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"The worst thing you can do to your bike is take it anywhere." - Team Robot

If Charlie would just reissue some old Team Robot t-shirts he could afford at least half a Podium. I know I'd buy a couple, my old ones are worn out.

Eh, this risks getting way off topic, but yes you are right these types of things do exist. The giant difference between those academies and the sport in question includes... A ) They are all (I think?) in the Olympics (say what you will about that) B ) Every one can take you through college. (NCAA sport) DH MTB applies to neither of these outcomes. EDIT: Just to be clear, I'm pretty critical of the whole academy thing too, with or without the "propsect" of scholarships/olympics. My big over arching point is the kids who are good in DH are...

The problem with other ways to get race experience for US juniors is there are no tracks as steep and technical as in Europe. So for a US junior it would take a ton of money and time to get to Europe and learn the steepness and the technicality where the European Jrs live there and have easy access. I know for myself, if my son had not been on a factory team as a junior, the transition to elite would have been very difficult without near the success. I think at least for the US riders who now have...

i don't want juniors to go away. just trying to decipher this rumor and how it may shake out. with that said, i don't think it'd have taken asa, till or max very long to crack an elite qualifier.

Totally agree. I listen to pretty much every MTB podcast, but I can't handle Needles and his constant interruptions of his guests. He seems like a cool guy, and he's well respected in the community, but the podcast style just bothers me.

What bugs me most is how much he talks over his guests. Let your guest get out an entire sentence before jumping in and completely derailing the conversation, it's annoying af.

I haven't listened to this particular podcast yet, but Andrew neethling is a fooking idiot. He's never not putting his foot in his mouth. Like constantly stomping his own footb down his throat. I only listen to his drivel for milway and Sven. It's remarkable how out to lunch he is given his relatively illustrious DH career?

I actually like the Q1 + Q2 format now. It seems that it raised the level because now everybody gets his chance to enter finals. They are all fast ass hell. In the same time it becomes more like DH skiing, everyone is spectecular and so it is just a nuance of skill and mental game that decides between win and hospital. I am not sure it will benefit the sport. What I do not like is that WB abolished the free brodcast of the finals. So I only look the the highlights. I am only one person but if...

Havnt watched 4x in a while, that shit is rapid fire! Crankworks could take a note, I dont need rider bios or how much air Bas is putting in his minion ss tires. Just show me racing!

DH wildcard teams announced for La Thuile: -------------------------------------------------------------- 13th June 2025 – The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Sports can confirm that eight wildcard teams have been selected for the fifth Downhill round of the WHOOP UCI Mountain Bike World Series that will take place in La Thuile, Valle d’Aosta (Italy) on July 3-6. Four of the teams will be making their fifth appearance in this year’s Series, while there are returns for several other squads. All eight outfits are crammed full of up-and-coming talent, while there are also established names such as five-time UCI Downhill...

Glad Dak is back, and this pod. Winter is a bit bleak without a weekly ramble and races not on. Extend the love by running the pod 2 or 3 times & see how much you actually miss the 1st listen...

Gambling is gnarly. We absolutely do not want gambling in our sport.

Makes sense, plenty of cameras at the WC's too I suppose, so hats off for documenting the slightly smaller stuff that needs the attention!

i mentioned in the loudenvielle thread, but no lawlor raw or pit bits vids fromt Loudenvielle, Lenzerheide, Andorra or Les Gets. we have 6 US national rounds this year that we decided to put budget into instead. our heart is with domestic racing and helping it grow. with 11 WC rounds (including world champs), we had to make budget choices and this year we had to pay 3k euro to WBD so lawlor could film (this was after our budget/race decisions were made, however). they've always let us in, but that finally ended this year. i don't blame them, it's...

but poland is done. there's no recourse anymore. our only hope is that during trackwalk in loudenvielle and going forward, all riders and TMs make sure there isn't any shred of doubt about course markings.

i like loud hubs and i cannot lie...

Here’s my reminder (possibly to myself) that I’m gonna stay off the internet and try to watch the Q2 recap on YouTube as if it’s live. Thank you for your time.