Dang it. I did not need another thread to distract me. That said: threads.

Stoked for this season!

http://www.vitalmtb.com/features/13-Things-You-Need-to-Know-About-the-2016-World-Cup-Downhill-Opener-in-Lourdes,1343

Threads and another article worth reading:

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/how-to-improve-your-world-cup-predictions-in-10-easy-steps-2016.html

TRACK WALK PREVIEW from Vital

Basically visit Vitalmtb for more recent updates

Visit Pinkbike for more post comprehensive coverage.

There, no need for a UCI DH thread.

skiermanBasically visit Vitalmtb for more recent updates

Visit Pinkbike for more post comprehensive coverage.

There, no need for a UCI DH thread.

Like all non skiing threads on NS, you can go somewhere else for up to minute coverage. Heaven forbid NS members want to talk with other NS members about the DH season.

The best part about the return of WC DH season is the return of Claudio's course previews.

I thought peaty already retired. also i really want gwin to win everything again on a YT

stupendous-manI thought peaty already retired.

He's still listed on the Santa Cruz Syndicate but he'll be racing under "British Cycling" due to a lack of UCI points and wearing that jersey instead.

I'm pretty stoked to see how Gwin and Gee do on their new bikes, I got a feeling this season is going to be real good!

SpartaLike all non skiing threads on NS, you can go somewhere else for up to minute coverage. Heaven forbid NS members want to talk with other NS members about the DH season.

Heaven forbid if someone finds this thread useless! OMG

e.litttI'm pretty stoked to see how Gwin and Gee do on their new bikes, I got a feeling this season is going to be real good!

As much as I like to root for Gwin, I think this is going to be Bruni's season. 4 second place finishes last year and reigning World Champ, I think this is the year he will peak and lay down the hurt.

onenerdykidAs much as I like to root for Gwin, I think this is going to be Bruni's season. 4 second place finishes last year and reigning World Champ, I think this is the year he will peak and lay down the hurt.

I'm rooting for Troy Brosnan, he had a couple podiums last season with crashes! So many huge names laying it down, it's going to be a great season

Claudio's first course preview of the season!

http://www.redbull.com/en/bike/stories/1331787322509/claudio-caluoris-lourdes-2016-gopro-course-preview

saskskierClaudio's first course preview of the season!

http://www.redbull.com/en/bike/stories/1331787322509/claudio-caluoris-lourdes-2016-gopro-course-preview

So good! Despite Claudio being an ex-World Cup racer, I love that Remi has to ride at like 60% and keep waiting for him at certain spots. It's insane how fast guys like Remi are. If you ever get a chance to watch a World Cup in person, just hang out at one section of the track and watch the tops guys rail it. Fucking insane.

How fucking insane is THIS?? Loic Bruni's Specialized Demo 8 with a stained glass paint job... fucking a.

Danny Hart Champery v2 this weekend? Shaping up to be a sloppy one

http://www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/RESULTS-Timed-Training-from-the-Lourdes-World-Cup-DH,966

Timed training results are up, top 6 are within one second of each other!

e.littthttp://www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/RESULTS-Timed-Training-from-the-Lourdes-World-Cup-DH,966

Timed training results are up, top 6 are within one second of each other!

Good to see chainsaw massacre back in it.

wyntv was soo good haha. Im hoping for a return of the canadian chainsaw massacre, or for loic to dominate.

e.littthttp://www.vitalmtb.com/news/news/RESULTS-Timed-Training-from-the-Lourdes-World-Cup-DH,966

Timed training results are up, top 6 are within one second of each other!

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Day 1 Vital RAW edit - the track is looking gnarly as ever!

Gonna try embedinng the video..

Vital RAW - Lourdes World Cup DH Chaos from Day 1 - More Mountain Bike Videos

http://www.vitalmtb.com/v/31259?

skiermanTimed training doesn't matter.

While that's 100% true, it was pretty cool seeing those guys that tight. That was obviously their race speed for the given conditions and it could very well be a tight finish come Sunday.

Qualification Results!

Elite Men

1. Loic Bruni

2. Ratboy

3. Gee Atherton

4. Stevie Smith

5. Troy Brosnan

Elite Women

1. Tahnee Seagrave

2. Rachel Atherton

3. Manon Carpenter

Yoo kaos seagrave qualified 9th in juniors. They got the next Atherton dynasty coming up

Sunday predictions....

Men's Podium:

1. Bruni

2. Gwin

3. Atherton

4. Brosnan

5. Bryceland

Women's Podium:

1. Atherton

2. Seagrave

3. Carpenter

4. Hannah

5. Siegenthaler

Predictions:

Men

1. Loic Bruni

2. Troy Brosnan

3. Aaron Gwin

Women

1. Rachel Atherton

2. Tahnee Seagrave

3. Manon Carpenter

1. You suck

2. This thread sucks

3. I can potentially win prizes by doing this on the two massive mtbing websites.

skierman1. You suck

2. This thread sucks

3. I can potentially win prizes by doing this on the two massive mtbing websites.

LOL

GET PUMPED FOR SUNDAY RACE DAY

It's gonna be a grease fest with a side of peanut butter mashed potatoes

Gwin

cydwhitGwin

He put down a killer run! Some sicks lines that only a few others were hitting too. Good on him for keeping it together the entire way down this track.

SOOOOO gutted for Loic though... he's biffed it in the finals a few times now. The pressure to win a world cup must be so incredibly high. I hope can can keep his wits about him because he obviously has the speed needed to do it.

Wtf Finn illes

shitt i predicted

1. gwin

2. stevie

3. ratboy

and for womens

1. tahnee

2. rachel

3. ragot (was she even racing)

so close to those wheels

byuboundWtf Finn illes

that was super rad- first ever world cup race and walks away with the win!

Wonderful thread.

skiermanWonderful thread.

Don't be upset because you picked Bruni to win as well. He'll come around.

stupendous-manshitt i predicted

1. gwin

2. stevie

3. ratboy

and for womens

1. tahnee

2. rachel

3. ragot (was she even racing)

so close to those wheels

Ragot retired last year.

Stoked for Tahnee though. Hopefully she can give Rachel some real pressure.

Guys race was pretty awesome though. tough luck for Bruni but everyone else was fantastic.

Stoked on Harts 3rd place, hopefully we'll see some solid results from him this season

tac0.slayerStoked on Harts 3rd place, hopefully we'll see some solid results from him this season

I hope Hart and Bruni can break the "curse" of winning Worlds before ever winning a World Cup. Would be awesome to see them come through this year and I've got a feeling Bruni will do it.

I'd like to say the same thing about Morgane Charre, but I think her World Champs victory was a bit of a fluke. She's consistently 15-20 seconds behind Rachel every race, so I doubt we'll ever seen anything from her again.

YT Industries Recap

http://www.redbull.tv/videos/event-stream-636/downhill-finals

anyone else catch the guy mooning the camera at 47:06? LOL

-Zimbo-http://www.redbull.tv/videos/event-stream-636/downhill-finals

anyone else catch the guy mooning the camera at 47:06? LOL

I saw a couple full moons sunday.

Eddie TV from Dirt Mag

How'd you guys feel about Jack Reading's rig? Personally I think it looks like it's been squished

If it makes you feel any better, TGR hires dumb asses with no clue of the sport to write up their half-assed, terrible, worse-than-grind-tv "race reports"....

See how many errors you can spot!

http://www.tetongravity.com/video/bike/few-survived-lourdes-aaron-gwin-slayed-it

"US rider (and new YT Industries team rider) Aaron Gwin came out on top yesterday at Red Bull's World Cup downhill race in Lourdes, France this weekend. Evading the various holes and dirt snakes that did damage to his fellow riders, Gwin scraped the win by finishing a whopping 4 seconds faster than runner-up and hometown favorite, Loic Bruni.

The carnage this past weekend, and on finals day in particular, was real. The Lourdes track claimed its fare share of riders, with the dry and dusty track littered with holes from the continuous use.

In the women’s division, no one really dominated the course. Leading qualifier Tracey Hannah suffered a crash and even the winner, Emmeline Ragot, admitted to making a multitude of mistakes.

Watch the thrills, spills and excitement from Lourdes on RedBull's highlight reel!"

kim_jong_illHow'd you guys feel about Jack Reading's rig? Personally I think it looks like it's been squished

Especially since he claims it's a medium... with a wheelbase of 1330mm and head angle of 59.2°... I'm all for long, low, & slack bikes (I run my Gambler is its low and slack setting, so my head angle is a touch steeper than 62°) but that strikes me as a bit nutty.

Granted I don't ride at world cup race pace, so I'm sure he knows/feels something that I don't. But even if it was guaranteed to make me a faster rider, I'm not sure I would take it- I already scare the shit out of myself far too often haha.

skiermanIf it makes you feel any better, TGR hires dumb asses with no clue of the sport to write up their half-assed, terrible, worse-than-grind-tv "race reports"....

See how many errors you can spot!

http://www.tetongravity.com/video/bike/few-survived-lourdes-aaron-gwin-slayed-it

"US rider (and new YT Industries team rider) Aaron Gwin came out on top yesterday at Red Bull's World Cup downhill race in Lourdes, France this weekend. Evading the various holes and dirt snakes that did damage to his fellow riders, Gwin scraped the win by finishing a whopping 4 seconds faster than runner-up and hometown favorite, Loic Bruni.

The carnage this past weekend, and on finals day in particular, was real. The Lourdes track claimed its fare share of riders, with the dry and dusty track littered with holes from the continuous use.

In the women’s division, no one really dominated the course. Leading qualifier Tracey Hannah suffered a crash and even the winner, Emmeline Ragot, admitted to making a multitude of mistakes.

Watch the thrills, spills and excitement from Lourdes on RedBull's highlight reel!"

Wow... that's pretty terrible. I get that not everyone can write with the proper lingo (although I do like the dirt snake reference), but they basically reported on last year's race for this year haha.

Santa Cruz Syndicate recap:

onenerdykidEspecially since he claims it's a medium... with a wheelbase of 1330mm and head angle of 59.2°... I'm all for long, low, & slack bikes (I run my Gambler is its low and slack setting, so my head angle is a touch steeper than 62°) but that strikes me as a bit nutty.

Granted I don't ride at world cup race pace, so I'm sure he knows/feels something that I don't. But even if it was guaranteed to make me a faster rider, I'm not sure I would take it- I already scare the shit out of myself far too often haha.

It could very well eat up rough patches or force him to be further back on the bike. How do you like your gambler? Is it playful?