Results: World Championships Timed Training

 So are they allowed to change bikes between now and race day? Or do they have to keep the bike they start the week on?

 Sorry @heavyp but Mitch still faster than you on his "all mountain" 29" bike....

 sounds like the retired old men are more with the times than you, the retro grouch

 @fitjoani, ropelato took his custom demo 8 they did for him and the 29er. There is an interview on vitalmtb about it and he said he felt comfortable on The 29er so he's going with it. Brosnan and Gwin were giving him shit about it.

 @fitjoani, Ropo made the decision himself. He did a run on the 29er and decided that it suited him better on the track than the DH rig. No Specialized puppetry going on there at all.

 @heavyp u such a prick and i don't see the point off hatin on someone who's usin an other "style" of bike on this kind of track....... lot's of other pilot use prototype with less travel......@heavyp mitch may be faster than you on this track with a bmx wich is 20"

 Ok, my mistake, I hadn't seen the interview, and I respect his decision, it's not a reason to be insulting to him...

 Gwin won at Sea otter on a 29, he's just jealous of Mitch's water bottle.

 This wheel size banter is really getting boring. Comments like heavyp's are completely ignorant. For all of you posting negativity of different wheels: for 1) keep your stupid comments to yourself. For 2) back your comments up with fact. Why not post how many hours you have ridden on each wheel size before you say anything.

 heavyp is such a douche canoe... Mitch is picking the best bike he feels can win on this particular course. The course is more pedally and less gnarly than a normal WC course. Why would he want a heavier, less efficient bike for a such smooth, less technical course? Props to him for trying to think outside the box and choose what feels best for him.

 Guns'n'roses are legend.... also STEVIEEE

 Ladies and Gents of the Board :
what if, Graves was on a 29er and he just beat the crap out of everyone in practice ?
Would that be an unfair advantage ?
Would you as a regulator ban 29ers or big calves ?

Peace, long live human powered machines !

 Mitch bungs up a good point. Just ride what you enjoy riding!
m.vitalmtb.com/photos/features/World-Championships-Bikes-and-Gear-2013,6282/Mitch-Ropelato-on-Taking-his-Specialized-S-Works-Enduro-29-to-2nd-Place-in-Timed-Runs-at-World-Champs,63046/sspomer,2

 I've felt obliged to offer my own personal opinion reading these comments. Each rider has to use the tools legally allowed at his disposal to win the race, therefore props to the lads using the trail bikes and 29ner's. Okay it's only timed practice after all, Smith came in fastest, but the general consensus would be that Ropelato may not even be the 10th quickest rider on the field any given day using like for like rigs, so he (or team) have simply out thought the others.
I understand the attraction of spreading the world cup series throughout the world, but the UCI needs to take a think about what it wants downhilling to be, and in my book, not only is this track a joke but having the most important race of the year here is a complete shambles! No disrespect to Pietermaritzburg, this is what they have presented and has been approved by the organisers, lets hope there is not bribes taking place here, we are aware of certain allegations in the past directed towards UCI officials in the road cycling world. If I was Aussie / Kiwi / South American, I'd be sick to the teeth that with what we are seeing here given the quality of tracks at your disposal. Lets get the facts straight here - give Sir Chris Hoy or any other track cycling professional two weeks on this track and they'd probably toast these downhillers here simply because they have thighs like busses requiring little skill..
It's about time the riders got together (an association of professionals if it does not already exist) gave UCI the finger and demanded a change to the course selection criteria. This should limit the merits of using varied wheels sizes and resign the wheel size debate to the history books.
bear mind, the above is off the cuff thoughts - I don't even know if wheel size is restricted, or whether the definition of a trail bike is allowed to be used come race day....
Either way, I like to see the world champions being spread about, gunning for the chainsaw massacre!!! Get in Stevie!!!!!

 So much anger, Mitch's a great rider and person, who cares about the bike he chooses, there's obviously no one absolute advantage out there, carbon, alum, or wheel size, so let riding do the talking.....

 This whole wheel size crying game will be over eventually. Remember Carbon? How everyone here told you that you'd die if you rode a carbon bike? How they couldn't handle the stress of mountain biking, how they were all experts, how the industry was a giant scam, etc....etc....etc...etc....

Every time something new comes out the majority of the community here throws a tantrum and cries about it. Then they realize no one cares what they think and that we're all to busy worrying about our own bikes and actually riding and then they get over it.

Same thing will happen with this. So let them cry and throw their tantrums, it's already dying down and will be even more so soon.

 @ heavyp....Mitch is probably faster than you on a tricycle..... Give the man some respect.... He is a WC racer!
Something you will NEVER be!

 heavyp aka the modern day protour

 I think what @heavyp was getting at touches on this.

If people wanted to be able to gain an edge they would wear a skin suit take there peak off there helmet and cover up the vents! Do you think people used to wear them cause they wanted to look good? No fact was they make you faster but the UCI banned them because they gave the sport of downhill a bad look, isnt riding a bike that is supposedly faster but looks as if it belongs in an XC/Enduro race and not a DH race falling into the same subject ?

 No, the race is tomorrow...

 You knew what i meant

 yep that's what my misses say's

 Will be hilarious if some of the top guys on 26" are scrambling to get 29ers if Mitch is up near the top after qualification results, in a last minute bid to be competitive.

Minnar and Peaty putting DH forks on 29 Bronson woulda be a good combo if they had time to get used to it, but their fork sponsors don't make them in 29.

 The bronson isn't 29 it is 27.5. And I'm pretty sure that Fox makes 27.5 40's but I don't think you could put a 40 on a bronson.

 because she's extremely good?

 and Ragot DNF?

 Trying to keep up with gee in training.

 16 Sec's. That's amazing. It's to the point that she can take a break and then continue and still win.

 Plus she was only 6th through the speed-trap. Bonkers.

I think it also says a lot about the track when Caroline Buchanan, whilst a phenomenal bike handler, is primarily a BMX and 4X racer, can come and grab 4th. Yes this is only timed training but be interesting to see if that carries through to tomorrow.

 I'm going to speculate that in order for her to create such a gap, she must be clearing all the tables while the rest of the field is not.

 @jfyfe that's a good guess actually, the womens field does tend to case the tables (not making fun of chicks, those tables are massssive at fort bill and here)

 maybe but for now the guy with the enduro 29" is in second place,so....

 Maybe for this course, but thats about it.

 maybe not. i m not a fan of defferent wheel sizes but if it fit the track.....

 or it could be that a shorter travel enduro bike is faster

 Definitely, this is the most exciting race of the year.

 Hannahs been riding that prototype in the world cups also just changed wheels and gearing.

 No, I love Gwin, hes an awesome rider, humble, a good sportsman and after last years results and this years bad results, he deserves a podium place for just trying and for purely just not bitching about his poor results this year, like alot of riders do.

 Pike 160 on th Enduro29 vs a Float 180 on th SB66. 20mm is not "a lot more travel up front". Both are great forks (personally give the edge to the Pike) an Mitch has a hair more travel outback. The size of the wheels and the rider are the biggest differences.

 That's what I'm saying but Mich is not a top 5 rider normally so if he keeps this up for finals it will prove that the enduro 29 is the bike for this course.

 bear mind, the above is off the cuff thoughts - I don't even know if wheel size is restricted, or whether the definition of a trail bike is allowed to be used come race day....

 Cumming - come race this course and then give us your off the cuff guff.

 he drinks monster

 It was the same in mont sainte anne, guess he's saving himself for the race run. he's in 68th out of 69 so must have just done a cruise run.

 static.sportresult.com/federations/uci/CM/index.html look up for it

 I was thinking the same, Hill must have had a mechanical or a crash.

 Hill never does timed training, he always takes it easy or stops on track. He may of had a mechanical today though

 Enduro is a like soft downhill and the track is...

 Nope. They have to run stock engines.

No supercharging (epo)!

 69Thth

 Fischbach 14th place! Schinken am Bein Good Luck

 Special Build??? They all have special builds. Stevie is just faster period!

 16 seconds up is insane!