Megavalanche 2020

PB Forum :: United Kingdom
Megavalanche 2020
Author Message
flag konabigshed
Posted: Jul 31, 2017 at 13:33 Quote
I used minion front with aggressor rear both DD and tubeless. Both held up great with just a slight cut in the side of the aggressor.
I ran 28 psi front 30 psi rear.
Judging by the number of riders with flats, I reckon there's a lot of luck, both good and bad.
flag scott2010
Posted: Jul 31, 2017 at 15:14 Quote
Mega 2017, Hells yeah what a week, lots of ups and downs. This was my 2nd time doing Mega having previously having done it in 2014.... Yeah the year of the mud! Came into the week wanting to first of all beat my pathetic (by my standards) race in 2014 having finished 250th in the main race. I was number 1021 this year so got a front row start again, slotted in beside Sam hill for qualifying. Ended up finishing my qualifying heat in 5th so that put me on the second row. My mate gavin was in the heat before mine and was also on the front row for qualifying but punctured out which sucked. Anyway we all know what happened weather wise on Sunday which meant no snow....Oh well...Next time. Anyway Dont think my Main race could have gone any better and ended up 28th!!!
flag milnik
Posted: Aug 3, 2017 at 0:35 Quote
That was great riding scott2010. Hoping to actually qualify for the main race at some point....I've improved drastically on my result from 2015, but still ended up 78th in Challenger.

Anyway, here's the latest Mega week vlog. I'm editing these when i have the time, which is not often. Kinda useless having 300GB of gopro footage if i don't do something with it... Smile Enjoy!
flag stuartpenney
Posted: Aug 4, 2017 at 3:59 Quote
Loved my Mega week. Came back from a spinal injury in April to race in July so I was stoked to be there. Unlike my attempt in 2013 I managed to finish the race, not fast at all but I did it and came home in one piece.

My first attempt at an edit, far from Milnik's level of quality edit but nonetheless thought I would share.

Not sure if my altitudes were correct, so forgive any errors on that front.

Thanks folks

Vid here -

https://youtu.be/Q1AzOfLGkgo
flag milnik
Posted: Aug 5, 2017 at 2:36 Quote
Love the edit Stuart! Also the mega is not just any race so to recover from a spinal injury the same year and then hurl yourself down alpe d'huez is a pretty big deal!
One of the dudes who crashed in front of you in the quali is Swedish, i chatted to him a bit, he rode on cracked Mondraker frame which he patched up with a chopping board and some zip ties for the Challenger race...bot he and the frame survived!
flag stuartpenney
Posted: Oct 31, 2017 at 9:39 Quote
Soooooo....

...who is going next year?!?! Cool Big Grin
flag mizzter-b
Posted: Oct 31, 2017 at 10:01 Quote
I already went back in August and rode some more of enduro gnar tracks.
Still looking at next years calendar...so much to ride...so little time!
flag yeti-monster
O+
Posted: Oct 31, 2017 at 12:39 Quote
Yeah it looks like it's the week after pass'portes next year so going to do the two. Did mountain of hell this year and would seriously recommended it to you all. Much gnarlier than mega, but not as big as event.
My girlfriend wants in this year too.
flag twijg
Posted: Oct 31, 2017 at 12:40 Quote
stuartpenney wrote:
Soooooo....

...who is going next year?!?! Cool Big Grin

Yep, going. First try was in 2015 but broke finger in week before. Rode it in 2016 and skipped this year. But when I saw al the clips and reports.....eager to hit the Mega again!
flag amonas
Posted: Oct 31, 2017 at 13:31 Quote
if Mountain of hell is one weekend earlier as it was this year, it is a good idea to do them both.I am going too.if you ve been there once, you want more.it's like a drug I think.
flag stuartpenney
Posted: Nov 1, 2017 at 1:44 Quote
yeti-monster wrote:
Yeah it looks like it's the week after pass'portes next year so going to do the two. Did mountain of hell this year and would seriously recommended it to you all. Much gnarlier than mega, but not as big as event.
My girlfriend wants in this year too.

Really interested to hear your thoughts on mountain of hell. Format, organisation, tracks and fun levels?!
flag yeti-monster
O+
Posted: Nov 1, 2017 at 12:45 Quote
stuartpenney wrote:
yeti-monster wrote:
Yeah it looks like it's the week after pass'portes next year so going to do the two. Did mountain of hell this year and would seriously recommended it to you all. Much gnarlier than mega, but not as big as event.
My girlfriend wants in this year too.

Really interested to hear your thoughts on mountain of hell. Format, organisation, tracks and fun levels?!
Actually quite similar to Mega in that there isn't much info and you have to follow the crowd a little. They did have an English presenter that helped, but little in the way of track info until the last minute, basically follow those who have done it before. The qualification track is pure evil steepness down long scree slopes and rock slabs, they check you have full body armour before you set off.
The main track is a lot faster on the glacier than mega for longer and the rest of the track is wider with lots of overtaking opertunities all the way down. You don't get stuck behind people for long like mega so no excuses! Definitely a different level to megavalanche steeper, rockier and a more big mountain feel rather than a massively long singletrack. The final section from duex alpes to venosc is mental down the footpath, I had a nasty OTB and was glad of armour. Cracked my frame too but made it down 102/700. Looking back massively enjoyed it, but spent the Friday night properly shitting bricks before qualifications.
flag stuartpenney
Posted: Nov 2, 2017 at 4:23 Quote
yeti-monster wrote:
stuartpenney wrote:
yeti-monster wrote:
Yeah it looks like it's the week after pass'portes next year so going to do the two. Did mountain of hell this year and would seriously recommended it to you all. Much gnarlier than mega, but not as big as event.
My girlfriend wants in this year too.

Really interested to hear your thoughts on mountain of hell. Format, organisation, tracks and fun levels?!
Actually quite similar to Mega in that there isn't much info and you have to follow the crowd a little. They did have an English presenter that helped, but little in the way of track info until the last minute, basically follow those who have done it before. The qualification track is pure evil steepness down long scree slopes and rock slabs, they check you have full body armour before you set off.
The main track is a lot faster on the glacier than mega for longer and the rest of the track is wider with lots of overtaking opertunities all the way down. You don't get stuck behind people for long like mega so no excuses! Definitely a different level to megavalanche steeper, rockier and a more big mountain feel rather than a massively long singletrack. The final section from duex alpes to venosc is mental down the footpath, I had a nasty OTB and was glad of armour. Cracked my frame too but made it down 102/700. Looking back massively enjoyed it, but spent the Friday night properly shitting bricks before qualifications.


Sounds mental! I cannot imagine trails harder than the top section of the main race just past the snow!

Wider tracks however may help as margin for error at the Mega was minimal!

If you HAD to choose, which would you do?
flag yeti-monster
O+
Posted: Nov 2, 2017 at 13:11 Quote
Mountain of hell everytime. But why choose? They're next door to each other!
One thing I forgot to mention is the bike Park is slightly better at alpe d'heuz over duex alpes, the braking bumps just pissed me off all week and the black run was shut. Not too much of an issue if your just there to race but you need some fun if your there for a week.
flag Foxy87
Posted: Nov 5, 2017 at 11:57 Quote
stuartpenney wrote:
yeti-monster wrote:
stuartpenney wrote:


Really interested to hear your thoughts on mountain of hell. Format, organisation, tracks and fun levels?!
Actually quite similar to Mega in that there isn't much info and you have to follow the crowd a little. They did have an English presenter that helped, but little in the way of track info until the last minute, basically follow those who have done it before. The qualification track is pure evil steepness down long scree slopes and rock slabs, they check you have full body armour before you set off.
The main track is a lot faster on the glacier than mega for longer and the rest of the track is wider with lots of overtaking opertunities all the way down. You don't get stuck behind people for long like mega so no excuses! Definitely a different level to megavalanche steeper, rockier and a more big mountain feel rather than a massively long singletrack. The final section from duex alpes to venosc is mental down the footpath, I had a nasty OTB and was glad of armour. Cracked my frame too but made it down 102/700. Looking back massively enjoyed it, but spent the Friday night properly shitting bricks before qualifications.


Sounds mental! I cannot imagine trails harder than the top section of the main race just past the snow

Same here...!?

 


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