[Closed] Will this years 2012 DH racing be as good as last years?

can't wait, so many changes this year, will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Lots of changes. Pressure is on to keep Gwin off the top spot. Should be a good year.
What is Warner, Pagey and the freecaster lot up to? I lost track..

Latest is a Red Bull production, haven't heard any more than that really.

This year's shaping up to be cracking! Gwin will obviously be wanting to make it two in a row, but Hart and Brosnan are really coming through! Would like to see Brendawg doing well too, can't see him challenging for the overall though. I'm sure all the usually suspects have been training like animals to try and close the gap too

What are the major changes? I tend to watch the riding and avoid the politics, spoils the fun.

Yeah I can't wait either.
The MS Mondraker Team are going to dominate the podiums this year . . . . . hopefully 🙂

Yeah the bar has be launched into space 😆 Hart and Brosnan are very good riders, however they're not as strong as Gwin.

They do have just as much Talent and skill though, should be a cracker of a year! hopefully no one will get injured.

The MS Mondraker Team are going to dominate the podiums this year . . . . . hopefully

oooohhh I'd forgotten that Brook McDonald has just moved team too, should be good especially when there's every chance he'll be under Barel's guidance

Kaesae - loads of changes.

Athertons on new team.
Womans world champ (Ragot) on Mondraker.
No Fabien Barel (gutted)
Brendawg on Scott
Luke Strobel still not got a ride
Etc

Time for some clips to set the mood

TBH, I've become decensitised to it all. It's no match for riding a road bike through busy traffic or playing COD Modern Warfare... plus I'm a huge believer in the notion that we are spiraling towards the abyss where every fleeting moment has less significance than the last.

Legend - Yeah Brooks set for a good year I reckon. The long, light and slack Mondy Sunmum should really suit him. Also dont forget that his team mate is Damian Spagetti who finished last season with a silver medal at the worlds! Those two are going to be pushing each other all year.

Yeah I saw that about brendan, not a fan of the demo frames, think he might be better off, also saw that the athertons are riding for GT, not a fan of the GT frames the fury looks gimp!

Barel is cool, but I think he's done his bit and deserves some down time.

and then there's the rest

Stevie Smith gets better each year
Can Hill get it back
Minnar will be up there
Can Peaty do anything...

Will be better than last year i reckon. can't wait to see who will be stepping it up to challenge gwin

Hill, needs another bike, the demo does not suit him at all.

Minnar is consistently good but the competition has gotten very tough!

It has the potential to be better, can't wait to watch.

All the advanced techniques that it took these riders years to learn will be on display.

It's like shop lifting, without any risk!

How does the demo not suit Sam Hill? He seemed to ride it fine in 2009. You're confusing being injured with not getting on with the bike. He's much trimmer this year, obviously been training. Still not 100% but could definitely podium.

Brosnan and Hart I'm not sure if they have the pedaling power to win a world cup overall. Steep tracks they'll be on top though. I think it's going to be interesting to see how Gee gets on with the new ride. Last season he was plagued by mechanicals.

Oh and he rode it fine at the 2010 world champs.

Fairclough has been recovering from knee surgery so probably isn't going to be as fit as the top boys so I reckon a top ten finish at best, I can't wait to see how Sam Blenkinsop gets on, bad season last time out. It's going to be a good season for definite.

Really looking forward to it. Last years racing was awesome and this year looks even better.

- Intruiged over the Atherton move to GT
- Interested to see what Fairclough will bring to Scott now he is fit
- Excited by the prospect of Hart / Gwin
- Has Steve Peat got another competative season in him?
- Will Hill beat the gremlins?

Can't wait!

Is the UCI pay-per-view this year?

Hill, needs another bike, the demo does not suit him at all.

didn't he ride a 'demo' to a world championship after a season sat-out through injury?

I want Josh to thrash them all!
GO RATBOY! 😀

I think Hill - like Dan Atherton - has lost his head for it. Maybe we'll see him on the enduro scene instead.

Looking forward to it, but where can I watch it this year?

+1 on seeing Ratboy deliver this year

Am I right in thinking T-Mo isn't racing any World Cups this year? So the women's champs could be v interesting....

I'm really looking forward to it. Gwinn has shown everyone what is possible, so I think the top guys will have all stepped their training up a notch to try and compete.

The young guys (Hart, Brosnan, Bryceland, Blenki, McDonald) are all starting to push things, while the older guys are trying to find out how to get back on top.

Can't really count Sam Hill out until he has had a season injury free. Not sure about Peaty, maybe this will be his last season?

I hope Brendog has been putting some serious work in, if so I can see him doing well.

Gee should be back in contention with a new team and more support.

Looks like it will be a great season! 🙂

rs - Member
and then there's the rest

Stevie Smith gets better each year

Indeed! I hope we see him on a few podiums this year.

I can't wait to see how Sam Blenkinsop gets on

He's broken his leg last week, poor bloke.

I'd forgotten about Stevie Smith. Him and Brook Macdonald (excited to see him on a Mondraker) might be the ones to watch out of the younger guys. Plus Troy of course.

It'd be amazing to see Hill make a comeback and smoke everyone, but I won't be putting any money on it.

I thought Davinci hadn't got an entry this year so they're only doing selected rounds; prob north america.

I don't think that hill trusts his ride and that's never a good thing

you do know that he fluffed pulling a tear off there which distracted him into crashing? You can see him still going for it in the first few seconds of the clip

The tear off was away and he still had time to take that corner. It's not just that corner it's his whole attitude these days.

I would like to see him on a session or a glory, something other than a demo.

kaesae the man himself said that he made an @rse of taking the tear-off! Trust me on this, going for one, fluffing it, then knowing that a corner is coming closer and close is very distracting.

As everyone above says, winning a World Champs on a Demo despite being out injured all year says that he's quite happy on it. His performance at Champery on a Demo despite only been riding for a week or so beforehand cements this.

I would like to see him on a session or a glory, something other than a demo.

I don't think it is the bike that is the problem mate, more his head.

I'm giving him at least a couple of seasons before any thoughts of him being past it.

I thought Davinci hadn't got an entry this year so they're only doing selected rounds; prob north america.

Really? He wouldn't accept that surely.

I don't think it is the bike that is the problem mate, more his head.

Yes, he admitted in an interview that he was going slower because he was scared, I'm sure.

He had a lot of input into the design of the Demo IIRC, I'm sure he's quite happy with it,

Cool! time will tell, seemed to be a good amount of time after that tear off! but I guess going at that speed and having to do tears offs! could be distracting.

Why do the goggles not have some kind of spray wiper system, or would it not work?

2012 will be a better year if anything.

Whoever said Troy or Hart don't have the power needs to look at what Troy did at Windham in 2010 and what Hart did at Val di Sole.

There were already some young uns coming through in 2011 pushing hard - Stevie Smith, Blenki and Brook to name a few, but now you've got Hart and Troy in there too and lets not forget Barel's second coming in Spagnolo and then all the usual suspects of Gee, Peaty, Minaar etc all wanting to prove they can still do it.

Hill is surely gagging for it so will we see a return to his all or nothing approach and then there is Gwin...

Think we're gonna see some proper balls out racing this year...

Are Commencal putting a team in this year?

"Alpine Commençal Austria" & "Riding Addiction Commençal" are listed as teams entered for gravity on the uci website: http://www.uci.ch/Modules/ENews/ENewsDetails.asp?id=Nzc1NQ&MenuId=MTI1OTU&LangId=1&BackLink=%2Ftemplates%2FUCI%2FUCI5%2Flayout%2Easp%3FMenuId%3DMTI1OTU%26LangId%3D1

Troy and Hart have reasonable amounts of power, but lets face it they both have more developing to do and could be more powerful in terms of musculature!

Gwin's was born in 87 so he's quite mature, this year will be great, but let's face it from here on in, it should only get better and better.

I thought blenkinsop had broke an ankle and was still expected to race?

I may have got it mixed up.

Hope u r right.

Gwin's was born in 87 so he's quite mature

😥 feels so old 😥

The tear off was away and he still had time to take that corner. It's not just that corner it's his whole attitude these days.

I would like to see him on a session or a glory, something other than a demo.

funny you chose to post that video of Hill crashing.. did you realise Hill still podium'd with that run? after losing at least 10 seconds (plus the time to get back up to speed) he finnished a mere 5 seconds down.

Hill started out racing world cups and won junior worlds on an intense M1 (FSR) and went on to podium in almost every race in senior the following year on an iron horse SGS (yet another FSR) so please do tell what you think doesn't suit him about lighter, stiffer fsr Demo with his own preferred geometry?

Brosnan has also proven it's a very capable race bike!

I reckon most folks predictions of last year turned out to be complete balls, so, that's my prediction for this year too.