Why World Cup DH Racing Won't Be Coming To Your Favourite Track | Racing Rewind
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 30. 05. 2024
- With the UCI DH World Cup visiting the new Polish venue of Bielsko-Biala this coming weekend, Henry takes a look back at some of the newer race venues of the past few years.
Presented by: Bell Helmets đ
www.bellhelmets.com/bike/c/mo...
00:00 - What makes a great venue?
02:50 - Les Gets, France
05:05 - Lousa, Portugal
07:06 - Pal Arinsal, Andorra
09:54 - Loudenvielle, France
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Old Andorra track is the definition of DH
This!
There's like a half dozen great bike parks in BC (other than Whistler) that would make a great venue for a World Cup. Getting a few more races in North America would be great.
Why do you think there should be more in North America instead all around the world like it is these days?
The pacific north west is very similar at every park, while the parks in Europe are super diverse.
If you have whistler, you have enough pnw.
@@rolux4853 Lots to unpack here. First, the bike parks that I was referring to are not in the PNW. Only the tiniest piece of south western BC is considered part of the PNW - the rest of the province covers an area that is arguable as diverse as much of Europe. In fact you can almost fit all of France, Austria, Italy, Poland and Switzerland inside of British Columbia (it's a huge province). Second, having more races in North America would make it exponentially cheaper to get to each race. 95% of the cost is getting across the Atlantic. Once you're here you can get to anywhere on the continent relatively cheaply. Having said all that I would like them to go to more exotic locales than just Europe and NA, but I think that would get too expensive.
I donât know anything but I love watching Val di sole. More steep tech is the way, straight, open, high speed courses are so boring
I don't know how I've stuck around watching and following MTB world cup for 12 years, but yet here I am.
What an awesome video and dive into these tracks. Would love to see more of these!
Some of these tracks have become vacation destinations for me. Some don't understand why I find these places so awesome but we as fans know exactly why.
What i want to see, and what the rest of the world outside of Europe wants to see, is more investment in a WORLD Cup, outside of a EUROPE Cup, with more races, in both northern continents, & in both hemispheres.. No wonder the UCI struggles to suck enough profit for shareholders out of downhill to give it the attention it deserves, there's only 7 races & the world champs for a whole season.. It would be so easy to organise another 6 races, alternating in different parts of the southern hemisphere with nearby tracks in the same way that Europe does now.. Cut Europe's 6 races down to 4, add 3 in North America. MSA, bring back SnowShoe, add one more in either west coast US, or BC.. Pop over to NZ & Aus for 3 races to make it financially viable, & then over to South America, or alternate between Australaisia & South America every year, with 4 races in North America instead, 2 in US, 2 in Canada..
But do SOMETHING other than the EUROPE Cup that it is now, with 2 in France are you kidding me? .. Could you imagine the riding & the hype if there was a World Cup in Queenstown NZ? It's litterally screaming to be a venue. It has one of the best MTB scenes in the world, it has the trail building, it has the infrastructure, it has its own international airport just minutes from the town, which is less than an hour away from multiple potential venues, which all have high speed chairlifts. even Skyline Bikepark could hold it & thats smack bang in the middle of town.. And the scenery is obviously breathtaking as everyone knows.. Even Christchurch could hold it in Christchurch Adventure Park if it manages to not have another fire lol. All the infrastructure is there, & ya could run a Loudenville style track.. then obviously theres the numerous locations in South America.. There's so many more imaginative things that could be being done with a little bit of organisation, that would keep it fresh, & also bring in more riders from different parts of the world, that cant always make it to Europe to ride in the EUROPE Cup..
Along with making it easier to be watched, without having to in many places, pay $150 to $200 USD for doubled up subscriptions, just to watch 7 races, making it not just easier to be watched, but also making it into a WORLD Cup, would keep it alive. Curently i feel that the amazing racers we have coming up now, are the peak, as they are all a product of what came before WBD. Making it nearly impossible for many fans globally to even watch the racing, will mean less kids inspired to become racers. Making all of it but one race take place in Europe, just makes it just that much less inspriring for upcoming youngsters.. You watch, if viewing isnt made more accessable, & it isnt made more WORLDLY, viewing will drop off a cliff, as will revenue, as will racers. ADDING more geographical locations, & making it easier to watch, will not just stop the innevitable cliff drop, it will keep the current peak growing, so its in fact a sustainable growth curve. And that will be good for all parties, even the greedy UCI..
Bring on the Redbull cup. The 2nd tier leage that riders get points for rather than individual races.
Urban trails in South America, all 4 Crankworx rounds plus 2 hardline rounds. That makes 7 races all up, 1 South America, 1 North America, 2 Australia, 1 NZ, 1 mainland Europe and 1 Britain all on a platform you can actually watch free of charge.
They already hold the races, just need a points system for them
I can agree with your points. I've lived, raced, and ridden in Hawaii, Washington State, and SoCal. So many nice places that could support an event. Also note that each of the locations at one point hosted the Norba DH series. After Redbull lost the telecast rights, I only watch highlights on CZcams or videos of rider perspectives.
What a great video! Thanks for the insides!
Mt Washington Alpine resort on Vancouver Island would be a great spot for hosting a World Cup event (they used to host a big pro race every year in the early 2000's) Monster Mile used to be considered one of the toughest tracks to race. They could build so much more up there if they were motivated
What about:
- Champery
- Hafjell
- Rotorua?
I guess Rotorua is just too far away from the rest of the tracks. The teams would have to get all their equipment there. This may be possible in F1, but every other sport just can't do that
World champs are back at Champery next year
@@daswienerle3018 I can understand but... it's sad that a World Cup just take place in Europe and North America
@pinkbike What is the title of the Ben Cathro video mentioned? When was it released?
Best World Cup content out there right now! (Other than EdBull Media House of course đ)
I thoroughly enjoyed watching LoĆinj, Croatia a few years back now. The track had a bit of everything, particularly some gnarly tech and camera coverage was brilliant. It even uniquely finished on the tarmac in the town I believe, which I guess is one reason why it's not likely to be in the calendar again any time soon.
You canât tell me there is not a better track and location in the US than the current stop in W. Va!
Iâm not super familiar with the Rockies, but something in the Rockies, maybe Moab would offer different challenges. Moab also has a lot of off-road infrastructure.
I'm a little bit biased, but nothing beats a race at Plattekill
Don't believe they are hitting Snow Shoe this year....
@@stirfrybry1 Splatterkill đ Just wish they would re-open biking there full stop!
Id love to see a the eu champs track in Graz ridden again. May just be too little space for the pits there though
What Happened to Meribel DH ?
Maribor?
@@kabaret3 Maribor was awesome.
@@kabaret3 no, Meribel was a French track. Maribor was great too.
Meribel les trois vallées, it's still open and one of the wildest bike park of Europe ...
Try Chile, New Zealand, Sth Africa , put the world back in world cup.
We would love all these exciting venues if only the UCI would let us see the racing.
Les Gets ready to rumble
I could listen to Henry talk mountains bikes all day. Dry britsh humor đ
I couldnâtâŠ
â@@Coolcmscwhy do we need to know that? Don't be a jerk.
@@dropoutjohn youâre one of those âif you donât have anything nice to say, donât say anything at allâ type a guys, arenât you
@@nonewfriendsworld no, I'm actually not, but I don't see any reason for you to be a jerk to Henry concerning his voice. If your rudeness had some grand purpose or a method to the madness, then fine, fire at will. Otherwise, don't be a jerk.
@@dropoutjohn just cuz you donât see the grand purpose doesnât mean there isnât one, BatmanâŠ
Champery
Is hosting world champs next year
I hear Snowshoe was pretty much disliked all around, I'd like to hear more about that one. And that track they used in 2018, Croatia I think, that had an urban finish. Odd.
You mean Losinj?
@@pkundrat it was so short that it necessitated an urban finish in order to comply with the rules regarding minimum track length.
I live in Tremblant QC it's a way better place for a venue than mt st Anne, probably an unpopular opinion but it would be way better suited, there's a great issue with the owners tho đ
Interesting, but no mention of the perspective from a spectator's point of view. Its often not easy travelling long distance to these venues and finding accommodation.
Why polish one is not shown?
Probably because it's new for this season and hasn't been raced yet? All of the tracks in the video have already been raced.
@@comeridewithmeAE So nobody knows how it looks like? Practice will start this week...
Well, it is never going back to Windham in NY, thanks to the new owners closing and levelling the bike park. Huge shame.
It should be called ânorth america and europe cupâ. Not a single round in the southern hemisphere
When the season is running a lot of the southern hemisphere locations would be under snow, certainly NZ South Island tracks would be, as well as Thredbo and the Tasmanian locations like Maydena in Australia. Potentially Cairns is the only option.
XCO had rounds in Brasil. Im thinking Chile, Colombia, South Africa, CairnsâŠ
colombia would be sick
There are many great tracks, but their suitability is very dependent on medivac access, something the video doesn't seem to fully stress the importance of regarding a World Cup track.
He did mention accessibility for medical assistance near the end of the video
pietermaritzburg South Africa
We just want a race on 1199
Donât know why everyone thinks itâs to expensive, for World Cups in other parts of the globe, xc was I south America and enduro went all the way to TasmaniaâŠ. Teams would go if the word cup was thereâŠ. Like Japan in the pastđ€·ââïžđ
This could be summed up some venues can make a small profit from what we the uci ask forâŠâŠâŠ. If the sport was a big as mtb media makes it out as we would have too many venues too choose fromâŠ.
I understand the "difficulty" in building a great wprld cup track but this andnso many other problems could be solved if they wouod just listen to the riders
Maydena would absolutely nail a WC
Snowshoe because the U.S. needs a round
Except they use the same tracks over and over #fortwilliam is a great but it's just become boring bobsliegh run as to leogang
US invented MTB and yet⊠nothing.
Where Friday Fails?
Maybe there wasn't enough submissions?
How about going to a real US mountain .
Such as? Not to mention, the reality is that the uci is 100% eurocentric, and most of the teams are not interested about the expense of coming to North America, let alone all the way to the Rockies or coast. Mt Ste Anne makes it because itâs an iconic course (I raced it in 1990) and itâs a relatively easy trip from Europe. I like your idea, but I wouldnât hold my breath.
ââ@@djjosseppeUCI and manufacturers could cover the expense for 1 big north American race, but they are way too busy counting the enormous mountains of money they make off of underpaid pro cyclists. There are several venues that could handle a UCI event. I'm sure you, yourself could name a few.
Whistler even tho its far would be a great venue
This fuckin guy sounds like a deflating tyre that never runs out of air
not nice mate :/
đ
@@mangos0_052 fair point