Ok, so they're a figment of my imagination at present.

But on the commute this morning, hard braking into a so-steep-the-rear-wheel-starts-to-lift-and-the-front-wheel-squirms tight chicane – before only just flicking the bike over in time, I started thinking that a road bike downhilling championships on a tight, technical, twisty and fast course might be quite an amazing spectacle.

So here's the idea: normal road bikes, but with pro road-riders wearing skinsuits / full face / armour (whatever they like) etc., going down a suitably steep, fast and technical road descent course. You could even put some little high speed jump sections in for fun, like. 😀

Would it work..?
Who would win?
Have I invented a new sport?
How do I get the UCI to offically back this sort of nonsense?
😛

yep
dunno
no – just defined yet another niche of our sport
pass…

Don't think you imagined it.

http://freecaster.tv/mtb/1009432/red-bull-road-rage-2009-france

That race was fairly ridiculous, put a lot of DHers/road riders on a DH course that happens to be tarmac, then proclaim that the MTBers are better riders. Be like having a DH race down a fireroad with lots of pedalling, prove roadies are better than MTBers.

Fabien Cancellara has to be in with a shout after his heroics in the tour this year.

What a cool race!
Where does it say the MTBers were better riders? Looks like the guy who won had one of those racer bikes…

I reckon wider bars would give you better control in those corners though.

Former Tour de France champion Frederic Moncassin wins

😯

I need to look at links rather than assume! That one looks awesome, there was one done a few years ago in the US somewhere which was a good theory, but just a bit crap.