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https://youtu.be/uRL4l2GOqXk?feature=shared
I want to know what was going on with that spot? Berm with a weird root in it. Sucks for both. Also the medics on the mountain must have been scratching their heads.
Terrible for the pivot guys
On the belt drive topic, I think the fact that someone crushed a two day, seemingly back to the olden days of Enduro style race without a mechanical on varied conditions shows they they might actually be something that can happen at the top of the sport. It'll be interesting to see how they hold up over a DH race week.
Lots of talk about which rider and which bike is in contention for the 100k, but this is a for more interesting topic to me: durability and mechanical longevity at the sharpest end. How will this stuff hold up after being smashy smashed by pro riders for a race week, and a full season. Very interesting that her Nicolai’s belt seems to have been impervious to the conditions on Saturday.
Pro DH Mountain Creek final results - replay should be up sometime today. insanely tight times!
On Friday with the rain, apparently riders were going through brake pads like crazy - like a set every other run (a podium pro showed me some pads and they were roached! riders of different brands, too, not just one brand). there was some mystery about it b/c there's not a massive amount of braking on the course but the consistency of the mud/silt must have been like a bench grinder to the pads the whole way down.
Pro Women
1. KAILEY SKELTON 2:41.654
2. TAYLOR OSTGAARD 2:41.676
3. ISABELLA NAUGHTON 2:42.177
4. RAINA LOGAR 2:45.432
5. MAYLEI LEANEAGH 2:46.748
6. EMMY LAN 2:47.870
7. ABBY RONCA 2:48.910
8. KALLIE STEWART 2:49.314
9. JORDY SCOTT 2:49.901
10. RACHEL PAGEAU 2:55.247
11. MCKENNA MERTEN 3:00.086
12. ADDISON BUCKENBERGER 3:00.686
13. ALEXANDRA GALARNEAU 3:21.169
Pro Men
1. AARON GWIN 2:15.583
2. CHRISTOPHER GRICE 2:15.920
3. DANTE SILVA 2:16.586
4. COLE SUETOS 2:17.432
5. NEKO MULALLY 2:17.648
6. DAKOTAH NORTON 2:18.333
7. NATHAN KITCHEN 2:18.413
8. DRAKE PARKER 2:18.475
9. EVAN MEDCALF 2:18.561
10. JOHNATHAN HELLY 2:18.676
11. KIRK MCDOWALL 2:19.256
12. AIDEN CHAPIN 2:19.319
13. ALDEN PATE 2:19.700
14. GAVIN TOMLINSON 2:19.732
15. TYLER ERVIN 2:20.822
16. TEGAN CRUZ 2:21.042
17. COLTON PETERSON 2:21.913
18. HENRY SHERRY 2:21.944
19. MICHAEL DELESALLE 2:22.050
20. MARK WALLACE 2:22.696
21. HUGO LANGEVIN 2:23.506
22. JAKE POLITO 2:23.898
23. SHANE LESLIE 2:26.178
24. JULIEN MARKEWITZ 2:26.250
25. AUSTIN HAESSLY 2:26.293
26. NICOLAS BROCHET 2:27.215
27. DYLAN CONTE 2:27.924
28. KAHLIL KEM 2:28.434
29. BRAEDYN DAVIS 2:28.589
30. SAM TOOHEY 2:29.473
31. BODIE HEFLIN 2:30.287
32. JULIEN LARAMEE 2:30.599
33. ETHAN DONOHOE 2:30.661
34. BAS VAN STEENBERGEN 2:30.923
35. GUILLERMO TOVAR 2:31.803
36. MCLURE BAILEY 2:32.051
37. CRISTIAN SUAREZ 2:33.075
38. MAX LIGMAN 2:33.189
39. COLIN MULALLY 2:34.153
40. ANTHONY POULSON 2:34.752
41. Conor Boddy 2:35.337
42. MIKEL GAZTAMBIDE 2:35.833
43. JARED CALHOUN 2:35.977
44. JORDAN BOULDIN 2:36.522
45. MAX ABRAMS 2:37.778
46. JONAH FREEDMAN 2:39.108
47. DEXTER WILSON 2:41.197
48. KEVIN WILSON 2:43.878
49. COLBY SMITH 2:44.223
50. JUSTIN GAGN? 2:44.869
51. JAMES FROST 2:46.490
52. COLIN MCELYEA 2:48.846
53. AIDAN SCHUH 3:40.100
54. TITUS NICHOLSON 3:41.254
55. GEORGE RYAN 3:42.579
56. CONNOR CASLER 5:03.330
Grice's race run POV - he hucked the bridge to flat before the whoops! GROSS
so good to see gwin get a win again.
Great to see Gwin get a win! Also, how about Dak! Off the couch to under 3 seconds off the win, go get a WC win Dak, you have an entire nation behind you! #USDH
Flossin' out some #USDH kids headed to Poland! A press release from Outlaw Racing
Outlaw Bike Team Sends Top Junior Riders to UCI Downhill World Cup in Poland
The Outlaw Bike Team, one of the most recognized names in junior mountain bike development, is proud to announce that four of its top athletes—Alex and Luke Mallen, Cohen Bundy, and Drake Parker—were selected to compete in the UCI Downhill World Cup in Bielsko-Biała, Poland from May 16th – 18th. This prestigious event is part of the UCI Downhill World Cup series, the highest level of international competition in the sport of downhill mountain biking.
Founded in 2015 by head coach Tyson Henrie, Outlaw has grown from a small local program into a national force with over 100 riders across various levels. Henrie’s leadership, grounded in a philosophy of progression, community, and personal development, has produced not just podium finishes but also strong, resilient individuals. Under his guidance, Outlaw has nurtured a new generation of elite athletes—many of whom now compete professionally around the globe.
Leading the charge are 17-year-old twins Luke and Alex Mallen from Sandy, Utah. Coached by Henrie since the age of 7, the Mallen brothers have racked up numerous national and international podiums and several U.S. National titles. Their impressive results make them strong contenders for one of just five coveted Junior Elite spots on the USA Cycling team for the 2025 UCI World Championships in Les Gets, France.
Also competing is Drake Parker, a multi-talented athlete whose journey began on the jumps of the Wasatch Indoor Bike Park. Despite setbacks from motocross injuries, Drake has returned stronger than ever. After aging out of the Junior category, this marks his debut season racing at the Elite level—a challenge he’s ready to meet head-on. Known for his mentorship within the team, Drake exemplifies the Outlaw spirit both on and off the bike.
16-year-old Cohen Bundy, a former BMX standout who transitioned to downhill racing and freeride. Known for his technical precision and desert-born style, Cohen blends race speed with a freeride flair that sets him apart. His dream: to build a career that straddles both elite downhill competition and professional freeriding. Unfortunately, Cohen had a crash at Ft. William, Scotland and sustained a severe hematoma and swelling on his right quadriceps and will not race in Poland.
“We’re incredibly proud of these riders,” said Henrie. “They’ve trained relentlessly, supported one another, and shown real dedication to the sport and to their personal growth. Competing in the World Cup isn’t just about results—it’s about representing the culture and values we’ve built at Outlaw.”
As the team heads to Poland, they carry not only their bikes and gear but the hopes of a passionate community behind them. Their journey to the top is just beginning—and the world is watching.
https://www.outlawbiketeam.com/
https://www.instagram.com/the.outlaw.way/
started a world cup DH/EDR poland thread here - https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2025-world-cup-downhill-edr-bielsko…
RACE REPLAY - Pro Downhill Series, Mountain Creek
I guess no fantasy this year?
vital fantasy it will kick off this week (hit the poland thread for news). just waiting on some details to announce.
Vital DH Fantasy page for Poland is up. The game won't open for picks until Thursday after the official start list is released (like we've always done). Boosh! https://www.vitalmtb.com/fantasy/2025/round-1-bielsko-biala-poland#roun…
I don't want to jinx anything but there's been a few guys now running the Zerode G3 with great reliability, they have put in a lot of work ironing out the quirks of a belt system since Rob first got one around 2017/18. They do need to be treated differently to a chain but they are becoming common enough that people get their heads around it!
Norco Factory Racing's season opener video
to me the key point is that the gearbox is not a hindrance, given the race was a monster test of fitness.. but may be HH is above fitness wise that the tank of a bike she had is not a factor..
wildcard teams for loudenvielle announced
WILDCARD TEAMS UNVEILED FOR WHOOP UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE WORLD SERIES ROUND IN LOUDENVIELLE-PEYRAGUDES
13th May 2025 – The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that six wildcard teams have been selected for the second Downhill round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series that will take place in Loudenvielle-Peyragudes (France) on May 30-June 1, presented by FACOM.
Four of the teams will be making their second appearance in this year’s series, while there are first starts for The Alliance and Gwin Racing. All six outfits are crammed full of up-and-coming talent, but five-time UCI Downhill World Cup overall champion Aaron Gwin (Gwin Racing) is the highest-profile rider yet to qualify through the new wildcard system.
The 37-year-old showed he still has what it takes to compete in the Elites after returning from injury at the end of the 2024 season, qualifying for finals last time out in Loudenvielle and finishing 12th in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada. While he has only gone between the race tape twice this year in domestic races in the US, third and fourth-place finishes are evidence that he shouldn’t be overlooked in the Pyrenees. Gwin is joined by compatriot Gavin Tomlinson and Canadian Michael Delesalle – both of whom are making the step up to the Elite class in 2025.
The Alliance meanwhile is made up of three promising riders from the southern hemisphere. New signing Jackson Connelly has recorded the trio’s biggest result to date, finishing 25th at the 2023 UCI World Cup in Snowshoe (USA), while James MacDermid has been with the team for three years but is yet to qualify for an Elite finals run. Ursula Summers completes the outfit, with the 16-year-old making her UCI World Cup debut in France.
Elsewhere, well-known names to qualify via the wildcard system include Thibaut Daprela (Rogue Racing - SR Suntour), Thomas Estaque (Goodman Santacruz), and 2019 Junior Men’s UCI Downhill World Champion Kye A’Hern (Kenda NS Bikes UR Team).
The six wildcard teams for round 6 of the 2025 WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series in Loudenville-Peyragudes are:
Goodman Santa Cruz
The Alliance
Rogue Racing – SR Suntour
Kenda NS Bikes UR Team
Team High Country
Gwin Racing
In addition to hosting round 2 of the UCI Downhill World Cup, Loudenvielle-Peyragudes will also stage round 3 of the UCI Enduro World Cup, following the season opener in Pietra Ligure - Finale Outdoor Region (Italy), and round 2 in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, from 16–18 May.
So same WC teams this weekend in Poland, except Gwin replaces the YT Dev Team.
I have a feeling that we'll be seeing some of these team names all season.
finn on the new prototype specialized
Are the gearbox World Cup teams all using electronic thumb shifting?
They're not using that god awful twist shifter right?
rad look into luke meier-smith's prep for the season. beast is an understatement!
Did Rogue Racing qualify for some reason other than Thibaut Diprela? I seriously hope they didn't look at him and decide they needed to give him an entry
He qualifies to race anyway, regardless of the wildcard.
Who are the 3 riders who broke their contracts?
Well Aaron did win the little old Monster DH race this Sunday as well. Was kicking it all weekend and shared a great line choice with me after the win.
Am I reading this correctly that the 100K Belted Purse only applies World Cup rounds and not World Champs? https://www.gatescarbondrive.com/-/media/files/gcd/press-release-docs/uci-bike-race--gates-contest-rules2025.pdf
Looks like a rock slab that is a bit off camber and his wheel washed out instead of rode onto and over it? Looks very much like a high speed front wheel wash-out towards the inside of the corner for added measure.
Some Pivot Factory Youtube vids for ya Wednesday -
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