Pietermaritzburg World Cup - Thursday

by Fraser Britton
Apr 21, 2011 at 13:00

People crashed and rag-dolled and many many beers were consumed by support staff, who worked late into the night to get things dialed for tomorrow's qualifying session.

Shuttles, Africa Style.
Shuttles, Africa Style.
Title Defense starts... NOW>
Title Defense starts... NOW>
Sam Hill showed off some 2012 TLD kit
Sam Hill showed off some 2012 TLD kit
Shaun Oconnor moved to the big leagues last season with some decent results. This year, he moves to a real team with the full factory support of Yeti Cycles.
Shaun Oconnor moved to the big leagues last season with some decent results. This year, he moves to a real team with the full factory support of Yeti Cycles.
Everyone is complaining about the massive pedalling section. Most sat through it in practice and said hi to the photographers littered along it. Here, Mick Hannah show's why he is all business... he sprinted the entire thing and jumped every jump.
Everyone is complaining about the massive pedalling section. Most sat through it in practice and said hi to the photographers littered along it. Here, Mick Hannah show's why he is all business... he sprinted the entire thing and jumped every jump.
The heroes of the World Cup aren't the Racers, or even the organizers. It's the mechanics, soigneurs and managers who work late into the night to make sure that wheels spin straight and true the next morning. Washing bikes by headlights in the rain, not the most glamourous job, but one that has to be done.
The heroes of the World Cup aren't the Racers, or even the organizers. It's the mechanics, soigneurs and managers who work late into the night to make sure that wheels spin straight and true the next morning. Washing bikes by headlights in the rain, not the most glamourous job, but one that has to be done.
Gwin on his new sled
Gwin on his new sled
The last steep section before the pedaling. Enjoy it, because you have 40 seconds of hell, coming right up.
The last steep section before the pedaling. Enjoy it, because you have 40 seconds of hell, coming right up.
This is what a slash and burn clear cut looks like. Disgusting.
This is what a slash and burn clear cut looks like. Disgusting.
Must Read This Week

47 Comments

  • + 22
flag mountguitars (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:42)
 can't wait to see how aaron gwin performs now that he's on a trek.
  • + 7
flag NorthEasternDH (Apr 21, 2011 at 17:03)
 speaking of gwin, in his photo it said his new sled... i like that term......

can't wait to get my sled out!
  • + 2
flag m47h13u (Apr 21, 2011 at 19:01)
 We used to call freeride bikes back in the early 2000's sleds.
  • - 5
flag borocks (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:49) (Below Threshold) show comment
 ya dont say
  • + 6
flag neallynberg (Apr 21, 2011 at 22:42)
 borocks i am sorry for giving you minus props. I was aiming for the plus props but stumbled at the last second.
  • + 4
flag TomasK (Apr 22, 2011 at 6:53)
 haha, shit happens
[Reply]
  • + 16
flag fraserbritton Plus (Apr 21, 2011 at 14:23)
 To be fair, it's a commercial paper farm that the race is held on. They let us have a race here, free of charge. It sucks, and it's ugly, but it's their land to do as they wish.
[Reply]
  • + 10
flag allenrotstein (Apr 21, 2011 at 16:25)
 Quit complaining about pedally sections.. This is mountain biking, for god's sake! If you can't pedal 5 minutes at max your have a cardio problem, some serious lack of fitness!
  • + 5
flag JoeyBratten (Apr 21, 2011 at 17:06)
 full on sprint for 5 mins, dude ud be breaking world records if u could do a full on sprint 100% max for 5 mins, JOKER
  • + 6
flag scott-townes (Apr 21, 2011 at 19:20)
 All it'll do is separate those who've been training and those who haven't... which is great to those who've worked their asses off in the off season. Also, where's a picture of someone boosting one of the huge hips? I want to see this!
  • + 2
flag aoneal (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:04)
 They should put Candice Swanepoel at the end of the flat section, then everyone would pedal 100% through it and not feel any pain.
  • + 3
flag neallynberg (Apr 21, 2011 at 22:45)
 ^^^ i had no idea who that was so i googled the name.. nice
  • + 1
flag aoneal (Apr 22, 2011 at 8:39)
 I use an old fishing pole stuck in my Camelback and hang it over my head in front of me. There's a pic of her hanging down from the end. Hell, makes me ride faster...
[Reply]
  • + 9
flag Nobble (Apr 21, 2011 at 18:48)
 what the funk is Hill wearing?

TLD kits are getting more and more ridiculous.
  • - 1
flag Orsumness (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:31)
 It looks sick though. I can't imagine many people wearing them at local races though.
  • + 9
flag Nobble (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:53)
 sorry, but no they dont, they look like kids pajamas
[Reply]
  • + 8
flag joe24sull (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:37)
 "The last steep section before the pedalling. Enjoy it, because you have 40 minutes of hell, coming right up."

40 seconds of hell?
cant wait to watch it though!
  • - 1
flag tsaktop (Apr 22, 2011 at 1:51)
 the 40 mnts I think refer to the uplift procedure and the wait time
[Reply]
  • + 8
flag Icculus19425 (Apr 21, 2011 at 15:53)
 I love how beer drinking is such a large part of the sport.
[Reply]
  • + 6
flag neimbc (Apr 21, 2011 at 14:15)
 Pumped! Can't wait! Go Minnaar! Just hope Freecaster is working smooth - been glitchy all winter at my computer!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag neimbc (Apr 21, 2011 at 16:55)
 Update - it poured buckets there - monsoon rains, turned the track to thick muddy slop! Gonna be slow goings on that peddle section, and tough to get speed to hit any gaps! Mud sucks, but that's the way it goes! Just hope it doesn't decide to pour again halfway in the race like at the W championships! That was a major bummer for the guys who ran it in the rain.
[Reply]
  • + 5
flag andyf7 (Apr 21, 2011 at 14:34)
 that 40 second flat pedally section will be a bitch if theres a headwind!!
  • + 2
flag andyf7 (Apr 21, 2011 at 14:34)
 *even more of a bitch! haha
  • + 1
flag xcjunky (Apr 21, 2011 at 15:41)
 Pietermaritzburg: the clipless pedal and 36t rear cassette race…where are the 29er wheels?
[Reply]
  • + 4
flag amajors (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:04)
 cant wait for the race...
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag grundles (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:43)
 thanks for loading this, it's been a long wait for it all to start again....
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag sroemmich (Apr 21, 2011 at 15:28)
 Kinda wierd Gwin changed to a DOT/SNELL helmet (presumably for safety reasons), but quit wearing the leatt.
  • + 2
flag tgreid (Apr 21, 2011 at 22:38)
 his old 661 last year was dot/snell. the fenix.
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag webbrider12 (Apr 21, 2011 at 16:31)
 those tabletops are massive!!!!!! i love it (:
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag Orsumness (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:30)
 I'm so stoked for Shaun O'Connor. He is such a pinner and to get this chance racing in a big team is the kickstart he needs!!!
[Reply]
  • + 3
flag tommyp (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:32)
 '40 minutes of hell' - this track is really long!!!!!
  • + 12
flag M-a-R-c-I (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:40)
 40 secondsWink
  • + 1
flag tommyp (Apr 21, 2011 at 16:36)
 im not kidding, it has been changed, conspiracy maybe!!!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag nightmareterror (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:12)
 Pedalling is half the fun! LOL Awesome track and great riders pushing limits!!
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag Ganbei (Apr 21, 2011 at 22:10)
 Deforestation -- > great for the TV camera's and fans... they can see the riders coming from mile's off....!!! (joke)
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag panzer103 (Apr 21, 2011 at 15:42)
 Go Aaron Go Sabrina!!!
Isn't the track on a tree farm? I bet the farmers know what they are doing.
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag F8L-DJ (Apr 21, 2011 at 17:30)
 Am I right in saying that Sabrina has her high rollers on the other way from what they are usually run?
  • + 1
flag ustemuf Plus (Apr 21, 2011 at 18:41)
 the front is backwards from regular rotation. cant tell on the back cause its out of focus.
[Reply]
  • + 2
flag ross661 (Apr 21, 2011 at 13:42)
 the track looks crazy !! Big Grin
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag nosewheely (Apr 21, 2011 at 21:33)
 telescopic seatpost is the way to go
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag Jimbur (Apr 21, 2011 at 14:17)
 Deforestation sucks! Way to ruin a perfect place to ride...
  • + 14
flag brillantesdv (Apr 21, 2011 at 14:46)
 its a tree farm. they can do as they please. they grow trees, cut them down, plant new ones.

would you say the same about corn fields or tomato farms?
  • + 1
flag cloverleaf Plus (Apr 21, 2011 at 15:07)
 Commercial plantations are a huge thing in the UK as well, I guess we've grown accustomed to seeing massive acreage of trees being cut down on an industrial scale and then being replanted. They're cash crops in the same way as most others, they just happen to take a while to get to maturity. We wouldn't have half the potential we do in the UK if it wasn't for these commercial operations.
  • + 2
flag iamamodel (Apr 21, 2011 at 15:33)
 My area is a cycling mecca, almost exclusively due to commercial plantations. There is no legal (or good) singletrack in the natural forests.
  • + 1
flag mountguitars (Apr 21, 2011 at 17:24)
 i think some people don't know that the DH race course is on a tree farm. they cut the trees and then grow new ones. check out the previous topics here in pink bike about the WC in SA.
  • + 3
flag Jimbur (Apr 21, 2011 at 17:27)
 Oh, was unaware of the land being a tree farm. I guess thats not so bad then. Thanks guys.
[Reply]
  • + 1
flag lalodh (Apr 21, 2011 at 17:06)
 Go Greg!!!!!!!
[Reply]

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