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does the vital sluething brain trust know who runs the "UCI Gary" instagram account? https://www.instagram.com/uci_gary/?hl=en
The memes that get posted after race events are pure gold. I remember wyn saying that he wasn't the one running it, but the jokes are purely up his ally. It has to be someone with inside information because the jokes are too specific to not have not originated from the inside the traveling circus.
My wife and I are always rolling at these posts...
Lou tried pretty hard to get Wyn to admit he's UCI Gary, but he's insisting it's not. Either way, hilarious stuff.
It’s not wyn but the right last name.🤣
I have no idea it’s him either but it’s just as likely.
If we could have "UCI Gary" memes and "Team Rumours" sketches this winter it would be a pretty great off season!
I get the sense that “UCI Gary” and “Queenstown NPC” know each other, so it would track it’s a Kiwi running UCI Gary. Based on the timing of posts they are not the same person though. UCI Gary regularly posts during daytime in Europe/US so it is someone on tour. Queenstown NPC is clearly posting from NZ.
Some notes and numbers from Vali Höll’s quietly remarkable World Cup year.
With one race left in the season, Vali has already clinched another overall championship despite winning “only” one World Cup race. She, Nina Hoffmann, and Loic Bruni are the only racers to successfully qualify in Q1 for every race this season.
Qualifying:
2.4 - average qualifying position
7 - lowest qualifying position
5 - number of times fastest qualifier
Finals:
8 - podiums
5 - lowest finish
1 - wins
2.6 - avg. finish
Points
233.8 - average points per race (no other rider - male or female - has averaged more than 200 points per race)
Notes on Vali Höll’s World Champs performance
Vali won her 4th consecutive World Championship this year. In 8 World Champs competitions, including her 2 years as a Junior, she has won 6 times. The 2 others were a DNS in 2020 (qualified 1st, crashed in practice, unable to race in finals) and 12th in 2021 (wrecked during the race). She has never qualified lower than 4th.
I just hope nobody narcs out Gary. The longer that account remains anonymous, the better content we'll get.
Back in the forum days, a site called gregherboldcutthecourse.com really stirred up a comedy hornet's nest in the industry & the a-holes of corporate america rallied the common folk to get him outed & shut down. Left such a vacuum in the world of MTB sarcasm.
A chance for #USDH riders to earn UCI points in Norcal in November! There are three separate races during the week-long series so the total prize and points purse are 3X these numbers. Total payout for the series is $6,654.00 and 324 UCI Points.
The new Triple Crown UCI DH Series is a downhill race series located in Philo, California. The series includes three UCI C2 races over a one-week period, from November 11-16, 2025. Registration opens September 27. Visit Instagram and follow links in profile for more information: https://www.instagram.com/triplecrowndh
Registration - https://www.bikereg.com/triple-crown-dh-1
Race information - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1je0DKVypB92oXqG5u5t7ma6D4QkaUDqc
North American Elite and Junior riders have very few UCI-sanctioned races where they can earn UCI points. These points are often key to team selection and individual rider qualification for the UCI World Series.
This will be different from any other race you will go to this year. The race venue is a private ranch in Northern California, homesteaded in 1863. Imagine racing DH at Retallack, but just two hours from San Francisco.
On-site camping is suggested as the ranch is beautiful and the drive to town is longer than ideal. Consider coming early if you want to help dig. There are private SX, MX, and off road trails at the venue and we need the help digging and marshalling during the races is encouraged.
Registration is limited to a total of 80 riders. In addition to Elite/Junior classes, there will be a combined U17/U15 Cat 1 category. This gives younger riders the ability to time themselves accurately against current junior and elite riders. A first-place bounty will be paid to any male or female U15 or U17 rider who beats all U19 riders. U17/U15 riders do not earn UCI Points or Payout.
The Elite/Junior prize purse and points per event follow. There are three separate races during the week-long series so the total prize and points purse are 3X these numbers. Total payout for the series is $6,654.00 and 324 UCI Points.
Prizes and points are equal for men and women. Juniors compete against Elites as part of the Elite category.
Triple Crown DH Series Payout Per Race:
1st male & female: €250 and 30 UCI Points
2nd male & female: €200 and 20 UCI points
3rd male & female: €150 and 15 UCI points
4th male & female: €125 and 12 UCI points
5th male & female: €100 and 10 UCI points
6th male & female: €90 and 8 UCI points
7th male & female: €80 and 6 UCI points
8th male & female: €70 and 4 UCI points
9th male & female: €0 and 2 UCI points
10th male & female: €0 and 1 UCI points
This is an independent grassroots and backcountry DH event series. Expect loose and rugged conditions. Bring patience, grit, stoicism, and a helping hand. Volunteers are needed.
Nearby hotels are available in Boonville and Philo. Anderson Valley Brewing Company and many excellent vineyards are nearby.
Bring sunscreen, summer and winter clothes, mud and dry tires, bear spray, camping gear, and everything else you want for a self-supported backcountry adventure.
Large wildlife is common - no hunting, shooting or fires are permitted during the event. Keep food contained in vehicles or bear-proof containers.
As a grassroots series, there is no website for the 2025 events.
Everyone entering the ranch will need to sign a waiver and receive a wristband prior to entry. Visit the Triple Crown DH Series Instagram and view links in profile for registration and FAQ.
https://www.instagram.com/triplecrowndh
Contact: Judd de Vall - Race Director.
judd@alpinebikeparks.com 604-902-2552
Location: Philo, CA
Can somebody tell me why we got away from sandwich style E13 bash guides? I mean...we got real money on the line these days.
Bring it back!
about 7 seconds later in the video you see the massively bent chainring. sandwiched guide plates prob wouldn't have helped at all. could have even jammed things up worse.
Misspent Summers has a pretty rad 2025 super supporter bundle pack deal going. putting here b/c race fans!
https://misspentsummers.com/products/super-supporter-mountain-bike-bund…
I can't get behind the MRP. Those things folded.
Referring to the E13 full polycarbonate bash guard. That combined with the shark fin make way more sense.
Racers only got rid of them for weight savings right?
We're adding 5lbs of lead weight now but still running exposed alloy chainrings instead of this?
The full ring is bolted to the crank spider, so the force of an impact goes through the bottom bracket bearing. On the taco style bash guard, the force goes directly into the frame. I realize that you get a similar impact force through the bearing if you bottom out the rear suspension, but in my memory this was one of the reasons for switching to the taco style.
started a MSA thread here - https://www.vitalmtb.com/forums/hub/2025-world-cup-mont-sainte-anne-que…
Lopes parking and no shirt, good times!
So have the taco below the ring mounted bash guard. Second level of protection
Why do DH racers still run carbon cranks? Just had set of X01 snap mid race run, only was running them because they came with my bike.
Isn’t everyone chasing BB weight? What the harm in alloy cranks?
The Law of Vital MTB - given sufficient time all treads turn into tech talk 😅
exactly. Frame bash taco. Chainring mounted outer bash.
Instead of 5lbs of lead weights...4.75lbs
So what's the process to put together an event that garners UCI points? I was under the impression that the Monster Pro Cup Series was getting into a position to be a "feeder" series for World Cup, so it would seem that should be one of the primary ways to gather points. While I love that this is happening (and have nothing but respect for Judd and the DeVall's and their dedication to DH), it seems weird that you have basically 3 events in one location on the West Coast, all of which get points (that being said, it's nice for those who could travel there and do 3 events without having to move).
And it raises a bigger question: if "points events" like this are dependent on the promoter's connections and/or ability to navigate UCI red tape, then I'd expect somewhere like Bentonville (current HQ of USAC) to start putting together events like this, regardless of how representative of "real" Downhill courses the terrain and tracks are there. And is THAT really the best thing for growing USDH?
Super rad, and I love to see some grassroots events granting UCI points. Props to the organizers for getting this together!
However in typical UCI fashion they gave the sanctioning approval with super short notice. Bad job for any privateer that needs to plan/pay/put in PTO to grind out some status in this economy. No knock on the event organizers creating this opportunity out of nothing, but I would rather see some real world awareness by UCI grant timely approval.
I think the argument for carbon cranks is that spinning them up is easier than heavier alu cranks. I know that gains would be minimal but racing...
This is also getting weird and a hole in the WB sport planning when World Cup athletes finishing in the 30's can be ranked 150th - 200th because they get no UCI points at the World Cup. On the flip side, National series racers can become UCI point chasers and be ranked in the top 30? These riders can promote themselves as being top 30 in the world but the reality is they show up at a World Cup race and finish 70th.... Seems like a broken system and makes UCI points feel irrelevant and yet this is what WB uses to decide Elite team rankings.
Stoked we got a B Practice pod recorded this week with Dak and Dante Silva! It was rad to get both of their perspectives on the track and how their weekends went.
https://www.vitalmtb.com/features/you-cant-beat-racing-home-lake-placid-world-cup-recap-dak-norton-and-dante-silva
In the current UCI top 50 men's ranking, there is only one rider who hasn't been in a world cup race final this year. One.
I'm not sure that these points chasers are going to spoil the applecart. In general, it's almost as if the top national racers are also at the sharp end worldwide.
There quite could be something that was going on with UCI and points but it’s been floating on the UCI calendar since at least the summer and you don’t get on that without offering some kinda of Uci points. US open isn’t on there because they didn’t offer points but Windrock is
Dante Silva seems like one of the most relentlessly upbeat guys in downhill. I truly get a kick out of him every time he's interviewed. I was so happy for him when he qualified in Q1 at Lake Placid and went 16th in the finals. He's had a great 2025.
Who?
@judd.devall answered part of that in a question for me by email. Maybe we could convince him and/or Clay Harper to break it down on here or in an interview.
Guys from across the US would travel to "Bump & Grind" XC race in Alabama. Had a tiny hill w/ a DH race on that gave UCI points to top 10 so they could go to MSA. I look at Judd's races as a far better opportunity. Racers have to start somewhere.
His event is a Tier 2 race, so pretty good points & the level of competition always raises when there are good points to be had.
Can't wait to see how it turns out. Reminds me of how in the south, we used to do best of 2 runs in DH. Our timing systems were crap so it always proofed out who the fastest guys were. But we ALL loved multiple shots at a race run.
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