Washed-Out Willy - The Un-Qualification Post

Jun 6, 2015 at 12:59
by Matthew DeLorme  
This is all that happened today at Fort William. Needless to say, it was not much in the way of DH bicycle riding... While the final half hour of timed training yesterday showed promise of warmth and sunshine, the North Atlantic unleashed gale force winds and driving rains upon us at 2:30 am, delaying practice this morning until eleven. The call was made to cancel qualies due to unsafe gondola conditions with no break in the weather in sight. Tomorrow will be a long day for all parties involved; practice starts at six, followed by qualies and finals. Hopefully, we can all spend today warming up and staying dry in anticipation for tomorrow's action.

The UCI lifted the sunshine ban for eight minutes today. When people got excited to see our nearest star it was quickly reinstated.
  The UCI lifted the sunshine ban for eight minutes today. When people got excited to see our nearest star, it was quickly reinstated.

Rain delay all day.
  Rain delay... all day.

Heaters were working overtime to heat the pits today. They weren t however keeping them dry.
  Heaters were working overtime to heat the pits today. They weren't, however, keeping them dry.

Welcome to the Radon Factory pit complete with sunbathing area... also known as the Zambezi Delta
  Welcome to the Radon Factory pit, complete with sunbathing area... also known as the Zambezi Delta

Weather came across Loch Wet Willy in waves today lashing the venue with high winds and more sideways rain.
  Weather came across Loch Wet Willy in waves today, lashing the venue with high winds and more sideways rain.

Heavy... definitely heavy.
  It was heavy... definitely heavy.

Fans took refuge in the open pits during the heaviest of rains.
  Fans took refuge in the open pits during the worst of it.

There was a light work load today for the mechanics. Bikes were double and triple checked for the beating they will take tomorrow.
  There was a light work load today for the mechanics. Bikes were double and triple checked for the beating they will take tomorrow.

Brendan fresh paint from TLD. The story goes something like Brendan used to have a toy tank as a kid that said DS-69 on the side which he always interpreted as a rude code for two sexual positions. Not quite sure why. England s a strange place to grow up...
  Brendan's fresh paint from TLD. The story goes something like, Brendan used to have a toy tank as a kid that said DS-69 on the side, which he always interpreted as a rude code for two sexual positions. Not quite sure why. England's a strange place to grow up...

Gee and Polish Pete testing the pro-photographer set-ups of the future to pass the downtime.
  Gee and Polish Pete testing the pro-photographer set-ups of the future to pass the downtime.

And they say downhill is a white-knuckle ride. Gee ended up punching the same tree that took Bryceland down yesterday afternoon then pile-driving his head into the floor for good measure.
  And they say downhill is a white-knuckle ride. Gee ended up punching the same tree that took Bryceland down yesterday afternoon, then pile-driving his head into the floor for good measure.

Luca Shaw passed the time by perfecting the trainer manual.
  Luca Shaw passed the time by perfecting the trainer manual.

Big air bunny-hop and whip-off comp rolled into one in front of a packed grandstand.
  Big air bunny-hop and whip-off comp rolled into one in front of a packed grandstand.

Danny Madskills pleasing big crowds in a rare dry moment.
  Danny Madskills, pleasing big crowds in a rare dry moment.

Dave McMillan shredding granny bikes in the rain for team Australia.
  Dave McMillan takes it up a level shredding granny bikes in the rain for team Australia.

A bored press core awaits the verdict on practice and qualifying this morning.
  A bored press core awaits the verdict on practice and qualifying this morning.

The media had written up a petition for beer and whisky to be supplied in the media center due to the inclement weather. Other high price items were added to the list only to be removed before submitting - to insure delivery of goods of course.
  The media had written up a petition for beer and whisky to be supplied in the media center due to the inclement weather. Other high price items were added to the list, only to be removed before submitting - to insure delivery of goods, of course.

Johann Potgeiter amp Mick Hannah staying dry doing coffee chez Polygon UR.
  Johann Potgeiter and Mick Hannah staying dry doing coffee, chez Polygon UR.

Mic broke his left pinkie knuckle in practice yesterday. He will be racing tomorrow.
  Mic broke his left pinkie knuckle in practice yesterday. He will be racing tomorrow.

Marc Beaumont didn t touch a bike for the best part of a year... He is now here technically riding as a privateer on a Gambler at what will be his 95th World Cup. Yes you read that right he s almost up with Minnaar of the WC count.
  Marc Beaumont didn't touch a DH bike for the best part of a year... He is now here, technically riding as a privateer on a Gambler, at what will be his 95th World Cup. Yes, you read that right, he's almost up with Minnaar on the WC count.

Rivers quite literally ran through it today no matter what pit you were in. Except the Mondraker Space Ark they are ahead of their time.
  Rivers quite literally "ran through it" today, no matter what pit you were in. Except the Mondraker Space Ark, they are ahead of their time.

Danny Hart s new Fenwicks Bell Full 9 Helmet.
  Danny Hart's new Fenwicks Bell Full 9 Helmet.

Jonty Neething was smiling today with the lack of muddy bikes to be cleaned but will he have the same smile tomorrow after triple duty
  Jonty Neething was smiling today with the lack of muddy bikes to be cleaned, but will he have the same smile tomorrow after triple duty?

After missing one round Eddie has started to surpass Wyn in media attention.
  After missing one round, Eddie has started to surpass Wyn in media attention.

We know to expect big things from Mike Jones on a wet Fort Bill tomorrow... Could the 20yr old Welshman take it all the way
  We know to expect big things from Mike Jones on a wet Fort Bill... Could the 20yr old Welshman take it all the way?

Having extra wheels at the ready is going to be clutch tomorrow.
  Having extra wheels at the ready is going to be clutch tomorrow.

Tools weren t heavily used today with the delay in action.
  Tools weren't heavily used today with the delay in action.

Brook took the time to get a beard trim at the Braw Beard Oils tent.
  Brook took the time to get a beard trim at the Braw Beard Oils tent.

CRC junior Elliot Heap believes the sun will shine again.
  CRC junior, Elliot Heap, believes the sun will shine again.

Claudio gurns a unhealthy looking pain-face mid TRX session.
  Claudio gurns hard, hanging on for dear life, mid TRX session.

Our petition had been handed in but our demands have yet to be met. Perhaps they will pay more attention when we start finding ingenious ways to heat the press tent... read fire
  Our petition had been handed in, but our demands have yet to be met. Perhaps they will pay more attention when we start finding ingenious ways to heat the press tent... (read: fire)

One of Polygon s full-time models gazes out from the shelter of the pits with sad eyes. Patience my friend...
  One of Polygon's full-time models gazes out from the shelter of the pits with sad eyes. Patience my friend...


Author Info:
mdelorme avatar

Member since May 11, 2011
186 articles
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86 Comments
  • 153 5
 Technically I have the same qualifying time as gee at the moment, just saying.... Wink
  • 184 8
 Yup! And I've won just as many Tour de France's as Armstrong Wink
  • 21 4
 You two sirs, are amazing.
  • 36 21
 And I have one more nuts than lance Armstrong!
  • 15 5
 You wanker
  • 31 1
 schrodinger's race run.
  • 7 2
 @radman13 you just you won the internet.
Give this man a beer
  • 11 53
flag jclnv (Jun 6, 2015 at 21:03) (Below Threshold)
 FYI Lance Armstrong didnt win a single TDF. He's been wiped from the history books.
  • 20 33
flag inter71 (Jun 6, 2015 at 22:21) (Below Threshold)
 Lance won those tours.
  • 7 0
 @jclnv that was the joke mate... Gee currently does have a quali time.
  • 13 4
 @inter71 you do know he cheated don't you?
  • 23 5
 You act like everyone else wasn't
  • 15 6
 No I know the Tour de France is a who can do the most drugs and survive competition not a bike race.
  • 20 19
 He deserved those tours that he won. Everyone else was doing exactly the same thing that he did, only he was better at it. He still rode his bike round France seven times faster than all the other drug users. It was a Travis Tygart witch hunt primarily necessary to justify his salary at USADA. That they caught a drug user was a convenient "noble cause". For the record, making fun of cancer survivors is deplorable.
  • 27 5
 Except the others weren't deliberately destroying other people by using their power to miscredit them and have their jobs/businesses shut down. Lance is a master manipulator and f... the "everybody else was doing it" explanation.
  • 11 0
 Damn Armstrong, the only noteworthy thing he did was the livestrong charity. Cheating was bad the lying/denying after made it worse for many. Now lets be thankful we dont have that crap in our sport. Roll on race time....
  • 7 10
 Don't be so sure we don't have that crap I'm our sport any more. Frankly I don't care if we have or not, but you'd be foolish to believe no one is doping now
  • 2 6
flag Benlow (Jun 7, 2015 at 1:33) (Below Threshold)
 More to the point, if you're going to cheat you might as well go the whole hog as Lance did. That means going hard on the drugs and doing everything in your power to keep your detractors quiet. I'm sure in hindsight the others would have done the same as Lance if they were smart about it. Instead the majority were caught much earlier than he was as their associates couldn't keep their mouths shut and their doping programs weren't nearly as effective meaning Lance still smoked them (assuming that's what gave Lance the advantage).
  • 2 11
flag jaame (Jun 7, 2015 at 1:36) (Below Threshold)
 Talk about will to win! I'm interested to see what the human body can do with whatever performance enhancing substances the user sees fit to use. And if you don't want to use them, don't. You won't win but hey, just accept it and get a normal job like everybody else
  • 4 0
 Doping in downhill? What drugs would give riders an advantage in this? Sure some may need things to speed up recovery times but I doubt its anything like the TDF roadies. More likely that they would be caught for illegal recreational drugs that have no effects on race times! There are a few obvious ones like adrenaline that could give riders an edge, but why take the risk when they all get tested? Also its down to the money in the sport too, mtb is still tiny compared to road and the teams just dont have the infrastructure and funding to risk doping.
  • 6 4
 Cocaine would improve your times, but I was talking about road cycling actually
  • 7 4
 Cocaine definitely would not improve your times.
  • 4 3
 Cocaine would definitely improve your times. Mixmag did a test in 1996. Cocaine killed it. Look it up if you don't believe me.
  • 9 2
 Not a chance are you getting to the bottom of a downhill track on coke.
  • 3 0
 It may speed up your heat rate and reaction times (temporally) but it won't increase focus. Wtf does mixmag have in common with downhill? If the test had been carried out by say Dirt mag then I'd bother to look.
  • 4 1
 You couldn't run for a bus without passing out.
  • 4 3
 Mixmag did a closed circuit driving test with the same driver on various drugs. Coke won, clean was second if I recall correctly
  • 5 0
 One driver, on a load of different drugs hardly makes for conclusive evidence. Also driving round a closed circuit and riding downhill are slightly different!
  • 4 0
 How did this turn into a discussion on whether coke would improve you time?! To add, it probably depends on how a person reacts to the drug, imagine Danny heart doing coke before an interview XD
  • 2 0
 TheFlyingYorkshiremen good point, we are chatting nonsense because we are all getting impatient waiting for the coverage starting soon.
  • 3 3
 Only thing that will give you an advantage in DH is pure skill (and a good bike and factory money). Why is a bunch of superfit guys grinding down a road in lycra somehow more appealing than a bunch of guys and gals with more skill in their index finger than the entire peleton riding down a mountain at lightspeed....? it's bullshit.
  • 1 0
 Erik Irmisch, look it up.

c4f.sirius.uberspace.de/fileadmin/user_upload/vermischtes/0_doping/Fahrer_Personen/deutsche_Dopingfaelle_BDR__bis_2013.pdf
  • 4 0
 @inter71 I wonder if all the people who's careers he ruined to protect himself would agree??
  • 4 5
 Ha ha! Getting negged here was satisfying. Anti-Lancers are like babies that believe in unicorns and leprechauns. There's a reason they can't crown another champ each one of those years, smart guys. Every guy in the top 100 was/is on the gear. And if any of you had a fighting chance at earning a fraction of Lance's salary, you'd be too. Wake up. He's a patsie. Trek went from $500M to a $1B company and they hung him out to dry. Disgraceful. Fark Nike too. Weekend warriors are putting needles in their butts for Strava glory and you think your sponsored hero has a true moral compas when feeding his kids is on the line. Idiots. Minaar just beat a bunch of kids nearly half his age, less than a year after major surgery. You don't think he's on the HGH and cortizsone? He'd be a fool not to! Have you seen his chick?

Lance is the greatest rider of our generation. Selective enforcement supports corruption. The UCI is a disgrace. Wake up, people.Take off your rose colored glasses.
  • 9 1
 Well that was a load of horse shite.
  • 3 1
 @TheFlyingYorkshiremen HA! Thanks, bud.
  • 3 5
 I'm with @inter71
  • 57 1
 Trainer manual! Finally I might be able to learn how to manual without fear of instant death
  • 3 1
 Forgive me if this sounds like i'm gullible, although i'll admit i am...is there such a thing as a "manual trainer"? If so I need one.
  • 6 0
 hilarious when trainer-bike has Zipp wheels
  • 1 0
 nice
  • 1 0
 How old does one have to be to get that one?
  • 2 0
 buy a standard trainer and lean back!
  • 2 0
 Genius idea, I consider myself a reasonably good rider but the wheelie and manual is something I just can't master. Until now.... Out comes the turbo trainer tonight.
  • 6 0
 I've only got rollers. What's the worst that can happen?
  • 3 0
 The Lumberyard, in Portland, Oregon has a "manual trainer" that is genius. It is two rollers for the back wheel with a stand that includes a rear axle. I'm not sure the rollers are necessary, but it feels almost exactly like doing a manual. I got better in 5 minutes than in the last 5 years of riding... Crash pad behind because the bike can still fall over backwards. Can't find a picture but I think it was in one of their videos. If somebody built them I would buy it in a second.
  • 3 0
 @taylor500 dont do it on rollers please if you don't want to know how many bones a human can break on a roller
  • 2 0
 @AMGoran I'm actually a master at the manual. I once broke the world record for the longest manual but nobody witnesses it and nobody believes me.
  • 3 0
 ahh we can all relate to that. My greatest achievements in life have been when nobody has been there to see it. Eg the time I got a hole in 1, the fact I was along will haunt me for the rest of my life
  • 1 0
 @Taylor500 but everybody has a bad manual day and you don't want that day to be the day you try it on the roller
And if you've done it once you should be able to do it twice Wink
  • 39 0
 Good to see Beaumont back in a WC race!
  • 6 13
flag jaame (Jun 6, 2015 at 16:37) (Below Threshold)
 Proof positive that the Gambler is the best downhill bike, assuming he bought it with his own money
  • 4 0
 Doubt it bc they have a Scott for gmbn. Until the channel started to pick up he was on a Bronson with a bos fork
  • 3 1
 He got lent it for the weekend
  • 11 0
 Stoked to see him back! Super humble, and solid rider! Let em see is Beaumont!
  • 2 0
 @NateTeh I think he owns that bike because he had it at the BDS last weekend and he said that Scott have sponsored him with GMBN.
  • 22 1
 thats one mother f*cking tree if it took down ratboy AND gee atherton. what a dick!

Also the petition to bring in liquor to the tents is f*cking badass. Nice work photographer!

edit: Anyone know what lens is being used on that smart phone that Gee is holding?
  • 2 0
 m.gearbest.com/mount-holder/pp_135907.html?currency=USD&gclid=CjwKEAjwtMqrBRDwtoehx72vm34SJACl_Un1afwdlkXiyoQArZ4zkYoqs2-kcsyuz6Tw7yBVm640wxoCdBDw_wcB

This looks close.
  • 14 0
 Brendog's helmet's painting is a pure piece of art
  • 15 4
 If redbull are reading this can we please please please have all day coverage starting in the morning showing all of practice, qualies, and race runs for all classes?....that would be the best coverage in years!
  • 14 0
 Really want to see marc Beaumont up there.
  • 13 0
 Here's to Beaumont having a pinned run!
  • 1 0
 Amen to that!
  • 7 0
 Danny Hart with a UCI-compliant helmet cam!
  • 2 0
 Why couldn't the Dr tape my hand like Sik Mic instead of the full arm splint. I've only broken the same knuckle or maybe it was to protect the 10 stitches in the hand. Either way I just wanna ride me bike. Oh well least there's World Cup action to keep me sane tomorrow.
  • 7 1
 That last shot really sums up the whole day for me.
  • 2 0
 true, its just the perfect picture to end it on
  • 6 0
 Mike Jones will be the second coming of Sam Hill. Put money on it.
  • 6 0
 Welcome to Scotland....
  • 10 5
 Beards are sooo cool
  • 11 5
 Said no girl, ever
  • 4 1
 dont they pad conflictive trees? as if any tree is conflictive.....well you know
  • 1 0
 Lets hope commom sense was used to pad that tree for Sunday!
  • 1 0
 Does anyone have a link that actually works for the live timing for qualifications ? This link is not working :http://www.tissottiming.com/Sport?sport=CM
  • 2 0
 Brook McDonald getting his beard trimmed and in the next photo it looked like the trimming was placed on Elliot Heap's head!
  • 2 0
 Gutted I'm not there to feed the midges this year Frown
  • 1 0
 I think that was an appropriate number to turn in for that petition list.
  • 2 1
 There's only 47 signatures on that page.
  • 1 0
 Its because the fans are drinking it all and the press want in!
  • 1 0
 So whata going to happen with the redbull streaming¿
  • 5 3
 ?? DP 69 I'd understand
  • 2 1
 Dirty Sanchez + Soixante-Neuf
Pretty filthy combo.
  • 7 0
 DS-69 Doggy Style - 69
  • 3 1
 And because of that England is a weird place to grow up.
  • 1 1
 Sorry maybe I missed this - but when did Beaumont and the Athertons part ways?
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