In just two weeks, we will see the UCI DH World Cup kick off at a new venue in Losinj, Croatia. Angel Suarez rode the nearly finished track in March and gives you a preview of it.
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This track looks f*cking amazing. It's like a bunch of builders decided they were going to cut a sketchy as hell trail through some old pastures, hopping fences and the like all the way down the hill. It's the kind of trail mtb needs more of, and in reality it's the kind of trail most of the world has. It's the anti-UCI. If you think Leogang is too bike parkey, well, here's the antidote.
@SonofBovril: Let's be careful to not entrench ourselves in the way things are and fear change the same way roadies are notorious for. Change can be good. It's different, not bad. A whole bunch of people seem to have put in a zillion hours of back braking labor. I have nothing negative to say. LET'S RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seems like a joy to ride, lots of flow, jumps, rocks... However not many (if any??) line choices and maybe, a bit short and a bit on the flat side of steep, gopro's taming taken into account obviously. So a really wonderfull track, but show might suffer a bit racing wise I think...
@SonofBovril: The race is decided on tough places, not on easy ones. Top ten guys will ride this urban section within 0.2s, but the upper section, boy, this will be fun! Finally a DH track which is tougher than EWS
I beg to differ... there is 1m42 secs of decent track and then some smooth forest and the street section. I'm not saying the 1m42 - or 1m25 (for the top riders) wont be great, but that's just too short IMO.
@wpplayer18: I was in Germany for 40 days a few years ago and the liaison from the defense company we worked with made a lot of jokes about a few countries east of Germany involving theft. At one point on a pleasure trip to Nuremberg I thought we were surely gonna get jumped in an underground pub because he was drunk and telling these jokes very loud. We survived.
this track really only has 3 sections.... 1) rocks rocks and more rocks 2) a bit of woods to realize the parts you broke in the rocks 3) a walk of shame through town showing everyone what you broke in the rocks (allows time to dump the rocks from your underoos)
would love to see the financial revenue presentation the uci presents to prospective organizers. clearly most of the classic or would-be potential mtn venues ain't buying what the uci is selling. dh does not need the uci. the last 2 ews locales looked harder.
@fullbug: The UCI makes so much money off of road biking (read: Le Tour) that MTB is is just a rounding error. Mountain biking, especially DH, needs to leave the UCI
@fullbug: uci financial presentation haha... There is no such thing, only thing uci presents is a hefty 15k€ bill. It costs north of 100k to organize a wc race and uci fee only makes it worse. Ews, to my knowledge does not have such fee so the serie is much more dynamic. I've already said thah the crew which organizes this race is almost local to Maribor but they have chosen to organize a race here because local tourist organization is paying for everything...
@rockflowtbay that is the highest hill on the island but it has no acces road, dh track is built on a lower hill with appx. 250m vertical.
@dfiler: I haven't been there in years but the road to the highest peak used to be pretty blown up gravel road and they would need to do uplifts with some sort of 4x4 vehicles. Here is an image
While there is not a lot of elevation, i'm still looking forward to the race. It will be fun to see world class riders smashing through all those rocks.
That road shouldn't be an issue for 4x4 vehicles. However it will affect the schedule and how easy it is to do practice runs.
@doakwolf: They'd better wrap everything in bubble plastic. The potential injuries aren't worth it, especially this early in the season. I'd be really disappointed if riders are getting injured from crashes into those rocks. Crashes into bubble wrap though. Makes this nice poppy sound. Still exciting.
So places like Schladming can't afford to have a WCDH event but a random hillside in Croatia somewhere can??? Really have no problem with new courses appearing on the circuit but only if they are good enough. (Steep / long / challenging / Not on tarmac )
Places like Schladming have done the math and decided the benefits of hosting WCDH aren't justified by the costs. Any venue is welcome to step up with a proposal if they think it makes sense. The only blame you can place is with UCI for the cost structure of hosting the events.
I suppose that the benefits for a well known bike park to host a WCDH are multiple time less than the gains that a totally unknown place will take advantge off by the huge exposure that will receive
That’s got to be the weirdest track I’ve ever seen. A gigantic man made rock garden, followed by a small urban section. Good luck setting your bike up for that one. For some reason I have this image in my head of Beavis building the trail. He’s going about in his usual spastic way shouting “Rocks! Rocks! Rocks! And we gotta have more rocks and more rocks more more more!!!” Until Butthead smacks him upside the head with the signature “Settle down Beavis.” Then it suddenly becomes paved and smooth.
Come now, lets be fair. It isn't a man made rock garden, it is an attempt to do the opposite, put some soil and make a way through all the rocks. A vast majority of Croatia's islands are just huge, sharp rocks in the sea. They are completely unrideable by default.
Give some credit to the builders, if you saw these rocks in person you would appreciate the effort much more. I prefer to ride on mellower trails, and this track is brutal. So it will be interesting to see how the top dogs will handle it.
Looks like a joke in every way. As if UCI hired a hidden TV show to follow around everyone, and then tell them this is all a prank at the last minute... UCI, even at their lowest, would never stoop to such ridiculous locations, regardless of the $$$$$$$$$$$$. It’s the only explanation
its different, its rugged and its in a place the WC has not been before? Isn't that what most people want?? not the smooth bike parky tracks in the same 8 places every year! Got the people talking...
I think the enduro World Series tracks are more what World Cup DH used to be. Tracks should be raw and technical with a little bike park sprinkled in. this track seems way to forced and wtf with the town section. Someone needs to clue the UCI in on what makes a good track. I think they need to look at videos from the past. Just just idea!
Unsure why people aren't that excited, track looks gnarly up top, it's new so there should be an even playing field and Gwin is bound to win once he flats or loses his mech
@sunki: watching that last section makes more sense, all up looks like an awesome track. I'm personally sick of hearing the term 'wc downhill track', downhill is downhill and comes in all shapes and sizes! The top pros will go damn fast and take risks down any trail, and redbull will still only video the last 1Min of the course and miss all the actual action that happens... and we'll still love it!
@sunki: thanks for the vid. untill now i thought this whole urban section talk was some not too funny jokes. now i see it is a joke. a super bad one that all of a sudden turned to reality.
@TheDerby: It's not the posters, it's the feeling that some UCI meeting went like this: "Hey guys, people are loving this urban downhill thing but we haven't been able to crack that egg yet. Let's throw it in at the end of a course this year to try to capture that market. Features? No just have it go down a narrow sidewalk for like twenty seconds and call it a day. No one will be able to tell the difference."
Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall. Don't hit the wall.
DAMMIT
Track goes from 100 to 0 real quick. No need for tight concrete corners in the world cup. If the track needs urban riding to be long enough it probably shouldn't make the circuit...
That looks like a track I could actually ride down. Unlike the other world DH tracks. Sure it's different, but is it really a DH track. Seems more like Enduro or something to be found in the Lake district in the UK. Not sure you actually need a DH bike to be fast on that course.
I reckon you could get away with a lighter Enduro bike with stronger rims.
This track is maybe a little bit short...but is brutal for body and for the bike. I`m reading those comments it is rideable with enduro bike...yes it is,but how many of you here can do that..probably no one,even on a DH bike. This race is close and now let`s give it a chance...there is no use of crying over Schladming and similar tracks...crew in Schladming will do it again if they can get any money off it(hope they will,Maribor too). Here is some other view of the track: vimeo.com/264049255
mmm, don't know about all this urban handmade obstacles stuff. Just add a couple or 3 of Huck Norris inserts, no air required in tires. Just roll and forget to flat. Anyways, to win, a rider needs to pedal to keep/increase his speed, not easy to keep your pedal out of these rocks. Personally, I dislike this course.
looking forward to seeing a bunch of cracked and smashed carbon rims.
Be pretty interesting race and I'm guessing there will be some man made obstacles on the the urban section.
I finished watching this video and my arms were completely pumped. How did this guy make t down without a flat when the last course preview they showed none of the 3 riders made it without flatting?
Looks really short, monster truck it and pray no flats ftw? Can't believe a track like this is even a consideration... curious to know what WC riders will say.
I think it should be mandatory to do a manual all the way through the town. Rules as follows:
1. Drop the front wheel down for up to 1s = .5 seconds added to time 2. 2-4 seconds = 1.5 seconds added to time 3. >4 seconds = same amount of time added as wheel on ground
This track is so stupid. I hope the riders will voice their opinion on the safety of the course, especially in relation to that narrow stone walled bit.
@wpplayer18 All in the marketing... trails straight(ish) for the new 29ers. I'm no anti niner but don't take away my technical track to let just 29ers win.
This track looks f*cking amazing. It's like a bunch of builders decided they were going to cut a sketchy as hell trail through some old pastures, hopping fences and the like all the way down the hill. It's the kind of trail mtb needs more of, and in reality it's the kind of trail most of the world has. It's the anti-UCI. If you think Leogang is too bike parkey, well, here's the antidote.
More of this please.
A whole bunch of people seem to have put in a zillion hours of back braking labor. I have nothing negative to say. LET'S RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So a really wonderfull track, but show might suffer a bit racing wise I think...
1) rocks rocks and more rocks
2) a bit of woods to realize the parts you broke in the rocks
3) a walk of shame through town showing everyone what you broke in the rocks (allows time to dump the rocks from your underoos)
Of all the trails, at all the resorts, in all the world...this?
Takes money, to buy that TV set...
Takes money, to place that casino bet...
@rockflowtbay that is the highest hill on the island but it has no acces road, dh track is built on a lower hill with appx. 250m vertical.
Can you explain more? Or can you describe where it is on the island? Honestly curious...
Race is held on far south of the island, it finishes in town of Veli Losinj, here is "map" of the track
After the first straight the track is even on strava
www.google.com/maps/@44.5129628,14.4946471,3a,75y,326.81h,73.73t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOcwARWuMw_vqUd4vniTJqU8vMzAMqVChKg7TPT!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOcwARWuMw_vqUd4vniTJqU8vMzAMqVChKg7TPT%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya28.315405-ro-0-fo100!7i10240!8i5120
And this is the link to the googlemaps image from the starting ramp, embedding doesn't work so you need to
copy paste it Quite a view eh, you can see the highest peak mentioned earlier, the pointy one straight ahead
While there is not a lot of elevation, i'm still looking forward to the race. It will be fun to see world class riders smashing through all those rocks.
That road shouldn't be an issue for 4x4 vehicles. However it will affect the schedule and how easy it is to do practice runs.
If demand exceeds supply, costs will only go up over time.
Results sheet: www.fpciclismo.pt/ficheirossite/25032018175149.pdf
That's insane. So many freaking rocks.
Also doesn't look that steep, but he wasn't pedaling much was he?
No its a lot stupid.
What the f*ck were they thinking?
Like this: youtu.be/JBBKqbUwqEs?t=2m14s
Thank god they didnt just put the finish line at that road he crosses at 2.14, you know, the bit where the actual DH track ends.
Like this: youtu.be/JBBKqbUwqEs?t=2m14s
"Hey guys, people are loving this urban downhill thing but we haven't been able to crack that egg yet. Let's throw it in at the end of a course this year to try to capture that market. Features? No just have it go down a narrow sidewalk for like twenty seconds and call it a day. No one will be able to tell the difference."
What’s the vert on this track?
The rock gardens and tech features are awesome compared to some of the buffed out courses, but let’s get some new longer and steeper courses UCI!
I`m reading those comments it is rideable with enduro bike...yes it is,but how many of you here can do that..probably no one,even on a DH bike.
This race is close and now let`s give it a chance...there is no use of crying over Schladming and similar tracks...crew in Schladming will do it again if they can get any money off it(hope they will,Maribor too).
Here is some other view of the track: vimeo.com/264049255
Can't believe a track like this is even a consideration... curious to know what WC riders will say.
1. Drop the front wheel down for up to 1s = .5 seconds added to time
2. 2-4 seconds = 1.5 seconds added to time
3. >4 seconds = same amount of time added as wheel on ground
This track is so stupid. I hope the riders will voice their opinion on the safety of the course, especially in relation to that narrow stone walled bit.
And yet, still not WC round in the birthplace of mountain biking
-Angel Suarez.
Looks dull as dishwater from a spectating point of view? Almost certainly.