Qualifying Photo Epic: A Tennessee Mud Bath - 2019 Windrock Pro GRT
Once again, Windrock Bike Park plays host to the opening of the US Pro GRT series, and as in years past, has attracted a star-studded list of international riders. With the first World Cup just over a month away and quality pre-season races few and far between, riders from across the globe have started to make the trek each season to ride the rocks, ruts, and steep off cambers of Windrock. And with lots of riders on completely new bikes or new suspension equipment, it's a great venue to get in some testing and tuning. So much so that SRAM have had their entire gravity roster of DH and EWS riders here all week for a testing and set up camp.
The track itself has not changed too much from previous years. Just a few catch berms here and there to help keep things flowing and some slightly re-taped corners. Other than that, it is business as usual...other than the weather, of course. The track was dry and fast when riders got their first glimpse of it on Thursday, but by Friday's training and qualifying, things had turned downright sloppy. A steady drizzle of rain fell throughout the day, only pausing just long enough to start turning the slick mud into sticky peanut butter. With rain coming and going, some riders qualified with the track looking more like a dirty river of water than a mud bog, while others really had to manage some real nasty slop.
It's hard to tell if the weather was a factor or not, but regardless, it's safe to say that newcomer Ethan Shandro threw down an amazing run to not only win the junior race but also post the fastest time of the day. It will be interesting to see where he finishes tomorrow where we hope for a more consistent day (of constant rain, rather than so on and off). Ethan's Trek Factory Racing teammate Charlie Harrison took top honors in the men's race just ahead of Loris Vergier. Neko Mulally rounded out the top three while in the women's qualifying it would be Frida Roenning who would crush all challengers by nearly 40 seconds.
Tomorrow is when it really counts though, and with heavy rain and thunderstorms in the forecast, it's going to be a wild day at the rock!
Rolling fog over Eastern Tennessee.
The Smoky Mountains were smoking all day today with fog and a lot of rain.
With cold temps and rain all day, lots of riders huddled around fires in the pits in an effort to stay warm.
Marcelo Gutierrez prepping goggles and roll-offs before battling it out with the rain and mud.
Fog filled the valleys this morning while riders made their way up to the plate. It had stopped drizzling but only for a moment.
Loris Vergier blasting the whoops.
Nik Nestoroff would qualify in 8th.
Marcelo Gutierrez is here getting some race prep in as well as some time on his new Fox suspension.
Frida Roenning pretty much destroyed the women's field to take the win in qualifying by 40 seconds,
6th in the mud today for Luca Shaw.
Mark Wallace would end his wet and muddy day in 11th.
Navigating through the rocks, Rachel Pageau tiptoeing her way down.
Railing ruts with Max Morgan.
Caroline Washam over the moto bump.
Derailleur deep ruts were becoming a problem as practice wore on.
Charlie Harrison sizing up the rocks.
The peanut butter conditions got the best of most riders this morning. After the rain subsided, the rocks and roots were even more unpredictable.
18th on the day for Henry Fitzgerald.
Kerstin Holster drops into the second of two tricky rock gardens on track.
Mitch Ropelato has switched from enduro back to DH this season.
Forest Riesco would round out the top 10 in qualifying.
Sending the big step up with a little style.
Walker Shaw keeps it low of the big drop near the bottom of the track.
Charlie Harrison took top honors in qualifying and will be the last man down the hill tomorrow.
Defending National Champ and the event's promoter, Neko Mulally, qualified in 3rd.
Riders who came down in the rain were lucky. The added moisture made the normally pasty, sticky mud more into dirty water than anything else.
Keeping clear vision was a battle that raged all day long.
Kye A'hern would come 2nd on juniors but would be some 10 seconds off the pace.
The whoops sections rattled teeth and bikes alike.
Samantha Soriano sending the step down in her seating lap. She seemed reluctant in the conditions at first but found her pace by the end of the day.
The bike wash queue was a long one today with bikes getting caked in mud each practice run.
The only clean part on the entire bike.
Not an easy day for the mechanics.
Neko suiting up for qualifying.
Tear-offs out on full force for some, goggles off for the rest.
It was no doubt cold and damp out there. Propane heaters were really appreciated.
Cold up lifts.
One more go at trying to figure out the sloppy track.
Mitch Ropelato is said to be competing in the full World Cup schedule this season and he's already up to speed here.
Just close your eyes and hope for the best, I guess.
Dakotah Norton is still recovering from shoulder surgery and while he was out on track during practice, he will not be racing this weekend.
Titus Nicholson tries to keep speed through the steep and slippery switchbacks.
Samantha Soriano qualified in 6th.
Sending the step down before the mean step up.
Loris Vergier qualified second, less than a second back.
See you tomorrow for the final runs.
You couldn't even pray the rain away today in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.
Must Read This Week
47 Comments