2025 World Cup Downhill / EDR - Leogang, Austria

ooooh a Saturday race day for downhill and enduro gets the Sunday slot. Nice! 

For those who want to start prepping for fantasy, here are the results from last year - https://www.rootsandrain.com/event12176/2024-jun-9-whoop-uci-world-cup-dh-3-leogang/results/#h-elitem 

Does anyone know if replays are available on HBO max or is it just the live stream? I'm gonna miss the live this weekend

Replays are available.

Loving a packed schedule, and the new format. #dhrulez

Wonder if the free to view recaps will be geo blocked again.
#fuckUCI

is trackwalk today or tomorrow?

Today.

I couldn’t find Vital Raw for the last race, am I blind, did it take a one race hiatus, or is it finished? 

@sspomer your gonna need a big ole banner on the front page otherwise your gonna be feilding that question 2million more times this year.  Good luck, were all counting on you. 

Should we start a sweepstake on what DSQ dramas there'll be this race? 🤣

I would have done rather well in Loudenvielle: Hatton, Estaque, Kiefer, Aletha, Oli Clarke, Stan flipping Nisbet...

I only let myself down in elite women.

There should be an award for the most expensive team that scores the lowest points. With the no-protected-riders situation, there are many heavy hitters (expensive in Fantasy) riders that aren't making finals...

Just want to throw praise Finn Iles way after his brillliant response to Wyns questions regarding the WBD broadcast on the wyntv Leogang track walk Video. I personally think Wyn has too much of a negative take generally regarding World Cup racing these days and it shows in his questions - Finns thoughtful response with suggestions to improve the current package without tearing anyone to shreds was great. 

Probably more Vital TMZ... But Loic is going to be part of the fast dad club!  

Also as someone who just removed their forks for service, I wish I had a dongulizer on my bike stand.  I had to hack together a pvc pipe and some other junk so my bars were not hanging about. 

Re the little chat about commentary with Iles: IMO the best commentators are those who can analyse what's happening and then explain it.  Don't simply tell me what's happening on screen; I'm already watching!  Not everyone can do it (and they don't have to be an ex-pro, even though it helps) but good examples are Martin Brundle in F1, Ricky Ponting in cricket, Neil Adams in judo and Aaron Gwin when he steps into the DH commbox.  They all add to the commentary by possessing a deeper insight into why what's happening on screen is happening, and then being able to clearly articulate it to the viewer.  The best of them are even able to get into the mind(s) of the competitor(s) and consistently make accurate predictions.  The best part is that it's a style of commentary that works both for seasoned viewers and total newbies.

Hopefully they ask Elliot into the booth this week.

I think he’s still contracted with red Bull. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKeXb4IMIMe/?igsh=MWR4YWRqa2ZnZHJteA==

I am glad improvements have been made to the broadcast and we are at the very least seeing things go in the RIGHT direction, coming from arguably quite a low point.

But at the same time I forgive any rider for having outright ill intentions towards the new organization considering WHAT WE HAD... And what we have now.

I'm not saying they should have had their shit together day one, but they really dropped the... BALL from the start. And have absolutely crawled their way towards what you may call an okay or acceptable production. All while making cuts/changes and increasing fees that don't feel like they are being paid back into the system/improvements.

The commentary is tough because... Ric is fine for production. He is a GREAT script reader... But realistically he should not be calling runs. The aussie (Josh?) should be calling the run play by play and riders such as Neko should be doing color. And having THREE people in the booth is like a cardinal sin imo in the broadcasting world. And it really shows. When there are constant interruptions in the current format. That does not help anything.

I'm also NOT a fan of the lady they brought in who is not from the riding culture at all? I suppose she is okay, at best, for production but I just feel like finding someone from within the culture and INVESTING BACK in to the sport was not... Chewed on for any considerable time. If they actually tried and couldn't find someone, so be it. But I think they more so thought a trained talking head gave a 'professional' polish to the production, and instead it comes off like a bad chat GPT bot. Asking if Loic would have spent time personally on the bike he is riding?? The ONE OFF custom proto bike that is ONLY designed for him and has to be engineered specifically for his riding to win races... What an air ball of a 'question'. Cmon bro. And if thats a question that was written for her, as a script, then we also need better script writers...

And of course, the awkward bit being the BEST things they have done so far... Have been straight up rip off the 3rd party media production styles. Rip off Vital RAWs, rip off the post race podcasting a la Red Bull or Vital, even going so far as to nibble on the name... Jeez. How creatively bankrupt can you be when that's supposed to be your job. But at least they're doing it! Ya know, I guess. Really reaching for low hanging fruit here. At least they ARE stealing good ideas, so we get good content. (facepalm)

It's got to be tough for Wyn at the moment.

At the tail end of his riding career the entry conditions have tightened, his principal long standing sponsor has been wiped from existence by PON and he isn't going to be on the shortlist at many races for one of the four NZ jerseys as days go by.

His output seems to be getting increasingly more negative with each round and there are enough grumpy old men on the internet pulling cheap tricks for engagement already. The "Only asking the questions everybody wants to hear" style of casting isn't a good look. 

   I hope he sees some source of positivity on planet bike sooner rather than later. We could all do with more Wyn of old and less Whinge.