UKC

Whilst the road bike world has been seemingly blown apart by someone (gasp) just using a dropper post, the 2022 WC DH season opened on Sunday with a complete banger of a race (and no dropper posts in sight, lol).

This is what going DH fast looks like nowadays (the winning run from yesterdays DH race in Lourdes).

youtube.com/watch?v=PCvrdZOk_kk& 

Absolute banger of a race to kick off the season!

Certainly was !  My jaw developed a repetitive strain injury from being continuously dropped ... they just got faster and faster and faster; wild racing.

Wow. The reaction times are amazing. Was looking at the F1 this weekend with the new, in-helment, video and wondering how they can react that fast. But they don't put trees in the middle of the course in F1.....

Wow !!

Is this in real time..? Just a few inches off and he'd hug a tree, and it'd all be over. Breathtaking run !!

And great to see so many enthusiastic fans lining the route. Never watched a DH race - I'll be looking out for more. Bravo !

Yup real time.

If you want to check out more, all the rounds are shown on Red Bull TV and the main commentator, Rob Warner is a legend. His commentary is knowledgable and turbo enthusiastic, he loves the racing. 

Get these in your Diary !

2022 Downhill World Cup Calendar

26-27 March: Lourdes, France.

21-22 May: Fort William, Scotland.

10-12 June: Leogang, Austria.

8-10 July: TBC.

15-17 July: Vallnord, Andorra.

29-31 July: Snowshoe, U.S.A.

5-7 August: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada.

2-4 September: Val di Sole, Italy.

It's almost like they design the course with the aim of killing some poor git and yet they're like "Hold my beer, this is going to be special." Made me wince especially when I compare it to my own pathetic efforts...

At least if you tried that course at speed you would be in the right place if you needed a miracle.

Amen brother.

I agreed in general with the "Wow!" sentiment, but bear in mind the video is taken with a wide-angle camera, so the speed appears exaggerated compared to what the rider sees. I've taken a few like this (albeit a lot slower) and the video replay always looks far more impressive than the reality.

This is the course designed for that purpose: Hardline, built by the Athertons as the WC DH courses weren't quite hard enough .... 

youtube.com/watch?v=P_U0UbRTifk&

Yep, I've seen that - and the Athertons were like "hang about boys, that hardline thing we made, that wasn't really enough death. You see that ridgeline down the hill over there right next to a cliff which will kill me if I get it wrong?..."

This is why DH should be in the Olympics - it is an insanely good spectator sport.

That looks mental.

Anyone know what spped they are averaging down that mountainside?

I think the riders going through the speed trap on that course were maxing 64kmh