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Isn't there already a thread for "Here's what I think of the UCI and ESO" around here? To get back on topic, I'm in talks with Pepto Bismol Racing for the 2024 season

A PR piece rife with conceit and smugness speaks volumes of the company.

None of that falls under the UCI’s role

It’s no surprise that with how bad the coverage has been, tracks are “meh”, and riders seeming less interested this particular year, that teams are dissolving. The global economy and ripple effects from Covid boom have certainly played a major role as well. WCDH is heading in the same direction. Seems like UCI screwed the pooch this year with almost everything, so much that racers were stoked about the smallest things. if you’re paying for a streaming service to watch the races, I’d say now is good time to stop. A significantly low enough rating for the last rounds of...

To be fair, and without talking abd about Brook (he is a friend of mine), there are very few bikes that get along with him.

I’m calling BS on their being a issue with Loic and Finn… Finn has said in many interviews that he wants to win, that’s his goal and he believes he can do it, and he’s also said if it’s not him winning he would want his team mates winning. when Loic came down after his run and was clearly frustrated how things went…. Finn was first over there to support him. Specialized looks to the best program in the pits.. he’s got has got a bike that clearly works….. why would he leave? He would need to get used to...

Why would any team stay in enduro honestly? There’s absolutely zero coverage or exposure besides what the racers put out themselves. No return on investment. Discovery has mangled the DH and more so enduro racing. Bike companies will be pulling the plug on gravity race teams and you can’t blame them.

Privateer's put in more effort to racing than Dean. Dean hasn't raced a race outside the World Cup (where he has only quallied for the semi's twice) all season, thus no UCI points. Other racers not on teams have raced ISX, Crankworx and national rounds in Europe to get the points required to race. Many are taking the fact they are on a team for granted and will be in for a rude shock if they are dropped or cant pick up a ride in 2024 and wont be able to race a world cup. With more than one likely...

F1, football and other mainstream sports are spectator type... MTB is not, is relatable to people who practice it in some way. Spectators are typically "active" in the sport. That will not change dramatically. Ever.

Dh may be the f1 of mountain biking. But it’s the professional disc golf of racing sports. Unless you mountain bike almost nobody cares and the percentage of mtbers that watch World Cup dh is slim. Now that doesn’t take away how amazing it is and how hard these athletes and teams work to take part. But to think the sport is suddenly going to become popular by cutting the field and participants is just frankly stupid thinking.

Let’s stop comparing DH to F1 it’s nothing like it Junior and women field will be cut the same time as the men gets cut to only 30 for finals and semi final is removed. semi final was put in to whittle down the field and riders score less points so they can’t race. this is all done in the name of TV. with less riders there is less pressure on TV schedule and the show will run easier as there’s less people to film. If you are a privateer then your only way will be to make a elite...

Honestly, Theres not alot of "f1 sports" that allow privateers to turn up an race with the best of the best. Grassroots and points/qualifying in regions exist for a reason I dont actually see why there is privateers anyway.

Both Dean and Wyn said they also would not have enough points to race next year if they are not on a UCI team. Seems like the privateer days are just about over.

i don't think the organizers were "damned if they do, damned if they don't." - the excuse of "unrideable when wet track" shows lack of competency and complete negligence on their part. a month ago when we all watched the POV of the course in the dry from our armchairs, we question "what happens if it rains? that looks too steep to ride in greasy mud." we saw that from a computer monitor. locals and track builders had to know the same. the organizers just brushed off the *safety* (as cited in the mtb-news.de article) and carried on with a...

I thought Neko's perspective on the Downtime Podcast made a lot of sense. He felt the real question, which echos what Spomer posted above, is "how did we end up with a World Cup event at a track that's not safe to ride in the rain?"

At least they drew it from there and not those miserable dual arch Magura forks.