🔴 FREE, LIVE RACING & RACE TALK 🔴 Loudenvielle - Peyragudes DH and EDR World Cup Double Header

Since when is Trail bike racing a thing? a modern trail bike could handle that no worries.
I'm not one to hate on a track but that preview looks absolutely terrible.

Looks like a pretty normal DH track to me, a lot of grass, big jumps, banked corners, not that many rocks I guess. Word from the riders is it is very fast, very steep and at times very off camber, not easy to ride. I also bet it will degrade faster than Andorra...

Hopefully we can finally get a fair race weather wise... Looking forward to it, way too much moaning this year about tracks, coverage and commentary (in general, not singling out previous comments here). Andorra was the first race this year I got more into the live feed, and the race was great until the top 10, hopefully things just keep improving

Very interesting course. It certainly doesn't feature rock/stump gardens like some of the more infamous courses in the World Cup, but those steep off-camber sections will be a test. It looks like fitness on the pedals may play a factor in the lower section. The compressions through the series of jumps around the road gap look like they will be crazy at race pace. 

Modern trail bikes can handle all current world cup courses no worries. I've personally ridden Fort William, (most of) Les Gets and Champery on a 150mm 29er, and I'm rubbish.

A DH bike at world cup pace will be faster on that course, don't worry.

Agree, looks fun but difficult to race, my only gripe is it looks like a narrow, one-line track. Not sure I saw anywhere other than 1 or 2 very short sections where you have a possible left-right or high-low line.

poaching @dolface from a different thread about this, the weather looks challenging this weekend. that course looks insanely steep after the top 1/3, and riding it in the wet will be a sight. poor media squids and spectators who will have to walk those hills LOL.

mille johnset's POV from a month ago. "i'm scared" more than once through the steeps. really curious how rideable it will be in the wet. all depends on dirt's quality in the rain, but blowing through catch berms at the end of steep sections could be a reality if slick.

Course could be really spicy in the wet and make for good TV. Major issue is it's really long for the ESO (4:30min+ for Millie in the dry). We'll miss a lot of it in the TV coverage. I hope the put a lot of cameras at all those features on the bottom. The top thankfully is the boring part since they will cut the first half of racer's runs from the broadcast. 

sure hope they cover the bottom half over the top

Per Morgane Charre (via Chris Kilmurray on the Downtime pre-race show) the dirt is slick in the wet and riders "will need to figure out which bits of the hill they won't be able to stop or turn on" (paraphrasing).

Full Spikes!!!   

eddie's new bike at loudenvielle

I was just going to come here to mention Kilmurray's pre-race take. 

Lots of people (especially on that other site) are going on about how easy the track looks. I'll take Kilmurray and Charre's opinion. Hoping for good (or at least consistent) weather for raceday.

fox dialed from loudenvielle

jack moir's new bike day from loudenvielle

I am absolutely on the edge of my seat to see how this track gets raced. 

I think the final split is going to be make or break. Those flat switchbacks will be separation point in the field. It will come down to who has the best brake feel and bike control. 

I fully agree. Armchair athletes saying the track looks dull? Strange, looks to me from Loïc's preview like it has a bit of everything, and the lower half is steep AF, with gaps and lines all over the place. Also, off-camber grass turns are DOPE. Can't wait to see what Lawlor brings us over the next few days. And if it rains, I pray it rains for everybody. Let's go racin', giggity-goo!

One of the early course descriptions mentioned a potential huge drop gap and I think I see where they meant. But will it be taped into the course.  Can one fly out of and back into the course without touching the ground without penalty? 

From what I understand your tires need to stay within the tape, whether in the air or on the ground...

but...

That would be ridiculously cool and open up all sorts of gambler lines if one could air over the tape so long as they didn't touch down outside the line. 

pit bits vid from loudenvielle. rad look at dirtbag privateers and factory nerds

the section at 2:55 looks like it could be taped different and would be a huge huck.

That's where I was wondering about. Everyone goes to the right down to the catch berm. But what if you could go straight and gap it?

latest fox dialed

With the weather once again set to shake things up, the organizers have put in place a contingency schedule, basically practice session for all riders today, then qualifying for juniors and elites tomorrow, with racing Saturday PM for juniors and Sunday for elites. 

Words from the organizers:

Due to forecast electrical storms on Saturday afternoon the UCI, WBD Sports and the LOC have confirmed changes to the racing schedule in Loudenvielle.

This is a safety decision based on ensuring the welfare of the athletes, teams, marshals, volunteers, spectators and everyone working at the event.

Headline changes to schedule:

Thursday
DHI Elite Training Group A & B session Thursday 14:00-18:00

Friday
UCI Enduro World Cup will take place on Friday

DHI Qualifying Elite: Friday afternoon from 16:40

Saturday
LIVE Broadcast DHI Finals Junior. Start times TBC

Sunday
No changes to DHI Elite Semi Finals and Finals

Maybe we will get to see 60 riders again. The 30 riders and semi’s has got to go!!

Red bull TV only ever showed 30-35 riders

I could care less about  the coverage. what I care about is good guys like Neko Mullaly actually getting points and racing. Just like Kade Edwards said there gonna turn it into an ultra exclusive field. But wait someone like you is only worried about what you see on tv not what riders want or what’s best for the sport. Glad your watching the same 30 guys go every race! I do not and will not be purchasing a GCN membership or support discovery plus.

This bloody season can't catch a f'ing break

chris hauser POV from this morn. dirt looks mint!