Video: Complete Carnage in Loudenvielle | Story of The Race with Ben Cathro

 I’m not really paying attention to DH this year but what’s up with gwin not racing? Is he injured?

 @nskerb: I forget which race, but he broke his hand or elbow in a practice.

 @borlowski90: lenzerheide

 Comments about the broadcast quality account for 90% of this season's race-related comments. Are we going to do this forever? Change sucks and then it doesn't. The end.

 @BenPea: yeah it would be nice to go to the comments and actually see discussion about the race instead of constant moaning about the broadcast, take what you can get and enjoy the unreal racing that is still happening.

 @liveslowdiewhenever: It is not like comments really do add a lot anyway, even during the RB period I would often reduce the volume or mute and enjoy the riders.

At least there is an option to get only ambient sound, the moaners should use that and shut up.

 @opignonlibre:
I've used ambient sound because I don't like the commentators. Focused on great racers and the last race in Loudenvielle was excellent.

The encouragement of the spectators and the sounds coming from the bike are the best commentary.

 @opignonlibre: wait really? How do we get that? I’m using gcn+

 @BenPea: no we'll probably just complain until it returns to high standard that was previously upheld.

that said Gwin completely crushed it in the booth. the little bits of backstory he was able to provide on athletes and technical breakdown of how they navigated key sections was exactly the kind of thing most of us want to hear. not Cedric repeatedly yelling something about going faster or Rick using his signature phrase "to the good." these guys need to walk the pits and talk to the guys like Rob used to do.

 @shandtke: I am using eurosport, suprised if GCN+ would not allow it

 I don't even know where i can watch it anymore.

 @shandtke: When the video is playing, click on what looks like a speech bubble in the lower right corner and you will get the options

 @mcharza: Thanks for the info! This is a game-changer. Unless they let Gwinn continue to commentate I'll be watching all the races with the ambient sounds on.

 I think both would prefer to be injury-free and racing

 it will be interesting to see how Daprela gets on this week. Hopefully he's not too injured and can race. Not sure how old this rule is 4.18.018 UCI ELITE MTB TEAMS have the obligation to participate with minimum 1 rider at all UCI World Cup events. If this is not the case the UCI ELITE MTB TEAM status is removed immediately and the team is not able to register as a UCI ELITE MTB TEAM for the following season. In this case there is no refund of the registration fees. That would leave just Hugo in jumiors for the Commencal team. I think there is a injury provision for Amaury and Myriam since they have missed 3 races. or they could start to use a replacement rider

 @bgoldstone: Classic UCI rule

 It was nice to have something other than screaming and fake hype. He gave a really nice insider point of view.

 @bgoldstone: he's out with a broken hand

 Dude he was riding really well last year too.

 Gwin's bukkake... please stop it.

 www.redbull.com/in-en/episodes/beyond-the-line-s1-e2

They have after shows

 lol, the groans from Rick and Gwin after that were priceless

 I think that rule needs looked at, it promotes anti racing and not taking risks if you're riding for the points. If someone goes off the track, penalize their time 2.5 seconds for the number of posts they miss unless it looks like a deliberate course cutting move or they completely cut out a section of track, in which case it warrants a DSQ. How many people make mistakes and go off line and nothing happens because they don't leave the track, but then you leave the track, because you're out control the same as everyone else and you get DSQ'd for it unless you want to stop and push back up, in which case you lose the race. Imagine this, Jackson ends up winning his first World Cup overall in the opening year, which is huge. But he only wins it by a handfull more points than Finn and everyone knows that Finn should be the overall winner and only missed out thanks to blowing his feet off and missing some posts, losing the WC because you didn't stop and push back up is so dumb, it's a rule that suits cross country not DH. Or Bruni wins another WC overall thanks to that.

 @on-the-move: That rule has been in the rulebook for DH, Enduro and presumably XC for a long time. It doesn't promote "anti-racing", it just makes it a level playing field. You're all riding the same course, not being able to pick and choose which bits you do or don't want to ride.

It isn't always about gaining time either, it could be minimising risk. Taking a 2.5sec time penalty for avoiding a potentially risky part of track would be worth it for a lot of riders, especially with how consistency is rewarded in the overall now (with semis and finals).

F1 has subjective track limits rules, and almost every race there's talk about how they are or aren't enforced, how stewards made the decision over who gained time and whether that was right or wrong or not - would you want a title decided by a random UCI official deciding if someone intentionally left a course, for example?

The rule as it is now is clear-cut, and that's why it's been a part of the rules for so long. Everyone knows what it is, and if you make a mistake and go off course you pay the price.

 Did Finn actually realise what he did? I like the reusable posts in most of the course but dont they also have some tape they could use to make it clearer?
The rule is fine.

 Jackson at 9.45??

 @Stickyson: Was wondering the same and waiting for them to say he got DQ'd as well. Maybe that clip was from practice or something?

 @NealWood: 1st clip was practice

 @CleanZine: He isn't picking and choosing what part he wanted to ride, he made a mistake that pushed him off the track and immediately tried to get back on it but was way down the course just like that. Like I said, if you're deliberately cutting the course you get DSQ but if you f*ck up and end up off it, it shouldn't be a DSQ.

 @on-the-move: My point still stands that you're making a black-and-white decision come down to a personal opinion on the part of whoever is officiating. In racing that is almost never a good thing, and as many sports have shown (again, F1) it ends up worse off for being that way.

 this was stated on the downtime pod les gets pre-race, but apparently they ran 4 minute gaps between the women during finals, the largest gaps ever given for womens racing. if bits of runs were missing that would be on the producer, who by all appearances frequently just picks which camera to cut to next at random.

 At least ten of the finest bike riders on the planet being ejected by the track, some of the comments here before the race were ridiculous. Hope it stays on the calendar

 @HankHank: They're call coming from people who have never watched a go pro of the stuff they ride that they think is steep and then look at it and realize it's flat af compared to what these guys ride.

 He's smart, having tighter clothes could be the difference between winning and not winning when fractions of a second seperates 1st & 2nd.

 This was discussed in the commentary during the race.

As Cedric rode in the skin suit era he said gwyn and rik would call him a liar but nico vouillioz’s skin suit was saving him 5 seconds in just one section of the track, he did name the track but I can’t remember it.

He went on to say those skin suits weren’t just tight lycra but made from the same fabric and by the same company that was doing the dh skier suits at the time

 I think the rules were it had to have like an inch of loose material. I think by having all the body armour underneath they might have been able to get around those rules

 > he did name the track but I can’t remember it

Kaprun I think.

 There are no longer rules around not wearing skin suits. These rules were removed this year.

Page 26 of the UCI MTB Regulations document, big red section which is a removal. assets.ctfassets.net/761l7gh5x5an/6qYIYIddcAPjN248n7tVDI/0537c489c50ee75d80d7948610c3a02a/UCI_MTB_Rules_-_Part_IV_-_ENG_-_V05.2023.pdf

Here is the text that is now no longer in force:

§ 3 4.3.011
> Jersey
> The jersey shall be a long-sleeved shirt whose sleeves extend down to the rider's wrists. Jerseys used in downhill events should be of a type specifically designed and sold for use in BMX Racing or Mountain Bike downhill events. Jerseys designed for road cycling, skinsuits, or one-piece suits comprising the jersey and the pants/shorts are not permitted for use in downhill events.
The jersey must be either close fitting around the waist or must be tucked into the pants before the start to not cause interference.

> Pants
> Long pants or short pants combined with suitable knee and shin protection are authorised. Such long or short pants should be of a type that is specifically designed and sold for use in BMX Racing or Mountain Bike downhill events. Long pants of the type described above must be of one-piece construction and made of tear-resistant material. They should cover the entire length of both legs until just above the shoe or ankle. Short pants of the type described above must be of one-piece construction and made of tear-resistant material. They should be worn together with suitable leg protection, that covers the entire knee and the entire shin until just above the ankle. (text modified on 1.01.23).

 @cypher74: check out picture of Ben Cathro in PVC coated skinsuit back in 2008 at fort william
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/stop-the-skinsuit-rule.html

I heard an interview with Ben a few years back and he said that the time savings with this suit was a few seconds, which is massive in DH racing.

I personally don't want to see DH go back to skin suits. It makes more sense to wear kits that are mostly the same as what the public can buy.

 @vesania: I agree. And it's been more than just this year. They've been creating tighter the last few years. Odd that I've been down voted for suggesting we are in danger of heading back to skin suits (I was aware the materials are different).

Its nearly like some of you perverts want them back!