2020 XCO Olympic Games set your DVR's

We should have more Hooligan rides like this!

 

This is what I'm talking about...

Link:
https://twitter.com/niekkimmann/sta...rider-collides-with-official-during-training/

 

The way I saw it two taps of the brakes cost her the race... The first tap pissed off Neff, which led directly to the awesome pass on the rock wall. I think Neff handles the bike a lot better and either spooked her on purpose, or was just at the point that she wanted to go by. Plus Neff knew she could get up the wall faster... With the wet slippery course, the more confident bike handler won. I still don't know how she didn't eat coming off the ramp the way she did. She should give Van der Poel some bike handling pointers. Maybe he needs to find a lady DH racer to date...

Plus... Those two ladies don't like each other to begin with...

 

Isn't your job as an official to have complete awareness of what's going on? Ouch...

 

Neff has always been a great bike handler and I imagine hanging out with Luca Shaw on the weekends has only made her better.

 

I don't think what Neff did was intentional. Racing is racing. She saw the opportunity and took it. If the other chick couldn't hang then that falls back on her. It is not a friendly "Hooligan ride". This is a demonstration of the best in your country and you want to win. She could've taken the Football route and pulled a Neiyemar and thrown herself on the ground and cried like a baby. She took it like a champion. That was her window to get ahead of a lesser rider and she had to make the move. All my SS compadres know all about this especially during climbs, we do it on friendly casual terms. Who knows if she would've won if she didn't make that move. I don't know how many times in races that I have been in if you don't take that opportunity it may be lost for a while changing the whole outcome of your race.

 

Interesting…I wonder if Neff actually prefers the SE4 front/G5 rear tire combo over Minions.

 

Of course not. But the Trek riders have to run the Bontys when the world is watching!

 

How do you know for Neff?

 

I’m forwarding this statement directly to Trek/Bontrager. I figure it’s good for a free top of the line Trek bike of my choice since I am Trek rider.

Oh, you should expect to see a burning bike on your lawn tonight.

 

I’ve always enjoyed Neff. Nice to see her come back.
Even this season’s World Cup, she hasn’t been quite there since her big injury.
and she broke her hand in mid June too.

it’s also nice to see that XC isn’t just a meandering flat track anymore.

 

You bought yours used from a private party, so Trek may not acknowledge you.

 

Luca told me....

 

Did you mention iMTBtrails.com?

 

That sure was interesting to watch. Being pros, I think Neff knows PFP doesn't handle the techy stuff half as well, but brake check when there IS a ramp is not an excuse for PFP to do, that's dirty. Impressed Neff kept that drop in balance and cleaned it, a little lift and weight shift wow (unlike MVDP's)! Like in any racing, these riders have been battling w/ each other for years, I think PFP pulled a nasty tactic on that dangerous drop, ramp or no ramp.

 

True. Is it just me, but are the XC courses getting more gnarly each year? I watched the course preview POV video posted by one of the riders, and was kind of shocked - especially at that drop; a six-foot drop seems like a big feature on an XC course. But then again, the World Cup courses have been progressing in that direction as well.

Makes me wonder what we'll see when the games get to LA in seven years. Anyone have any knowledge or guesses as to where the cycling events will be?

 

Last I heard the XC event will be at Bonelli Park, very local to me.

 

Ongster, wanna ride Bonelli Friday or Saturday night?

 

Things I've learned watching Olympics this time that I never noticed before:

• BMX for adults on 20" wheels is ridiculous and downright stupid looking.
• Dressage is horse dancing. It has to be the most Bougie "sport" of them all. Yes it's amazing that you can train your horse to dance, but what the hell does that have to do with an Olympic sport? Give the medal to the horse - in a specific horse dancing competition.
• Table tennis is as cool as I remember it. The serves look a little silly, but after that, it's a fast-action slam fest!
• Whitewater sports are legit!!!! Kayak and C1 is every bit as cool and athletic as I remember them being. The course is no joke. Having done about a dozen kayak slalom runs in my life, I think I would still be stuck in one of the holes if I ran that course.
• I am a jinx for our Water Polo teams. They were doing fine until I tuned in.
• The golf course is too easy
• The surfing coverage was abysmal, but the results were pretty cool. Very strange and challenging conditions. Messy surf, but powerful, and strong currents. Definitely the opposite of a wave pool.

 

You need to clarify "night"

 

I'm digging the rugby and team handball competitions. THB is basically water polo on a court?
M & W events are both great to watch!

Any event where a judge give you an artistic score isn't a sport. Fight me.

 

Bait and switch!

 

I will fight you over surfing. It's the most sporty of all the sports. Courage, upper body and lower body strength, balance, tactics, creativity, etc - all in a live environment that is always changing. What if gymnasts had to do their floor exercises on a moving floor?

Oh - you said "artistic score." Hmmm, surfing gives just one score and it's based on speed, power and flow - technically, no "artistic" score. Phew! We don't have to fight.

 

I was watching the swimming due to the time it's on. Fun to watch, but have to mute the sound because the F'in horns that constantly blast are like nails on a chalk board.

The kayaking, not a spectator sport. I was expecting to see them riding white water, instead it was trying to stop and go around pylons and such. Like slow motion in rough water.

Did see some surfing, that was a joy to watch.

And the BMX, I agree with @herzalot it looked silly with adults on baby bikes.

Now I'd love to see the xc biking, but it's not on when I'm watching which is in the evening.

 

Interesting perspective that it seemed slow to you. The water is ferociously fast and the boats pop into and out of the eddies (red gates) with tremendous speed, then they slam into a recirculating wave and use that momentum to cross the river. It's wicked fast, and one wrong move of your hip and you are upside down and downriver. These competitors were all too talented to let themselves get flipped, but it happens easily and fast.

If you watched them just go downriver without the slalom aspect of it, it would be pretty boring and over in a flash. Not much skill required for that except to miss the holes.

Of course, they could do some creek boating down waterfalls and such. Sort of Rampage of whitewater kayaking....

 

Like @ongster indicated, Los Angeles 2028 Olympic XC MTB race is expected to occur at Bonelli! How cool if the US Olympic Committee added additional features to the course for the locals to enjoy after the Olympics!?!?

 

I’d rather see them jockey for position on the Strawberry loop.

 

Too bad it couldn't be held in Big Bear... that would really be amazing. Guess travel and accommodations for the TV circus would be lacking up there, but would be great to get put on the map.

 

I watched for maybe 5 min or less. The guy was doing his best to stay in one place and go around a stick. But then ive never been in a kayak and was looking for more speed and movement. Like what I've seen on YouTube.
The water was all whitewater so it was sketchy.

Bottom line, my opinion is of no consequence as I didn't know what they were trying to do. Only entertainment value for me, and didn't hold my attention.

 

Like 5' drops with here-today-gone-tomorrow ramps!