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Durango is bidding (or maybe already has?) for MTB World Champs in 2030 - for the 40th anniversary of Worlds etc...
And given the amount of XC talent in Durango and CO in general, and Asa. It would be an insane week of racing.
But if the bid is accepted they'll run a DH World Cup in 2029 @ Purgatory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8QP1GhPjC0
If they start the Korea races at noon, that works pretty well for Oceania and US/Canada Pacific time zone fans who want to watch live. Those in the Eastern part of the US and in Europe would be watching late at night or pre-dawn.
Still, pretty exciting news. Does anyone know if UCI has announced how many races will be on the schedule for 2026 (e.g. back to just 8 or keep the 10 race season)?
Vermette and Blevins 1/1 would be insane. That said I can't even forecast 5 years ahead. Obviously Asa will be prime age but not sure if age affects XC more... Nino seems to have done fine lol
More non EU race venues seems like a huge win to me. Would've liked to see more US races but still a positive move imo.
In maribor wc year before covid (I think) they had a quad jump I believe, most elite men and women were hitting it from what I remember. So possible for sure to explore this option further. Or rhythm section like in this vid would be sweeeeet
https://youtu.be/7AXosmNd3bw?si=sj9_OD9TvX2gHUxm
Anyone have any idea of the dates for the starting Korea races? I assume sometime in April or May, more likely mid-May I would guess based on the typical weather in Pyeongchang at that time of the year. First race in Poland was mid-May this year although the XC Brazilian races were much earlier
I've heard end of May as it's a holiday weekend for Buddha's birthday and great for tourism in Asia, but that's a very late start to the seasons.
The bike parks in Pyeongchang usually open the last week of April or first week of May. There's still snow on some of the lower slopes but the woods to the side are usually already dry and loamy. The course should be coming down from the top of the resort, so the potential for seeing snow off to the side is real.
Frank Pardal is doing more than scouting. The trail builders are here and at work!
Bro, you got google coordinates for the bike park that it's located in? Need to start booking a trip!!
Pyeongchang is actually a huge region. To get specific, you can search for Mona Yongpyong Resort, or Alpensia Ski Resort, or the town "Daegwallyeong-myeon Pyeongchang-gun."
This is your main reference point though. Daegwallyeong is the closest town just 5 minutes away by car
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6Ew2EGm5jgUtqPZ49
Jinbu Station is the closest KTX express train station. A 15-20 minute cab ride to Yongpyong and Alpensia
If the KTX didn't have to roll through Seoul slowly, you'd probably be able to get to Jinbu in under 90 minutes from the airport.
If you rent a car, the beach is about 30-40 minutes to the east and also a viable place to stay.
With how rad the Korea vibe is already, it only amplifies how wack Utah continues to be. Youre saying I can stay at the beach for this?
Heard Gangnam Style for the first time in forever at the grocery store a couple nights ago, must’ve been a sign.
Vital RAW from U.S. National Champs at Snow Summit.
Yeah, in a few interviews and podcasts they’ve hinted at a 12-round season, which would be awesome. Personally, I’d love to see it expand to around 14 rounds per year…that would really help build momentum throughout the season. But for that to happen, teams definitely need bigger budgets and more backing, ideally from sponsors outside the bike industry. It’s a big step, but necessary if the sport wants to grow on a global scale.
Course preview for US Nationals / Monster Energy Pro #4 at Snow Summit. (Alden Pate won Monster Energy Pro #3 at Solitude).
Oh no the euros will finally be forced to watch at off hours 😂
Etiquette Question:
If you're aware that a rider crashed and/or got injured during practice at a race, is the proper etiquette to not really post about it until THEY post about it (I'm talking more regional/national races, not World Cup races where usually media is going to cover those).
Lawlor's Emerald Storm Trailer is live!
The rise of Irish mountain biking – film available August 21
Across four decades and five generations, watch the evolution of Irish MTB, from casual rides with friends to fierce battles on the world’s biggest stage: the UCI Downhill World Cup.
Film will be live here - https://www.redbull.com/us-en/films/emerald-storm
Spomer,
Where’s our DS nationals coverage?
I think like most things in life, it depends.
If it’s serious or life threatening, don’t speak on it, let the family announce things when they’re ready.
Did you watch the crash yourself and you could see they were know hurt, but you are not sure to what extent. Stay quiet.
Did you see someone walking around the pits in public with a cast on their arm or with crutches, but it clearly happened previously in the week and they are fine. I think it would be okay to say “I saw (insert name) with a broken arm, I don’t think they’ll be racing this weekend.”
Ryder Lawrence won juniors
Dante Silva won men's.
That's all I got.😜
^that's the Dual slalom results. DH seeding today 2:15 PST. Race tomorrow 3:00 PST.
Live timing when they get started.
https://www.artiming.eu/results/2025/Prodownhillseries4/
Anyone know why Dak and Gwin were so far back?
Hopefully strategy or mechanical.
Dak crashed at one of the last corners (after the whoops)
Gwin got a flat
I'm not clear on how the US Nationals Finals fields are determined. Does everyone who posted a seeding run get to race in the finals? That would mean 107 guys in the Men's Elite finals, for instance.
Start list shows 107 in the final
In case anyone's interested, here's the track walk video for this weekend's US Downhill Nationals / Monster Energy Pro race.
Last year they posted the race video showing the top finishers a couple of days after the race.
This is so cool that Lawlor's making this, and it's been cool to see the Irish riders get faster and faster to get where we're at now with multiple riders who could take a WC win on any given weekend.
Also, I look forward to the gratuitous Ben Reid schralp footage, because he's a top five practice-winner of all time, and the camera loves his riding style. If you never had the chance to watch Ben Reid win practice in person, your life is poorer for it.
100%. Saw him practice in Windham and he was far and away faster and wilder than anyone else on the track. It was insane actually.
Ben Reid had some interesting things to say on this very topic in this article I put together a while back on the “Elusiveness of Speed”: https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/The-Elusiveness-of-Speed-Part-One,868
According to the results at https://www.artiming.eu/results/2025/Prodownhillseries4/ Kailey Skelton won the US Nationals DH today. Her winning margin was 3.67 seconds over Aletha Ostgaard.
Besides becoming the US National Champion she has also now won 3 of the 4 Monster Energy Pro DH races this year.
As of 7:40 Eastern Time / 4:40 Pacific Time (US), about 70 of the 100+ Elite Men have finished their runs. No spoiler... I'll just say that a couple of fan favorites have posted excellent times.
Pinkerton with a fantastic 3rd sector, holds on for the win.
Norton (3), Gwin (7), Vermette (9) among other top 10 finishers. Luca Shaw (4) appeared to have the fastest Split 1 time, but I'm not sure if that's what determines the "Hole Shot" award, which has a separate $500 prize.
Would have been a great race to watch live, from what I can tell by the way the split times went.
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