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Her line at the womens rampage event was insane. Felt like she was the only one to say give me a natural fucked up chute in my run. She's def the most 'free ride' of the women. Wonder if she just grew up riding natural stuff at home.
Ronan track preview w/ commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XFaa33S0hA
I kinda can't even watch that. That's headache inducing. This entire event is turning into an advertisement for GoPros as far as I'm concerned. Especially when they have to run an external microphone due to how poor the Insta audio cap is. No exaggeration kinda ruining the event coverage for me. They need a rep on site making sure people are using the best settings and ideally running an external mic when 'vlogging' or talking.
I've looked at his race run from 2022 and it took him around 20 seconds longer to get to the point where the new top section rejoins the old track (which pretty much tallies with What BK said on yesterday's vlog, he estimated the new section is 20-25 seconds longer and conditions were far better today). His race run was 2.27 and by my maths he posted a time of 2.46 whilst chatting on a preview.
Gee's preview (complete with dodgy internal audio): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFCi9QgQyIs
edit: lol at Ronan noticeably wearing a GoPro in the RB video. maybe wanting study film that has proper audio and doesnt distort the track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlHUudKYMFs
One minute. An entire minute between Ronan and Szymon's times. Props to the free riders for putting in full runs, but it's crazy to see how hard the proper racing bits are on the course.
Any word on Brayton being ok?
Apparently Brayton got a flat and is racing tomorrow.
Crazy that Ronan's qualifying time on the new track is almost identical to his race run a couple of years ago on a track that is around 15 seconds longer at race pace from what I can see.
I'm struggling with how to parse out how much Ronan progressed. It's not out of nowhere. But the ceiling he's reached makes it feel out of nowhere. Aka, we knew he was gonna be good. We didn't know he was gonna be this good. Sleeper Co needs to follow him around next year. Mondraker needs to throw them a buck for a mini doc after this years race season. His podcast with them was quite good as well.
Is there anyone else who's progression/success curve has been as steep as Ronan's? I can't think of anyone but maybe someone else can?
Well it's tough because you kinda have to exclude guys like Jackson who are expected to go straight to podiums. You can kinda argue Gwin, though I'd say he was an expected talent like Jackson who only took a year really to start his reign of terror. I'd love to shout out Reece but he's been so up and down with injuries. I'd love to see what other names come up but this is one of the most notable level ups I've seen since I started watching. TFW a checkers or wreckers rider finds out how to eliminate the wreckers part. Scary.
I think Gwin is a great comparison, if Ronan stays on top of this hot streak. We all knew Yeti Gwin was going to keep improving, and we all thought he might be able to pull off a win, but when he switched to Trek in 2011 he won four out of seven World Cup rounds. It was an enormous level-up in one year. Blew all our doors off. And he probably would have won Fort Bill if he hadn't crashed up top.
I’d say the steepest progression is ratboy. 50-01.
In 2014 when he decided 'why finish top 10 or 20 when you can just podium every event instead?'
That's a really good answer. Also one of the coolest career trajectories of raced at an elite level with elite results, switched to free riding, started a rider-centric brand, etc. Still need subtitles to listen to his podcast tho...
So the cameras were out for qualis, all runs recorded, Tahnee and Rob on the commentary, timing running and we didn't get to watch it? And no negative comments flooding social media platforms? Wow! If only WB/Disco had the public by the balls like RB do
I assume they learned from last year and planned to broadcast qualifiers if the race had to be canned.
hardline youtube webcast below. starting in 5 mins now. and you don't have to look at the mind-numbing live chat LOL
Blessed be these conditions. For a Wales race? Looks fast AND grippy
Oh. My. God! What a freakin' RACE! I need a nap now...
Superlative run from Ronan. Incredible track and event. The man earned his Red Bull helmet.
Bernard did not look too pleased.....again. 15k snatched away!!
Poor guy knows there was maybe a solid second up top he missed out on. It was always gonna be difficult to put time into Ronan but BK just had the strangest top section. Still fast but he was banging around getting caught in holes and kinda missing braking points trying to push. Tahnee said exactly what I was thinkin during the broadcast. Just missing the precise lines and braking points. Otherwise his run was totally in touch.
Spomer or anyone really…
could we get a super cut of THAT corner? Holy fuck I’m so glad the canyon gap got closed just so we could see dudes test the limits of their frames lateral durability. Some dudes didn’t even look like they were braking after the landing of the cliff drop. Wooo lord.
Was so refreshing to have Tahnee in the booth. Actual insightful things to say. Could see where riders were winning and loosing time and dissected the track. We can all be glad Rob is as iconic and interesting as he is. But neither Claudio, Elliot, Tracey, nor anyone at discovery commentary did a simply effective job like Tahnee did. 🤝
Juanfer Velez and Juan Fernando Muñoz are the same person?
Is this like a superhero alter ego, because one of him bosses urban DH and Hard-line whilst the other still hasn't scored a single WC DH point. Hopefully this result will shake up his mojo.
Great ride by Alex Storr (local rider). This was so far out of his wheelhouse and he was called up really late to ride. It's not like you can go out and practice 90 footers!!
Not a bad stoppie too!
That send off the horrible drop to flat in the bottom section had me out of my chair, that was bonkers!
Yep, totally nuts.
I'm going to have to wait until next year to see one of the 50:01 lads bonk that slab next to it. It looks Hockenhullable from my armchair.
same guy, the 2 last names old issue.. and I think he did good in les gets last year, 13th...... funny thing he could not even get a visa to US and missed that next round.
I run www.rootsandrain.com and somehow this has passed me by - I've just merged his two profiles on there. Do you have insight into which name he'd prefer to be known by? I assume the one that Red Bull uses, Juanfer Velez?
Juan Fernando Velez , JuanFer Velez (typically second last name is dropped in that side of the world....)
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