Taxco Downhill Practice
Taxco. It's an old silver mining town built up the side of a mountain. Its streets and side walks are a maze of slick cobble stone pavers. Ten years ago a race started here, down the back alleys and steep steps of the city. In the past couple of years that race has picked up steam and now it is an event pulling in riders from across the globe. There is a stacked field of DH racers and freeriders. Because it runs through the heart of the city and does a fair amount of disrupting traffic, it has a simple two day format. Day one - practice. Day two - race and best trick. Racers took to the streets today to come to grips with, well, the lack of grip and bone rattling stairs.
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 Sunsets here in Taxco aren't too shabby. |
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| The VW beetle is alive and well here in Taxco. Not sure how big the taxi fleet of them is, but it seems like a thousand of them scurry about town constantly. |
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| It all starts up here. There is a quarter mile of dirt track run in from the big Jesus, then things get seriously rowdy. |
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| Hand crafted silver is what Taxco is best known for. |
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| Every one knows what their part is. Taxco is chaos. It's best to try and control that chaos so that everything runs smoothly. From federal police to local volunteers, everyone has a part to play. |
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| The people of Taxco are some of the warmest, most freindly people you will find. |
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| The race will go this way. Just as soon as I chisel out this doorway. |
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| Polc shows just how close your noggin comes to some of the over hangs. |
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| Finn Iles testing the steps and step down during track walk. |
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| Brett Rheeder is a big deal in Mexico. Armed guards follow him where ever he goes. |
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| Stray dogs dart about all day long. They are one part of the chaos that can't be controlled. One racer or more with be locking his brakes up tomorrow to avoid errant canines. |
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| Huck your meat. The jump out of the square getting finishing touches. This track is built in about three days. Work is done around the clock so the flow of the city isn't disrupted too much. |
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| Jermey Witek is up to his elbows in it trying to get the track finished in time. |
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| The view of Taxco from the top of the church in the main Plaza. It's not often you get to run about on the roof of a holy building. |
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| What would be a trip to Mexico without eating a few of these. I'm up to 23 total for the two days I've been here. |
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| Some kind folks decided to let a race go through thier house. It's a whole new meaning to "dropping in for tea." |
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| Matt Delorme high fives Jesus for a little good luck before heading off to work today. |
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| Rheeder and R-Dog have decided to make a new syncronised tricking competition. Maybe it will become an Olympic sport. |
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| Bernardo Cruz was on the podium here last year and was pinned today, following Filip Polc much of the afternoon. |
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| Marcelo Gutierrez had no troubles on the first set of stairs today. Nor did he have troubles on any other stairs for that matter. |
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| Bernard Kerr hasn't ridden his DH bike since Red Bull Rampage and the opening staircase was a rude awakening. |
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| Will White is here "freeracing" |
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| Antonio Leiva came from Chile to see how Taxco compared to Valparaiso. |
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| Polcster was screaming down the track today. He's the certainly the one to beat, but there are a few that could best him tomorrow. |
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| Mitch Ropelato was once again going for bigger wheels and less travel. He's done well going this way before. |
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| Mic Hannah diving into the lower section of the track with Bernardo Cruz in tow. Mic broke his linkage today and we aren't sure if he will be on track tomorrow as of yet. Let's hope he can get the parts he needs from Mexico City tomorrow morning. |
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| Finn Iles drops in amongst boot legged power supplies and freshly cleaned clothes |
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| Jon Buckell's secret admirer? |
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| Young gun Finn Iles is here in Taxco showing the local young'n's how it's done. |
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| We are all staying in an old Spanish Mission this weekend. Complete with a pool, a mine, and a bar, accommodation is top notch. |
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| R-Dog finding some flow and shredding some stairs. It will be rad to see the freeride lads throw down for best trick tomorrow too. |
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| R Dog and Rheeder have never signed so many autographs in their lives. They were snatched up it seemed before the final stroke of the pen. |
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| Even some of us media squids were signing autographs today. |
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| Mick Hannah is a man of many hats. |
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| It's good to have a bit of extra luck in the cab with you as you zip around the narrow streets of Taxco in an old beetle. |
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| Taxco Lego houses. |
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| The day ended with a welcoming party and a parade of all the athletes through the streets. |
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Btw " i dont think the cartel will interupt a Downhill race" - in Mexico it's more likely that a downhill race will interrupt a cartel
I think these kind of events are too elitist as you rarely hear about anyone other than factory sponsored riders?
I lived in Paris, on the french riviera and now close to Chamonix, where history is everywhere, so I guess I'm certainly too French to understand that ! ahah
Also the owner can now say, - my house its been part of Taxco's history since the late 1500s during the silver mining years up to now the 2000s during an internatioonal event which brings some of the best riders in the world -, very few families can say that