Will team changes impact results at the first world cup?

Related:
Question
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup
sspomer
Profile picture for user sspomer
Posts
6030
Joined
6/26/2009
Location
Boise, ID US
sspomer
Edited Date/Time 6/22/2017 11:20am
Lourdes is a little more than a week away! After this first EWS, i started wondering how much team changes will impact results for the world cup downhillers. there's no way to really know, but it's fun to speculate. the top 10 or 11 (i think) except for graves at the EWS were all on the same bikes/teams they were on in 2015. granted, there wasn't a lot of team hopping this year for enduro, but world cup DHers made some jumps this year. will a new bike, team or environment matter?

notables on new teams/bikes
gwin is fully fresh from the ground up aside from suspension (we haven't seen him race the new whip at all yet)
loic and loris basically have the same team, but a different frame
athertons on trek
brook on GT
brannigan on commencal

notables on same team/bikes
syndicate crew like minnaar and ratty
troy still on specialized
remi on commencal
stevie smith on devinci
connor fearon on kona

Ratty from Lourdes via Sven Martin from last year. BRING IT ON!


|
AGR97
Profile picture for user AGR97
Posts
98
Joined
7/17/2015
Location
GB
AGR97 3/29/2016 3:51pm
3/29/2016 3:51pm
If Gwin's first years at Specialized are anything to go by then it certainly will make a difference. As much as everyone says it's not about the bike when these guys are really pushing the small details matter, 5mm of chainstay here, a half a degree slacker head angle there, a different linkage design. These can either inspire confidence or sketch a rider out. And when you're pushing for every last second on a course as gnarly as Lourdes the last thing you want to worry about is how your new tyre sponsor's rubber is gonna hook up. Yes these people are pro athletes and will adapt but at the first races at least compared to being comfortable on a setup for one if not several years then anything new is a challenge.
ctbiker888
Profile picture for user ctbiker888
Posts
44
Joined
12/19/2009
Location
North Vancouver, BC CA
ctbiker888 3/29/2016 4:55pm
3/29/2016 4:55pm
Videos around the webs of Brannigan in Aus and NZ made it seemed like he was PERFECTLY comfortable on that new bike. Much Fast, Many Sending, wow.

Excited to see what Fearon brings this year too, had a split last year of the Carbon Operator and the ALU 27.5 Operator, should have his sea legs underneath him by now.

Im just excited for a freshie RAW video every week.
DaRanger
Profile picture for user DaRanger
Posts
3
Joined
10/30/2015
Location
Vail, CO US
DaRanger 3/29/2016 6:52pm
3/29/2016 6:52pm
Saw gwin at a downhill race at Bootleg. F@cking flying. He is insanely fast.

big b
Profile picture for user big b
Posts
24
Joined
11/8/2009
Location
harrisburg, PA US
big b 3/29/2016 7:30pm
3/29/2016 7:30pm
Does Peaty have enough points to race?
Big Bird
Profile picture for user Big Bird
Posts
2280
Joined
2/1/2011
Location
Oceano, CA US
Big Bird 3/29/2016 7:37pm
3/29/2016 7:37pm
Wyn gets no love on GT? I have high hopes for his riding and his video content. GTMediaHouse. Bring back Wheelie Wednesday!
davikidd
Profile picture for user davikidd
Posts
9
Joined
12/15/2009
Location
GB
davikidd 3/29/2016 9:28pm
3/29/2016 9:28pm
Big Bird wrote:
Wyn gets no love on GT? I have high hopes for his riding and his video content. GTMediaHouse. Bring back Wheelie Wednesday!
Wyn gets no love on GT? I have high hopes for his riding and his video content. GTMediaHouse. Bring back Wheelie Wednesday!
Wyn was banged up at crankworx with a bad wrist. I think he's been keeping things easy before the first race.
BigBoi
Profile picture for user BigBoi
Posts
19
Joined
5/30/2012
Location
Washington, DC US
BigBoi 3/30/2016 4:43am
3/30/2016 4:43am
Sam Hill off the D3 - will he even know what t do at the start gate?
Sesame Seed
Profile picture for user Sesame Seed
Posts
215
Joined
6/25/2014
Location
Farmington, CT US
Sesame Seed 3/30/2016 5:17am
3/30/2016 5:17am
BigBoi wrote:
Sam Hill off the D3 - will he even know what t do at the start gate?
I smoke ganja every day. Some don't smoke at all. Some smoke ganja sometimes. But me, I like to smoke it every day particularly when I ride my bike.

BigBoi quote - Feb. 7th 2016


Maybe Sam needs your help BigBoi.

Run! Run as fast as you can!!
LTrumpore
Profile picture for user LTrumpore
Posts
181
Joined
9/27/2009
Location
Taipei TW
LTrumpore 3/30/2016 6:52am
3/30/2016 6:52am
A few teams switched some major sponsors as well:

Devinci to Maxxis (and rumors of another high profile team possibly on the Minion sharpie plan)

Commencal to Rockshox

Mondraker on Fox


sspomer
Profile picture for user sspomer
Posts
6030
Joined
6/26/2009
Location
Boise, ID US
sspomer 3/30/2016 7:20am
3/30/2016 7:20am
LTrumpore wrote:
A few teams switched some major sponsors as well: Devinci to Maxxis (and rumors of another high profile team possibly on the Minion sharpie plan) Commencal...
A few teams switched some major sponsors as well:

Devinci to Maxxis (and rumors of another high profile team possibly on the Minion sharpie plan)

Commencal to Rockshox

Mondraker on Fox


suspension and tires seem like the biggest changes to figure out for both rider and mechanics/techs. the suspension companies obviously all have their programs worked out, but like mentioned above, the may be battling a bit of the mental unknown at this first elite race.
NoahColorado 3/30/2016 8:41am
3/30/2016 8:41am
Hill and the rest of CRC/Paypal, as well as Josh Bryceland, now on MRP. Look for 5-10% improvements in radness. Wink
Big Bird
Profile picture for user Big Bird
Posts
2280
Joined
2/1/2011
Location
Oceano, CA US
Big Bird 3/30/2016 9:23am
3/30/2016 9:23am
davikidd wrote:
Wyn was banged up at crankworx with a bad wrist. I think he's been keeping things easy before the first race.
I thought that was his brother Eddie.
Stiksandstones
Profile picture for user Stiksandstones
Posts
311
Joined
12/11/2011
Location
colorado springs , CO US
Stiksandstones 3/30/2016 9:52am
3/30/2016 9:52am
BigBoi wrote:
Sam Hill off the D3 - will he even know what t do at the start gate?
Still devastated over this.

Also let me add, Luca Shaw, back on the Santa Cruz V10, SRAM TLD RACING machine. We did a training camp in boulder city for a few days a month ago...after the kid spent the winter in Oz, his riding style got more playful and he is really really fast right now. Luca is the 2nd fastest american and the rookie of the year in 2015.
bradleyjreece 3/30/2016 12:30pm
3/30/2016 12:30pm
DaRanger wrote:
Saw gwin at a downhill race at Bootleg. F@cking flying. He is insanely fast.

Gwin won Bootleg and Fontucky. Not World Cup, but wins on difficult tracks. He's going to be fine.
bturman
Profile picture for user bturman
Posts
2104
Joined
8/1/2009
Location
Durango, CO US
bturman 3/30/2016 1:25pm
3/30/2016 1:25pm
Aside from team news, this winter seemed especially quiet on the Pro rider front. Hoping they've all been training like maniacs and dialing things in for an incredible first race. I love that things kick off in Lourdes, which should be a true indicator of who has been getting after it in the offseason.

Based on this weather forecast, it looks like it's going to be a wild one!



mp
Profile picture for user mp
Posts
36
Joined
7/7/2011
Location
CA
mp 3/30/2016 1:37pm
3/30/2016 1:37pm
NoahColorado wrote:
Hill and the rest of CRC/Paypal, as well as Josh Bryceland, now on MRP. Look for 5-10% improvements in radness. Wink
What use is a chainguide when he doesn't even need a chain to win?
fabdemaere 3/30/2016 1:52pm
3/30/2016 1:52pm
LTrumpore wrote:
A few teams switched some major sponsors as well: Devinci to Maxxis (and rumors of another high profile team possibly on the Minion sharpie plan) Commencal...
A few teams switched some major sponsors as well:

Devinci to Maxxis (and rumors of another high profile team possibly on the Minion sharpie plan)

Commencal to Rockshox

Mondraker on Fox


I'm guessing the "YTMob" will be on sharpied Minions?
sspomer
Profile picture for user sspomer
Posts
6030
Joined
6/26/2009
Location
Boise, ID US
sspomer 3/30/2016 2:15pm
3/30/2016 2:15pm
bturman wrote:
Aside from team news, this winter seemed especially quiet on the Pro rider front. Hoping they've all been training like maniacs and dialing things in for...
Aside from team news, this winter seemed especially quiet on the Pro rider front. Hoping they've all been training like maniacs and dialing things in for an incredible first race. I love that things kick off in Lourdes, which should be a true indicator of who has been getting after it in the offseason.

Based on this weather forecast, it looks like it's going to be a wild one!



uhhhhhhh.
LTrumpore
Profile picture for user LTrumpore
Posts
181
Joined
9/27/2009
Location
Taipei TW
LTrumpore 3/31/2016 3:28am
3/31/2016 3:28am
Off topic, but Myriam Nicole is out with a broken shoulder.
'size
Profile picture for user 'size
Posts
77
Joined
5/28/2010
Location
AZ US
'size 3/31/2016 12:20pm
3/31/2016 12:20pm
sspomer wrote:
ok, after gwin's "downtime" video, i'm not seeing him having much to get used to! freaking on it. http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Behind-the-Scenes-of-a-Champion,31188/970biking,307 and those who mentioned above that he...
ok, after gwin's "downtime" video, i'm not seeing him having much to get used to! freaking on it.
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Behind-the-Scenes-of-a-Champion,3…

and those who mentioned above that he had raced at bootleg and fontana...you're right, i forgot about that!
it seems the yt is much closer to his last bike than his last bike was to the bike before that. change can be difficult but i don't think it's going to be as drastic as before.
pancakeflatted 3/31/2016 5:44pm
3/31/2016 5:44pm
LTrumpore wrote:
Off topic, but Myriam Nicole is out with a broken shoulder.
she broke her shoulder early on last year too as I recall.

Post a reply to: Will team changes impact results at the first world cup?