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But skiing runs are mostly shorter than MTB DH runs, so there's a difference too. Might the 30 only limitation be there to make gaps between riders longer, so each run can be shown in its entirety or as near as?
On the topic of team rumors. How awesome would be it for Gee to be rocking something ridiculous in his videos like the old Karpiel Armageddon with a Monster T upfront. Atherton Bikes needs to buildup something awesome for his videos, or else I hope to see "Gee Atherton signs with Karpiel" 😂😂😂
I feel that people definitely would ride a bit safer in Qualifying especially if there was rain forecast for Finals, so they could ride a dryer or less beat up track.
On the other hand, then it does reduce the effect weather has, and encourages everyone to pin it in qualifying.
At the very least, I would like to see the top 20 riders remain protected; the top 30 qualifiers plus the protected riders would get us somewhere around 35-40 riders on race day, and that wouldn't be horrible - of course I'd love to see it stay at 60, but you do start to get into negligible points in both qualis and finals beyond those rankings, and we also see the tracks take a beating with so many laps.
But at risk here is a part of the culture - it's the privateer element at pro races that is so cool that will surely suffer and start to disappear. Being able to send it on qualis for a shot at top 60 is such an awesome aspect of DH that has brought numerous feel-good stories to the sport, from the Denim Destroyer to Wyn's privateers of the week, a number of whom have really blossomed. And this adds tremendously to the enjoyment of the sport.
So, in making what may be a sleeker and "better event" to help grow the sport's audience, we may be taking out a crucial stepping stone for the people this whole thing rides on: up and coming athletes.
- sry for the novel, been on my mind a lot
imagine this, your a young Aussie/Kiwi, you save up hard for 2 years to live the dream in a Ford Transit van and eating nothing but Service station food and drinking cheap Czech beer for 4 months of summer. Your bike has cracks in the bottom bracket junction, the tyres are bald, your derailleur is making some fucked up noises, but you picture that young Sam Hill, Nathan Rennie or Masters brothers and think "I can do that too"
suddenly, your chance of qualifying halves, you have gone from a slim chance, to mathematically nearly zero because some chodes in suits think it will make better TV.
2024 rolls around, no privateers to be seen (because whats the point)
1.Up the min UCI points to race at WC events.
2.Only allow UCi registered trade teams.
3.Stop national governing bodies getting wildcard entrants.
4.Slash number of qualifying riders.
5.Award races to the highest bidder regardless of the suitability of the venue (especially seeing as they want multi discipline venues to save money)
This will be justified by saying "that WC represents the highest pinnacle of the sport, catering for the best athletes and these changes will allow us to present the best racing we have ever seen.....So shut up peasants, we own it now,so stop whinging or fuck off, that's goes for you riders too,,,,it;s only riding pushbikes-go and get a real job there's plenty more fish in the sea.
Literally like dropping Mont St. Anne and replacing it with Willingen.
could there be some red bull athlete worry behind the union too (loic's movement)? i DO NOT think red bull limits exposure of non-red bull athletes in the broadcast and even their editorial features, but red bull athletes get a lot of exposure because the broadcast is controlled by red bull (POVs, thumbnails all over youtube and the red bull site, social media posts etc). i don't know how contracts are worked out, but if total # of impressions are part of a deal, i'd imagine those impressions will be lower next year for red bull athletes b/c red bull will not have direct access to the same race weekend content for social channels/youtube.
if i was a red bull athlete, i'd be bummed for sure.
there's no way discovery will have this kind of reach on youtube next year and unless red bull has a crew covering world cups on their own (no differently than vital making RAW), then these views won't exist for their athletes. same on social.
I have a feeling Discovery has approached him considering his small cameo in the launch video they put out (same with Jack Moir) as two of the big names of the sport. A story needs a hero, what more of a hero is there than the goat of the sport.
Is it a case of not poking the bear? not biting the hand that ultimately feeds you or something more aloof.
I would really like to hear Gee Atherton's take on this as an elder rider and having skin in the game with Atherton bike co.
also they mentioned that greg seems to only be concerned with safety on some features if it benefits him which rubs some riders the wrong way as he‘s their representative.
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