Sea Otter has always been a celebration of everything on bikes. Nowadays it'almost more trade show than racing, and while the DH track is something of a circus side show, the XC racing is full on legit. The Short Track races held today had little to no dirt at all--basically they were fat tire crits ala the glory days of the NORBA races back in the day--but even with the lack of anything remotely technical, they were full on anaerobic suffer fests. Just imagine going full gas for 20 minutes plus three laps... It means burying yourself in a pain cave so deep that the clanging of the bell signaling the final lap is nothing but sweet, sweet music to the contenders.
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MENTIONS:
@trek,
@SCOTT-Sports,
@Specialized
Last I checked, Absalon is current World Cup Champ and World Champ...and would've won World Cup year before too if it weren't for mechanicals in two races. The GOAT is still king.
If you had the cyclocross champ put strait bars on his bike, would he be competitive with these guys?
That track looks pretty smooth! I know it's not a typical track. And I've also cyclocross guys on my regular "trail bike" trails. Seems like XC & CC so similar minus suspension and wider tires. Roadies on dirt.
check this out www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zWrAHgqdt0
I can still see the CX guys riding that course, maybe not as fast through the rock gardens though.
Second page, Junior 15 Novice. (Did not have a racing licence)
That they then feel the need to shave themselves hairless is just fricken deviant.
I hear Bruce Jenner is an avid XC/CX/Roadie fan :-)
Lycra is fast, for better or worse.
extreme.com/insane/1005144/dh-men-3rd-sam-hill-world-championship