Alright. Here is your maxi tires pre show
for with Chris K murray.
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Alright. Round 5 is upon us, and this
time we're in the French alpine resort of
La.
We talk about how the season is developing,
the changes to the track. The potential for
aero and electronic gains and plenty more.
Is no doubt gonna provide some amazing racing,
so without further ado. Here's your Max tires
pre show with Chris K murray.
Chris K murray. Welcome back to the downtime
podcast. We're live in Le in person for
the first time this year. How's things. I'm
back No. You're back. Welcome.
Actually, L is in home Like, we we
slag off quite a lot down and mo.
For for multiple reasons, Yeah. Like, not
not the the foreign people with actually the
locals, the Democracy,
and there's a bit of there's bit a
beef here. Even though there's a lot of
inter does it there's a lot of beef
in this part of the world. 20 20.
Literally 10 minutes apart. Right? Yeah. 10 minutes
of apart put,
different post codes different.
Because it's quite different, quite different. Are quite
different.
And mo quite connected. Okay. And then L
is it's like, now.
Nah. We're not... Searching as all the people
from Geneva and Paris and stuff by a
lot of property appears property prices are crazy.
And everyone's just like, analogy or not the
1 lights. Well, before we talk about Aj
this week, let's reflect back a little bit
on the last race in Val soul because
it was It was an exciting 1 for
sure,
as always, I guess.
And a win for Tan, it's been a
while. Like, that's a that's a big deal
for Tan to come through what she's done
and get back to that point. Yeah. 1076
days I counted. And then
I don't know if to stole my start
and broke it, but Warner brothers,
Candidate is 1077.
So I'm not sure who's correct. It's go
back actually and find out who is more
correct. I I like being correct, you know?
Maybe there's a leap year thing. Yeah. Maybe
it was a leap year Forgot about pinch
But I asked Google Google chanel know.
Now I was gonna... Yeah. An amazing win.
She won the race basically the only way
she could, which was by dominating.
The top
2 sectors. Yeah.
With the exception of 20 17 there when
she won pretty convincing victory.
She's never been super super strong in in
sector 4 are kinda, like, the the beginning
of the bottom sections.
Just not kinda tanner his thing, probably should
be her thing at this stage, but it's
not.
So, yeah, after getting absolutely.
Smoked in semi 5.
Well, lot of time to find. Right? Well,
the 14 seconds there They're about,
on first place,
wasn't not happy about it, but just got
to work. As she's as she's done previously
in the past, but I think she felt
this 1 was un
insurmountable on Climb una unsustainable. So to work
on on after semi finals that evening on
track walk and then that night was all
about just getting the best result possible.
Kinda Guaranteeing podium and climb backup because she
was quite away away from that. Yeah. In
semi finals, I And just... I think in
the star Just made the decision that she
was just gonna absolutely send it.
And she knew, like, from analysis and from
her own,
res craft and everything else. She knew that
the only option was to dominate sectors 1
and 2, which she did. And she had
an dominated sectors 2 as much as she
had it on Monica harassment probably would
got very close, You know. Yeah. Incredible. And
we're sort... I mean,
Is almost as close to home really for
Tiny. It gets she grew up around here.
It's sort of a home race in a
way... Yeah Well, it is actually... It's like,
yeah. Around about... So she was in Bike
club. Okay. So that was the only now.
It there's a Morrison bike Club and there's
probably a Sag door club stuff as well.
And it's like, you know, bike Mountain Biking
in general for kids around here in in
Morris Or he is a lot bigger now.
Yeah. Hoping when time moved here, you know,
probably almost 20 years ago.
She... My biking wasn't huge for the kids
skiing was still the the main thing for
the local kids, local kids, especially didn't really
ride them mountain much much to kit and
equipment wasn't particularly well adapted. You know, you
had to kind of barge job the whole
thing.
The only bike club at the time was
L. So tanya has got a lot of
friends here from L and,
a lot of friends that are still involved
in the mountain bike world still involved in
the scene here in L or or globally
on the World cup circuit, So it is
definitely
you know, a home race for her and
she she really hated missing out in world
champs here 2 years ago with the concussion.
And last year, she just really wasn't at
her best here, especially in the really dusty
conditions that we had here last year. Yeah.
I think yeah. She's gonna be
chopping the bit for for a big 1
this week. Yeah. Big party of if nothing
else.
And plenty of other women champ it a
bit as well. And not not, you know,
not to forget Valley Valley didn't go her
way Val song and it all it didn't
go her way here last year, but, you
know, up until the point,
She looked pretty good all weekend here last
year. Yeah. Like, she looked pretty good in
val solely as well. Yeah. It didn't look
kind of in dominating for him because because
of just how hard that track is And
I think it's you really have to measure
everything in val solely in terms of practice
and,
raised in the whole lot.
So she was, you know, on pace all
week in in Val sol, but, you know,
kinda on on a similar looking looking pissed
to somebody of the other top women whereas,
you know Leo guy. She was kind of
know, little a little bit above everyone. Mh.
And here last year L as well, Q
and semi that she won 9 of the
10 available sectors
across q and semi and crash Sadly in
the second corner. It would've have been good
because Mary put down an exceptional run here
last year. I did Monica harassment. Yeah. Which
people are automatic, you know, frequently flies under
the radar, but usually mid season or on
the really demanding tracks that are blown out
and dusty and destroyed near the bottom monica
just, you know, keep the same consistent strong
pace the whole it through.
So last year, Shame valley crashed in in
the second term because it would awesome to
see her finals were up against Marine. Yeah.
It would been it would've been really good.
But
I think yeah, look, we're in... Like you
said, we're in for a
a huge week of women's racing. It's so
exciting now to so many women and and
there's no guaranteed spots for finals in terms
of, like, you you can't pick your 10.
Yeah. You can pick maybe 4 or 5.
You've got your 3 protected for finals anyway.
Or you're 5 protected.
But like, yeah. You can't.
You just can't. You can't predict much even
and you can't predict the winner anymore. You
can't anything it's amazing. You know, Monica came
back smashed it last time out Val slowly.
Marion was there there thereabouts, but not quite
on that winning form. She could be this
week She's been up and down all season,
She's either been
destroying it or kind of been a little
bit back and not really sure why. So
she's... She's been putting in some huge work
between the races and the bike and herself.
I know. So, yeah, Women's racing is
Yeah. Massive. Yeah. And the junior women were
on fire again in Solid as well with
eddie put down the fastest time did. Yeah.
By
by at just under a tenth of a
second day of amazing. I in literally in
completely different
fashion to tiny. Yeah. So got smoked by
town top 2 seconds. Yeah. And by quite
a bit as well might a lot. Yeah
I get 4 probably at split 2 tiny
would have been 4 and a half ahead
probably. Yeah. And then Ellie just fully flipped
it and just drag back all that time
on on the run to the finish line
on the steep and steep and gnarly stuff.
So, yeah. I think, look, in terms of
these young junior ladies who have so much
learning to do in terms of race craft
and just their
progression in career in general.
But the base level of ability and physicality
and training and preparation that they're bringing in
at 16 years old, 17 years old is.
Sits phenomenal. Yeah. Next level. Yeah and E
is still there. She's had a couple of
areas races, but she's still there Thereabouts.
Sasha earnest. Yeah. You know, amazing bike rider
definitely doesn't have the kind of physicality that
El Hills bosch has it rides the bike
in a completely different way interacts with track
in a totally different way. Races as a
result in a totally different way. So she
matures and progresses, like Sky's, and you're gonna
have 4 or 5 junior girls coming through
in the next couple of seasons that ride
and race in totally different ways. Yeah. So
just like we saw of val Sol, you're
gonna have
12:15
women. Yeah. That literally ride and raised the
tracks quite different. So you're not gonna know
who's gonna be up or down at each
split in sector and... Yeah. Cool. Great time
for the sports because a few years ago,
it wasn't like that. Not for sure, man.
And then moving on to the men's. I
mean, Am run was
incredible to me as a novice it look
perfect.
You're. No. Let's come on. Okay. Well, an
informed Novice, maybe. It looked pretty perfect. And...
You know, we've seen Amr do special things
here before, admittedly on the old track, but
he's
he's not slow around here. No. He's... Yeah.
I I didn't even what to say. There's
no surprises for that. That was stunning. So,
basically, we were honored at to you know,
a host of coaches staff, team managers everything
else.
Obviously, the weather it come in a bit
began for the elite men's of Val sol.
So
things started to get a little bit little
bit weird. You know, maybe 4 or 5
riders after the dakota has run. Sadly a
little bit wet again, especially the exposed section
of Val It's so hard pack.
It just doesn't get soft anymore. And then
the ring gets on top gets slick. And
so, basically, there's a few of us there
Obviously know the sport. I was actually standing
with with reese Wilson.
And, obviously, we've seen this sort of scenario
unfold in the elite men's field multiple times.
Hence why we try to move finals an
hour earlier. Yeah. Last year and all that
sort of thing,
year afternoon. Rain, and is what it is.
And basically, it goes like this. If Troy
Bros isn't getting close to winning. Yeah. And
he's 1 of the last 5 or guys
down, then it's probably game over. Yeah. So
Troy was fourth or fifth last man,
and he was pretty close to dakota his
time at split 2 it was. And we
were like, right. It's it's probably game on
again. If these last 4 or 5 guys
who are on currently on world class form,
they've qualified in the top 5 if they
can't get close to whoever whoever's the hard
seats it's it's off. Yeah. But normally, no
matter what the conditions are. They kinda can.
Yeah. Troy did a pretty solid job lost
the at the time at the bottom I
think, and then Fin came through and was
just absolutely tanking.
But Still was a little bit off, and
then Amr dropped in and everyone was like,
well, here we go. He's been on fire
since Leo but really you kinda made a
mess of his in Leo again.
And
in Leo Gang last practice, he was just
on He was just back at Am. He
was was a back Am. He was just
Am He was a new... He was a
better version of. Like, it looked insanely controlled
nominal. And then, yeah, that race val. It
was just outrageous. Yeah. And I know they
did a huge 1 amount to work on
that bike. Throughout the week. So it started
the week on, basically, a a very different
bike Okay linkage and
bits and bobs hanging off in different places,
you know, changing either way they're change kin
or exactly what it changes, but they've definitely
been trying. They're best to e out, you
know, a performance advantage.
Specialized gravity doing a fantastic job clearly, you
know, leading the, Yeah. Team overall, I think
still.
I pretty. Pretty close, but 1 and 2
in the men's overall. Yeah. And
So, yeah, I can commence on look off
for putting in some big hours with Ama
and probably the rest of riders trying to
get some advantage and Am just capitalize on
1 every sector in Val.
In pretty well conditions just
literally as the saying goes pulled everyone's pants
though. Yeah. You say just clean the floor
at the whole field. And everyone was not
1 person at the finish line who was
disappointed. I don't think everyone was just either
in or in shock. That was On Bombshell
moment you know Yeah For sure. For sure.
And last this time last year, it felt
like we were waiting for Launch his first
win like he'd had a pretty incredible season,
but hadn't quite converted and he did it
here. With in in great style. And it
feels like this year that's Dakota. We're we're
waiting for this win from Dakota and I
wonder whether it will come this because it's
gone well here in the past. Dakota has
been sending the plenty laps last few days.
It's like Ben benoit was before the racing
here last year. I think, you know, that
there is here had been a little bit
later last year, early September really helped Ko
because he was just, like, progressing throughout the
season just on fire, just getting in the
all of the laps, especially planning and and
some demanding tracks around his neck of the
woods.
Dakota definitely
want to watch for sure. Ben benoit, I
a little bit on the back foot, it
seems after moment. So he said he just
didn't get it. I actually talked to him
a few days ago.
When half of the world cup field was
riding on plenty. And he said he just
was just off the bullet from Day 1
in Val sol. So he'll be trying his
best to to back it up here. But
I think he knows himself. He's gonna have
to do something different than he did. He
was just trying to, like, from Lu when
he, you know, crashed final probably should want.
Mh. Coming here to Last year, he, you
know, he he just he knew he had
to hold it together basically. And he did
the perfect last year he did Q. Yeah.
He only won won potentially 2. I think
only he won sector all weekend, but he
won q his semi finals.
Impressive. Yeah. Crazy. He was just on the
money The track here last year without... It
was just no moisture. It was at an
absolute dust,
which meant that it was just
really hard to be the fastest
everywhere
unlike, some trucks where you can be really
fast everywhere. You had to just be really,
really good everywhere. Jackson for example, here last
year was the fastest in the steep stuff.
So sector 3 and 4. Like, destroy the
field every everyone, but top and bottom, just
didn't really have that extra little bit. Mh.
And as a result it was kind of,
you know, Podium piss 345 volt. Yeah. That
words. Was just kinda on the money
everywhere, but not quite the fastest and they
paid off. So
I don't know I'm not sure how that
the race is gonna be worn this year
because
it's definitely not gonna get that dusty. It's
it's probably raining as we speak here. So...
Well, yeah.
Before we talk about trailers, just briefly touching
and, and you said you had some nurse
stats for us what what have you been
looking at that's interested you?
But just kind of the ones we said
about you, how how hard it is to
be perfect. Or how hard it was here
last year to be perfect. Mh. Vale won
a lot of sectors here last year, then
what didn't
So in the men's field, especially it was
really, really challenging, but this track is, like,
it's it's 1 of the...
It's a classic 1 now, and it's actually
not that difficult.
Which is like,
it's really hard to raise, but actually, technically,
it's not it's not on the same level
as that was all in terms of challenge.
Sure. I feel like I could ride the
track. My last I could people could. Yeah
Most people could and of the more the
demanding stuff has been kind of been cleaned
up and I made it easier, which you
like the roll gap at the top. Mh.
Which the first year is built. I remember
doing it.
For the invitation of the year, and it
I had the weirdest entry with 2 burns,
and the landing was short and Steep as
a corner straight there, and the whole thing
was just like,
a mine melt trying to get your speed
dial. You couldn't see his blind take off,
semi blind landing blind corner, the whole lot
whereas now that they just made it straight.
So there was a couple of interesting weird
tech features which have made it easier. So
really, it's it's a a track that's relatively
easy to ride, kind of easy to write
fast.
Which meant them with the dose last year
that in terms of stats and and how
it works out,
it was really really hard to be perfect
everywhere so you had to try and just
you know, be really, really good. Yeah. And,
you know, Vale should have probably been really,
really good everyone in finals and and probably
won the race, Ben benoit did the job
almost lost up the last jumps. And yeah,
that often in terms of, you know, the
data and stats, people are always like, motor
ways and jumps never. There's their point that's
why you're the the race, and then in,
but time And again, the almost side races.
So ben benoit almost lost a raised there
last year. He was sixteenth and on the
motor jump section here near the bottom. He
in the top 5 and every other sector.
He was only sixteenth overall in that sector,
sector 5 at the bottom, which kinda had
the exit piece from the woods over the
jumper Res recast a few years ago.
Straight down there. Basically no breaking that, making
sure the bike was tracking well, Aerodynamics. Everything
else was so crucial. And the women's feel
the time gaps were massive
No visually there wasn't actually much difference.
So, yeah. It's it's it's an inch super
interesting track and yet again, just because it's
not the most challenging. It doesn't mean it
isn't challenging,
and it doesn't mean it doesn't make really
interesting racing. And a cool contrast to, you
know, Leo gang,
race the 2 halves Vale sol, the black
snake, ma'am marie short you have to do
that. Yeah. And then here with the weather
and everything else being early, you know, well,
early July now.
We just don't really know what we're gonna
get with it So Yeah. Do we know
much about track changes this year?
They've done 3 very tight burns out of
the start. Okay. Ty bike park look at
things you've ever seen in your life. Why
I don't know. Lily is the track builder
who course builder hero I don't really well.
So I'm gonna ask them why what what
But like we saw with Valleys raised from
last year can decide the race If you
don't have a good job It were so
hard last year It was 2 burns last
year, and they were so challenging to do
well, and I remember seeing, like,
tanya kinda
do a weird job and finally I like
it's... That's how hard there because she's queen
of carrying ex speed
or between between be.
She's so. Just 1 of the best writers
in the world. Male female doesn't matter. And
that sort of stuff. You wanna Go to
M. Tanner, You'll find... You'll find out footage
you'll find. Yeah you try to follow margin,
and you're like, right? And can you get
my head you're down here. So, you know,
even that sort of stuff is challenging here,
between the first and,
after that first row up. Yeah. Into dark
woods, it's gonna pick up some of the
old 2 9 corners again. Yeah. Just for
a couple of seconds whereas last year, it
just kinda went straight down long left. Over
some roots into the woods. I think it's
gonna pick up those burns again, and then
fresh. Yeah. And that would so just, like,
5 meters, 3 meters to the left or
the right, probably to the right slightly right
high.
Through there, and it's only further down. It's
gonna be, you know, move left and right
of last year's tracks. Yeah. But they really
can't do much in terms of authorization.
And I think the land that's communal, they're
only allowed to move a tiny bit every
year. Mh. You know,
without starting to cause major issues in terms
of environmental stuff, so that the track and
move a little bit left and right. It's
when we get further down is gonna be
some some bigger changes, which is cool. So
I think the the woods after the rip...
After the lake. Yeah.
Has a it's it's a change, a substantial
change. It won't look substantial and television probably
because it's still in that woods, But there's
bit of a change there, which is nice.
To rebuild some of the be and some
of the catches down there. It's nice. And
then further down. It's... You do the little
the d,
they call it, which is the the far
off cam. Okay. So you do that, which
is gonna be basically the same. Come out
and you do that section of bike package
jumps, which is part of the bike pack.
And then eat your turn right, and you
go into that woods from there down, it's
gonna be quite different. Mh. Which is cool.
So it's gonna stay,
higher to the riders right once you've traverse,
it'll kind of off cam root section higher
to the riders right, come that blown out
section above the black would. Yeah. Come into
dash higher up with a bit of a
right last second, so it's gonna be less
blown out.
Fresh dirt every refresh lines developing, and then
for the black itself, which an now has
not tree sadly. Yeah. I think everyone might
remember Re Wilson inside inside line from 20
21. Yes.
Especially in the wet, which is just an
outrageous decision to make in the wet that
he made it very impressive. Yeah. So that's
dead straight again, yeah. That's gonna go straight
down. It's really, really cool because that's Although,
it looks a bit kind of, like, oh,
it's straight it's boring. In terms of, like,
the gaps you can do in the way
in,
managing your entry speed,
breaking points
you know, and how critical that is to
cut your speed out to the the grass
to ski piece to grass field and onto
your jumps. Yeah. So I think it's actually
really a really good changed to me. A
lot more technical than it looks. Yeah. A
lot more technical looks last year It was
kinda like, getting your breaking right at the
last little kin
tick shrub. Yeah. That left han be slightly
less than everyone else You carry maximum exit
speed. This year it's gonna be way more
interesting. I think yeah. So dead strip but
super interesting Yeah. There's a there's a couple
of key changes. I think it's gonna be
enough to fresh. Yeah. That's cool. Let's talk
a bit about conditions. I've... I've been lucky
to spend the last week right in More.
And without beetle though. And dark dodge me
all we can't touch I dodge the danger
laps. Touched the danger Like dodge quite a
few danger laps. It was basically, like, whole
world cup field seemed to be more than.
Yeah last week. No no matter what what
way you turned around and your
getting told or talking someone or something like
that. What's the good stuff Show I'll be
the good apologies to anybody that I asked
if I wanted a lap and I sort
of disappeared.
But, yeah, the water table is pretty high.
Yeah. We had a huge amount of heat.
So this... In the woods it's still... I
think it's starting to dry and then it
the rain came again yesterday.
And we looked like we've got rain on
and off for a fair chunk of the
week. Maybe dry Thursday, Friday. I'd checked the
forecast this morning and there's rain again for
Saturday. Yeah. So it's gonna be an interesting
develop
developing track over the week I guess. I
mean, it's gonna be a big contrast at
last year. And I remember some of the
riders just talking last year about upper body
fatigue gets bottom.
And they were quite surprised. We're like, the
track isn't, you know, it's it's like, 570
meter descent. It's 1 of the the biggest
tracks we have in terms of
descent. It's relatively long 2.2 kilometers or whatever.
It's like, it's it's on the money in
terms of a long down modern down track.
But it's never been... As we said, it's
not filed a sol speck rough. So it's
never been the most physical. And last year,
people were complaining about providing for fatigue, you
know, I thought. It was because of the
dust. It's just a so much counter steering
and and, you know, counter balancing on your
steering happening because of so dusty blown out
in spots. So I think that sort of
side of things this should be way better.
Gonna be traction everywhere as long as it's
not wet. Unfortunately, some of it is bike
pack, some... And even some of the stuff
that is in bike pack that's just been
raised for 4 or 5 seasons now is
hard pack. So it gets real slick and
unless it gets very, very wet. Kinda like
kinda plenty. When it gets real wet, it's
amazing when it gets a little bit wet.
It's a bit horrifying. Yeah. So
Let's see what the weather does. I think,
like you said, end of the week looks
okay for now. Like, the the predictability the
forecast thursday in Friday is really high. So
it looks like we're gonna get dry. Okay.
Dry practice day dry,
quality
quality semi day, which is which is cool.
And because we need that. That's good... When
those days are variable it kinda, like,
It's a big day. It's a big day
in the office for me You anyways for
sure.
So if that sticks like that, Be happy
with that, and then we'll see what Saturday
brings. Fingers Crossed. It's too. For now, the
predictability is not particularly high in the on
the forecast of fingers crossed. But it's definitely
gonna be a variable temperatures like you said
are seasonally low. Yeah. Like we're we're sub
20 degrees at peak temperatures at some points
during the week, which is crazy at this
time of the year. Yeah. Normally be touching
25 no matter what, You know? But the
last couple of weeks been quite humid and
hush. Now it's kinda like,
Yeah. Have a look out the window. It's
not great. Like, is it 12 in impasse.
Yeah. So it's... Well I look June the
weather's month a year in this part of
the alps.
It is what it is. I think the
riders are gonna be happy with some moisture
in the ground. And like you said at
the water table been so high. And just
the amount of rain we've had the last
68 weeks and even all all winter long.
It's gonna take a lot of sun, a
lot of heat to dry it out and
we're without getting either of those things Sonya
you. So it should be a fast track
thing. I think it should be fast. It
should be pretty
interesting. Yeah.
Maybe slick in the mornings, group b, Guess.
The worst of it again as purple standard.
Standard yeah. And maybe some rut would would
be amazing because,
I was actually over at K,
in endure, world cup, a few days ago,
on the number of rot because they had
a wet practice dry ish race. Yeah. The
were rot, like I never seen so many
rot in the endure. So I think if
we had some rot here for the downhill
be a lot of riders, especially our French
riders be extremely happy. Yeah. I think, actually
everyone who's been on... Been around here riding
on planning writing it more.
Any of the bike around here it'd be
pretty happy because it's been Rod central recently.
Yeah. You've had to get real good at
just keeping your eyes up and making sure
that wheel front wheel get get into the
route to the road route you wanna get
into? Yeah. 1 of the guys we were
riding with this week had a a rough
fail.
An empty well. Yeah. Interesting. It's all about
vision, I think the the rot riding, you
know? And well well once you're in, it's
it's not breaking and keeping the the defeat
out this commitment Isn't it.
Yeah. It's just like, eyeballs up point shoot.
Yeah. Once you're in there? Just just let
Ron, you know So I... Got a bit
of that. I'd be a happy I see
that. Not, part of my skills, set. When
need to come out more. Hang
And then
Yeah. I guess the riders have had, like,
the biggest break. It feels like for for
a while And most people seem to hung
around in and around the alps and got
plenty of laps in. Like, what have people
been doing? I guess, there is almost time
to kinda close any or start closing gaps
if you perceive you've got them from a
physical perspective or I think a lot of
people because we had Leo and Val slowly
back to back. It was it was a
little bit of recovery happened.
Some riders are are super well trained and
just bounce back pretty quick after. After back
to back racing got straight into his others
needed, you know a few days off. And,
I know a lot of people took 3
to 4 days we're not we without much
after... Especially with racing maybe a bit of
an party than travel from
Val.
So people took some days off, and then
everyone just got stuck the lapse If this
looks like everyone while on the laps basically
Yeah. Between all the bike parks around here
between, you know, Mo Super mo, Warrior,
Shit tell
Mo, people went to pi to get a
better dryness,
slightly drier conditions. Some people rest the the.
There's a lot going on. I, you know,
most people just take away a did a
bit of training. I know riders I work
with it a did a couple of strength
training sessions in in the last 2 weeks.
Got a lot of laps in to had
things specifically to work on, Just got a
lot of volume and some people just made
the most of getting laps in the way.
Either because they didn't never a choice because
their designated riding day was wet day or
because they really wanted to get out there
and swing off.
I don't know if you notice this, but
I'm Southern California invades More every year now.
And there's about
15 young riders from from Soc cal.
So Ryan Pink, and Austin Du lead the
charge there. Yeah. They just basically choose a
choose a plenty lap every day. The steepest
not, jan roots and slippery stuff they can
find because, obviously, they don't get that soc
out and they just sent.
15 laps a day. So... Yeah. The because
the commitment I saw pinky riding within in
the Steep was
off the charts. Yeah. Those those boys love
it. Yeah. I think Pinky and Austin, especially
together
kinda they ride a lot at home together
So it just fly each other, to get
the go out, follow each other.
And, yeah, get get loose. I follow them
actually for warm up lap, which is, and
they were about 6 laps deep, and know
Was just like, yeah. I'm out I'm off
for an actual warm up lap for for
a runner or 2.
Us. So... That's what people have been doing.
People have been just doing a lot a
lot of laps and some people that like
have been nursing injuries and that sort of
things. So Just usual mixed bag, but I
think with 2 weeks, which kinda turned out
to be, you know, actually closer to 12
days. Let's say, it with a bit of
rest either side of rest after val was
sold in a bit of a taper tapering
off to get ready for this week.
Laps the main thing. And you would see
a lot of mo, as well Mo opened.
The birds are tacky. So a lot of
people did Mo laps as well and get
the g forces in. Yeah. Look pretty good.
A track that we don't really talk about
kind of a Motor away section, but there's
that big fast traverse across the piece at
the top or not piece across the field
at the top
and then, obviously, the exit speed that you
carry then, like, down across the road and
into the final jumps, both those, would imagine
are pretty critical.
I guess, so Aero aerodynamics Is gonna be
significant maybe on those 2 sections and also
potential for this, like,
electronic suspension platforms and stuff to start paying
off some of those are. Maybe more in
the bottom section in the top, but super
interesting.
Actually. I I wrote to it.
Like a few days ago and He was
riding the stock suspension. Doesn't doesn't have the
the the buttons for for, you know, plenty
of laps luckily. Yeah. And he just made
a comment about, oh, I need the red
button. For this. And I was like, I
looked at all the red button actually, does,
you know, we were riding some filthy steep
wrote it rough thing. And he was like,
I need a red button for this. So
it's like, I'd love to actually know where
the red button the achieved. So... Yeah. I'm
reading... That top section in L,
and you do those 1 now just it
was apparently 3 be.
It's gonna be bit slower eggs and then
it little tiny step down and it goes
slightly uphill. Mh. And then you traverse across
the ski piece.
Kinda find the hard ground. You did a
tiny road gap. That made a couple of
changes between those 2 road gaps are real
small 1 and the big 1. A couple
of small changes there probably about they'll be
consequential in terms of line and and time
eventually. And that top section doesn't seem to
actually separate people. Okay. Huge. I don't know
if that's just because everyone attacks it because
it's the top of the tracking house to
attack everyone's fresh, or there's not much to
separate peep, I'm not really sure. And even
with those be in really challenging Ash, there
wasn't huge time differences, which was Or the
the time differences were just relative to your
your position. You know I mean, if you
were fast, you're fast and you're were faster
at the top, you're fast, most places. Yeah.
So yeah, strange on that, but the bottom
section. I don't know if that's... It's probably
fatigue slightly fatigue related in terms of your
breaking. Getting out of the last woods and
across there. So what impact air aerodynamics and
electronics is gonna have this year is, yeah,
I'm interested to see.
Really interesting. See here Definitely plays a a
role at the last section, but the majority
riders have figured out that you need to
reduce the frontal area get low. If you
watch back the footage from last year, you'll
you'll see the majority riders getting pretty low.
I'm not sure what cool long did to
be so slow there last year.
Need to dig in again. He's got further
to go to get low than the most
weight. He does. He's a big lawyer. He's
a tall. But he did he did get
quite arrogant for him. I remember I remember
analyzing it after the race last year and
just, having have a quick look to see
if he done anything strange. And I think
he just kinda wanted to assure the race.
So he just grabbed a little bit too
much break. So, actually, like, that last section,
I think,
a little bit of diving and dragging is
way more, you know, costly than okay not
being here arrow Yeah less both. Standing up
like a socket you're done for but no
1 does that really you know... Yeah. So...
Yeah. Super super interesting. I think we need
some slightly better.
We need we need cameras for analysis like
to do in in football soccer, you know?
Did did do analysis cameras where you'll have
the camera for television for the action, but
you'd also have 3 or 4 cameras around
stadium that just are fixed. You can actually
see position play and that sort of thing.
And I'm sure American football basketball do these
sorts of things That's... I need to put
the word in a warner on a brothers
level. I need a front on and a
behind camera for anything that's fast so we
can actually analyze your position. You can measure
from the layer and that sort of thing
see if it has an impact that would
be. That'd be, it'll won't be feel very
durable I would have thought. Especially on a
straight set. I I know the software does
exist. Yeah. I know F 1 and motors
sports like moto f1. Yeah. All over, like,
a rash. You know, I I... As far
as I'm aware they're even, like, have photographers
around tracks to Yeah. Front downside on shots
for
for analysis of yeah. You know, including front
area and all that sort of things. Yeah.
The the, yeah. Need more staff more money...
But... And then, like, we talked about the
electronics or you and I talked about in
text with trying to apply a little bit
of statistical analysis data electronics. Like, there's enough
data there to have it in inside as
to whether the electronics did, you know matter.
And I forgot to check actually if Lukas
Shaw was fast as here at the bottom
last year. Yeah. I think there was no
pe.
Or the pedal is kinda not super important.
You pedal between the jumps, but you're still
going... You're already on 55 60 kilometers an
hour. Yeah. So
He's not going that power. Yeah. But the
torque be luca produces isn't it's gonna be
as consequential. But the jumps look pretty small
for the speed that they're come in through
there. Yeah. Course sides might not be. With
we'll Roast Lilly, the track builder again because
everyone knows including himself. He's not great at
building jobs. Alright and last year,
last minute had to rebuild the entire jump
line. Yeah. Because 1 of the land owners.
They basically build the jump line. Someone someone
appeared. Yeah. I I won't slate everyone from
Paris because it's a very large city. As
far as I'm aware was a parisian who
had a shallow right beside the jump line.
Okay. Finish like,
appeared for holiday seasons. Was like, what's this
mountain bike on my land,
move your jump space. It's on my land.
So that's what I heard. Not sure if
there's true. Just what happened last year some
sort of
land issue. I don't know if there's a
bit of a building size starting or some
some excavation needed to be done or something,
but to basically have to move the jump
line and rebuild the jump Yeah. So the
weren't rate last year. I think this year
they're gonna be a bit better because they're
they're
built. Okay. Not on someone's land. So they're
gonna stay,
but, yeah. There... They've... Historically, they've been kind
of odd distances,
which happens a lot in in bike parks
unfortunately. Yeah. She under she. Yeah. Yeah Yeah.
There's new jumps on plenty and I tripled
the double, which I should do that.
But that's how that's how it goes. Unfortunately,
it seems in in bike packs.
So I think it it does take a
few laps for everyone to figure figure out.
And I know I remember her, 22.
Miriam has some big issues trying to get
the the backside. And all the I'm trying
to get the timing right? Yeah. Remember she...
I remember speaking to her about. And She
was really, really struggling to just, like, trying
to basically win the race and trying to
get herself dialed in, you know, on those
jumps
And even last year, 23, there was was
a lot of people like going too long
or too short, man and women. So they
they were tulsa. Especially when you come in
with huge speed, and you have feel like,
right. This 1 is fine, then I've squash
this 1, then do I break check do
anything else... Yeah. It's real tough. Yeah. Because
you're coming off that sort of piece section
at light, 60 odd k and hour how
probably. Yeah. I get the speed gun so
you can Yeah. So, actually, I didn't do
it last year, but I should do. Yeah.
Have a coffee on the road. You can
bring you can bring me 1 of those
aero presses and we could. Was sort close
area.
Nice. And it's the last race before the
big olympic impact break.
Do you think we'll see riders as the
super hungry potentially taking a bit more risk.
There's almost time to get over a bit
of an injury before the the close of
the season?
No. I don't think so. Honestly, I don't.
I don't think anyone wants getting injured I
don't think anyone's like,
like, injuries are so.
Inconvenient
in terms of prep. In terms of life.
Yeah. You know, Just...
I think some riders don't wanna take a
break now. And just... The myself train, but
they just wanna do life that is in
race the race life for a little bit.
Yeah. I other riders need to train.
Go just go off and just get stuck
into some solid training. So I think the
value and a lot of people have eyes
and world champs, You know, I know if
you get 2 riders.
That Eyes and World champs is a big
goal of the season. So getting out hair
fresh and healthy ready to attack training for
world champs is is quite important.
People have other things So do I there's
there's lots of media happening, there's lots of
other racing happening. There's that sort of stuff.
So I think most people will... The level
of risk required, and the management of the
risk
required to successfully get your a world cup
weekend quality semi his finals and when the
thing is kinda ever present. So I won't
change a huge amount with the exception of
1 or 2 writers who might just rolled
the dice. Might be a couple of roll
that. But look look at Amr. Look out,
like, he didn't even rule the dice by
the sort. The aria attracted the various conditions.
Yeah. He was just locked in as they
say, you know, So... And he's man for...
As we saw here in 20 19 in
And the edge. And lived on the edge
of the tire, lived on the edge of
everything that the Yeah Yeah. Another 1 of
them would be good. But, yeah. We've had
some...
Like, we've had more french here than anything
else,
between
Am,
Ti Martin.
Then were Ben benoit.
Louie, Louie. And then that was a triple
road champs here. That was Am Lo and
Lars.
So we've had so much french victory here.
The crowd is just phenomenal. If you're tuning
into this and you can make it to
do. Just just come. Just spend all the
money, spend all your time, to just get
here Some experience in. The most the better,
Like, I I'd almost... If you need someone
to stay, I've got a roof. Like, I've
got a garden, pitch pitch picture tent to
my garden, know, It's like
it's phenomenal. It's such a good atmosphere such
a good vibe week long. It's
we're talking about it actually in
Leo Gang Val is
because it's a free for all essentially. They
can't close the town, the Pits in the
town. It's not really ideal. It's kinda good.
It's kinda bad. Yeah. As you know yourself,
So it's basically it's turns into free for
in all directions. And Mo has the spartan
race on this weekend. Oh, no way. Yeah.
Crazy from some of the,
The obviously has cross country as well as
as well as downhill,
the road would be crazy, busy. It's it's
just it's quite pure carnage. It's amazing. It's
brilliant. You know, It's just a free for
roll. So I think hopefully it's gonna be
just as busy this year. It's a little
bit earlier than than previous. So hopefully, it
is gonna be just as busy and. But
I think yeah all of the French will
be.
Ready for for big things, you know, Gets
stuff elevated. Yeah. It is gonna be an
exciting week. Thanks as ever for spare some
time to
sit down and help everyone get hot weakened,
the overall. Oh, the overall Yeah done that.
Because we have the brick. Yeah. So it's
like it's pretty. It's matter. Like, I didn't
actually dig in... Because suppose because digging into
the overall
like that is sometimes a little bit in
a gaming the system. You don't talk too
much about points to writers. You don't wanna
be like, oh, Know. You know, Tan went
originally into season trying to be as consistent
as possible in in quality savings and finals.
Yeah.
And then kinda,
Poland kinda threw a slight spanner in the
works to that.
So
focus more on winning winning races. And then
had a nightmare in finals actually in Leo
Gang which really set the overall Yeah. Back
in terms of, you know, her second position
behind Valley actually lost second position briefly. Now
she's back in. So
it's... In all categories, I think it's it's
really interesting to how writers are just gonna,
like,
approach the big break in terms of when...
Where they sit in the overall and how
how that's gonna motivate or demo motivate or
change approaches to Alaska because we've only need
2 workouts after. Yeah. Yeah. Which is crazy.
You think about it, you know, we've months
in.
It's crazy. Tracks that are very, very different
and very, very cool. So I think,
Lo head command leading in the main
junior are all over the shop because there's
not much points available in the junior so
and you kinda you kinda do and don't
get crucified if you have a good or
bad result. It's really strange to junior point
system yeah. It doesn't feel like it works
in in anywhere near the same way. Does
it? As the leads. Not. It's really weird.
Yeah. You're like, someone has been on it,
you know, like, ace has been on, but
then he's been off. He's had a few
issues. Flag situation. Leo again. Yeah. And then
the point you're like, he's rosie? You're like
what why he? Yeah. It doesn't make much
sense. But the elites in the other hand
is is pretty crazy. And I think. Finn
want to watch. In terms of consistent, he's
been the most consistent pretty much with the
exception of,
Poland.
And, obviously, if he had an missed q
in Semi and Leo Gang, he'd be neck
and neck. I think be right there, especially
beating him an val slowly.
So, yeah, Men's and women's overall really interesting
valley Got a a strong lead, but as
we saw which
her crash in finals of Val sol as
we saw a town, turning things around as
we saw a
Just being
there every week, it seems, you know, even
if she's at little bit back, next year
should be should be right there. So it's
exciting. I think with 2 races left after
this, whatever happens
this week in terms of... If there's a
big points explosion
a big a big hole a 400 point
hole or a loss in terms of, like,
finn, you know, missing a few,
of the runs,
then things will be flipped in their head
for the last 2. Yeah. Interesting. Watch this
space. Yeah. Be time. Awesome. It's gonna be
a good week. And, yeah, thanks. I'll see
you your tracks side at some point. I'm
sure. Now, you you you'll avoid me Like
you didn't I'm plenty.
I'll bring you a coffee. Thanks. Nice 1.
Cheers mate.
Alright. That's it for this Max tires pre
ratio with Chris. I really hope you've enjoyed
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