UCI MTB World Cup (All forms!)

[Ripper]

Just imagine being a rider as technically superior as Neff, seeing it rain and just saying to yourself "yes!!"

 

[FitSsikS]

50 Shades of Brown.
Why are the Suisse not wearing Suisse coloured tracksuits at these Olympics?

Someone fked up and used the hot water wash cycle.

 

[Ripper]

Just watching the race from the beginning this morning. PFP elbowing past Lecomte early in the race ... a bit of the WTF LOL!

 

[Ripper]

And now we have drama!
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ne...id-move-in-tokyo-olympics-mountain-bike-race/

Interesting takes. PFP's perception that they had the same speed going into that uphill rock garden area was incorrect, Neff was definitely taking more speed in (and PFP's braking before the drop is just dangerous). Neff is much stronger technically and this course being very technical and a bit wet played well to her advantage.

 

[King Boonen]

I thought they were fairly good friends, so I'm wondering if a little bit has been lost in translation because Neff seems to say PFP has a habit of doing this and the text seems to imply she think's she's dangerous. Maybe she just means she's an aggressive racer.

 

[Ricco']

I thought they were fairly good friends, so I'm wondering if a little bit has been lost in translation because Neff seems to say PFP has a habit of doing this and the text seems to imply she think's she's dangerous. Maybe she just means she's an aggressive racer.

Well, they don't follow each other on social media (and although Jolanda until fairly recently almost didn't follow no one, she now follows some of her fellow riders on the circuit).

No words from PFP to Jolanda on her post, so I guess their relationships must have gone sour some time in the past.

Like you, I thought they were good pals, as I remembered they were very friendly and sporty with each other after their crash in Hoogerheide'2018.

 

[Ripper]

Well, they don't follow each other on social media (and although Jolanda until fairly recently almost didn't follow no one, she now follows some of her fellow riders on the circuit).

No words from PFP to Jolanda on her post, so I guess their relationships must have gone sour some time in the past.

Like you, I thought they were good pals, as I remembered they were very friendly and sporty with each other after their crash in Hoogerheide'2018.

I don't know what the relationship is actually like between the two of them. But I have seen them cut each other off before, so they have at least some history of racing aggressively against each other in the past year

 

[glassmoon]

No need for them to be the BFFs... they've been big rivals for a long time after all. They respect each other and that's enough for me. I also have some issues with PFP's riding shenanigans sometimes but then I've been Jolanda's fanboy for a long time so I might not be truly objective about it.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I think the rivalry goes back to the juniors - and when they were both on the Rabobank team. I think it's been hard but fair, I can't recall anything that would be 'out of order'; the Hoogerheide CX crash was just unfortunate.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

UEC- Article

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www.uec.ch

 

[Ricco']

The course should be very close to this one.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LygIVsBplfc

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Doesn't look very technical - apart from the 'descents' on the steps. Could almost be a CX course....

 

[glassmoon]

This thing as a XCO Elite circuit is a disgrace

EDIT: but if anyone still want to watch the races there is a live feed (just one static camera on the finish line apparently )on race's FB: https://www.facebook.com/pg/2021novisadmtb/
(elite races will be on Eurosport int.)

 

[Axel Hangleck]

The races are live on the UEC website, and Eurosport Player - but no commentary. The men's U23 was quite tactical, and the women's U23 was as expected, with Mitterwallner winning by nearly a minute, with the Alpecin-Fenix pair of Pieterse & Eibl 2nd & 3rd.

 

[Wyndbrook]

The races are live on the UEC website, and Eurosport Player - but no commentary. The men's U23 was quite tactical, and the women's U23 was as expected, with Mitterwallner winning by nearly a minute, with the Alpecin-Fenix pair of Pieterse & Eibl 2nd & 3rd.
[/QUOT
Watched senior womens race on Eurosport, you certainly did not miss anything with no commentary.
Matt Stephen's with supposed expert Neil Donahue who added nothing but vague waffle.

 

[davidsonduke]

Question about wheels: it appears that all carbon 5-6 spoke wheels are common in women’s elite MTB racing, but not the men’s. Correct me if I wrong. I’m assuming the reason is that the 5-6 spoke wheels are lighter, but not suitable to the greater forces in men’s racing. Sound right?

 

[Ricco']

Question about wheels: it appears that all carbon 5-6 spoke wheels are common in women’s elite MTB racing, but not the men’s. Correct me if I wrong. I’m assuming the reason is that the 5-6 spoke wheels are lighter, but not suitable to the greater forces in men’s racing. Sound right?

I only know of one team using them (Ghost Factory Team) and it's because they are sponsored by Bike Ahead Composites. Since they are a female only team, that's the reason no one is using them in the men's field. Bike Ahead Composites is a small firm so they don't have the same budget to sponsor multiple teams as DT Swiss, for instance.

 

[jmdirt]

Ricco wins the prize for the correct answer!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

With the World Champs in a weeks time; I really have no idea about form for next week. Who still has form, who has lost it, who is only getting in to form?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/entry-list-val-di-sole-cross-country-world-championships-2021.html

Looks like the women's U23 race could be the best race; both Lecomte & Stigger dropping down to U23, and take on Mitterwallner, and Olympic 4th place Blanka Kata Vas.

 

[Ricco']

It makes no sense for Lecomte to drop back to U23. She was already world champion, raced the entire World Cup season on the elites where she won all the races. If she already races World Cups with the elites she must race that category at the World Championships too, the UCI rules are not very consistent here.

Next will be Mona. She is already at elite level and is able to beat the best riders in the world. This way she will only be able to challenge them at the WCh in 2025.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I think the rules possibly need changing; I know they are all U23, but when you've proved yourself as an Elite, and dominated every race, then I don't think you have any business racing back in U23 just for one race at the Worlds.

I know in CX that both MvdP & Van Aert got special dispensation to race the Elites in 2015 as they were U23; as did Alvarado in 2020. All 3 had been winning Elite races consistently.

So, the seasons best female Elite rider won't race the Elite WCh - as she's racing U23. I just find that bizarre.

I've even seen a comment that if Pidcock had been able to race the Worlds, he'd also have needed dispensation to race the Elites.

 

[davidsonduke]

I only know of one team using them (Ghost Factory Team) and it's because they are sponsored by Bike Ahead Composites. Since they are a female only team, that's the reason no one is using them in the men's field. Bike Ahead Composites is a small firm so they don't have the same budget to sponsor multiple teams as DT Swiss, for instance.

I watched a bit of last weekends race, and one or two Ghost riders must have been near the top, so I noticed the wheels.

 

[Ricco']

For most of the European viewers (and for the US too, I think), the Worlds will be geo-restricted on RedBull TV.

For european viewers, Eurosport has the rights, so brace yourselves for cr*p commentary (I really need to get a VPN). At least in Portugal, the XCO races won't be live on any of the 2 channels, so the only 'legal' option is the Eurosport Player. They will show live the women's DH race and the short tracks on thursday.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Oh no, that sounds rubbish. most of the last few years it's been on Red Bull TV, and here in the UK On the BBC website/Red button, with two different commentary options.
One hopes something is sorted; MTB on anything other than RBTV is just wrong; the Olympics showed that.