EWS!

Good god!!!

EWS has definitely taken over from UCI DH for challenging courses and conditions. Taking laps on the same DH track over and over doesn't compare to this. Yes, DH has big jumps, but that's not what MtB is about now is it? Think about the first two EWS this year, then this one. Dry anti-grip in Chile, wet and rainy loam in Colombia, and now the seriously steep, tight and challenging rock gardens and steep drops in France. Yeeooow!

 

2018 EWS has been fun so far. I have been more interested in the women this year ... Anneke cuz she's local (and actually won a stage in Chili) and Isabeau is second so far on the new Tracer. If only someone would trip Ravanel .....

 

Anneke - not only local, talented and super cool, but easy on the eyes...

I am a little tired of one woman dominating everything. Tracy Moseley, Rachel Atherton, Cecile Ravanel - even ACC a few years back. I am very happy to see that Rachel got beat fair and square at the last DH - no injuries, falls, mechanicals or flats to separate the top two spots - she just plain got beat by a faster, hungrier rider. I do love that these amazing athletes were able to be so much better than their peers for so long that it did set the bar higher - as long as the others are willing to jump that high!

 

Hell yeah! Rude back on top - at least for today. 3 stage wins. Tomorrow is gonna be a Sh!t show however, with the rain, rocks and roots. Sam Hill is patiently in striking distance. Glad to see Jared Graves have a decent day. I would love to see a Rude-Graves-Hill podium - in that order. Unlikely, but...

 

That's one scary looking course. Yikes.

 

Is there any links to the action?

 

I don't think there's any live coverage. Videos will trickle in on Pinkbike and VitalMTB.

 

Finally, Richie Rude wins. Great day for Yeti, Duncan Nason wins the under 21.

 

Ummmmmm - SPOILER ALERT?

Not that we can actually watch coverage, so I guess it doesn't matter.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/final-results-ews-olargues-france-2018.html

 

Opps.. Sorry about that. Yeah I wish EWS had live coverage.

 

Same top two for the women in all three races so far this year ...

 

Richie Rude had made an Instagram post, wishing he had the SB6 instead of the 5.5 yesterday, guess it didn't really hold him back though...

 

Considering we just got top to bottom runs for the for the first time in DH. And that took a 3min 20% in town course for it to happen. I think it is a long way off.

 

They attempt to cover the last stage at Whistler, but the coverage and the banter is so bad, I'd almost rather just read about it and see the videos after the fact.

There's lots of good video, but it's all over the map and often doesn't come together until weeks after the event. I don't expect to ever see meaningful live coverage.

 

This little video should satisfy your cravings for some coverage of the race. My forearms hurt just watching it, and the chute at the end of the video is just bonkers. I can't imagine riding that when it's dry and I am fresh. But riding it when it's slippery and you're exhausted? Yeeesh. Such a tiny margin for error and an amazing demand for skill.

Enjoy!

 

Carnage!

 

The horns and rattles the spectators were using are annoying as hell!

 

When you're focused on your run, all you hear is your breathing and your heart pounding. At least that how it was for me in my short DH career....LOL

 

It's not tennis or golf...

 

It's one thing to hear banter in a spectator crowd that is separated from the event but when they are hanging out in the face of the riders as they pass, waving arms, making obnoxious sounds, that should not be allowed and it certainly is the cause of some crashes.

 

Possibly. The behavior at Heckle Rock at Whistler got so bad they had to fence it off. This is certainly approaching that level.

Personally. I like to yell positive things at racers, not try to distract them or heckle them into making a mistake.

Unless it's @doublewide

 

I feel that any outburst other than the classic cheer would be distracting, even if it was meant to be positive.

 

I like when hikers freak out and say "please don't crash!" when I am trying not to crash going down Car Wreck. True story, except for the "I like" part.

 

How about a courteous golf clap? And perhaps a "good show, old boy..." At a normal speaking level, of course.

In all seriousness, a steady din is very encouraging. Sudden noise or unexpected movement is potentially distracting. Some of those asshats want to disrupt the rider - maybe to become part of the story? So I do agree - intentionally trying to disrupt, distract or derail the rider is douchebaggery!

Unless it's @doublewide

 

OK, then crowd banned. Coverage supplied at many angles by drones only.

 

Wrong approach. Arm the riders with saps.

 

This good.


This not as good but still awesome!

 

Do the riders wear ear piece/head sets to communicate with their crew (like football quarterbacks/motocops)? I'd at least be wearing ear plugs and horse blinders on my helmet to reduce the distraction.

 

Here's a perfect helmet with built in blinders.