Val d'Isere Day 3 in Photos - UCI World Cup 2012

Jul 28, 2012
by Ian Hylands  
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  This is the weather everyone woke up to this morning. Blue sky, then pouring rain, then clearing skies. By the time most of the top 20 headed up for a run, it was hot, humid and sunny again. In the Alps, if you don't like the weather, you can wait 10 minutes.

Men s XCO Elite start.
  The start of the Men's XC0 World Cup Final, Nino Schurter went on to take the win.

The XCO is also in town this weekend. Literally
  The XCO Finals were in town this weekend. Literally! Marco Aurelio Fontana and Nino Schurter fight it out.

Urban north shore.
  Burry Stander & Jeroslav Kulhavy race through a wooden berm in town.

Gunn Rita also won in La Bresse so this makes it 2 on 3 on French soil in 2012. XC marathon worlds will also be held in France.
  Gunn-Rita won here and also won in La Bresse, so this makes it 2 for 3 on French soil in 2012. XC marathon worlds will also be held in France.

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  Jared Graves is affectionately known as Grubby to his friends and teammates. This morning Fox gave him and teammate Richie Rude new forks...

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  The Fox techs were just a little bit nervous when they first gave Richie his new fork.


It rained during the night and in the morning but when practice started the sun came out and the course started to dry pretty quick.
  It rained during the night and in the morning, but when practice started the sun came out and the course started to dry pretty quick. Marc Beaumont testing it out.

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  Remi Therion wasn't afraid to get down in the dirt and put his mud tires to work this morning.

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  Man Child in the mini rock segment.

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  Aaron Gwin has 5 stitches in his hand and was taking it easy on course this morning.

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Hill was just outside the top ten at the splits during the qualifying round on friday but then had some troubles towards the finish. The course should suit his riding style
  Sam Hill was just outside the top ten at the splits during the qualifying round on Friday, but then flatted towards the finish. This course should suit his riding style, he can do well here tomorrow.

Is this his weekend
  Cameron Cole qualified first here, is this his weekend?

One half of the Team Norco International. Jill is at home with a broken arm.
  Bryn Atkinson is by himself this weekend, Jill Kintner is at home with a broken arm she picked up at Windham.

Justin Leov also announced his retirement from World cup racing at the end of this season.
  Sabrina isn't the only one to retire this year, Justin Leov also announced his retirement from World cup racing at the end of this season.

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  This track is hard on everything: riders, bikes, mechanics. The suspension techs have been kept busy rebuilding forks and tuning suspension on this especially rough track.

Ready for tomorrow
  Loic Bruni qualified 8th yesterday, everything is clean and ready for tomorrow!

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  The off camber section into the final wooden drop was especially slick this morning. It was a struggle to stay in your line if you didn't commit fully.

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  Ben Reid didn't have any commitment issues, he pinned it straight in and held speed.

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  Ben Reid, winning practice all day, every day.

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  Send it!


Author Info:
IanHylands avatar

Member since Jun 23, 2008
588 articles

51 Comments
  • 70 6
 I'd love to see Hill pull out a win come race day!
  • 8 2
 I think its anyones game now! With gwin starting so early people get a chance to know his times. They are gonna be breathing down his neck so hard
  • 11 2
 That's already happened this year and no one was able to touch his time then so why should tomorrow be any different?
  • 5 1
 We'll see. Its a sketchy track
edit: like the others were any safer lol
  • 4 0
 This time he's actually carrying an injury from it? Not that an injury ever stopped a terminator.. haha
I'm just excited to see how the race will unfold!
  • 7 6
 Yeah, I'm actually excited about this race, gwin's injury means it's literally wide open (i hope)
  • 9 0
 No, he got it sown shut again remember
  • 4 0
 too much cheese for you?
  • 8 0
 Cam Cole it's all yours... Go hard fella!
  • 5 1
 I hope Hill Minnaar Gee
  • 2 1
 not again !!!! chuck norris all the way
  • 1 0
 Come on Cam Cole
  • 1 0
 ...
Hill
Gee
Bruni Wink
  • 3 0
 i met a young guy in new jersey at my freind larzes house a bunch of years back he was hitting a huge prob 30 plus maybe forty foot double larz had at his house that you had to charge at and as the day went by people were amazed by this guys power and mad skill come to find out the guy was a 14 year old kid that we started calling man child because of his sheer power and size .. 4 years or so later its funny to see how nick names start sorry richie...lol
  • 2 0
 Nothing about Bryceland? I'm a bit surprised by that seeing as this is one of his best this season...
  • 4 1
 anyone know what mudguards they're running off their forks?
  • 3 0
 Yeah mate, a marsh guard, basically the same as a mucky nutz fender.
  • 2 0
 or the front cover of an art book if anyone wants a really cheap one Razz
  • 2 0
 Hill needs a damn win! Hope this is his weekend for glory...
  • 2 0
 Giving my props and hopes for Sam Hill to win this race.
  • 1 0
 who makes those mudgaurds that are on the fox 40s ?????
  • 2 0
 Gutted to hear he is retiring...such a sound dude. Met him at Ft William and you couldn't meet a nicer guy.
  • 1 0
 Come on Sam!!! Hill Gwin Bryceland
  • 1 0
 I wonder if Gwin is going to win this time..
  • 2 0
 yeah manchildbearpig!!1
  • 1 0
 Leov Retiring?? How old is this kid? What's his motive?
  • 2 0
 Yeah i want to know as well. He just needs that extra little bit more and he can get a WC win. It will be a shame to see him go without one, If he cant pull one off this season.
  • 5 0
 He has been doing WC for a good ten years and could just be ready to slow down a bit. (Being newly married may have an impact).
More importantly how will replace him @ TWR? Mr Martin Whiteley should immediately sign Matt Scoles, plain an simple. Not because he's another kiwi but because he's damn fast and consistent. Current Oceania champ and not to mention 16th overall in WC for 2011 with several top ten results in some events (and that was just with an Italian national team, imagine what he could do with full factory support!!)
  • 2 0
 Yeah, it will be sad to see him go without a win or podium (has he had a podium? top 3?). I hope he totally beasts it in one of the next rounds or, even better, at Worlds and takes the win, that'd be a dam sik way to go out!
  • 1 0
 Sam Hill, this is yours!!! At last a sketchy track for everyone!!!
  • 1 0
 What goggles are that on the 18th pic?
  • 1 0
 Bolle
  • 1 0
 great, nice pictures Big Grin
  • 1 4
 why would the Fox techs be nervous about giving Richie a new fork? didnt him and Graves get the new RAD 40 when the others did a few races ago?
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