The World Cup circus rolls on here in Switzerland. Champery was the setting for one of the most legendary rides in World Cup history. Sam Hill came down in massive rainstorm to take 3rd place by less than a couple of seconds, no one else was able to come down within the top 15 once the rain had started.
Rain and mud is what people come to expect in Champery, and today mother nature decided not to dissapoint. ACTION PHOTOS INSIDE.
Helmet Cam Footy from Champery
After a few days of sunshine and warm temperatures, it dumped rain all night and the cleared up. Skies opened up about 8:30 this morning and decided to dump on and off throughout the day. As soon as the top 10 men were about to hit the track, a monsoon rolled in dumping a few inches of rain in no time flat. The once frighteningly fast track turned plain old frightening.
When the computer screens were wiped clear of mud, Samuel Blenkinsop of New Zealand was sitting in first along with Myriam Nicole of France (by an absurd 16+ seconds.)
The weather is supposed to clear by tomorrow and the sun is supposed to come out. It will make for interesting racing as the slick mess from today turns into gloopy peanut butter tomorrow.
The article is talking about previous results when Sam got third. That course walk on freecaster is excellent and so is the helmet cam following Nick Beer. Sure looked like a fun track in the dry but might be a bit of a killer in the rain.
Rachel did have a good crash in Austria, but it sounded like she was planning to ride in Switzerland, having skipped the Nationals at home to get a little more recovery time. Does anyone know if she sat this round out for sure or if something else happened.
What an awesome track Champery is in the dry conditions we saw on the helmet cam footage by Fabien Pedemanaud,following Nicky Beer.It has it all,speed,technical,switchbacks,jumps and rocks'n'roots.It's a perfectly balanced World Cup and even Worlds venue. I know the rain turned it into a swamp in places,but to the course builders credit it loox like they compensated for this after the rains last year,they've certainly learnt from then. Blinky is looking fast on that new Lapierre,but i still have faith in Peaty or Brendog for the hot seat by the end of play,no reasons,i just have a feeling it's one of them 2 who'll end up owning it.It's tailor made for a non-pedaller like Hill,but 'not happening'. Gringo.
what happened was Gwin crashed and slid under the tape and since the track was so steep and muddy he couldn't make it back up the slope so he cut off part of the course and was dsq'd.
He is a protected rider and will ride the finals.
But the rule is appropriate, although may seem unfair. If the rule did not apply, everyone could 'slip the tape' and profit from 'crashing'
I see how everyone may think it is a bad rule, but it is just. Even if your fave rider is the one to get in trouble.
Gwin is in. Champery is still on for the Yeti rider.
rocks'n'roots.It's a perfectly balanced World Cup and even Worlds venue.
I know the rain turned it into a swamp in places,but to the course builders credit it loox like they compensated for this after the rains last year,they've certainly learnt from then.
Blinky is looking fast on that new Lapierre,but i still have faith in Peaty or Brendog for the hot seat by the end of play,no reasons,i just have a feeling it's one of them 2 who'll end up owning it.It's tailor made for a non-pedaller like Hill,but 'not happening'.
Gringo.