The conditions for this year's elite downhill races have been challenging, to say the least – it turns out that sunny days are a little harder to come by in mid-October. From the axle-deep peanut butter at Leogang to the slimy roots and tricky, slippery, wide open turn at the start of the track in Maribor, racers have had to use all of their bike handling and line choice skill just to make it to the bottom without crashing.
We've seen some of the expected names end up on the podium at World Champs and the first World Cup races, but there have also been some relative surprises, riders who excel when the conditions take a turn for the worse.
Remi Thirion is one rider who comes to mind – whenever the track is extra greasy and technical he seems to thrive, while other riders, especially ones who spend most of their time training in dry, sunny conditions, fall back into the middle of the pack.
Wet weather riding isn't for everyone – plenty of riders prefer to stay inside and enjoy the comforts of home until the sun decides to shine again. And there are those who don't mind donning waterproof everything and heading out to splash around in the woods for a couple hours.
There's also the fact the not all riding areas can (or should) be ridden when it's wet out – soil with a high clay content can turn to an ugly mess in the wet, leading to an unrideable bike and unnsessary trail damage.
For the purposes of this poll, take any trail-related concerns out of the equation and put yourself in the shoes of a downhill or enduro racer, even if you don't have any plans of ever competing in real life. Race day is fast approaching, and the weather could go either way. Would you rather race in the rain and mud, or would you prefer it to be dry and dusty?
The Link LonkOctober 17, 2020 at 01:45AM
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/pinkbike-poll-would-you-rather-race-in-the-mud-or-the-dry.html
Pinkbike Poll: Would You Rather Race in the Mud or the Dry? - Pinkbike.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=dry&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
No comments:
Post a Comment