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Looking at the Mont St Anne DH, race there is 61 minutes of pre race content and a 20 minute race highlights video after the event. To be fair, most of the pre race stuff seems to be interviews and rider reactions which I’m less excited about. There is a 13:40 minute practice raw video though. That’s what I like for sure! For the record, I’m not a WB fanboy, just making an observation.
It snapped during a race
why would they put anything out if the athletes are doing it for them?
Usual the official UCI MTB World Series Youtube did - Trackwalk vid, Press Conference, Practice Raw, Course Preview with GoPro and a Semi-Finals "reaction" video. So actually quite a bit of content and more than RB ever did during their WC era. But times have changed and more content is expected now compared to 2017-2021 for example.
Most important I think is that the kind of riders vlogs etc... we get from Hardline are still a thing at World Cups. Many said that WB would "ban" riders vlogs and independent media to protect their investment, which luckily has not happened.
But I agree with the OP, RB are riding for free on the anti-WBD hype, when in fact RB ain't doing much different/better than we get at WC.
What is sick though is that we have Hardline and WCs. The sport needs Hardline, needs the progression it provides, an invite only event with huge features where you know all invited will be able to cope. WC have such huge difference in ability between best and worst that it's hard for organiser and course builders to know what to cater too.
So ya, instead of complaining, I'm just stoked we have Hardline and also a hopefully more elite/difficult/demanding WC in the future.
Get him back at the world cups !!!
I think a lot of the hate on the WB coverage is because of the increased expenses. Team fees more than quadrupled, race coverage is now locked behind a paywall (that gets almost 300% more expensive to watch this year), and promise from WB of improved coverage.
WB hasn't delivered on any of the promised improved coverage and much of the available coverage has been poor (extremely wide drone shots that barely show the rider, shots that cut out the rider's legs and the bike, cutting away from a race run to show a team manager) poor commentary, and just a general lack of understanding of DH.
WB made big promises and hasn't delivered while increasing the cost to watch.
He has mentioned he isn't looking to go all out at this, but I reckon that's to keep his sponsors off his back while he gauges just how much he has to push to challenge the top
Ok, so the gap between Asa and Ronan (71ms) is less than the average speed of a human blink (100ms). Or 0.03565% of the total run time.
In racing terms, setting aside line choice, braking, exit speed etc., can the difference be something as simple as head/body position during the faster sections? an extra quarter turn of a crank? Level of whippage on the bug jumps?
I am always blown away by how tight the top guys are to each other when there are an almost infinite amount of variables at play during a race run.
Certainly could come down to a bit more wind in the last section. If I am reading the seeding right Ronnan was a head the whole lap but Asa got him in the final sector (not sure I am reading it right).
It'll be interesting to see if any of the remaining women try to complete the course in practice on race day morning to unlock access to the finals (provided they still allow that, like they did last year). It certainly looked like a few of them were on track to tick everything off.
Not enough anti-squat
https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/The-Hub,2/2020-MTB-Tech-rumors-and-innovation,10797?page=795
Yeah 3rd party perspective vs POV is a winner for big and crazy tracks. I'd agree that some proper filming camaras that got riders pinned through the woods at key points would be great.
I’d be visor off, in a speed suit for the win!
I was also confused by the timing.
Yeah you’re right. Over promise, under deliver while jacking up the prices. The drones are horrible.
Just seen Moi Moi Tv. Seriously impressed with Gracey Hemstreet, those final jumps are no joke. Valli's effort following BK was also nuts, considering what is at stake for the season coming.
I get very nervous about Louise Ferguson's hair though. A long braid looks dangerous for this sport. If that gets caught on a branch to pull on her head... Big no no.
The WBD has it's positives and negatives compared to RB days. We finally get to see all of the runs for the top 10-15 men and last few women in finals. Which we never ever did with RB.
Definitely some terrible camera angles at last year's WC. But also some great ones. They have also provided junior racing free to watch (with full runs for last few racers), again something RB and UCI never bothered to do .
Again, just a great time to be a race fan. Ten round WC series and RB with more time/money to invest in broadcasting Hardline and other events
This is Red Bull not UCI. it's about drama and views. Red Bull isn't sanctioned. Like the X-Games it's a mix of WWE and a real contest. That's why Hardline will never be a real sanctioned series. It's just for show.
I agree!
brannigan's quali run
moir's qualifying video
Last year was about 15,000 for a win. It could be a little bit about that too.
Women with ponytails have been riding bikes for decades and I have literally never heard of that happening
Commenting on women's appearance in anyway isn't appropriate so you can file that one under none of your damn business thank you 🙂
If you read my post, appearances have nothing to do with what I am saying. It's about safety.
A ponytail is open ended, nothing will get caught in it.
A braid is 20 loops of strong hair waiting for something to catch and twist your neck.
I don't appreciate you trying to rewrite my words to act as a defender of women. I never attacked anyone, so don't attack me.
Hopefully the wind isn't factor and everyone can lay down a clean run. I think it was Theo's video he was asking the park owner to do some laps of the finishing jumps in the wind so they could get a feel for them. He didn't say it was worth it as the wind was going to shift and not be an issue for seeding and finals. Looks like it was but died down for the last few riders.
Thought this might be a fun fact,
"We have found that top qualifier Asa Vermette set an average speed of 52.46km/h (32.6mph), an increase of 8.42km/h over last year."
If the increase of 8.42 km/h becomes a norm, then the Hardline track would become an illegal motocross/arenacross/supercross/supermoto track in two years.
It's mental to think about the pace these guys are pushing on downhill bikes.
Sidenote, does anyone know if the UCI has any similar rule related to maximum average speeds?
Interesting to see Asa running an air shock. I wonder if he will stick with it all season or he'll just run it on the bike parkier track in Taz.
Dakota Nortons hair is longer. I think a new UCI rule should be put into place where all athletes have to wear a swimming cap with their hair tucked into it. The sport is dangerous enough.
He ran one last year at some races.
Again, do people not understand the difference between long hair (open) and a braid (closed loops)?
Would you ride DH with this attached to your helmet?
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