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I think this kinda sums it up -
1. If you're in a top 15 team, you can race. (regardless if you meet other reqs)
2. If you're top 50 for elites or top 100 for juniors, you can race. (regardless if you meet other reqs)
3. If you are the current World/Conti/National Champ, you can race. (regardless if you meet other reqs)
4. If you didn't make any of those, then you either hope to be on a). One of the 5 season wildcard teams b). One of the 8 chosen wildcard teams for that round or c). Your national cycling federation's list.
Now... Gwin doesn't currently meet 1,2 or 3 but I'm pretty sure he has no problem either getting in as a wildcard or at least be put in by USA cycling.
Edit - clarified 4 a bit.
In fairness, that article was actually good (in theory) but was, I will agree, difficult to read.
That being said, I did manage to deduce that Benoit signing with Scott bumps them up into the top 15 (not sure on actual ranking) and knocks MS racing down in to 16th place.
It won't be long now. Vinny T is also already out and about on the new gambler, you can see a few sneek peeks in his in stories. 👀
It’s safe to assume that RogueRacing have done their due diligence and sought legal advice and are therefore privvy to more information than anyone here. If they are happy to take on him on then let’s for once be an adult and wish them all luck.
But if you know more, then maybe get off the internet and go and pass your info on to the relevant authorities.
Consider him innocent until evidence proves otherwise
Benoit puts scott at #10
Which frame are they going to ride?
Uncle B will be able to break it down best, but there are a handful of routes to World Cup start gates that don’t include being on those 15 teams with the most points. You can be on one of the 5 teams that gets a rose from Chris Ball, due to your popularity / drug use / sponsor. Very cool. You can be a national champ. Simple. Your team can be invited with a week to go. Fun! You can be fill-in from a farm team back home once. Or maybe twice. You can also rebel run the course a couple weeks after the race on a Walmart bike and claim internet victory, thereby increasing the chance at next year’s rose ceremony. Oh except forget that last one because you’re worthless in a league where the teams own the points—which is what they say the plan is for 2026.
For every Hrastnik theres gonna be a … BK? It’s a zero sum game right now, truly. Game theory homework nonstop. Pay for all the points now or be ready to sell the trucks. Pay for points you don’t even need so that the other team doesn’t get em. Trek Factory Racing hasn’t announced their point totals yet—I wouldn’t either. If you think you got it, wait until midnight to announce. Right? Too early and you leave yourself open to what?—like two little teams voltronning you into that 16-20 zone where maybe you didn’t invite some chump TV producer to a party and he’s gonna push to pick another team instead? Hell naw
if yeti/fox picks up Camille Balanche as rumored, that team would bump to spot 16.
because of course it gets more complicated, you forgot the golden ticket for continental series leaders.
But my original point remains, if his team were chosen for season-long wildcard, it would be at the expense of a different team with more points, based on the current standing.
imagine using a “hey at least I’m not as bad as the NFL” argument in real life
Hmm good point. I wouldn't be surprised if his team didn't get picked for the season long 5 though. They'd probably get him in on the 8 per round, keep picking him until he ranks top 50 again then he can get in on his own. There's not another high profile rider on his team except himself right? If Cam went to Yeti (and that's a big if), I could see UCI taking the Yeti/Fox team as one of the season long 5 due to both Cam and Richie. Obviously just pure speculation here...I'm probably wrong anyways haha.
That sounds about right from what I can remember.
Significantly it also puts Pivot right on the bubble, balanche signing for Yeti would put them in 991 points which is still 2 less than Pivots current 993!
Antoine pierron on les orres?
i agree that it's likely Gwin Racing probably won't get a season long wildcard, though if the UCI didn't want the freedom to make those kinds of choices, there would just be 20 teams based on points.
But that means that a rider in Gwin's position, is looking at a wildly different landscape than in the past.
I mean Peaty raced until he was 43, 44 maybe? His results probably would have left him without a guaranteed spot for at least the last few of those years, maybe more. Even Greg would have been on the bubble or behind the line at times in the last few years.
Greg was 16th last year, 23rd on the UCI points ranking. I do agree with you on the UCI specifically wanted the flexibility of getting some riders into races though. They're gonna want the big names e.g. the Gwins and Rudes racing.
if rude put in a full season of DH racing (or as full of one as the UCI would allow) it would put the yeti team in a good position for 26 (not accounting for the rumored addition of camille).
I'd imagine Rude and Gwin will definitely fit the wildcard entry criteria based on their profile if nothing else . The issue as I remember it was that you had to reapply for wildcard entrys for each individual race which makes it really hard to plan for a season .
Say Gwin has a rubbish first couple of races and doesn't qualify for finals , are they going to not going to give Gwin an entry for the next round because in theory they should give that wildcard spot to the 18 year old no one's heard of who has just won 2 of the continental rounds . The wildcard entries will be pretty interesting and not without controversy I reckon .
Kinda disheartening to see all kinds of crappy team politics creeping in MTB.
anybody in the top 20 got a ticket to race wc. Teams then organize themselves around whoever can race..
It is not a team sport and access to World Cup should be based on individual performance. A simpler system would make more sense and be more fair. Let's have a couple of continent qualifiers open to everybody (and broadcasted as a wc by W
We are going to see the value of WC racing dilute itself through the years..
I'm not arguing against Gwin per say but your point of some young gun no one has heard of wins 2 continental rounds then he definitely needs to get invited to the big show.
Yep the 18 year old would definitely deserve his shot because otherwise what's the point of the continental series . But whilst I've not always been Gwins biggest fan I love a comeback story and I'm of an age where I've started rooting for older riders as a way of convincing myself I'm not to old to keep riding and pushing myself 😁
Once WB committed to cutting the field size someone high profile was always going to miss out .
On the rumors side just saw on Instagram that Greg Williamson has something sorted for next year , he had a decent season last year and comes with a fair few points , my guess is AON .
Greg Williams post, back with Martin as an agent and a picture of old days on his team with Trek. GW to Trek with LS. Would give points to that team.
Not to weigh in on signing Mr. Daprela in any way, I'm an attorney and I'd say it's never safe to assume somebody has done their due diligence or sought legal advice until proven otherwise. It'd make my job quite a bit easier if it weren't the case.
Two observations:
1. UCI could just increase the team total to 20 and 5 alternates, and this would probably accomplish getting those 30 people with points in on some team.
2. At the least, they should have an automatic exemption rule for anyone who's won a World Cup (or world championship) before. Or been top 3 multiple times, for instance. Have one generic team that has an "open" roster, and doesn't need to pay fees to catch these exemptions. The list of folks who could be on such a team isn't that large, and it really shouldn't be a dispute. I'm sorry, but if you've shown that you can win a world cup--a very small club, mathematically-speaking--you should always be given a by.
Chris Ball: I remember having a good convo with you years back at the Winter Park EWS, but sorry, bro, you've got way too much authority in this current situation.
Yeah people hire attorneys/solicitors/lawyers and accountants to do their due diligence for them.
Anytime a contract is involved that should happen.
If they haven’t, more fool them.
At this stage the assumption that they have done that gives them all the benefit of the doubt.
Whichever your view it comes down to whether you’re a glass half empty or glass half full person. Would you rather assume fault in everything and everyone, or do you prefer to believe that most are actually just trying to be good at what they do.
greg's going to reece's team.
I used AB as a quick reference, first high profile athlete that popped into my mind WHO physically assaulted and beat his wife.
Hockey Canada, NHL and junior teams still let their players play that were allegedly involved in a gang sexual assault, later to be investigated, and charged. Once charges came to light, those kids were let go from their teams.
If TD is charged then I would expect the same, to be booted off the team.
I didn’t like that the NFL allowed him to play again, they shouldn’t have.
Sooo how about those team rumors?
what‘s the roster of MS-Racing? did they announce it yet?
It'll be interesting to see the line up of that team. If Greg is there he and Reece are worth 675 points, if the Hrastnik rumour is right that'll be another 729. I wonder what points will be required for guaranteed racing, 1200ish?
Looking at the rankings one thing did cross my mind, The points BK and Jenna accrued in Indonesia weren't game changing (I can't find the figures, but IIRC he got 60 points for the win), but there is a female rider there not currently listed on a team with 420 points.
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