Looks like there’s another International DH race this Thursday? That’s going to be hardcore for everyone who raced Leogang, considering most, if not all of them crashed at least once at the weekend.

Anyway, conditions looks appalling based on riders Insta stories of snow covered roads heading there.

I’ve no idea when practice and Qualifying is, but they’re racing Thursday AND Saturday for a double header, at least they get 11 days off then before another double header in the hopefully warmer Lousa Portugal.

Who do we think will happen then? Wilson do a double in (probably) similar conditions, half the field say “oh sod this” and DNS? Will Rachel Atherton turn up, or has she quit for good?

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-slovenia

Looks like racing Friday and Sunday

Guessing at qualifying Thursday and Saturday, with practice Wednesday and track walk tomorrow?

Also guess that the course will be similar enough that they can do this, but hopefully a few different sections that means there will be a meaningful difference between the races

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OImd6tzo9p8

Last years race.

3 mins for the boys, 3.30 for the girls, so should see most of the runs if it isnt too wet. Seems like potential for different lines down in the woods should they wish.

Lots of roots and dirt but not as steep as Leogang

Any one know if this is going back to Red Bull TV for coverage, or are we going to have to put up with the BBC’s utter dog egg coverage??

I watched the world champs on red bull the other day, I’m pretty sure I watched last year’s world cup on red bull, this year’s is scheduled on their site too… when did you have to watch on BBC?

This is all World Cup racing so will be the usual Redbull coverage.

The action is go!

Actually that’s a pretty tame video but bring on Cathrovision, Wyn TV, Vital Raw… We’ve got it pretty good haven’t we?

We’ve got it pretty good haven’t we?

Yeah can’t complain can we?

Looking at Insta Rachel Atherton is still playing with Her Dog back home in Wales so I guess she’s out for 2020.

bring on Cathrovision

Cathro’s racing isn’t he? Presumably we’ll be getting PB Privateer content..

Is Cathro fixed yet?

Is Cathro fixed yet?

The suggestion was that he was, and was going to race, but a post on his FB in the last few minutes says they’ve decided it’s too risky.

They’re out in Maribor though, so hopefully we’ll get a bit of classic Cathrovision-style coverage!

Nope, he was hoping to race, but he’s spoken to the Doctor and he’s out for the rest of the season.

I’ve just copied this off FB but it’s a post available to all so hopefully I’m not being out of order just paste g this:

Bad news! After check-ups on my neck it has been decided that it would be too risky to race the upcoming world cups. If I was to have another crash on my head there would be a much higher chance of damaging my spinal cord which would potentially cause paralysis. Not a risk I or anyone else should be willing to take. A bit more time and I’ll be good to go! #WTT2021

I am out in Maribor with the dream team (@maxxrendall & @angushardie) and we’ve got some sick plans. We’ll be helping out Scottish privateers @jamie_edmondson and @mikaylaparton with pit space, wrenching and trackside line info while documenting their races.

Also, in a wild turn of events, racers @oliverzwar and @benzwar have lost their bikes on the flight over to Maribor so I’ve lent them my bike until their’s arrive. Will be so cool seeing George actually getting ridden at a World Cup!

We’ll be documenting it all for Walk The Talk as well as producing some @pinkbike RAW and Inside The Tape vids. #LetsGo!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGTF3_YB85Y/?igshid=shsorb154iki

Aaron Gwinn last in qualis…forecast to rain tomorrow.

Aaron Gwinn last in qualis…forecast to rain tomorrow.

timed training, not qualifying.

Looks like we’ve got a proper race on our hands. Let’s hope the weather doesn’t turn it into another embarrassing gong-show.

Just watched Gee Athertons track-ride. It’s one of them tracks i actually think i could potentially even get down…. at about 1/4 of their speed 😀

Very unlikely it will turn into anything like Leogang – that was fresh cut.
This has been ridden for a year – some for much longer. You can see that it’s coped with rain before and it’s formed channels and run down like a stream. Very hard-packed dirt.

Greasy roots will be tricky though, but still absolutely nothing like last weekend.

It actually looks fun to ride. It reminds me of the Pleney. It’s making me sad that I don’t own a DH bike and I’m at least 10 months away from actually riding any DH tracks.

Looks awesome, would love to ride some of that (slowly and badly)

Just watched Gee Athertons track-ride. It’s one of them tracks i actually think i could potentially even get down…. at about 1/4 of their speed 😀

The huge high speed rock garden is IMO one of the most iconic features on the WC circuit, along with the upper straights of MSA and the Nissan jump at fort bill

I’ve always wanted to have a go at the rock garden and wondered if I’d just mince down it or get off the brakes, but its high consequence

Maribor looks like one of the most fun WC tracks to ride, cos of its undulations / pump track nature

yes the rockgarden is high consequence 🙂

I didn’t really enjoy leogang, so am looking forward to some actual sense of speed this time

Just gone thru the pink bike practice photos

Brook McDonald with a head torch eh

Can’t wait for this I can watch during a work day, cant say that’s happened before

Redbull interface as ever is pish, trying to find this now, times etc.

Good job by the Brits in quali. Hope it carries through to the race!

Aye, superb again.

Danny harts pit area must be interesting….🙈

Qually

1st. Reece Wilson: 3:08.068
2nd. Thibaut Daprela: +2.841
3rd. Matt Walker: +5.046
4th. Loris Vergier: +5.325
5th. Remi Thirion: +5.663

What a photo!

Couple of big time gaps on a track like that. It’ll be closer tomorrow!

Fairclough not bothering with World Cups this year then?

Liked Gees track preview. He really has to keep the Atherton bikes name going if Rachel does knock it on the head as far as DH goes.

This looks like a completely different track today. Speeds have gone down a lot. There’s some very cautious riding in this video compared to the absolute ragging it we saw yesterday. Rain on hardpack with greasy mud being dragged over the roots and rocks.

I’ve got a bloody zoom meeting tomorrow that is going to start right around the top 20 riders!

You’ll have to do the old change your zoom username to ‘unable to connect’. You’re in the clear! Unless you’re hosting it obvs

A guy I know is out there at the race, his IG story showed appaling rain and mini streams running through the mud.

Should be good!

what time does it start? womens and mens please 🙂

Women’s starts at 12.30, last women down 1.13

Men start at 1.30, top 20 starts at 2.30, last man down is 3.34pm

I’d imagine this is CET? But I’ve just checked and CET is same as GMT currently

I’m happy for Jamie Edmondson – 18th qualifying, just ahead of Gain, in his first ever elite men’s race….

https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/uci-mountain-bike-world-cup-slovenia