leogang, talks shit about this course
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Eoin
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Eoin 6/7/2021 12:33am
6/7/2021 12:33am
smelly wrote:
In a world full of change, one can always rely on Leogang to have a crappy course. Every year it looks like they've got this track...
In a world full of change, one can always rely on Leogang to have a crappy course. Every year it looks like they've got this track that fights the landscape and meanders nowhere in particular. The tree section looks as bad in the dry as it was in the wet last year. Maybe after the race Sean Leader can scope it out and gussy up the track, or they can ask Les Gets how to make a sick course on a grassy hillside.

Nevertheless, psyched for the season to get underway. Leogang always produces tight racing, despite our gripes about the track.
Disagree, Leogang consistently has the best RAW training footage going way back (from Lehikonen's wheel exploding years ago to last year's root double crashfest) and the most memorable runs of all time: Gwin Chainless, Gwin Tyreless, Gee vs Chainsaw, Bruni vs Rat...
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Jason_Schroeder 6/7/2021 11:55am
6/7/2021 11:55am
After watching most the pro field smash laps at Schladming the past few days the list of potential winners this weekend looks longer than ever. I'm super eager for World Cups to begin and thought I'd share some thoughts I had looking at Leogang results the past few years...

1. Aaron Gwin may not have had the best World Champs last year playing in the mud but in the 5 years prior he’s been on every podium in Leogang with three wins (2015, '16, '17) with his worst finish being 5th (2019). After a dip in performance due to injury hopefully AG is ready to get back to his old ways to kickstart the season. Maybe without a chain again for old times sake.
2. Similarly, Troy Brosnan has graced the podium every time in the 5 years prior to World Champs last year. Well overdue for another win, will be exciting to see if Troy can best his 3rd place finishes this weekend.
3. There is a group of consistent racers in the Elite Mens field that are always a threat at Leogang with the likes of Danny Hart, Greg Minnaar and Loris Vergier. With no recent wins in Leogang the last few years between them, I would spread my beat across any of these three to take the win at the season opener.
4. Fast Wild Cards to watch out for - Bernard Kerr, Laurie Greenland, Charlie Harrison, Luca Shaw, Connor Fearon. With multiple top 10’s between them and all riders continuing to turn heads each year I would expect someone to move up and shuffle the podium in Leogang.
5. The women’s field will likely see some fast and familiar Top 10 racers move up to the podium as Leogang has been dominated in recent years by the likes of Rachel Atherton, Tracey Hannah and Manon Carpenter. But with Tracey and Manon retired and Rachel eagerly awaiting the birth of her first child, some room on the podium has opened up.
6. Elite Women who’ve had moments of glory at Leogang and should look to capitalize on past success include Tahnee Seagrave (2017 Winner), Emilie Siegenthaler, Myriam Nicole.
7. Lastly, coming off great 2020 seasons both Marine Cabirou (2020 Overall Champ) and Nina Hoffman should be expected to roll their momentum into 2021 with very good chances of taking their first Leogang win come Saturday.

Always love geeking out at race results and if I had to put my money on who’s going to win this weekend I’d say Loris Vergier and Myriam Nicole take the dubs! Hard to argue their speed and experience but I'd love to hear you all try haha! Wink
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yzedf
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yzedf 6/7/2021 6:27pm
6/7/2021 6:27pm
I’m hoping for super aggressive Gwin to tear it up!
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Ahab
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Ahab 6/9/2021 7:37am
6/9/2021 7:37am
Everyone was FLYING at Schladming. Can't wait for this race
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sspomer
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sspomer 6/9/2021 7:48am
6/9/2021 7:48am
i think the hardest part will be keeping track of the 403 different Trek riders.
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harorider13
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harorider13 6/9/2021 8:01am
6/9/2021 8:01am
WC racing is back cant wait. Gwin will be back on his shit this year I can feel it, he was ramping up last year. But hoping Dak Norton finds the podium this year. Michigan represent
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sspomer
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sspomer 6/9/2021 8:07am
6/9/2021 8:07am
some videos to hype up
- finn, always under my radar for some reason


-neko, gwin and crew prepping (and to echo everyone else, hope gwin is on it...we ALMOST got an inside line done last week, but he was too busy. he says we will after the race. fingers crossed)

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Philip_Rossetti 6/9/2021 8:24am
6/9/2021 8:24am
sspomer wrote:
i think the hardest part will be keeping track of the 403 different Trek riders.
Can’t be as hard as keeping the commencal riders apart😬
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sspomer
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sspomer 6/9/2021 8:34am
6/9/2021 8:34am
sspomer wrote:
i think the hardest part will be keeping track of the 403 different Trek riders.
Philip_Rossetti wrote:
Can’t be as hard as keeping the commencal riders apart😬
LOL so true!
Stiksandstones 6/9/2021 9:53am
6/9/2021 9:53am
Shredder, forgot to mention Vali Holl, fastest qualifier at world champs last year in her first Elite season-yeah, she had an issue on the morning of the race (practice crash) but she was the only female sending that jump in the mud...definite contender on her new Trek, Rockshox, TLD setup.
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grambo
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grambo 6/9/2021 10:18am
6/9/2021 10:18am
I think the UCI needs to pay Schladming to host a WCDH, so fun watching the footage of the not a race event. Luca Shaw looked really fast on Brendog's YouTube POV as well.
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bizutch
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bizutch 6/9/2021 12:50pm
6/9/2021 12:50pm
sspomer wrote:
some videos to hype up - finn, always under my radar for some reason [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EzZySVVbhc[/embed] -neko, gwin and crew prepping (and to echo everyone else, hope...
some videos to hype up
- finn, always under my radar for some reason


-neko, gwin and crew prepping (and to echo everyone else, hope gwin is on it...we ALMOST got an inside line done last week, but he was too busy. he says we will after the race. fingers crossed)

You should let me do The Inside Line one time. You'll get the best of the best interviewer evah...
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Jason_Schroeder 6/9/2021 1:09pm
6/9/2021 1:09pm
Stiksandstones wrote:
Shredder, forgot to mention Vali Holl, fastest qualifier at world champs last year in her first Elite season-yeah, she had an issue on the morning of...
Shredder, forgot to mention Vali Holl, fastest qualifier at world champs last year in her first Elite season-yeah, she had an issue on the morning of the race (practice crash) but she was the only female sending that jump in the mud...definite contender on her new Trek, Rockshox, TLD setup.
Agreed! Been a little under the radar on the results sheet after missing the rest of the season after Worlds crash. I'm sure she's more than eager to get some redemption at Leogang and finally mix it up with the Elite's. I'll put my money on her for Wild Card potential winner!
Billrideshisbike. 6/9/2021 1:19pm
6/9/2021 1:19pm
Can't wait.

Ever since I heard Finn say he wants to win every race and beat Loic, I've counted him out. Get consistently fast and then work your way onto the top of the box. Right now he races like a kamikaze hoping he'll win, but knowing he'll most likely crash. Maybe I'm being hard on him, but that's what I see.

My money is on Amaury.

But I don't even care. Such a stacked field of wonderful competitors.
Jason_Schroeder 6/9/2021 1:46pm
6/9/2021 1:46pm Edited Date/Time 6/9/2021 2:51pm
Track Walk from today! Upper bit looking a bit more bike parky than usual with the exit onto the motor way smoothed out and taped wider compared to last year. Should hopefully save some lives if the skies do open up Wink Lower woods definitely going to be gnarly and loose again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTwiMqhQFnk
EBlackwell 6/9/2021 1:48pm
6/9/2021 1:48pm
Another rider who could be one for a great result is Remi Thirion. Seems like he has been flying a bit under the radar since his move to Giant, but the man is a master of the steeps and had a 3rd here last year and a 2nd in Maribor.
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RiderMikeCheck1 6/9/2021 1:50pm
6/9/2021 1:50pm
Gwin needs a dry race to get him back on the WC horse. Looks like that isn't going to be that weekend.
1
brash
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brash 6/9/2021 7:21pm
6/9/2021 7:21pm
grambo wrote:
I think the UCI needs to pay Schladming to host a WCDH, so fun watching the footage of the not a race event. Luca Shaw looked...
I think the UCI needs to pay Schladming to host a WCDH, so fun watching the footage of the not a race event. Luca Shaw looked really fast on Brendog's YouTube POV as well.
this section always gets me pumped

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mshuster
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mshuster 6/9/2021 9:05pm
6/9/2021 9:05pm
sspomer wrote:
also super stoked to have #USDH ripper, Dante Silva, grabbing Insta stories from trackwalk today! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vital MTB...
also super stoked to have #USDH ripper, Dante Silva, grabbing Insta stories from trackwalk today!

This was tight! I like the raw, with times type of coverage! Vital for win!
Verbl Kint
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Verbl Kint 6/10/2021 9:58am
6/10/2021 9:58am
Amaury did a 3:47 in timed training today in what I've heard was a muddy course. That's a helluva run if the conditions are similar to last year. Reece Wilson won 2020 but with a time of 3:51.

Even with the weather improving, the steep wooded section will likely still be part-swamp come raceday. It looks to me like Amaury's going to be the clear favorite to get the top step now.
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Jason_Schroeder 6/10/2021 10:57am
6/10/2021 10:57am
Verbl Kint wrote:
Amaury did a [b]3:47[/b] in timed training today in what I've heard was a muddy course. That's a helluva run if the conditions are similar to...
Amaury did a 3:47 in timed training today in what I've heard was a muddy course. That's a helluva run if the conditions are similar to last year. Reece Wilson won 2020 but with a time of 3:51.

Even with the weather improving, the steep wooded section will likely still be part-swamp come raceday. It looks to me like Amaury's going to be the clear favorite to get the top step now.
Amaury definitely looks back on form! The lower woods will likely decide the race and after last years slip and slide it's going to be another roll of the dice who can hold on.

Weather looks like it could go either way with at least some amount of rain guaranteed. Leogang dirt (in the open) does dry impressively fast.


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