World Cup Downhill

[Erik Timmerman]

Round #3 Leogang, Austria is this weekend. Course preview with Andrew Neethling.

I can't be the only one following can I?

 

[scott43]

When it's on I'll watch..but I'm not that big a downhill fan really..

 

[Erik Timmerman]

It's the F1 of cycling! Actually, I think that is selling it short because there are so many possible winners separated by so little time. This weeks qualification had all 60 men within 10 seconds.

 

[Magi]

It's the F1 of cycling! Actually, I think that is selling it short because there are so many possible winners separated by so little time. This weeks qualification had all 60 men within 10 seconds.

What are your thoughts on the women's downhill?

 

[scott43]

It's the F1 of cycling! Actually, I think that is selling it short because there are so many possible winners separated by so little time. This weeks qualification had all 60 men within 10 seconds.

I think of it more as the Monster Trucking of cycling...

I think it's just my perspective..I like the uphill vs the downhill..different flavours, but I still love the ice cream!

 

[Eric267]

What are your thoughts on the women's downhill?

I've always been a big fan of Rachel Atherton at lest since she did that BBC show with her brothers a few years ago. Her bro Gee is a badass also.

Looks like she took the title this weekend

 

[oldschoolskier]

I’m glad I never got into it now, though if I was younger and had less sense I’d be trying it.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

What are your thoughts on the women's downhill?

I love the women's DH. Always watch. I keep hoping for more competitive riders to come up, and I wish that the UCI had left the fields bigger. If women can't qualify, I think it's harder for the talent to grow. The feeder races are so small that you almost have to be at a World Cup to have any real competition. I have been at races where girls that pretty much had never raced entered as Pro when they saw that the field was so small that they were guaranteed prize money for simply showing up at the start line. Right now, I think a healthy Rachel Atherton still cannot be beaten. Thane Seagrave is great, probably the biggest real threat. Pompon is a great person and a definite cycling lifer, but her legs are so skinny, and she seems kind of fragile. I love to see er win though. Tracey Hannah - I think she should stop. I'm not her doctor, but it seems like she has had too many concussions and they seem to come too easily now. I like all of them, have met a few and ridden with a few. We always pull for Teagan Malloy since she spends part of the summer at Bromine and is a very nice girl. Even though she barely qualifies, she puts everything into it and acts like a pro. I keep hoping that her trajectory is still heading upwards.

Then there's Vali Holl. Exciting to see what will happen there.

 

[Tom K.]

Good to see Rachel back on top!

And did anybody else see Gee (I think) go over backwards doing a manual while filming the latest episode of The Atherton Diaries? Damn!

Agree with @epic on Tracey Hannah. She needs to walk away. Sad, but true.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

PSA - this weekends race is tomorrow, not Sunday since this is a double and XC is on Sunday. Wild qualifiers today with the rain. Course preview with Gee Atherton (who had a pretty good quali in the top-30) https://www.redbull.tv/video/AP-1W3...aylists::aa8e8165-cdc9-4726-8171-1209bf4a249b

 

[Superbman]

I just watched the whole Mens recast on Red Bull TV, I love the Val di Sole course and Perron is on Fire! Commencal is having a good year!

 

[Superbman]

Bruni!

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Awesome race, huh? I thought Troy Brosnan had it for sure. Super psyched to see Gee back in the top-10 - with a smashed up hand!

 

[Erik Timmerman]

 

[Erik Timmerman]

https://www.redbull.tv/video/AP-1VWBVJJ9S2111/pre-race-dhi-run-la-bresse

 

[Erik Timmerman]

....and Gee qualifies #1! Hell to the yes.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Anybody watching right now? What a race for the women!

 

[Tom K.]

Anybody watching right now? What a race for the women!

That certainly was a tight race for second.

But Rachel Atherton winning the World Championships by a fraction less than 10 seconds?!

Just astounding. A different level than the rest of the field, when she is "on" kinda like Gretzky at his peak.